Any Advice About Best Fuel Economy On Vvti Petrol Engine?

[slowcoach]

Just joined the Toyota Owners Club as have recently bought a '58 reg Avensis Tourer TR 1.8vvti (my first Toyota). Reasons for this car: i) Need to regularly carry bicycles, outdoor gear etc. ii) Only likely to average 10,000ish miles per year. iii) My mechanic's assertion that he only ever sees Toyotas (briefly) for their routine services.

This is my first electronic petrol injection car after a string of unsophisticated diesels and an old-skool petrol carburettored workhorse. Thing is I'm really not sure how best to drive to get best fuel economy and go easy on the engine.

I have heard that you use less speed rolling in gear instead of in neutral as no fuel injected at all when in gear, while some fuel is used to maintain idle when car in nuetral - or is this a bit of a legend? Plus how best to accelerate, slowly to best revs or quickly and then back-off the gas immediately? What is the best rev range (obviously will vary with gradient/engine load etc) for the 1.8vvti generally? And so on and on.

So far, a couple of weeks in, I have been getting (according to on-board computer - reliable?): a. Average 42mpg for shortish around town runs b. 49mpg on a mixed longish trip involving some cruising but a fair bit of hilly/twisty Scottish Border roads too. c. 54mpg on an eighty mile motorway run.

This is with sloooow take-offs, trying to keep rev counter between 1500 and 2000ish rpm, and keeping to around 55mph cruising.

I would appreciate any advice at all from other shall we say 'economically' minded drivers!

Many thanks from the slow lane.

Also ...

When starting after overnight or a couple of hours halt the engine idles at about 2000rpm initially, before dropping to about 1500rpm after a minute or so, finally reverting to normal revs (8-900 ish) after five or so minutes. This is with driving straightaway not leaving to warm up in idle. It's not particularly cold this time of year either.

Is this fairly typical electronic choke? It can be a little disconcerting as there is a tendency to unexpectedly surge a bit at times during the first couple of minutes. It's pretty rough on thrifty fuel economy too for any short runs. No warning lights or problems noted, mileage is 29,000, oil is spotless, coolant all OK, engine sounds purry and sweet.

[igormus]

- pressure in tyres;

- good meal for engine;

- timely filters changing;

- timely sparks checking;

- do not over load the car;

- us inertia all the time and remove your leg from gas pedal;

- use gears shifting when go down hill to prevent brake pads wear down;

- do not accelerate fast from traffic light.

cheers / Igor

[Jas16]

from what you have said, I agree with the keeping in car in gear and not in neutral when slowing down [without annoying anyone else on the road]. I do this and I feel it does make a difference esp in town

Also agree with what Igor has said about keeping the car in good condition [mechanically] and recommended tyre pressures

When changing gear, I would say rev the engine to about 2500rpm, I don't know how the gearing is setup but labouring an engine while trying to pick up speed isn't a good idea

The car mpg is usually over calculated, so your true [brim to brim] might turn out with a lower value, I would trust that more than the car one.

The starting procedure you described is normal, but in the diesel I own, I have found that once the outside temp is 10 degrees or below then the engine idles at a higher speed until up to temp then drops to ~800rpm

I'm guessing that your model has cruise control, using that whenever it is safe too helps to, not sure about it maximising fuel economy but it makes driving that little bit less stressful which means that I don't drive aggressively so I suppose it has a more indirect effect

If you want to go one step further, keeping the car clean helps too :)

Oh and congrats on your new car, have fun

[Richard Martin]

if your computer is anything like mine it won't be accurate. Over several brim to brim measurements and comparing it with the onboard computer mine is out by 40%

[B3rtie]

Just joined the Toyota Owners Club as have recently bought a '58 reg Avensis Tourer TR 1.8vvti (my first Toyota). Reasons for this car: i) Need to regularly carry bicycles, outdoor gear etc. ii) Only likely to average 10,000ish miles per year. iii) My mechanic's assertion that he only ever sees Toyotas (briefly) for their routine services.

This is my first electronic petrol injection car after a string of unsophisticated diesels and an old-skool petrol carburettored workhorse. Thing is I'm really not sure how best to drive to get best fuel economy and go easy on the engine.

I have heard that you use less speed rolling in gear instead of in neutral as no fuel injected at all when in gear, while some fuel is used to maintain idle when car in nuetral - or is this a bit of a legend? Plus how best to accelerate, slowly to best revs or quickly and then back-off the gas immediately? What is the best rev range (obviously will vary with gradient/engine load etc) for the 1.8vvti generally? And so on and on.

So far, a couple of weeks in, I have been getting (according to on-board computer - reliable?): a. Average 42mpg for shortish around town runs b. 49mpg on a mixed longish trip involving some cruising but a fair bit of hilly/twisty Scottish Border roads too. c. 54mpg on an eighty mile motorway run.

This is with sloooow take-offs, trying to keep rev counter between 1500 and 2000ish rpm, and keeping to around 55mph cruising.

I would appreciate any advice at all from other shall we say 'economically' minded drivers!

Many thanks from the slow lane.

Also ...

When starting after overnight or a couple of hours halt the engine idles at about 2000rpm initially, before dropping to about 1500rpm after a minute or so, finally reverting to normal revs (8-900 ish) after five or so minutes. This is with driving straightaway not leaving to warm up in idle. It's not particularly cold this time of year either.

Is this fairly typical electronic choke? It can be a little disconcerting as there is a tendency to unexpectedly surge a bit at times during the first couple of minutes. It's pretty rough on thrifty fuel economy too for any short runs. No warning lights or problems noted, mileage is 29,000, oil is spotless, coolant all OK, engine sounds purry and sweet.

The high RPM is normal start up procedure - mine does it (Ph. 1 2.0 engine). The warm up characteristics may be normal too and trust me you will not get good MPG on short trips as engines run very rich.

If you are getting those sorts of MPG figures, brim to brim measurement is the best way, you are doing very well indeed.

[Bharatraj]

Hi,

I have an avensis 1.8 automatic 2000 July reg. The max mpg I get on motor way is 51 mpg with keeping revs between 2000 - 2500. So I guess younger cars should give more mpg if driven carefully.

[Liopik]

I'm wandering if cruising in gear is more efficient than neutral? Yesterday I saw an old Top Gear (2004) where Clarkson drove an Audi to Scotland and back to London. So, at the end of the program he told that modern engines do not use fuel at all when cruising in gear. I can not imagine how the engine can run without any fuel!! 

I have 1.8 avensis, 56, and noticed that fuel efficiency is just little bit more than I had with my Corsa 1.4 (1998). Though, I always cruise in neutral. Shall I change my driving style?  

Thanks, 

[Heidfirst]

see http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2010/06/more_hypermiling

[alan333]

The engine can run without fuel, the fact the wheels are turning keeps the engine moving (if it's in gear and the clutch is out). I used to get towards 50mpg from my 1.8 T25, what are you getting?

[frankie406]

I got 56mpg out of my old T25 2003 true reading which was better than the d4d I have.though I was always putting new oil in that probably helped lol.

[Liopik]

10 hours ago, alan333 said:

The engine can run without fuel, the fact the wheels are turning keeps the engine moving (if it's in gear and the clutch is out). I used to get towards 50mpg from my 1.8 T25, what are you getting?

Since Nov 2016 I get 39mpg on average. Town and A-roads 50/50. Thats with all the cruising in neutral. From today I'm in gear always, till very last moment at traffic lights . Will come with update when I'll finish my tank of fuel. 

[Liopik]

Ok, As I promised to come back with an update.

So, I used 48.76 liters of petrol to cover 424 miles. That's about 39.23 mpg. Trip computer is trying to convince me that it's 41.8mpg. Before this experiment computer was telling 39mpg. A-roads (40-50mph) and through central London most of the journeys. There is some saving driving in gear all the time, though it takes all my concentration, may be I will get used to it. I think to have 39.23 real mpg isn't that bad for 1.8 petrol engine in such a large car.