MPG for Fiat 2.8

[lambrettajohn]

Hi, this is my first posting, and I'm surprisingly nervous! We've just bought our first motorhome (1999 Swift Gazelle F59 on Fiat Ducato 2.8 idTD). It's done 40,000 miles and has been regularly serviced and professionally maintained. We've fallen in love with it already, and have spent our first 9 months of ownership getting it ready for our first full year of touring and we have had it reupholstered and had a new water heater fitted.

 

So, we're raring to go but one thing is worrying me. I was expecting to get at least 25 mpg but on our few trips to Wales last year the best I could manage was 21 mpg and I consider myself to be light-footed driver! Any suggestions how I can improve this would be most welcome. Also, does anyone know what "idTD" stands for? I guess the TD is Turbo Diesel.

[dikyenfo]

This might have been chipped for more power so check this out if poss.Mine did 24/26 towing a trailer.

[lambrettajohn]

Thanks, but I've checked that. According to two advertisers in MMM mine is just too early a model to tune - apparently it doesn't have a brain!!

[Brock]

With coachbuilts, driving into a strong wind can reduce your mpg by more than 5mpg unless you ease off down to say 40/50 mph. Terrain can also have an impact. Wales has some really good roads where you can happily bowl along. It also has some awful roads up and down dale and round the bends which can drag your figure down. On a normal day of mixed driving, I used to average 28 - 29 mpg.

 

Are you carrying excess weight in the van such as full water tanks, unnecessary equipment? Check your tyre pressures to ensure they are in accordance with the handbook. And check you have the right size wheels/tyres.

 

Ensure you are doing a proper comparison of fuel consumption. Fiat dials can be inaccurate. The fuel gauge in my van used to take ages to drop to half full and then very little time at all down to almost empty. There it sat for miles on end before venturing into the red. You could also check your odometer on the motorway. I used to check my fuel consumption over several hundred litres.

 

If you are light footed, are you spending too much time going through the gears? Getting through the gears quickly to reach an optimum rpm can often be more fuel efficient than labouring the engine. And if you are using your brakes, think whether you can anticipate further ahead and slow down earlier. The weight of a motorhome means the driving dynamics are different to a car and you have to adjust to this.

[thebishbus]

Hi I think your MPG is not far out, we have had two Fiat 2.8id TD, a Burstner and a Hymer,they both worked out about 21-23MPG , depending on driving at motorway speeds or not , and use of air-con.

 

Brian B.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[thebishbus]

ps just noticed the rest of your query . id ;-indirect injection. You are right about not being able to chip, it has a mechanical injection pump.

Brian B.

[mirage]

Our Gazelle used to do 23-25mpg. You don`t say what sort of average speed you do. Most motorhomers will say once you go above 60mph they all start to drink the fuel even the latest. Provided all is well mechanically keeping the weight and speed down, driving with a light foot is about all you can do.

[thebishbus]

Sorry to confuse things, I think I got things the wrong way round. If it is TD ( JTD 8140.43s) engine , it is direct injection, without the turbo it is indirect injection. *-)