What should the mpg be - 1.8 Rapier

[steve_earwig]

No, that one's about his tank, this one's mpg. Two totally unrelated topics. Oh no, hold on, the title says mpg but he's now asking how big his tank is, just like the other thread.

Can you tell I've been busy?

[steg90]

Gee, sorry to have crossed post, shoot me down and hang me!

Anyway, thanks for the advice and help.

[DaiRees]

Don't take any notice of them fella, they've all taken their grumpy pills today...

[steg90]

Lol,

That's ok, like I say, sorry to have crossed posted, just desperate to sort out the mpg prob, can't afford
to be putting in £30.00 for just 140 miles.

Thanks,
Steve

[steve_earwig]

...they've all taken their grumpy pills today...

Me, grumpy? Do I look like I care?

Just a thought, I suppose the easiest way to tell if you've got any brake binding issues is to try pushing the car. For richness issues whip the plugs out, are they a nice biscuit colour or black as my hat? (well, that's actually a Victor Meldrew-style flat cap and it's blue but you know what I mean )

[steg90]

Hi,

The brakes are not binding, checked them earlier today. I'm gonna whip the plugs out tomorrow, got the haynes manual today and read about the plugs, if they
are as black as the vicars cat, how do you adjust the richness, make the mix weaker so to speak?!

Cheers,
Steve

[steve_earwig]

I don't think that's something you can change easily, it more means something's not right. See what they look like, then we'll do some head scratching.

Squinting back through the topic you don't say if it's been serviced lately, it's not got half a duvet stuck to the filter has it?

[steg90]

Hi Steve,

It has been serviced from new every time, I'm the second owner, only picked her up last week. Last service was 80k, now got 87k on clock, she is
in for a cam belt next week. Air filter looks brand new, the only thing I have changed was adjust the accel cable as there was some play in the pedal and
the car would struggle to get beyond 60mph. The car revs at 1000-1100 rpm when cold, then around 900rpm when warmed up.

Coming from having a BMW 320D ( MY54 ) ( sold to get some extra cash for house deposit ), I guess I'm not really use to only getting around the 25mpg mark,
but that being said, it should be better than that, was expecting around 220 miles off 30 litres, my beemer used to give me around the 280 mark.

Thanks again,
Steve

[steg90]

Hi,

Okay, checked the plugs, they are fine, biscuit coloured. Now, going back to the other day, I put £30.00, this took the fuel needle to half-way ( tank was empty before this). I did about 15 miles and then put a further £17.50 in ( tank now full?? Clicked at the pump at least twice ), I've now done 170 miles and the needle is now half-way, so, is this for the £17.50 I put in, seems strange as the tank is 70 litres, so I thought that would be 35 litres, but in fact was around 19 litres. The car handbook says when the low fuel warning light comes on, you have around 30 miles left, I guess that is about 4.5 litres.

If the mileage is correct at the moment, I've got 170 miles thus far, and 1/2 tank left of fuel which has been giving me around 180 miles, so that would be 350 miles off £47.50, which I guess is ok? Around 12 gallons - 350 / 12 = ~29mpg?

Think I'm becoming obsessed with the fuel, lol!

Steve

[mjb]

tank now full?? Clicked at the pump at least twice

Nowhere near full. To fill it you need to feel the pump lever pushing back at you when you're getting full, and start to loosen your grip on it to slow the fuel delivery. If you do it right you'll be putting fuel in almost drop by drop before it clicks off. At that point you've got a full tank.

[steg90]

Ok,

But why would the fuel gauge show a full tank?

Cheers

[406Iain]

Sounds like you have a gauge issue,my tank reads half normally at about 300 miles give or take 20.
It took me awhile to get into the right style of driving.I started getting about 500 a tank but now usually over 600.

[mjb]

But why would the fuel gauge show a full tank?

There's often a big gap between 'full' and where the tank's actually full. It's not uncommon to be able to do a couple hundred miles without the gauge moving - I used to do it all the time

[teamster1975]

But why would the fuel gauge show a full tank?

There's often a big gap between 'full' and where the tank's actually full. It's not uncommon to be able to do a couple hundred miles without the gauge moving - I used to do it all the time

Yes I'll second that.

[steg90]

406Iain - 600 miles a tank on 1.8 petrol? Around 16 gallons? That be around 37 mpg.

I've done half a tank now and it shows I've done 200 miles, but...it was full up on £47.00 ( about 50 litres or 12ish gallons).
So, I'm guessing 6 gallons used thus far, giving me around 33mpg ( combined ).

I'll just have to see how I go with the fuel gauge, next time the low fuel light comes on, going to fill up and keep filling when the
fuel pump clicks, see how close to the 70litres I can get - although, I guess when the low fuel light comes on, you still
got around 10 litres in the tank?

Cheers to all again,
Steve