A work in progress.

[euromodder]

I guess I've just proven #6 on the list of 108 hypermiling tips :
6) Join a fuel economy forum


In the year before joining ecomodder I was using 5.49L/100km (42.8 mpg).
The same 2 month period last year, I was using 5.32L/100km (44.2 mpg).
Since joining ecomodder, I've been using only 4.81L/100km (48.9mpg).

That's a 10.6% improvement in mpg over the same 2 month period in 2009 !

[Piwoslaw]

Well then Tip #6 should be in the proven section of the EM Wiki

[320touring]

Originally Posted by euromodder

I guess I've just proven #6 on the list of 108 hypermiling tips :
6) Join a fuel economy forum


In the year before joining ecomodder I was using 5.49L/100km (42.8 mpg).
The same 2 month period last year, I was using 5.32L/100km (44.2 mpg).
Since joining ecomodder, I've been using only 4.81L/100km (48.9mpg).

That's a 10.6% improvement in mpg over the same 2 month period in 2009 !

Good work!

Now to look through the rest of the list and see waht else you can try!

[euromodder]

My trip to Prague / Brno in Czechia has had some very mixed results.

FE was an acceptable 48.3 during the outgoing trip, despite the heavy load (over 200 kg / 440 lbs more than usual), but fell to a very disappointing 40.8 mpg during the week.

The Prague hotel's cramped underground parking surely didn't help, nor did the hilly terrain.
The diesel particle filter regenerated often (using extra diesel).
All too often, and often very harshly.


On the way home in pouring rain, while overtaking an articulated truck on an incline, the engine management cut in and cut the power !
The car couldn't even sustain 50mph and I barely made the top of the hill in the crawling lane !
Behind the truck

Turned off the motorway, shut down the car and removed the key for a while, then restarted. (Standard reset procedure.)
Fortunately, everything seemed to be well after the reset, but we decided to get home ASAP or at least get as close to home as quickly as possible.

Continued at 130 kph or PSL through Czechia and Germany.
On the unlimited parts of the German Autobahn, I decided to check the car's performance, and it rather swiftly reached Vmax at 187 kph/ 116 mph.


That seemed to have blown out the cobwebs, and the particle filter's regeneration process became smoother as well, so after refueling I continued home in eco-mode @ 105 kph.

To my astonishment, I managed to slightly improve my best FE on this last leg of the trip !

[euromodder]

Earlier today, I visited my Volvo dealership to find the cause for the loss of power.

The diesel particle filter showed an error code and is getting to the point where the regeneration process no longer burns all soot, gradually blocking the exhaust pipe.
I had hoped to extend its useful life beyond Volvo's 120000km replacement policy - some have managed 180000km - but obviously it didn't quite work out that way.


In addition, one of the pre-heating plugs has failed - this also causes higher fuel consumption and lower performance during warm up.
On a diesel without DPF, you can easily tell one of them failed when the exhaust pumps out copious amounts of soot at start-up, but not so with a DPF.

[Arragonis]

Well done on finding the cure. Can you remove the DPF, seems more hassle than its worth? When Mrs A got her Octavia we went for one without as people seem to complain about them blocking when the car is not driven hard - although Mrs A does drive hard. Very.

Not sure about the smoke on startup diagnosis - I get some smoke on startup and I'm on new plugs which were checked on the last service. I have other issues with smoke though.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Can you remove the DPF, seems more hassle than its worth?

I could, but I won't.
With the DPF, I actually have a Euro 5-compliant car - even though it's officially only Euro 4.

Not sure about the smoke on startup diagnosis - I get some smoke on startup and I'm on new plugs which were checked on the last service.
I have other issues with smoke though.

It's not the sole diagnosis. Running really rough when cold is another one.
It's just not yet cold enough for that The engine management also smooths out some of the roughness.

I've had one of the glow-plugs fail on an older Peugeot TD in winter, it's very noticeable.

[320touring]

good work on the "Improved" fuel economy after some Italian Tuning...

I'm hoping to take my Saab on a Trackday in November for similar reasons..

Did you get to see the Ossuary Chapel outside Prague?a very weird place..

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by 320touring

Did you get to see the Ossuary Chapel outside Prague?a very weird place..

I'm afraid not, looks like a macabre place.

[320touring]

Originally Posted by euromodder

I'm afraid not, looks like a macabre place.

I found it interesting, mainly as it reinforcd my opinons regarding certain belief systems.

Enough of that though- back on topic..

Am I going to have to come over to Belgium and teach you P&G? you need to be getting that MPG up!