Economy

Hi folks,

Fabia 1.4 TDI; 100K. Works hard for it's living - not sporting, but hauls trailer, carries heavy loads etc.

Following all the tips through the early part of the year I:-

1. Used Millers Sport 4

2. Removed rear seats

3. Cleaned EGR and Intercooler

4. Elephant mod (to bottle behind radiator.

5. Started filling to first click, not using nipple.

6. Higher tyre pressures

1 makes a little positive improvement and makes smoother.

2. more useful when carrying coal etc (!), adds to noise, weight must make a difference, not sure how much.

3. & 4 Big difference. Did these together, so cannot separate (sorry). Suspect cleaning made most improvement as EGR full of oily sludge and actual valve not free to move properly (intake manifold seemed OK). 4 means it won't happen again. Used a plumbing pipe end stop on intake pipe, so if MOT problems can just pop things back. Car much smoother and engine seems quieter.

5. Weight again

6. US super-milers use a 'maximum pressure for tyre minus 10psi' rule. I've gone for 38 all round. No abnormal wear and road holding seems unaltered.

Result - improvement by 4 mpg overall during last 3K - Really suggests cleaning EGR and intercooler and doing elephant mod are the best cost benefit option by far.

Many thanks to all those whose ideas I've used.