Fuel guage and consumption

Further to a recent topic posted, I find that £30 worth of petrol is not going far! That said, I don't think I can trust my fuel guage as it always seems to hover around the quarter mark. The light comes on around this mark sometimes then will go off even thought the guage goes right down to nearly empty if coming to a stop!

I've read stuff about the ICC trip readings and I'm looking at 20mpg average alot of the time. My old 164 QV appeared to be more economical and I can't believe the fuel guage is working.

Does anybody know of any remedy or how easy the fuel guage sender unit is to change (if you can). Also, any other remedy suggestions!?

My 2.5 does about 320 miles per tank full, thats about £55 now, so no, £30 wont get you far!

for mpg calculations you're best to use the brim tank method....the ICS is pretty unreliable.

The gauges are a bit vague....mine has been hovering about the 1/4 marrk for a few days but soon it will start dropping fast towards the bootom....you soon get used to it

i'm pretty sure i'd get closer to 450 miles from a tank full....

450 sounds good Niall, which engine have you got?

I get 400+ from my 3.0 depending on mix of driving, up to 450 on the motorway, more like 350 with more driving around town. I always brim the tank and track how much petrol I use, 28 mpg since I got the car 120k miles ago.

Mike

I get 450 to 480 from a tankfull, mixed driving in my TS. 70%Motorway, 30% rest.

Originally Posted by mikealdren

450 sounds good Niall, which engine have you got?

I think Niall is talking about a TS, which is why his consumption is better.

yup - it's the twinkkie

I've had my 3.0V6 (manual gearbox) just 2 weeks and straight away did a long drive up to Orkney. My first tank full got me 400 miles before the warning light came on, mostly doing a steady 80mph on the motorway.

As a 156 newbie, I wanted to find out when the fuel warning light came on on my newly acquired 1.8 TS. Happily got to 448 miles with the gauge around empty but still no warning light... and then I promptly ran out of petrol in the middle of Swindon . A true brim method I guess! That was mostly on the motorway though.

I too ran out of petrol last year - the red light gave me about 15 miles warning I now fill up without fail as soon as I get to the quarter mark.

Hi, My twin spark normally goes 480 miles between refills - exactly 4 days commuting which makes it easy to judge (though I did run out last week - my foot must have been feeling a bit heavy... )

To be honest I wouldn't trust the fuel gauge at all - mine usually hits half way after about 320 miles - then starts to plummet... never bothered with the ICS.

Mine seems pretty accurate ie 2 gals per division, but always brim it as soon as it hits the last division, even if orange light doesn't come on.

Lucky to get 15mpg, mostly commuting funny the average speed is usually 15 too!

Originally Posted by Mitch166

My 2.5 does about 320 miles per tank full, thats about £55 now, so no, £30 wont get you far!

£55 worth of fuel would get me about 650 miles £17 for a full tank normal gives 200 to 220 can always use the petrol tank as well if absolutely necessary

Are you all pedaling harder than me or what !

2.5 6 speed. 400 miles per tank £60 or so.

Mostly motorway miles.

I normally fill up from the quarter mark, on the occasions I don't I notice from the first half of the tank I'll get about 350 miles, then maybe 200 at a stretch til the light comes on. Normally I get around 38mpg, my driving is normally about 60:40 privateroad:town but the privateroad driving is nearly always in the early hours of the morning, so I generally sit steady at a ton rather than 70. I generally accelerate with quite a lot of throttle, and normally use 80% of each gear, changing up around 4,000 rpm (5,000 redline). I've done a "steady" tank and got 45mpg, only a 7mpg increase and thats driving at granny speeds... May as well just boot it all the time for how much little extra it costs me

Fuel gauge is definitely not right though.

I went to NQY in mine from Lincoln, cost me 120 full trip, i had little luggage and 1 person, my friends had a 1.8 Astra, full car and full boot, drove 200miles more then me, maybe even 270 cost him about 60..............But this a diesel passat towing a c-van cost him 56 which was awsome.............but i went in style and wanted to drive many many more miles then both of those two.................luxury costs!!!!!! if i had all three cars on my drive way and had to do the same trip..........id turn up with no change!

Right, here's an update. I put in £55 a while ago and re-set the odometer trip. The tank was quite low when I put the petrol in. I got to approx 240 miles before I would risk driving with the fuel light on any further. The light had been on a fair while. I must point out that my journeys were not typically motorway miles in any way.

Just wondered if this horrific mpg or about correct. I'm still not 100% trusting the fuel guage and may change the sender if it's a reasonably easy job. Any thoughts?