Extreme/expensive mods to gain milage in (turbo)diesels

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by TimV

Its a rear wheel drive only.
It has a 4.27 final drive.

There is a 2.7l version of my model. But that has independand suspension in the rear where my model has a solid rear axle.

With any live axle (and leaf springs?) it's fairly straight forward to swap to another axle. It might not be popular in Europe, but here and in the US there are workshops that specialise in axle swaps. You can pick any axle in the world any have it adapted without too much drama.

However, a basic ring and pinion swap would be cheaper.

[niky]

I'd go for the axle swap and injection.

Injection, you need to use distilled water. While I've heard of economy gains, I think you might need to be on an alcohol mix... and the cost of alcohol might negate any gains.

You could also simply chip the engine... have it tuned for better economy and power at the same time. Lots of services over there in Europe for diesel tuning, as opposed to other markets.

[TimV]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

With any live axle (and leaf springs?) it's fairly straight forward to swap to another axle. It might not be popular in Europe, but here and in the US there are workshops that specialise in axle swaps. You can pick any axle in the world any have it adapted without too much drama.

However, a basic ring and pinion swap would be cheaper.

No, its with a spring on top of the axle and a shock right behind the axle.

Originally Posted by niky

I'd go for the axle swap and injection.

Injection, you need to use distilled water. While I've heard of economy gains, I think you might need to be on an alcohol mix... and the cost of alcohol might negate any gains.

You could also simply chip the engine... have it tuned for better economy and power at the same time. Lots of services over there in Europe for diesel tuning, as opposed to other markets.

If it needs to be destilled water then this will not be a mod for me, destilled water cost here 1€/l, diesel cost 1,1€/l
So it needs te save me a hell of a lot diesel to pay that back.
Is filterd rain water not good?

[Xist]

I do not know about rain water, someone commented that if you collected it, and allowed it to sit for two days, the solutes would separate, but I have not looked into it. Walmart sells a gallon for 88¢, which works out to 0.255€/l.

Wait, you guys are weird: 0,255€/l.

I read a post by someone that was going through two gallons a day (7.5l), they bought this: http://smile.amazon.com/Megahome-Cou...team+distiller and calculated that, taking into account electricity usage, they broke even in ten months.

Or you could do something like this: How to Distill Water.

The floating glass bowl sounds weird. I would just put something under it and if I used enough distilled water, I might just dedicate a pot to it, and have a funnel run through a hole in the side.

[TimV]

Originally Posted by niky

I'd go for the axle swap and injection.

Injection, you need to use distilled water. While I've heard of economy gains, I think you might need to be on an alcohol mix... and the cost of alcohol might negate any gains.

You could also simply chip the engine... have it tuned for better economy and power at the same time. Lots of services over there in Europe for diesel tuning, as opposed to other markets.

Upgrades of my truck:

->Lowest 4 season tires i could find.
Here in Europe all tires need an EU label.
This is the label of my tyre:

Previous tire where front: Rolling recistance category G and rear was E.

Now both are C.

Normally there should be a 0,1l/100km difference for each category lower/higher.

Execpt category D (truck category)

"Normal change in consumption" will be arround 0,2l/100km.

-> Bigger intercooler: 1,5 times frontal surface and 2x as thick, makes a 3 times bigger intercooler then stock. (couldnt go bigger because no room left)

-> custum chiptuning
stock: 141hp and 310Nm
Now: 200hp and 400Nm

Savings chip and intercooler +/_ 0,3l/100km

->Slowing down on highway 95km/h instead of 120km/h

Probably 0,75l/100km

-> Front tire spats/half air dam
0,05l/100km

-> full upper grill block (good until 25 degrees Celcius
0,05l/100km

-> oil pan heater (should have an increase)
0,05l/100km

-> The rest of the savings is probably changed driving style.
1,1l/100km

Total of 2,5l/100km an reduction of 31,25%

[UFO]

Originally Posted by RustyLugNut

. . . he does have to make sure his injection pump is up to the task. Most modern common rail diesel systems run at far too high a pressure to accept even a small thickening of the fuel that results in a disastrous increase in rail pressure and immediate failure of the pump.

Biodiesel. Easy to make, no fuel system conversion. Mine costs 1/3 the price of diesel.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

If you were eventually messing with the differential ratio, you might also consider to get a transmission with a wider gear spread to not decrease the acceleration in a potentially dangerous way, neither decrease the performance in hilly terrain.

[renault_megane_dci]

200hp and 400Nm need fuel ...

In my opinion, every chip tuning if diesel vehicles in Europe is towards more power and not economy.
An economy tuning world work only on WG operating and not on fuel delivery but will not be selling because there is no market for it.

Seeing how large and heavy your vehicle is, and how picky our regulations are, I'd be happy with 5,5 L/100 kms.

That's my average with a Mk2 Megane Estate 1,9L DCi

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by renault_megane_dci

200hp and 400Nm need fuel ...

In my opinion, every chip tuning if diesel vehicles in Europe is towards more power and not economy.
An economy tuning world work only on WG operating and not on fuel delivery but will not be selling because there is no market for it.

Actually, as a chip-tuned engine can eventually cruise at lower RPM and has an improved accelerating power, some mileage benefit is possible. Also, with all the precision of a modern multiple-jet common-rail injection, it's possible to have the fuel spraying pattern optimized to increase both performance and efficiency.

[renault_megane_dci]

Just saying there are no "all out" economy tuning out there.

By the way, the extra boost that is unleashed by chip tuning diesel powered car is usually dumped not to destroy the gearbox.