Lowish Fuel economy, service list
Hey, i am using 95 octane caltex fuel, i have done about 1300 k's in my car since since i have bought it, which shows on the trip computer (triple window) and my avg fuel use says 16.7l/100km are these triple window trips very accurate because thats quite high, i filled my car up 2 weeks ago and have done about 370 k's in it so far and its now under a quarter left on the gauge so i might get about 440 k's out of the full tank, and thats not freeway driving. i have listed everything i plan on doing below im hoping this makes the car run heaps better and give it a better fuel economy, is there anything else i have missed, also might be hard to answer but how much would this cost on average? (the labour not the parts),
Thanks
i am planning on doing a big service to it soon to make sure its running the best it can.
i have read in other posts that the fuel injector cleaners are good, which one would you suggest i use out of the 2 i have linked please?
Nulon Petrol Injector Cleaner - 300mL - Supercheap Auto Australia
Nulon Total Fuel System Cleaner - 500mL - Supercheap Auto Australia
I also plan on changing the oil to 10w/40 castrol magnatec
Transmission flushed and replaced with new fluid
new air filter (even though it looked very clean when i looked at it a week ago, unless i was meant to take it out and look under it)
new oil filter
new fuel filter
spark plugs/leads
oxygen sensors
clean MAF sensor
clean throttle body
I found caltex fuel pretty bad for economy. By all means still service things that need to be serviced but I'd try mobil and BP both 95 and 98 for a few tanks. I found BP and Mobil 95 the best for economy but see what works for you
ok thanks, that makes it a bit harder as the closest mobil to my house is about 20 minutes or so away, the Bp is a little closer thoughOriginally Posted by monkeys437
Fuel economy - allowing for the vehicle to be be in reasonable condition - can vary enormously depending on how the vehicle is driven (for economy, or foot flat to the floor going everywhere) and the conditions it is driven in (hot, head winds wet, etc.). Other factors like incorrect tyre pressure, dragging brakes, unsuitable/worn out spark plugs, etc. can reduce the distance either subtly or quite noticeably. I'd be checking these things before I started replacing those expensive items you've listed.
It should be pointed out some of the things you've listed doing will have no bearing on fuel economy whatsoever (i.e changing transmission fluid, oil filter and probably fuel filter).
Also, if fuel injectors are dirty and partially clogged, putting injector cleaner in the fuel will not eliminate the accumulated crud that builds up in the injector filter basket. To clean the injectors properly, they really need to be removed and taken to a place that specialises in injector reconditioning to have them cleaned, worn items replaced, tested and calibrated.
Hope this helps a little.
Hey thanks, im aware not all of these items help fuel economy thats just a list of everything i plan on doing as i dont know when all this was last replaced because i bought this car a month and a half ago, as for tyre pressure i have 32 psi in them all, with spark plugs you can visually notice if they are worn yes?
32psi is relatively low.
I think about 40psi is the max, and 36-37psi would be a good medium for good rolling economy.
oh really? on the door card it recommends 32
Filled up with bp 95 then see how i go with that, i got about 420 k's out of the last tank city driving
I Used to get 9.4-9.8 per 100K, I cleaned maf, throttle body & plenum inc runners ect..you know, all the good stuff, I now get 8.5L per 100K, Been at 8.4 - 8.5 for over 4 month's now.
Im always cleaning the inside of my engine, i just like my car running 100% all the time, Even replace thing's when they dont even really need changing. Just to keep everything tip top! (no surprises down the track)
I change engine oil every 5000K, Trans fluid every 10.000K (even sooner in hot weather), Tyres are 235/45/17's with 37-Psi
I always keep the inside & outside of the engine crystal clean, New oil all the time, sensor's cleaned every service.
Pulling the motor apart all the time to clean it out...
Spark plugs every 10K, leads 20K. Air filter cleaned all the time! Also i use good quality injector cleaner + morey's top end lube often.
I even clean the connectors under the coil's all the time...plus a whole lot of other stuff
Most of the time i drive carefully - Just to keep my engine in good order, But every now and then i give it a bit... maby once a month.
So far my avrage of 8.4L/100K is the best i have seen, I just put it down to constant engine maintenance and carefull driving, I have 130 000K on the engine.
Usualy use caltex magnatec oil, But may soon change...
Im not 100% sure how far i get on a full tank because i usualy fill up well before empty but i would guess 650+K's
Run on whatever 95 octane fuel i can get...No in particular fuel...Just 95 octane..and never ethanol..
So i would say, Just give your engine a real good clean inside and out, and frequently to!, Engine oil change's every 5000K, Do it more frequently if you drive hard!.
Also keep your gearbox in good order to, It doesent cost much to do a service and it will save you alot of hassle!
Change diff oil if you havent already.
Keep the coolant nice and fresh!, I do mine every 10.000K, and get the expensive stuff! saves the insides of your motor & radiator from rusting out!.
I like doing stuff on my car, Every possible chance i get im out there doing stuff, I like it running the best it can! Probably a bit obsessive but thats why i get such good Fuel economy.
Look after your engine and it will look after you!
Whenever your bored and got nothing to do go do some cleaning ha!
Do all that and i bet you will get far beter economy!
You see, Some people who NEVER clean the engine or anything to do with the engine and they wonder why there engine runs like crap!
Engine oil is 20000K over due, air filter is blocked to the max, sensors are all buggerd, tyres are half flat..gearbox fluid is black..Coolant is dark brown and full of rust, Not hard to figgure out....
Last edited by vx_commodore; 01-12-2011 at 09:05 PM.
Blues Brother # 1
Coolant every 10.000k !! now thats extreme lol, Max 2 years for me, or if its looking brown and ewwies lol.
I Run 38 PSI, Oil etc just all by the books. I get 700kms + each time, and just use Vortex 95. You also have to think, yes doing all this extreme servicing, how much are you really saving in the end.
Trans every 60K, 20K earlier then holden says, just cause transmissions are sensitive
But good that your out looking after your car mate ! i just stick to the books, having 2 cars doing all that servicing would be a full time job every weekend lol
Yeh i get what you mean, I know it's extreame, But i like to service my car so i guess that is part of the reason... I dont like having dirty fluid's in there...
The whole coolant change every 10k is coz i have seen so many over heated / blown cars over the past year or so it's got me a bit compolsive i guess... plus its so damm hot up here i like to keep it 100%, I get oil's - coolants ect quiet cheap at times from work when they get cheap order's in, So sometimes its hard to pass up....Instead of it all piling up i just use it...
But i definitely get what you mean with the whole is it worth it in the end...Im sure im losing out in the end, But ill have a great running car in the meantime haha...
I like to get people into the habbit of frequent servicing, But not as extream as me..I know im odd...ha...But, you know, at least as the service book states..
I always thought, A car will last as long as you want..keep up the work and it will last forever.
I see so many cars day after day that are totaly neglected.. People just do absolutly nothing to them ever then wonder why they....'dont work anymore' hmmmm?
Just the simple thing's like oil - gearbox oil - sparkies - leads - cleaning- can make such a great diffrence in everything to do with economy-preformance ect, So yeh i dunno... Just a good thing to get into i think... With the way the world is going these days people are keeping things for longer.. you have to i guess...not much choice...
But yeh at the end of the day, If you just keep up with the servicing dates ect, Keep an eye on things you should be fine for many years to come, And maby save some money on fuel while your there...
While I agree keeping servicing up to a vehicle is important for reliability and personal satisfaction etc. I'm yet to be convinced it has much bearing on fuel economy.
Poor fuel economy is caused by three main factors.
(1) mechanical friction (i.e. low tyre pressure, dragging brakes, a/c usually on, weather conditions, hilly terrain, etc.)
(2) faulty/worn components involved in the combustion process (e.g leaking power steering won't affect economy - but worn out piston rings will)
(3) driving style.
Also, don't be deceived by a spark plug 'looking O.K' because there are a variety of things that can cause it to malfunction and are hard to pick up purely by visual inspection.
yeh that economy's terrible man. I get 11-12 driving to work and back in my l67, no freeways and peak hour traffic, and on the 2 or 3 chances i get to give it a squirt on that trip, i always make sure i do!
Given that u just bought the car, just change everything man. Then you know where u stand. Or, alternatively start with the easy stuff first, i.e. plugs and leads, and just keep going down the list until things improve.
good luck man.
Ok thanks for the good advice guys, i can get the spark plugs and leads from holden for about $160, and ill def look at getting my transmission fluid flushed and changed soon since i was told a month ago it was a funny colour and is due to be flushed and changed, would you advise me to change the oxygen sensors yet? how big of job is it and does it need it after 167000 k's? cheers
is the Valvoline DX-3 the best ATF around or is there a better one? also how much litres will i need to buy to fill it up after a flush?
DX 3 is fine!,DX-3 is all the same so any will do. Normaly oxy sensors last around 120K, I always change them when i buy any car, Just so i know when it was done.
Its not a hard job... Just unplug them, Then crawl under the car and undo them, They are bolted onto the exhaust. I find it easier to get under the car to get them out.
Just get yourself a set of NGK BPR6EFS-15 's, And a set of NGK leads will do you fine.
I have never brought sparkies or leads from holden as they are to damm expensive up here($300+) so i dont think it's worth it, So i really could say if there any good or not, I would think they would be ok though, But im sure cheaper NGK would do just as good and save you some money.
With all the advice/tips here im sure you will be saving $$ on fuel in no time!
Sherminator
I wanna buy my next second hand car off you!!!!
Now you see me...Now you don't
Its better to be pedantic than neglectful but some of that stuff is a bit over the top. To me changing coolant every 10,000k's is like changing brake pads after every red light.
But I guess if its working for you and you have the time and money you cant argue with the results!
Lowish Fuel economy, service list
Hey, i am using 95 octane caltex fuel, i have done about 1300 k's in my car since since i have bought it, which shows on the trip computer (triple window) and my avg fuel use says 16.7l/100km are these triple window trips very accurate because thats quite high, i filled my car up 2 weeks ago and have done about 370 k's in it so far and its now under a quarter left on the gauge so i might get about 440 k's out of the full tank, and thats not freeway driving. i have listed everything i plan on doing below im hoping this makes the car run heaps better and give it a better fuel economy, is there anything else i have missed, also might be hard to answer but how much would this cost on average? (the labour not the parts),
Thanks
i am planning on doing a big service to it soon to make sure its running the best it can.
i have read in other posts that the fuel injector cleaners are good, which one would you suggest i use out of the 2 i have linked please?
Nulon Petrol Injector Cleaner - 300mL - Supercheap Auto Australia
Nulon Total Fuel System Cleaner - 500mL - Supercheap Auto Australia
I also plan on changing the oil to 10w/40 castrol magnatec
Transmission flushed and replaced with new fluid
new air filter (even though it looked very clean when i looked at it a week ago, unless i was meant to take it out and look under it)
new oil filter
new fuel filter
spark plugs/leads
oxygen sensors
clean MAF sensor
clean throttle body
Good to see you put a new air filter as first on your list.
You'll probably find it will make the most improvement to your fuel economy. Hold the old and new filter up to the light and be surprised. New ones let lots of light through. Your old one - even though it may look fairly clean - won't.
Good to see you put a new air filter as first on your list.Lowish Fuel economy, service list
Hey, i am using 95 octane caltex fuel, i have done about 1300 k's in my car since since i have bought it, which shows on the trip computer (triple window) and my avg fuel use says 16.7l/100km are these triple window trips very accurate because thats quite high, i filled my car up 2 weeks ago and have done about 370 k's in it so far and its now under a quarter left on the gauge so i might get about 440 k's out of the full tank, and thats not freeway driving. i have listed everything i plan on doing below im hoping this makes the car run heaps better and give it a better fuel economy, is there anything else i have missed, also might be hard to answer but how much would this cost on average? (the labour not the parts),
Thanks
i am planning on doing a big service to it soon to make sure its running the best it can.
i have read in other posts that the fuel injector cleaners are good, which one would you suggest i use out of the 2 i have linked please?
Nulon Petrol Injector Cleaner - 300mL - Supercheap Auto Australia
Nulon Total Fuel System Cleaner - 500mL - Supercheap Auto Australia
I also plan on changing the oil to 10w/40 castrol magnatec
Transmission flushed and replaced with new fluid
new air filter (even though it looked very clean when i looked at it a week ago, unless i was meant to take it out and look under it)
new oil filter
new fuel filter
spark plugs/leads
oxygen sensors
clean MAF sensor
clean throttle body
You'll probably find it will make the most improvement to your fuel economy. Hold the old and new filter up to the light and be surprised. New ones let lots of light through. Your old one - even though it may look fairly clean - won't.
Blues Brother # 1
Get This Kit, Its what i buy. All GM parts. Cheap, esp when holden want 160$ for just plugs and leads ! Holden V6 Commodore Petrol + LPG! VT VX VY Full Service kit Genuine GMH Parts | eBay
Also Clean your MAF sensor, i did this yesterday, AVG has been 9.3, down to 9.1 AVG. Auto Barn have is for $26.99
oh nice thanks heaps for that link, that saves like $115, as long as is is 100% genuine?, what did you buy from autobarn? is cleaning a MAF sensor something anyone can do? i dont even know where it is lol and that air filter pictured in the link looks heaps different to mine, i guess mine doesnt have a genuine one in it. cheers
Last edited by daNc; 04-12-2011 at 03:29 PM.
Anyone can clean the maf. all u need is a flat head screwdriver to get it off....Undo thewiring plug off the MAF, Get your flat head screwdriver and loosen the 2x hose clamp's, Sometimes easier to remove the whole air pipe off your throttle body, so that would mean loosen 3x hose clamp's then just pull it out, Get a can off electrical parts cleaner and give the insides a good spray(dont touch the insides of it)
Leave it to dry...
Pop it back on in the reverse order you took it off..too easy!
The MAF is....Have a look at your airbox lid, See the big air pipe going to the engine... well just after the airbox lid toward the engine you will see a silver square thing inline with the air pipe, it has an wireing plug going into it, Thats the MAF.
ah yes i was looking at that just before when i was cleaning out all the bugs and dragonflies from under my air filter 5 mins ago, lol will be buying that service kit straight away!Anyone can clean the maf. all u need is a flat head screwdriver to get it off....Undo thewiring plug off the MAF, Get your flat head screwdriver and loosen the 2x hose clamp's, Sometimes easier to remove the whole air pipe off your throttle body, so that would mean loosen 3x hose clamp's then just pull it out, Get a can off electrical parts cleaner and give the insides a good spray(dont touch the insides of it)
Leave it to dry...
Pop it back on in the reverse order you took it off..too easy!
The MAF is....Have a look at your airbox lid, See the big air pipe going to the engine... well just after the airbox lid toward the engine you will see a silver square thing inline with the air pipe, it has an wireing plug going into it, Thats the MAF.
Blues Brother # 1
That Kit is all 100% GM OEM, i have bought about 4 kits of them now, have a VX & a VY twice as much servicing. hence why i just stick to the servicing book otherwise it would cost way to much lol
Sorry the MAF cleaner is $26.95 from auto barn, make sure it says MAF cleaner.
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