Fuel Savers

[maggyd]

With the present price of fuel, I would recommend a plug in tuning kit.

We fitted one last year;

 

In 2009 - full tank from home to the Tunnel had to fill up at Shell Garage before the tunnel 320 mls;

 

2010 full tank filled up at Arques France 384 mls

 

I will unplug unit next month when M.O.T. is due.

 

 

 

 

[sshortcircuit]

Do you have a name and source for the tuning unit?

[nowtelse2do]

Hi Margaret.

Why did you fill up over here,? if I can't get over to France because of low fuel, I just put a tenners worth in and then fill up over there. A lot cheaper.

Dave

 

[hallii]

Why unplug when the MOT is due?

 

Better fuel economy = less fuel burnt = less smoke and emissions.

 

Anyway, an MOT tester won't know it's fitted unless he does a diagnostic and that's not in the MOT.

 

H

[maggyd]

sshortcircuit - 2011-01-23 12:45 PM

 

Do you have a name and source for the tuning unit?

 

Kingquick Technologies Ltd

and the unit was for a 2.8 JTd Diesel tuning box ££164+ shipping

this is the cheapest model they do have others.

 

this unit gives 30% more power

30% more torque

10% more fuel economy.

[maggyd]

nowtelse2do - 2011-01-23 12:52 PM

Hi Margaret.

Why did you fill up over here,? if I can't get over to France because of low fuel, I just put a tenners worth in and then fill up over there. A lot cheaper.

Dave

Not sure how much we did put in serfice to say we were empty.We will only have put in enough until our next stop.

[maggyd]

hallii - 2011-01-23 1:28 PM

 

Why unplug when the MOT is due?

 

Better fuel economy = less fuel burnt = less smoke and emissions.

 

Anyway, an MOT tester won't know it's fitted unless he does a diagnostic and that's not in the MOT.

 

H

 

 

Its easy to unplug and prevents the tester over-reving the engine

[maggyd]

hallii - 2011-01-23 1:28 PM

 

Why unplug when the MOT is due?

 

Better fuel economy = less fuel burnt = less smoke and emissions.

 

Anyway, an MOT tester won't know it's fitted unless he does a diagnostic and that's not in the MOT.

 

H

 

 

Its easy to unplug and prevents the tester over-reving the engine

[Clive]

"Anyway, an MOT tester won't know it's fitted unless he does a diagnostic and that's not in the MOT."

 

Not yet its not, but its comming!

 

C.

 

[lennyhb]

Have you repeated the test using the same Fuel?

We always get better mpg (not to that extent) & the engine runs better with French fuel, I believe their fuel is not as low sulphur as ours.

 

 

[le canichot depang]

Best fuel economy we get is about 34.6mpg on our Peugeot 2.2 doing no more than 65mph, once you get in the 6th gear it is brilliant, go up to 70mph and we notice the difference - we're on holiday not in a race and if we take an extra half day to get somewhere so be it! Our Pug shows that we should achieve 650miles to a tank but obviously we don't run it right down to test it but we certainly get over 400 before we are down to a quarter of a tank.

[Dave Newell]

maggyd - 2011-01-23 2:24 PM

 

hallii - 2011-01-23 1:28 PM

 

Why unplug when the MOT is due?

 

Better fuel economy = less fuel burnt = less smoke and emissions.

 

Anyway, an MOT tester won't know it's fitted unless he does a diagnostic and that's not in the MOT.

 

H

Its easy to unplug and prevents the tester over-reving the engine

 

Its a diesel engine and should therefore not be capable of being over-rev'd! The original governer, whether mechanical or electronic should prevent such an occurrence, if the tuning box overrides the governor I'd take it off and return it asking for a full refund!

 

I've driven a Transit that decided to drink its own sump oil and so took off like a bat out of hell, and even turning the ignition off didn't stop the motor so any after market kit that disables the built in governor is a big NO NO for me!

 

FWIW as a tuning box has been fitted the governer will be part of the ECU function and not mechanical but as it is an add on box its unlikely to affect the max speed limit control. One feature I have discovered that some re-mapping services can disable is the engine shut down with brake pedal depressed. In short if you drive along and apply the brake with your left foot, after typically about a second the engine will cut to tickover. SOME chip tuning services can disable this feature.

 

D.

[flicka]

lennyhb - 2011-01-23 4:13 PM Have you repeated the test using the same Fuel? We always get better mpg (not to that extent) & the engine runs better with French fuel, I believe their fuel is not as low sulphur as ours.

No Lenny, the Low Sulpur levels are EU wide legislation & resulted in the requirements of Euro 4 engines. Some engine manufactureres have already produced Euro 5 compliant engines in readyness for the next reductions in Suphur levels.

My guess as to why you get better mpg in France has more to do with reduced traffic congestion than in the UK. i.e. less stop/start in traffic, less braking, beening able to anticipate further up the road & a more relaxed driving style in the Motorhome.

[maggyd]

Dave Newell - 2011-01-23 8:40 PM

 

maggyd - 2011-01-23 2:24 PM

 

hallii - 2011-01-23 1:28 PM

 

Why unplug when the MOT is due?

 

Better fuel economy = less fuel burnt = less smoke and emissions.

 

Anyway, an MOT tester won't know it's fitted unless he does a diagnostic and that's not in the MOT.

 

H

Its easy to unplug and prevents the tester over-reving the engine

 

Its a diesel engine and should therefore not be capable of being over-rev'd! The original governer, whether mechanical or electronic should prevent such an occurrence, if the tuning box overrides the governor I'd take it off and return it asking for a full refund!

 

I've driven a Transit that decided to drink its own sump oil and so took off like a bat out of hell, and even turning the ignition off didn't stop the motor so any after market kit that disables the built in governor is a big NO NO for me!

 

FWIW as a tuning box has been fitted the governer will be part of the ECU function and not mechanical but as it is an add on box its unlikely to affect the max speed limit control. One feature I have discovered that some re-mapping services can disable is the engine shut down with brake pedal depressed. In short if you drive along and apply the brake with your left foot, after typically about a second the engine will cut to tickover. SOME chip tuning services can disable this feature.

 

D.

 

Dave the main reason for disconnecting the tuning module is because its easy to do ! When I hear how the MOT testers rev the engine I shudder to think about the belts! thats the main reason - They have a notice warning that this can happen and the dont take any responsibility for any belts breaking.

 

I asked you about these units when you fitted our cruise control, you said we should'nt need one! but on long drawn out banks it was struggling in Germany even with a 2.8, with this unit I have seen a vast improvement all round.

 

John.

 

 

[Robinhood]

flicka - 2011-01-23 11:22 PM

My guess as to why you get better mpg in France has more to do with reduced traffic congestion than in the UK. i.e. less stop/start in traffic, less braking, beening able to anticipate further up the road & a more relaxed driving style in the Motorhome.

...one of the most convincing arguments I've seen for the improved MPG abroad is that the road-surfacing materials specified on the continent have a lower rolling resistance than those used in the UK.

Subjectively, I can believe this - the general road surface on the continent appearing to be smoother than the UK equivalent, but also the original argument I saw was backed up with documented standards for the type of tarmac used in each case, and was pretty convincing! 

[Dave Newell]

maggyd - 2011-01-24 10:55 AM

 

Dave Newell - 2011-01-23 8:40 PM

 

maggyd - 2011-01-23 2:24 PM

 

hallii - 2011-01-23 1:28 PM

 

Why unplug when the MOT is due?

 

Better fuel economy = less fuel burnt = less smoke and emissions.

 

Anyway, an MOT tester won't know it's fitted unless he does a diagnostic and that's not in the MOT.

 

H

Its easy to unplug and prevents the tester over-reving the engine

 

Its a diesel engine and should therefore not be capable of being over-rev'd! The original governer, whether mechanical or electronic should prevent such an occurrence, if the tuning box overrides the governor I'd take it off and return it asking for a full refund!

 

I've driven a Transit that decided to drink its own sump oil and so took off like a bat out of hell, and even turning the ignition off didn't stop the motor so any after market kit that disables the built in governor is a big NO NO for me!

 

FWIW as a tuning box has been fitted the governer will be part of the ECU function and not mechanical but as it is an add on box its unlikely to affect the max speed limit control. One feature I have discovered that some re-mapping services can disable is the engine shut down with brake pedal depressed. In short if you drive along and apply the brake with your left foot, after typically about a second the engine will cut to tickover. SOME chip tuning services can disable this feature.

 

D.

 

Dave the main reason for disconnecting the tuning module is because its easy to do ! When I hear how the MOT testers rev the engine I shudder to think about the belts! thats the main reason - They have a notice warning that this can happen and the dont take any responsibility for any belts breaking.

 

I asked you about these units when you fitted our cruise control, you said we should'nt need one! but on long drawn out banks it was struggling in Germany even with a 2.8, with this unit I have seen a vast improvement all round.

 

John.

 

 

John, removing the tuning module will not alter the fact that the MOT tester HAS to rev the motor to its governed limit, its a requirement of the smoke test part of the MOT.

 

I said then that you shouldn't need a tuning unit and I still stand by that comment for the same reasons. I'm pleased that it has worked for you but I still see no good reason to remove it for the MOT unless it has increased fuelling and therefore black smoke, the only thing a diesel can currently fail for on emissions. but as it has apparently improved your fuel consumption the nit is fair to assume the overall fuelling has not been increased.

 

D.

[Rayjsj]

Dave the main reason for disconnecting the tuning module is because its easy to do ! When I hear how the MOT testers rev the engine I shudder to think about the belts! thats the main reason - They have a notice warning that this can happen and the dont take any responsibility for any belts breaking.

 

 

if ANY garage Giving my Motorcaravan It's MOT 'Blew' my Engine by overrevving it and breaking a cambelt, they would face the Bill for re-instating the engine to it's previous condition 'disclaimer or no 'disclaimer'.

or be prepared for expensive litigation. 8-)

[747]

A friend of mine who does all the work on our cars used to be an MOT tester. I remember him telling me that he had a circular (presumably from whoever controls the MOT system) that diesels should not be revved over 4,000 rpm as it could be harmful to the engine.

 

This was a few years ago and things might have changed. His advice to me was to give my diesel car a good run beforehand and he would do the exhaust analysis immediately, while the engine was hot. This gave better results without hammering a cold engine.

[Mike P]

Robinhood - 2011-01-24 11:13 AM

flicka - 2011-01-23 11:22 PM

My guess as to why you get better mpg in France has more to do with reduced traffic congestion than in the UK. i.e. less stop/start in traffic, less braking, beening able to anticipate further up the road & a more relaxed driving style in the Motorhome.

...one of the most convincing arguments I've seen for the improved MPG abroad is that the road-surfacing materials specified on the continent have a lower rolling resistance than those used in the UK.

Subjectively, I can believe this - the general road surface on the continent appearing to be smoother than the UK equivalent, but also the original argument I saw was backed up with documented standards for the type of tarmac used in each case, and was pretty convincing! 

[/quoteHi Robinhood,Have you ever ridden a bike on French roads? The rolling resistance on many is amazing, in many cases having to pedal to keep moving downhill (on normal touring tyres not knobbly ones!). I tend to believe the empirical rather than the theoretical in these cases.Mike P

[sshortcircuit]

Rayjsj - 2011-01-24 12:28 PM

 

Dave the main reason for disconnecting the tuning module is because its easy to do ! When I hear how the MOT testers rev the engine I shudder to think about the belts! thats the main reason - They have a notice warning that this can happen and the dont take any responsibility for any belts breaking.

 

 

if ANY garage Giving my Motorcaravan It's MOT 'Blew' my Engine by overrevving it and breaking a cambelt, they would face the Bill for re-instating the engine to it's previous condition 'disclaimer or no 'disclaimer'.

or be prepared for expensive litigation. 8-)

 

If the MOT station fails to carry out the test to the required standard he is putting his business at risk as the vehicle he is testing may be a government inspectors. Your "expensive litigation" would be at your expense as you would nead to prove he was negligent and that your cam belt was in tip top condition.

I would assume that you make the MOT tester aware of your proposed actions in the event of a belt breaking so he can then decided whether he wants to test your vehicle or tell you to go elsewhere?

[Robinhood]

Mike P - 2011-01-24 1:49 PM Hi Robinhood, Have you ever ridden a bike on French roads? The rolling resistance on many is amazing, in many cases having to pedal to keep moving downhill (on normal touring tyres not knobbly ones!). I tend to believe the empirical rather than the theoretical in these cases. Mike P

Done lots of cycling in France and elsewhere on the continent, not a lot down the main roads however. I can't say I've noticed that the side roads are any worse than the UK.

I still do, however, think that the general state of the main roads' surface "sur le continent" is somewhat more smooth than that in the UK.

But hey, this is the internet, we're not all supposed to agree!  ;-)  

[bazooka]

Hi all the garage i use for my mot (transit tdci)does not rev the engine at all,on getting there i l eave the engine running untill the test is compleated sometimes taking 30 minutes the emissions test is done near the end of the test.

Baz

[Guest peter]

Same here.