Can you get 450miles out of a tank?

[Beancounter1980]

The VRS is incredibly frugal. Mostly motorway driving this week and from £45 i roughly achived 450 miles to the tank..

I do have a question though: How do i fill up the expansion tank on the VRS??? Is there some sort of trick to it????

Cheers

[Funky Fab]

Don't know how to do it. But check out my Fuelly signature for last week!!! Been driving like a bint though

[Big Mikey]

Hey buddy - to fill the expansion tank there's like a 'nipple' on the inside of the filler flap next to the, uh, hole... Fill your tank in the normal fashion until the pump clicks off and then using the nozzle of the fuel filler thingy press the nipple inwards - you should hear a rush of air escaping as the expansion tank vents. You should then be able to add another litre or so until it clicks off again. Repeat this process ten to fifteen times annoying the patient motorists waiting behind you. Or do what I do and go to the 24 hour pumps at asda late at night when there's less people around and you can vent to your heart's content, hahaha! Hope this helps. I'll try and fashion a crazy diagram in Paint to show you what I mean...

Edited 6 October, 2010 by Big Mikey

[Big Mikey]

'How to' diagram...

Edited 6 October, 2010 by Big Mikey

[SkodaFabiaOwner]

I used to drive an old 1.6 Astra and I used to have to fill it up every week as it would be edging towards the red from a full tank, even with careful driving.

Now I have a standard completely unmodified 1.2 Fabia and I use several well advertised techniques to minimise my fuel consumption and I usually fill up after 2 weeks by which time the needle only just reaches half a tank, this means that there is probably somewhere between 1-2 weeks worth of fuel still left, which is incredible as I do exactly the same commuting and journeys as I did in the Astra (albeit probably more slowly and more fuel consciously).

I always do the air thing with the expansion tank as well and the fuel computer then usually says I'm going to get well over 500 miles to the tank (something like 525 I believe), the average mpg is usually north of 60mpg, usually somewhere between 62 and 65 and the current mpg is doing it's crazy thing of going from 133mpg to around 54 depending on how much I touch the accelerator.

I have to say I don't particularly trust the fuel computer as they aren't always that accurate or reliable, that said I'm not anal (or bothered) enough to do my own calculations either, all I can say is that I am very, very happy with what I seem to be getting out of a tank - I base my calculations on the lack of visits and cash savings that I make at the pump. I find it hard to believe that I'm getting such good mpg compared to what Skoda quotes but nonetheless I certainly have never had a car that seems to sip petrol so frugally - on idle I can hardly hear or feel the engine ticking over from inside the car.

I don't monitor my exact weekly mileage but I know it hasn't changed since owning the Astra and usually Mon - Fri I typically coummute a total of about 40 miles a day and you can probably add about another 20 miles to my typical weekend commute.

Edited 6 October, 2010 by SkodaFabiaOwner

[DEAN0]

Hey buddy - to fill the expansion tank there's like a 'nipple' on the inside of the filler flap next to the, uh, hole... Fill your tank in the normal fashion until the pump clicks off and then using the nozzle of the fuel filler thingy press the nipple inwards - you should hear a rush of air escaping as the expansion tank vents. You should then be able to add another litre or so until it clicks off again. Repeat this process ten to fifteen times annoying the patient motorists waiting behind you. Or do what I do and go to the 24 hour pumps at asda late at night when there's less people around and you can vent to your heart's content, hahaha! Hope this helps. I'll try and fashion a crazy diagram in Paint to show you what I mean...

After the first shut off on the pump - It's easier and faster to just keep the nipple pressed with the pump nozzle whilst you pump the fuel.

That way you dont have to keep re-pressing it.

Edited 6 October, 2010 by DEAN0

[Big Mikey]

I've tried that man but there must be a crazy knack to it as I can't seem to keep my nipple down... ooh err!

[Beancounter1980]

After the first shut off on the pump - It's easier and faster to just keep the nipple pressed with the pump nozzle whilst you pump the fuel.

That way you dont have to keep re-pressing it.

With the nipple pressed will the pump STILL automatically shut-off???

I would noT want to overflow the tank and spray petrol everywhere..

Edited 6 October, 2010 by Beancounter1980

[vindaloo]

The VRS is incredibly frugal. Mostly motorway driving this week and from £45 i roughly achived 450 miles to the tank..

I do have a question though: How do i fill up the expansion tank on the VRS??? Is there some sort of trick to it????

Cheers

My average is around 400 miles with the fuel light coming on showing 50-65 miles left in the tank. Average fill up including a litre or two of venting is 40-42 litres.

Best fuel consumption weather may be past us. I've noticed that light cruising in summer (25 degrees centigrade) on the motorway (M25 :( ) yields 60+MPG on the short term fuel computer (say 60-65 mph with the occasional overtake up to 75-80). Then I go and ruin it by driving the rest of the tank with repeated cold starts, hammering to appointments to avoid being late etc...

J.

[grr666]

With the nipple pressed will the pump STILL automatically shut-off???

I would noT want to overflow the tank and spray petrol everywhere..

Nope. That won't happen.

Holding the nipple as you pump will mean it's unlikely

you'll be able to fully squeeze the nozzle without copping it in the face.

You'll have to do the last bit just dribbling it in.

Impossible to discuss this without carry on camping music in my head

EDIT Probably shouldn't do this with a petrol fabia. The expansion chamber is more necessary

when the tank holds petrol.

Edited 6 October, 2010 by grr666

[Beancounter1980]

Holding the nipple as you pump will mean it's unlikely

you'll be able to fully squeeze the nozzle without copping it in the face.

You'll have to do the last bit just dribbling it in.

Impossible to discuss this without carry on camping music in my head

Its my wifes car

Edited 6 October, 2010 by Beancounter1980

[Jim H]

I used to drive an old 1.6 Astra and I used to have to fill it up every week as it would be edging towards the red from a full tank, even with careful driving.

Now I have a standard completely unmodified 1.2 Fabia and I use several well advertised techniques to minimise my fuel consumption and I usually fill up after 2 weeks by which time the needle only just reaches half a tank, this means that there is probably somewhere between 1-2 weeks worth of fuel still left, which is incredible as I do exactly the same commuting and journeys as I did in the Astra (albeit probably more slowly and more fuel consciously).

It is not advisable to do it with a petrol car. You should not brim it and park it in the sun for some time, petrol (and vapour) needs expansion space. I don't think it matters too much for diesel.

If you use the method, do fill it just before a long journey.

[trundlenut]

Its my wifes car

In that case be very careful that you are holding down the correct nipple.

[anewman]

'How to' diagram...

Vote for sticky on this guide

[Big Mikey]

Hahaha...

[Guest]

I regularly get between 450 and 500 miles to a tank out of my Elegance estate 1.9 Tdi without doing the expansion tank thing. And I dont hang about either on the way home from work each day!

[tomsimes]

I got 428 out of my last tank, and that was £48 of diesel, just over 41 litres. That was a lot of commuting too, just driving quite frugally where possible. If I try the venting trick I'm sure I'll get well over 500.

[DRJ]

How do i fill up the expansion tank on the VRS??? Is there some sort of trick to it????

I really don't see why you'd want to bother. Now if you had my other car which needs filling up every 180 miles or so I'd sympathise...

[Guest BigJase88]

I can get an extra £15 of fuel in if i fill the expansion tank!!

[DRJ]

I can get an extra £15 of fuel in if i fill the expansion tank!!

That's nearly 13 litres! But seems confirmed by reading THIS

Edited 6 October, 2010 by DRJ

[gallego1968]

I wish i could get over 300 miles out of my tank.

[Guest BigJase88]

That's nearly 13 litres! But seems confirmed by reading THIS

Oh yeah sometimes more!!

usually clicks at about 52quid for a tank (vpower)

then i can fill it upto £67 (ish)

thats diesel at 118p

[grr666]

I do this whenever I go to Bristol.

It's a 300 mile round trip I and usually still have 3/4 of a tank

showing upon my return home.

I know it doesn't save money of course

but if I don't do it I have to go and fill up almost immediately when I arrive home so it

only saves me a little inconvenience.

[DRJ]

I know it doesn't save money of course

It actually WASTES money since you're paying to transport surplus fuel around the country!

[grr666]

It actually WASTES money since you're paying to transport surplus fuel around the country!

Fair point, but an extra 15ish litres of fuel is only really a small amount of weight

in the big scale of things. I'm alone in my car 99% of the time and I'm only 12 stone

so I'd say that in my case the difference would be barely noticible.

It's all variables at the end of the day. What if I weighed 18 stone?

Driving into/against the wind? air con on? tyres? the list goes on and on

It really just saves me a trip to the forecourt when I've only just got home.

I usually have a bit of running around to do when I get back, what with

trying to sell my house and all.

I waste much more fuel sitting in sodding roadworks where there

isn't really much actually work going on. :no:

But that's a whole other thread