Ecotech economy

[Calaber]

Well, I reckon the old Ecotechs can show the Alloytechs a few things about real world economy.

I've just completed a return run in my VY from the NSW Central Coast to Brisbane in the past week, via the Pacific Highway.

The car travelled 2020 k's on 169 litres of 91 unleaded. The average consumption was 12.43 k's per litre, or 8.04 litres/100 km.

For those of my generation, that's just over 35 miles per gallon.

I used to struggle to get my HR Premier 186 Traumatic to better 21 mpg. This car weighs heaps more, has every comfort item I could wish for, is far safer and easier to drive over long distances, and uses almost half the fuel to do the job.

Stuff four cylinders - I'm keeping this one for a whle yet.

[greenacc]

my ecotec got similar economy on that same trip. The commodore is a great highway car full stop.

[tanner892]

fair effort, but I recently did a trip back to melbourne from the gold coast at 7.3L/100 in my sv6, so im not sure if the ecotechs can teach them anything as such but they can hold their own.

[TVR-190]

i once got 7l per 100km in my car. i was very happy with that

[danja]

They aren't bad, but bear in mind that is all highway driving. We're seeing turbo diesels now doing well under 5L/100 combined cycle, and 200+kW 6's doing sub 10L/100.

Given it's age, relatively low-tech construction, durability and versatility the Ecotec is quite a good engine, but no matter how you slice it it's old and can't keep up with modern engines.

[Calaber]

They aren't bad, but bear in mind that is all highway driving. We're seeing turbo diesels now doing well under 5L/100 combined cycle, and 200+kW 6's doing sub 10L/100.

Given it's age, relatively low-tech construction, durability and versatility the Ecotec is quite a good engine, but no matter how you slice it it's old and can't keep up with modern engines.

Hi Dave

Yeah, fair call - I certainly wasn't trying to indicate that this was outstanding in terms of what modern cars can achieve, but for such an old design, in a car that is no lightweight, runs an old four speed auto and had the air on most of the time, I reckon it's a pretty fair return. I used to put an egg under the accelerator of the HR and the bloody thing just wouldn't give decent economy. I filled up at Cornubia before leaving, then topped up with 14 litres at Ballina, before driving the rest of the way without stopping except for a half way tea break.

When I got home, there was still around a quarter of a tank left, which indicates that I could probably have gone the complete distance on one tank. Even my Mk V Golf didn't do that. (admittedly with a 55 litre tank versus 73 in the VY)

[danja]

No arguments there, in fact I believe it even won some awards back in it's heyday. When it was released back in the early 90's it would have been head and shoulders above most of the competition I imagine.

It's also important to point out that EcoTec actually stands for Economy/Emissions Technology, and it was designed as such to be an efficient, tough-going engine, not a racing engine or anything like that.

I used you give one of my mates a hard time, because I drove a VT V6, which was somewhere around the 1700kg mark when fueled up, sound deadened, full of audio gear and myself, and had a 3.8L 15yo engine in, which I drove to and from work every day in the morning and afternoon peak (down Victoria Rd no less, which is one of the worst in the state for peak traffic), and I'd ALWAYS pull between 12 and 14L/100 over the course of a week.

He on the other hand drove a 2001 Audi A4, with a 2.4L, DOHC, 30-valve VVT V6, and a kerb weight of about 1500kg, which he drove late at night and during the day (never in peak) and got exactly the same economy!

[TGM]

Well, I reckon the old Ecotechs can show the Alloytechs a few things about real world economy.

...

The car travelled 2020 k's on 169 litres of 91 unleaded. The average consumption was 12.43 k's per litre, or 8.04 litres/100 km.

My VZ exec did 7.9 l/100 from Melb to Syd. And that was with me using every overtake as an opportunity to floor it. And a full car.

But still, both are pretty respectable, great cars to do a long trip in.

[Calaber]

My VZ exec did 7.9 l/100 from Melb to Syd. And that was with me using every overtake as an opportunity to floor it. And a full car.

But still, both are pretty respectable, great cars to do a long trip in.

Hi TGM

Hmmm, perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned the Alloytechs. clearly, they are capable of excellent economy when driven on the open road too. But then, if the General had gone to all the trouble of developing the Alloytech and the fuel consumption hadn't been superior to the Ecotech, I guess we would be saying they stuffed things up.

As you say, regardless of which engine, these are great touring cars and prove that locally developed large cars still have a place in our market.

[Fekason]

I have had four Commodores now.

VL 3.0 Manual used to give about 33 MPG on a country trip, weight around 1,250 Kg.

VSII 3.8 Manual used to give about 37 MPG on the same trip, weight around 1,400 Kg.

VYII 3.8 Manual same as VSII, even though it weighed over 1,500 Kg.

VE 3.6 Manual has only done a country trip when new (less that 2K at end). It gave 35MPG, so run in will be similar to VSII and VYII even though around 1,650 Kg.

Good progress, especially compared to my chook tin that used to struggle to 28 MPG on a trip, and struggle even more up the hills.

I liked to Nissan 6 a lot, but was pleasantly surprised with the EcoTech. The more I drive the AlloyTec, the more I like it.

[dynoryder]

so what fule are you all useing seen a few eco threads but realised no one states what fule they are useing

[Oh_Your_Blind]

I expected the v6's to be bad on fuel, recently did a Sydney to Orange and back on $40.. thats 500kms on 35 litres!

[TGM]

so what fule are you all useing seen a few eco threads but realised no one states what fule they are useing

I was using Mobil 2000 when I got 7.9 and I wasn't driving economically either.

I now use Mobil 8000 and it gets slightly better economy, enough so that it's roughly the same price per km, but I get more distance out of a tank.

Mobil 2000 ran better than Shell 91ron, Shell V-Power didn't give me any improvement over the cheap Shell stuff.

BP seems to be the same as Mobil but I've only ever ran one tank so I can't really say.

Shell E10 was horrendous, that crap isn't fit to go into a car...

[Calaber]

so what fule are you all useing seen a few eco threads but realised no one states what fule they are useing

Have another read of my post. It says "91 unleaded".

[Holdfast]

Well, I reckon the old Ecotechs can show the Alloytechs a few things about real world economy.

I've just completed a return run in my VY from the NSW Central Coast to Brisbane in the past week, via the Pacific Highway.

The car travelled 2020 k's on 169 litres of 91 unleaded. The average consumption was 12.43 k's per litre, or 8.04 litres/100 km.

For those of my generation, that's just over 35 miles per gallon.

I used to struggle to get my HR Premier 186 Traumatic to better 21 mpg. This car weighs heaps more, has every comfort item I could wish for, is far safer and easier to drive over long distances, and uses almost half the fuel to do the job.

Stuff four cylinders - I'm keeping this one for a whle yet.

Ripper going mate.

I went from Sydney to Adelaide rtn on high octane and the best fe was 8.6l/100km.
Not sure on the distance.

Your stats are very impressive and I'd be holding on to those wheels as well

My old man had a 302 cleveland 4 speed top loader that use to get 18 mpg and he was wrapped. Things have certainly changed my friend

[HoldenOnn]

Well, I reckon the old Ecotechs can show the Alloytechs a few things about real world economy.

I've just completed a return run in my VY from the NSW Central Coast to Brisbane in the past week, via the Pacific Highway.

The car travelled 2020 k's on 169 litres of 91 unleaded. The average consumption was 12.43 k's per litre, or 8.04 litres/100 km.

For those of my generation, that's just over 35 miles per gallon.

I used to struggle to get my HR Premier 186 Traumatic to better 21 mpg. This car weighs heaps more, has every comfort item I could wish for, is far safer and easier to drive over long distances, and uses almost half the fuel to do the job.

Stuff four cylinders - I'm keeping this one for a whle yet.

2020kms using 169lts is actually: 11.95 kms/ltr or 8.37lts/100km or 33.76 mpg

I went to Powercruise last weekend and did a fuel consumption run in my totally stock 2004 VZ Calais Automatic 190kw Alloytec V6. I sat on 115km/h on the open road and had to go through a couple of suburbs and some traffic once hitting the city. I was using normal throttle off the lights and overtook cars as necessary in a normal fashion.

Picture is below of my figures as per the computer. Upon filling up, it was revealed that I actually used 1 litre less than the computer readout. This is a common trend I have notice since I have had the car. At every fill up, the computer is always reading slightly more fuel usage than the bowser (only by a litre or so).

Going by the figures on my dash I got: 12.53 kms/ltr or 7.98 lts/100kms or 35.41 mpg

Or going my the bowser readout (1 litre less used): 12.83 kms/ltr or 7.79 lts/100kms or 36.25 mpg

So I would say that sitting on 115km/h and driving normally from lights and doing this in my Luxury 6 cylinder 190kw Calais and getting 7.79 lts/100km or over 36 mpg is fantastic.