EGR cleaning?

[Merlin5]

Thanks chaps.  Hah, I hadn't really noticed the R. I'm guessing it illuminates when in reverse. Will  it be a 45 litre tank in mine then? Does the range display that tells me how many miles I've got left include the 7.2 litre reserve or is it only estimating up to just before  the low fuel light comes on? Mr Zardoz gets about 340 miles on a tank. 45 litre tank is 10 gallons,  so only 34mpg?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Yes, 45 litres and the range excludes the reserve. 

Another quirk, which is shared with some other Toyota models, topping up with less than 15 litres can give false range readings.

[Merlin5]

12 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Yes, 45 litres and the range excludes the reserve. 

Another quirk, which is shared with some other Toyota models, topping up with less than 15 litres can give false range readings.

Thanks Frosty and sorry for all my questions. Just trying to get familiar with everything.  🙂

 

I bought the car with fuel in it showing just three bars and haven't filled it yet, so I don't know if it's got over or under 15 litres. If it's under 15 and giving false readings as you mentioned, then that might account for why my range reading reduced so quickly yesterday at the rate of 2 mpg for every 1 mile that I actually drove, and at a slow and sensible speed, only about 26mph. I assume that range reduction seems a bit high?

[FROSTYBALLS]

It may only show false readings if you put less than 15 litres in. 15 litres remaining in the tank doesn't affect the range.

The range is also affected by driving style. So may be worthwhile disconnecting the Battery for a few minutes, so, when reconnected, the ECU can learn your driving style over a short period of time.

[Merlin5]

21 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

It may only show false readings if you put less than 15 litres in. 15 litres remaining in the tank doesn't affect the range.

The range is also affected by driving style. So may be worthwhile disconnecting the battery for a few minutes, so, when reconnected, the ECU can learn your driving style over a short period of time.

I think I was wrong about Mr Zardoz only getting 34mpg before the low fuel light comes on. By my maths, since the tank is 45L and reserve is 7L, then that's 38L for the main tank, which at 340 miles works out at 40mpg before going into reserve. I'll be very happy if I get that! I don't think I was ever really getting more than about 33 to 35 on my peugeot 307 2 litre HDi.

 

Ok good idea,  I'll disconnect the Battery.  Will that affect anything I'll need to reset after reconnecting the Battery. like putting a code in for the radio? Stupid question, but do I just need to disconnect the negative terminal, or both, starting with the negative?

[FROSTYBALLS]

No radio code, though you will probable need to reprogram any station resets. Ignition off. Negative terminal first. Positive may still hold some electrical charge so don't let it come into contact with any metal parts.

[Merlin5]

I misread what Magicboy said earlier about the R at the bottom of the fuel gauge.  I read it as reverse!  But he said reserve.

So today I disconnected the battery for 10 minutes and it reset the ECU. Easier than I thought. I was a bit worried about the  positive terminal touching metal as it kept moving about, so I wedged it.

I then  stupidly ran my Battery flat by sitting in the car for 50 minutes with ignition on,fiddling with radio presets and other things, but no engine running!  Had to get RAC out who jumped it for me. He said his computer is telling him my Battery is weak and should really be replaced. He quoted me £139 for a Battery with 5 years warranty. Seems a little expensive,  can I do better?

While he was there I asked him to look at the oil in regards to the chain drive and lack of service history.  He did the oil looks good and has been changed. I asked him how he knew and he said because it's yellowish. So that's good. 

I also asked him if he wouldn't mind a quick look underneath to investigate any corrosion.  He said he could see they'd replaced the corroded coil springs and brake pipe, so that's good.  He said he couldn't see the fuel pipe.  I took photos after he went. I can see new springs. But there appears to be a couple of corroded pipes,  I assume fuel pipe?

 

 

 

[Gerg]

Just a simple and quick search on batteries throws up:

https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/enduroline/027/  as fitting your car, but you really must check the dimensions of your existing Battery to be sure!!!  I have never heard of this brand, but I have used the seller before with no problems.  Their prices are usually keen, although sometimes different (less!) when bought through eBay, which is odd.

Better value, I think, is this one, if you don't mind collecting from a local Euro Car Parts depot:

But these two are really only to give you some ideas.

 

[frankie406]

I'd test it with a meter 1st, to see if its holding charge. Also open the inspection plugs on the Battery and check the levels top up with de-ionized water..   download a add on to your computer web browser called pouch and it helps find the cheapest item your looking for.

[Merlin5]

Thanks guys.  I found this place with well priced batteries but don't know if it's false economy going with such inexpensive ones. Also, Bosch and Varta at these prices seems questionable.

 

[MagicBoy]

I've had some success with getting batteries from CarParts4Less before - there's often some discount codes floating around. I got a Bosch S4 for my previous car for £70 delivered that was £120+ elsewhere...

[Merlin5]

Thanks MagicBoy. Think I'll forget the Battery for now. But if I do get one, I've found a Varta Silver D21 for £78. All the ones that online Battery shops say are compatible are 242mm length. I measured the Battery in mine and it's about 230mm with just a few mm tray space either side.  I think it would be a tight fit.

But it occurred to me that the RAC man's diagnostic machine was reading low voltage since it obviously just got jump started and probably had been sitting around at the dealers and lost charge, so maybe it'll improve as I drive it. 

Any thoughts guys on the look of the pipes under the car in my photos?

[Merlin5]

Just felt like posting an update about fuel consumption.  Very happy now,  things have really improved with the range reading compared to before. It may be that the dealer had put less than 15 litres in when he brought the car to me, causing incorrect readings. 

Yesterday the low fuel light came on and only one fuel bar remained at the bottom of the display and was flashing. So I filled the car for the first time since I've had it. £1.03 a litre at Morrisons. I put £35 (34 litres) in which almost filled the car right up minus just one fuel bar.

Range display reset itself and said I have 262 miles fuel. I've driven 45 miles since filling. Only one bar has disappeared and the range is now saying 225 miles. So I'm getting more mpg than the range says, whereas before I was getting much less than the range said. Average fuel consumption is reading 39.2 mpg. I reckon I'm going to be getting around 42mpg overall which is what I was hoping for.

[furtula]

I also have the 1.6 VVTI like yours, and the fuel tank capacity is 55L, you can see the cut out from the manual below, when i have the last bar blinking, the car takes around 42L to be full to the brim, but with prices here as low as 0.71 GBP per liter, thankfully it's not so expensive.

 

The fuel gauge is far from good, and when filled to the top, i usually drive 60-80 miles before it drops 1 bar, and usually once it reaches half way mark, it tends to go down faster.

As for the MPG, in hilly rural area, up and down, twisty roads, with 50-60 miles speed limit i get 47 MPG (AC makes no difference)

In the city, with plenty of shorter trips 42 MPG.

HIghway cruising, also 47 MPG, but i usually drive 60-ish, with cruise control.

When full, mine also displays some 280 miles range, but keep in mind the reserve should be around 7 liters, so even when the range says full, there are no bars left, you should be able up to 60 miles.

 

[Merlin5]

That's awesome,  furtula, excellent MPG! Ah right, so it's a 55 litre tank,  I thought it was 45.

Just to be clear,  when my last bar was flashing (it has 'R' to the left to it), and it was saying  low fuel, was I on the 7 litre reserve or was I on the last 30/40 miles of fuel remaining before I hit the 7 litre reserve?

[furtula]

Yes, the tank is 55L, and to me it seems there's quite a lot of liters in the last "bar", especially if you fill it to the brim.

I always thought that once the last  bar disappears,  that means you are on reserve fuel.

I was not paying attention once, and i think i had no bars left, and instead on the right i had big letters saying low fuel warning, but it looks now these go together, so left screen blinks, right displays the message

But according to the manual info below, looks like the last bar when flashing = reserve fuel.

 

[Merlin5]

Thanks for the screenshots and confirmation.  Ok, so here's my nerdy thoughts, just humour me.  😛

So there are nine bars in total that can be illuminated on the display, one of which we know is the reserve bar. When I filled up with just 34 litres (7.5 gallons),  I was one bar less at the top, giving me a total of seven illuminated bars of new fuel and one bar reserve. I worked out that if each bar continues to give me about 45 miles like I already had, then 45 x 7 bars is potentially 315 miles out of £35. That's 7.5 gallons. 315 ÷7.5 = 42mpg around town. 😃  But in reality,  if the lower bars vanish quicker, I may get less. 

[furtula]

To me the fuel gauge is rubbish, and i really miss the old style analog one.

I don't really pay attention to mine, but in general from 100% to 50% goes quite slow, and takes ages, then from 50% to 30% goes quite fast, but it gets stuck for a long time on 30%, after that it just melts away to reserve.

I found that the only thing that shows some realistic values, is the average consumption, and it was more or less spot on, maybe showing up to 2-3% more, when the car was fueled to the brim and measured.

I don't really use the trip meter, so don't know about that, but i always felt it shows less than what i could actually do with the car.

 

[Merlin5]

Yeah I think you're right about the fuel gauge. Looks like I've lost 2 bars now for 45 miles, not one bar.

EDIT: had a little drive,  noticed that bar has reappeared. Turned engine off, let display go off,  turned ignition on again and the bar is gone again!

[furtula]

We all have it, usually bar goes away, reapers, then stays on for a few miles, and is gone for good.

In time you will adapt and will know how much fuel is in the car.

Usually 3rd bar can last for quite a long time, showing you how badly incorrect the measuring system is..

[Merlin5]

Yeah,  the bar has returned again, lol.

[King V]

Hi there, sorry but I have a different question to the did ussuon above, if I may! Also have an Auris hatch 1.6 petrol and phoned Toyota in Sterling Scotland to find out about the EGR valve and if this was the cause to my engine problems somehow. Now, according to them my auris does not come with an Egr valve but just the throttle body, can anyone advise on this please, thanks...refer to KingV I will know it is for me, thx again!