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Holden Berlina VE 2007 - terrible fuel economy ?

ralwig88

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Hi

I have a Holden Berlina VE 2007 with about 77k on the clock at August 2014 (so it's only 7 years old). It's the standard 3.6l V6 petrol engine supposedly at combined fuel economy of 11.0L/100km.

I'm getting anywhere between 17L / 100km to 18L / 100km and I think it's just wrong - surely I should be getting better fuel consumption figures?.

- I do short trips to and from work, I understand this worsens fuel economy
- I don't have anyone else in the car, so the load is light
- I don't always use air conditioning sometimes yes, sometimes no
- I drive like a grandpa so I definitely don't floor it ever and try to drive very smoothly

I've had a carbon flush and this hasn't improved anything. Even highway driving doesn't seem to impact this significantly.

Does anyone have any ideas??

Thanks
 

jwoodsy

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Mate there is definitely something going on there. My cammed 6.0L achieves about 16-17L/100k.
Do you service you car often?
First things to check are:
Tyre Pressure
Air Filter
Vaccum Hose
Also have you checked the L/KM manually ie not reading what the display says?
 

jwoodsy

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Also what fuel are you using?
 

Benboy

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Is the majority of your driving up and down hills or ALL flat road? Hilly driving WILL make a considerable difference. For example, recently had the use of a VF Evoke for a few weeks, Driving on Cruise Control around the city I achieved 7.2 litres per hundred kilometres. Out in the bush, Cruise Control set on 110 km/ph (posted speed limit) upon approaching a hill/rise the fuel consumption rose up to the region of 35 - 40 litres per 100 km and this was with the transmission only going back one gear and occasionally 2 gears (not excessively steep hills).

Check Air Filter is not dirty/blocked.
Check and clean MAF (Mass Air Flow) Sensor
Replace Spark Plugs (in accordance with Owners Manual for specification)
Check that exhaust and Catalytic Converters are not blocked/restricted (e.g. accident damage - bent/distorted etc)
Check fuel storage and delivery systems for any leaks etc
 

gossie

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Plugs are not due until 90k, but they could be changed earlier.

Replace air filter.......A very easy job......Purchase new filter, and undo the clips, pull out the old one and slip in the new one.......It's on the near side front if you are looking for it.

FWIW I run 40PSI in my '09 VE 3.6 tyres, and check them regularly. Gives better mileage and gives even tyre wear.

Oil should be a quality 5-30 viscosity oil, as stated in your books and also on the oil filler cap.......Heavier oil will have the engine using more fuel. Oil and filter change is due every 12 months or sooner if you prefer. Easy job to do it yourself.

Regular fuel is what your vehicle is tuned for.......If you use E10 it will use a little more fuel, and if you use premium it will use a very little less fuel.
 

Wats_in_a_name

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Agree with Benboy, definitely change spark plugs, 77,000ks is very low mileage so it would be too early to have it tuned. 17 litres per 100ks is very high even for a lot of short trips (which my Mum and Dad's 2007 Berlina does), how many revs do you usually use on take off and for cruising? How often do you fill up and if the tank is full what does the fuel range reading usually say?
 

gunsmoke

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Reset the fuel mode a few times (every top up) and see if the figs change. But basically what is said above.
My manual VE SS generally gets 12.5-16 L / 100 mostly at lower end., down to 10.4 /100 on highway on 91 ron.
 

07GTS

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do u have any soot looking black stuff on the rear bar or exhaust tip look extra black..? can be signs of a sensor failed and its pumping too much fuel in, or if u take a oxy sensor out and look at it and its black sooty looking then u have a issue or if its clean or tanish looking then its ok, or if u do change the spark plugs see if they are black or a good tan colour...
 

kwaka738

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Read many posts on the Ford forum that attributed poor fuel economy down to the oxygen sensors no longer performing properly. However the consensus was that they generally lasted about 100,000kms (or more).
 

ralwig88

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Hi everyone

Thanks for the responses and tips - here's my responses:

-Yes I service it often, I was doing it every 6 months but am pushing it out to 12 months due to cost. BTW, this has been happening from 2009 when I bought it
-Yes I have standard tyres and I tend to overinflate to approx. 40psi and checked every few months
-No I haven't checked the air filter or vacuum hose - I would have thought the service would have checked this?

Using regular ULP.

I don't go above 2000 RPM, so accelerate rather evenly.

I've checked the mileage calculator - I think it's right - I do the maths manually anyway (dividing km travelled on "Trip A" by fuel filled up at the pump)

The spark plugs are a good tip - I'm not sure they would have been replaced yet.

Thanks
 
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