Just wondering if anyone could suggest some ways to help improve fuel ecomony. I realize a VL isn't the most economical car, just wondering on some ways to help improve the fuel consumption. Cheers.

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Very sorry .... I usually do :S

Right foot, use less of it In all seriousness though you can get fairly good fuel econ if your car is tuned well and you drive it 'cautiously'. For example I just got 540km from 60L and that was 1/2 city driving. Around town I usually use 13L/100km, a few hits here and there but mostly cruising to work etc. On the highway I usually get 10L/100km. My car's a pretty standard mild VLT, 3" zorst, FMIC, 12psi etc (high comp though). Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

dammit.. im using 13l minimum!

mums daewoo is a 3cyl .8litre $35 gets you round 600kms lol

Since this thread has almost come to the top of the list, I may as well add my few cents - Set tyre pressures as high as you can stand with comfort, dont exceed setting on tyre and check often. - Clean the connectors on the CTS, AFM, ECU and O2 sensor - Check the spark lead resistances, uneven resistance by more than 20% can affect engine stability at low revs and this might make you run it faster otherwise - Set/reset your idle to around 750rpm when warmed up - If n/a turn the cal screw on the AFM 4 turns clockwise (leaner) but if turbo and at factory than no more than 2 turns, keep record of turns - Check your tank has all pipes properly connected so the filler goes "whoosh" when you open it - if it doesnt then it has opened to atmos and will lose vapour - Make sure your carbon cannister is properly connected, it stores fuel vapour which can be burned hence saving some fuel - Check your battery is charging properly because alternator or battery problems can make ECU open injectors longer to compensate, this can be erratic - Check your CAT hasnt got a blockage - even a minor one. - Check your engine fan clutch works properly, if its jammed it will go through more fuel. - Check your TPS is working properly as it signals ECU to turn off fuel when de-accelerating. - Use the lowest viscosity oil that is safest for your engine. - Check for any fuel smells around engine bay, there should be none but old injectors are known to weep. - Check the handbrake cable doesnt make some pads drag, its a known weakness of the VL as the tension is variable and subject to stretch, its too easy to have it too tight. - Pick a bowser that is busy and likely to have a recent calibration certificate, some smaller bowsers have variable fuel volume calibration - Yes your right foot is an important fuel economy control and that means using the brain to anticipate slow downs, light breaks etc. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Quote: Originally Posted by Kingy mums daewoo is a 3cyl .8litre $35 gets you round 600kms lol Sigh... Really got to get a more economical car for a daily rather than the Calais. Thanks for the tips guys, driving to Mallacoota for new years and wanna try get the Calais running its best before I leave.

Quote: Originally Posted by Niche - Use the lowest viscosity oil that is safest for your engine. what is the best oil for the engine? i threw in some of the super thick stuff (BP50 i think it's called) last time, figuring it is quite an old engine. should i be getting something different?

in my engine i use penrite hpr30 niche: very true about the connections and sensors, i went from 270km per tank to 350km per tank jsut from chaning my 02 sensor and a new clip for the tps

I think the RB30 whether n/a or turbo would benefit from some EGR, especially if its cooled and fed in after the throttle body so it wont displace the air by much but increase the effective CR, Interestingly, there is a bung on the VLT exhaust manifold which could be used for EGT or EGR - mmmm - I'm looking for stuff to experiment with over xmas edit: Re oils At present I'm using fairly low viscosity synthetic Mobil 1 or Shell ultra even though I have a tired engine, doesnt seem to object much, and whenever I take a peek at the rockers if I take the cam cover off - its almost clean as new - despite fact I have very often gone over the oil change interval. Also, as its synthetic it really is worth collecting the stuff, leave it to settle then decant and clean with water to remove acids, then add some oil Ph buffer stuff and it really is as good as new, synthetic really does work better for a working engine - though its problematic for a new engine as its so slippery it doesnt help the running in period much - strange but true, like politics I guess, need a bit of both now and then Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

i run w10-50 mobile 1 super syn fully synthetic oil in my vl, 70 odd dollars a 5L, is that good? seems to have gotten rid of my smoke problem....

Hmmm......thats probably getting fairly thin. Wouldn't want anything lower than that.

The Mobil and Shell seem about the same, I wait till they have the cheapest stuff at either Repco or Supercheap, thats prob why my service intervals get stretched so much $70 seems a bit much, have seem Mobil 1 at around the $55 mark about 4 months back, Plus I also add a little of that Lucas synthetic oil thickener and seems to stretch the oil consumption quite a bit in about a 4 to 1 ratio or more, ie. 50mLs of the Lucas stuff saves me 200mls or more of the oil over a 4 month period Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Quote: Originally Posted by Niche Check the handbrake cable doesnt make some pads drag, its a known weakness of the VL as the tension is variable and subject to stretch, its too easy to have it too tight. Gday, Out of curiosity and in regards to a rear drum brake VL, the mechanic told me to re-tighten the handbrake and when I tried doing so yesterday it didn't feel as if the nut had moved the slightest bit. I don't think the cable can be tightened much more but when I went to raise the lever it did feel stronger. Is this normal and which of the two nuts do you tighten first: the one next to the moon-shaped bracket or the one at the end? Also, isn't it better to tighten the cable when the lever is pulled to the third notch i.e. Stretching is kind of reduced? Cheers

Bumpage

I usually adjust mine with the handbrake fully down (or off) as this means there is the least load on the nut when you're tightening it etc. It's a dual 'lock nut' setup so you crack the two nuts apart and then wind the one on the end back a little. Then tighten/loosen the one next to the 'moon thing' to suit. I tighten/loosen it a bit then go and see how the handbrake feels. If it feels good then i'll check for rear wheel drag with the handbrake fully off. If it's all good, wind the rearward nut back up and nip them up. You also need to check you haven't run out of thread adjustment if you're tightening. You can only go so far before you run out of thread.

Thanks for that CJW, I think I made it worst now hey lol. Now the brake doesn't even cling onto anything and when you gear the car to reverse the thing can't wait to take off lol I don't get it though tightening means tightening and the nut wouldn't turn anymore so I wonder what happened. Obviously I know Jack about brakes and I've never tackled this thing before but I'll do what you suggested though and start from the beginning. Also, when you hear screeching from the back it obviously means i have drag hey? Cheers