STiG: The Greenest Vehicle on Ecomodder...

[MetroMPG]

Very impressive. Congrats!

[Daox]

Wow, thats impressive!

[Xist]

Without deleting your emissions equipment?

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by Xist

Without deleting your emissions equipment?

All basically stock - still have 4 years factory warranty left. This engine has a lot of tricky stuff in it like variable geometry oil and water pumps so maybe they've cracked the emissions with economy paradigm? I've only noticed one DPF burn so if it happens every 3000km (during a very occasional highway run), it's probably not going to have a measurable impact on economy.

Oh I do run DPF cleaner every tank If you look at my fuel log there's a dip in the 5th tank where I didn't run it. It's expensive but pays for itself and claims all sort of benefits like keeping the EGR clean etc.

The only real mod I have is solar panels that ensure my battery is 100% charged every morning- that means stop start works 90% of the time with my one traffic light per km commute.

The new van averages 18.5mph, the old van only managed 16mph (lifetime) matching NEDC's city speed. The new van is faster on paper but I generally don't drive it faster, so I think I've gotten better at avoiding the real trouble spots over the years.

I sit up really high - it gives me almost supernatural traffic anticipatory skills. With a throttle less 1.6 and 2+ tons I have next to no engine braking (you feel no difference when you put the clutch in!) so I use a LOT of DFCO. So much in fact that my thermostat never opens fully - new European cars seem to be set up that way for whatever reason.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

I do run DPF cleaner every tank If you look at my fuel log there's a dip in the 5th tank where I didn't run it. It's expensive but pays for itself and claims all sort of benefits like keeping the EGR clean etc.

How is the DPF cleaner supposed to work?

With a throttle less 1.6 and 2+ tons I have next to no engine braking (you feel no difference when you put the clutch in!) so I use a LOT of DFCO.

Sometimes the lack of engine braking in a Diesel becomes quite a PITA. BTW what is DFCO?

So much in fact that my thermostat never opens fully - new European cars seem to be set up that way for whatever reason.

It's quite surprising the thermostat wouldn't open fully. Not sure if that might be related to the emission controls, most noticeably the DPF regen which requires higher temperatures to work properly.

[oldtamiyaphile]

DPF cleaner works by lowering the combustion temperature of the soot caught in the DPF, making it burn off even in all city driving. It 100% works. In my old van I'd have the DPF light come on every 200km. After DPF cleaner, never saw the light again, and economy improved.

DFCO= Deceleration Fuel Cut Off. Throttle less engines (petrol or diesel) do DFCO very well.

Both my petrols and diesel behave the same way. In normal driving the thermostat barely opens (normal temp on the SG is 78*C), while the thermostat fully opens at 88*C. The radiator is barely warm after a drive.

That basically only happens when towing a trailer where I might see as high as 92*C.

[oldtamiyaphile]

I spent last weekend (with lots of breaks) making a custom fit window shade:



It was a lot of work (all hand stitched), but it's so much nicer to have something that fits and blocks out virtually all the light. It's noticeably cooler than the nearest off the shelf size which was good for height, but about 150mm too narrow.

Now with matching road bike:





It's an Italian Kuota brand frame with my old Di2 etc components. I love the new frame, it handles far better and is far more comfortable than the pro level frame it replaces. Doesn't look as good though I've added a new saddle, light weight battery (ditched the heavy Shimano battery mount and bottom junction box) Still waiting on a new handlebar and maybe stem. My luggage scale is broken so no weight as yet. Already averaging 24km/h which is not that much slower than the van, and within 2km/h of my old van.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I'm thinking of an Airstream trailer, one roll would do all 12 windows.

Perforated black vinyl is what I’ll be using on the Silver Streak. Awnings really are the thing past that. Reflectix if the summer sun Load is constant.

Look into some of the 3M choices others use on AIR. Some of the laminated security films are impressive.

Nice van, OP. Forgive the OT post.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

How is the DPF cleaner supposed to work?




Sometimes the lack of engine braking in a Diesel becomes quite a PITA. BTW what is DFCO?




It's quite surprising the thermostat wouldn't open fully. Not sure if that might be related to the emission controls, most noticeably the DPF regen which requires higher temperatures to work properly.

With a diesel one runs in a gear lower than required. Higher revs. Initiates slowing before moving to use service brake. Fact of life. Bad habit to do otherwise (Meaning the stunt of FE isn’t justified as bad habit more than offsets it).

.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

The question was about the DPF cleaner product that oldtamiyaphile is using, not the forced regen. But anyway, that's definitely a PITA.