Improving Fuel Consumption on V70s?

[Gimli]

Hi,

Apart from fitting LPG (done), what other means are there available for improving fuel consumption on V70s (ie, my V70 R AWD)?

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As an aside, given their similar physical and engine sizes, why do Volvos generally seem like fuelaholics compared to their Swedish Saab sistren?

I had to drive like an utter hooligan (as opposed to just a hooligan) to get less than 30 mpg out of my Saab 9000s (2.0 CSE auto and 2.3 CS manual (tweaked!), both full turbo) whereas I've never had a 'big' Volvo (apart from a 121) that's even known what 30 mpg means (the worst being a 240 DL automatic)

[cornclose]

The biggest one is to ease off on the right foot. Look well ahead, plan ahead, coast to those red lights rather than keeping at the same speed then braking, avoid full stops, try to keep moving at all times, even in traffic etc. It all adds up.

[timbo_1975]

Blow up the tyres, check for binding brakes, ensure the engine is in tip top tune, running on 5w-30 oil (if its in good health) clean air filter, healthy o2 sensor, and alter your driving style to avoid heavy braking and acceloration, if you can!

Remove all un-necessary weight, only fill the tank 1/2 full. At speed run the a/c with all the windows closed.

Spend £150 on the RICA 304 re-map- many have found their MPG improves quite alot, especially as the engine is then alot more responsive and torquey low down, as well as running sweeter.

As it is an R, I think I would remove the center propshaft for the summer too, to reduce transmission drag.

You ought to manage 32-35 mpg under most conditions, I can in mine. (2wd manual R)

Does this help?

[jdavis]

The biggest one is to ease off on the right foot. Look well ahead, plan ahead, coast to those red lights rather than keeping at the same speed then braking, avoid full stops, try to keep moving at all times, even in traffic etc. It all adds up.

i've just done that in mine. got avg MPG up from 17.5 to 24! them figures may sound shocking but the majority of my driving is short distance.

[Dangerous Dave]

I put an mbc on my volvo, and just that alone has increased the urban mpg from 19 up to 24/25 (obviously fitted as a performance mod)

[Gimli]

The biggest one is to ease off on the right foot. Look well ahead, plan ahead, coast to those red lights rather than keeping at the same speed then braking, avoid full stops, try to keep moving at all times, even in traffic etc. It all adds up.

Yep. Despite my reference to driving like a hooligan, that's what I normally do. I think that's why I used to get better consumption than a few others I know reported from their S9000s.

In fact, it's a lot easier to manage this with my V70R than it was with my 850 2.5 - throttle control is a lot subtler. But it doesn't seem to make a great deal of difference how I drive (bit like my first car, which did 40 mpg no matter what I did).

[Gimli]

Blow up the tyres, check for binding brakes, ensure the engine is in tip top tune, running on 5w-30 oil (if its in good health) clean air filter, healthy o2 sensor, and alter your driving style to avoid heavy braking and acceloration, if you can!

Remove all un-necessary weight, only fill the tank 1/2 full. At speed run the a/c with all the windows closed.

Spend £150 on the RICA 304 re-map- many have found their MPG improves quite alot, especially as the engine is then alot more responsive and torquey low down, as well as running sweeter.

As it is an R, I think I would remove the center propshaft for the summer too, to reduce transmission drag.

You ought to manage 32-35 mpg under most conditions, I can in mine. (2wd manual R)

Does this help?

I've got the car booked in this week for a Proper Look with RT Mechanics, so hopefully they can pick up any of engine stuff.

Air con doesn't work, so that's not a problem ... well, it is, but not from a consumption point-of-view.

Removing centre prop-shaft? That will disable the AWD won't it? Unfortunately, one of the reasons I got the AWD is that I've been embarrassed by only 2wd on a couple of occasions (especially towing).

I'll look into the RICA re-map. Any figures (actual) as to how much difference it makes?

As I've got LPG, I normally only run with 5 gallons of unleaded, but I've got the additional weight of the conversion + LPG (and it doesn't have the range to make half-filling the LPG tank a reasonable proposition - it soon gets there :-( )

I don't *think* my driving style is a heavy influence; doubtless it could be improved but I get good mpg out of my wife's Saab 900 convertible when she deigns to let me drive it (for its servicing)

32 mpg - 35 mpg would be a significant improvement on the 22 mpg it seems to be returning at the moment (mixed x-country / M-way). I'd settle for 30 with the auto-box.

Thanks for the reply.

[Gimli]

I put an mbc on my volvo, and just that alone has increased the urban mpg from 19 up to 24/25 (obviously fitted as a performance mod)

What's an 'mbc'?

[Dangerous Dave]

Sorry, its a 'manual boost controller' used to override the ecu's control of turbo boost (increase it) for extra power. They can do some serious damage though, if not installed/adjusted correctly.

[lance]

My old V70 would do 37.1 mpg at 70 mph speedo. That was over 70 miles or so. My phase 2 is doing 27-27.2 mpg average over 2500 miles but most of my cruising is on the autobahn, on the Isle of man and in my dreams I tend to stick just around 90 to a 100 ish, I do a fair bit of surburb and town and I dont drive fast at all only where the national signs autobahn etc are, I dont have the ac on much just occasional few minute blasts but find the sunroof nice, I dont see much benefit in using cruise apart from spec camra zones! Best tip remap for power and economy as improved torque means less gear changes, I would expect 1-3 mpg, keep tyres preasure up and most important plan ahead well it saves heavy braking and fuel and its safer too! I use the weight to its advantage and I think my economy is perfectly acceptable and I still have fun driving.

[Gimli]

Sorry, its a 'manual boost controller' used to override the ecu's control of turbo boost (increase it) for extra power. They can do some serious damage though, if not installed/adjusted correctly.

Thanks. Sounds a bit too dangerous for me :-(

[Gimli]

My old V70 would do 37.1 mpg at 70 mph speedo. That was over 70 miles or so. My phase 2 is doing 27-27.2 mpg average over 2500 miles but most of my cruising is on the autobahn, on the Isle of man and in my dreams I tend to stick just around 90 to a 100 ish, I do a fair bit of surburb and town and I dont drive fast at all only where the national signs autobahn etc are, I dont have the ac on much just occasional few minute blasts but find the sunroof nice, I dont see much benefit in using cruise apart from spec camra zones! Best tip remap for power and economy as improved torque means less gear changes, I would expect 1-3 mpg, keep tyres preasure up and most important plan ahead well it saves heavy braking and fuel and its safer too! I use the weight to its advantage and I think my economy is perfectly acceptable and I still have fun driving.

Thanks for the reply.

From the sound of it, with 1-3 mpg improvement, it would take me about 4 years to amortize the cost of a remap, given that the RICA site states that the cost is about £440 and I'd need to use super-unleaded (no mention of how well it would, or would not, work with LPG?), which amounts to a saving of about £100 pa. This doesn't sound like it would be worth it.

Perhaps I'd better concentrate on my driving after all :-)

[LeeT5]

Thanks for the reply.

From the sound of it, with 1-3 mpg improvement, it would take me about 4 years to amortize the cost of a remap, given that the RICA site states that the cost is about £440 and I'd need to use super-unleaded (no mention of how well it would, or would not, work with LPG?), which amounts to a saving of about £100 pa. This doesn't sound like it would be worth it.

Perhaps I'd better concentrate on my driving after all :-)

Hello Gimli and Firstly you mentioned the MBC being dangerous. Do a search on them here as they have been threaded to the death. i used to have one and they are only dangerous if you do not fit a boost guage and are careless when 'setting them up'. They are great fun but as for saving fuel?? I would say from experience that they increase fuel consumption. Like i say, do a search!

As for RICA...you should also consider BSR. BSR are the real maccoy and have really pushed the boat out with tuning Volvos. RICA is not the be all and end all. Also AFAIK, you will only get the slight increase in MPG if you fit a free flow exhaust system to compliment the remap. I am sure someone here will tell me i am talking a load of twoddle, but you can't have it both ways ie more power and a power robbing OE exhaust. The engine needs to breath and along with it you will get a improved throttle response (from fitting stainless exhaust alone) and of course a nice sound

I had a Ferrita system on my old T5 and the difference was really noticable.

My BSR dual exhaust and BSR stage 2 remap are being fitted Wednesday afternoon. The stage 2 is tuned to the exhaust so the two work in harmony.

[Mrsmopp]

Are you P1 or P2 V70R AWD?

[MrMopp]

http://www.fuelsaverpro.co.uk/

[Gimli]

Hello Gimli and Firstly you mentioned the MBC being dangerous. Do a search on them here as they have been threaded to the death. i used to have one and they are only dangerous if you do not fit a boost guage and are careless when 'setting them up'. They are great fun but as for saving fuel?? I would say from experience that they increase fuel consumption. Like i say, do a search!

As for RICA...you should also consider BSR. BSR are the real maccoy and have really pushed the boat out with tuning Volvos. RICA is not the be all and end all. Also AFAIK, you will only get the slight increase in MPG if you fit a free flow exhaust system to compliment the remap. I am sure someone here will tell me i am talking a load of twoddle, but you can't have it both ways ie more power and a power robbing OE exhaust. The engine needs to breath and along with it you will get a improved throttle response (from fitting stainless exhaust alone) and of course a nice sound

I had a Ferrita system on my old T5 and the difference was really noticable.

My BSR dual exhaust and BSR stage 2 remap are being fitted Wednesday afternoon. The stage 2 is tuned to the exhaust so the two work in harmony.

OK, thanks. I'll look at BSR. However, I have to convince Officer Commanding Household Accounts (my wife) that the Return on Investment is worth it! (Stainless Steel exhaust or Pearl Necklace ... I'm sorry, was there a question there?)

[Gimli]

Are you P1 or P2 V70R AWD?

P1 '99 Auto

[Mrsmopp]

P1 '99 Auto

TBH apart from adapting your driving a little there is going to be very little you can do to get near the figures you were returning with the Saabs - the auto boxes notoriously return less to the gallon than the manuals, so couple that with the AWD system and you have one of the thirstiest Volvo's available

[Gimli]

http://www.fuelsaverpro.co.uk/

Now you're talking. If I fit two of them, do I get further savings? And actually take some emissions out of the air? Sounds Great. Do I get the same effect if I drive across the Earth's magnetic field?

[lance]

Slip stream lorries at 56 mph will give you 40 mpg, I find vpower even in stock T5s gives better gas miles and equals out the higher cost.