Quote:
Originally Posted by sid
One reason the same cars in the US get poorer fuel economy than in other countries is that we have different pollution standards. Our standards are optimized to reduce smog and carcinogens.
|
The main reason for the difference in economy is smaller engines, linked to the fact that slushboxes are rarer on most models. e.g. S1 Focus went up to 2.3 litres in the US which was not sold in Europe where you could get a 1.4 manual. The Saturn version of the GM Vectra came to the US with a V6 as the base engine, you could have a 1.6/1.8 petrol in the EU. The old 1980s Escort was also a world car, you could get one in the UK with a 1.1 engine and the 1.9 sold in the US was never sold in the EU.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rmay635703
Also all Euro GM vehicles had lean burn, if you can find an ECU rom image from the euro version of your paticular motor you can gain lean burn,
|
You can probably get a remap for an Ecotec, don't think it will get you lean burn though. When the EU mandated the use of cataclysmic converters in the late 80s the original plan was to exclude any car under 1.4 litres for performance reasons. Europeans had visions of their engines currently getting 60-80 bhp/litre being strangled like most US engines at the time and getting much thirstier.
A lot of manufacturers including GM and Ford invested in 1.4 litre lean-burn engines. Ford especially made a big thing of a 1.4 CVH which came with a head designed to give better combustion and use lean burn, gave good economy and could do 105+ in an Escort, GM stretched and refined their 1.4 OHC unit and got similarly impressive results.
Then the EU changed their mind because of the idea of makers coming up with highly stressed 1.4 turbos (ironic given the >100 bhp / litre 1.4s from VW and GM now being sold) and mandated cats for all cars regardless of engine size, effectively killing off the lean burn engine. All EU cars have cats now from the factory and have the same issue of lean burn not working with them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rmay635703
too bad no europeans have the tuning fixation americans have
|
*(looks at
Practical Performance Car (PPC) magazine, a monthly publication aimed at real car enthusiasts, with real-world cars., scratches chin) Which europeans would that be ? We likes our speed we does. Before coming here I was planning to take my TDi engine to 180hp
Quote:
Originally Posted by rmay635703
as I have never found a new gm/buick 3800 euro tune rom even though I know that powerplant ended up in europe under different names certain years.
|
I don't believe the 3800 engine was used in Europe in a European model. GM used the straight-six powerplant from Opel (up to 3.6 litres) until the early 90s and then the narrow angle V6 (3.2 I think) after that.
It may have come in when GM imported some US models (SUVs mainly) but they didn't sell very well due to chronic thirst. No European models listed here :
Buick V6 engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia