Suzuki fuel economy ( or not )

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subs1, May 4, 7:41am
I have a 1996 Suzuki crescent /baleno 1800cc on 193000km .It doesn't burn oil or leak oil I had a " tuneup " done which was changing spark plugs and a new air filter.I I have been getting approx 12L/100km, I have been told that adding a cup of ATF ( auto transmission fluid )to the petrol can help clean injectors ., is this true ?
. Also i use drive with overdrive selected to drive around Christchurch and again been told by the same guy that that can add to the fuel consumption , also is THAT true ? Thanks in advance .

pc_uncorrect, May 4, 8:11am
To clean your fuel injectors, buy some well known brands (Repco, BNT, Supercheap) of fuel injector cleaner (02 (oxygen) sensor safe)?, personally, i would not put ATF into the fuel without thorough research (engine valves, sensor friendly? etc . ).
Driving around town in overdrive will be fine, but do some of your own tests with overdrive off & on, and compare the differences, the test's will reveal what is relevent to you & your vehicle, driving conditions/style . then the proof is in the pudding.

seadubya, May 4, 8:29am
I wouldn't put atf fluid in my fuel.
Agree with the above, reset the trip meter next time you fill up and drive around with overdrive off, next time you fill up take note of the litres used for distance travelled, then reset trip meter and drive around with overdrive on, then compare average km per litre for overdrive off vs overdrive on for your driving.

m16d, May 4, 8:32am
Don't put ATF in the gas and unselect the overdrive round town.

nzmax, May 4, 9:28am
I drive a 99 Maxima with 4spd overdrive auto, and driving with overdrive on round town has it constantly hunting between 3rd and overdrive at 50km/h, so I drive with it turned off. Not that I have ever checked economy, but im sure the constant gear changing would use more fuel than it would staying in one gear or the other. I don't usually engage overdrive until im at around 80km/h, only because to me it doesn't feel or sound right for my car. Only way to find out is to try an economy test.

tamarillo, May 4, 10:42am
As others don't put aft in fuel. If you want to clean injectors get proper stuff.
Leave overdrive OFF. It's for open road top speed to reduce gearing. Round town it's only going to let engine labour if it cuts in at all.
Very best way of improving economy is driving style. Smooth acceleration, minimal braking. If you can check what rpm your engine is producing best torque and think of that as guide. Practice looking ahead for cars slowing and let engine braking do work for you. Look how much braking cars in front do and try to not tough pedal. Smooth driving achieves same speed but with better economy.

mugenb20b, May 4, 7:38pm
Do you drive in the city most of the time? And, are most of your trips short or long distance?

3tomany, May 4, 8:06pm
after having a Suzuki sx4 AWD I am not surprised to see your fuel consumption although it does sound like you have a mechanical issue.

kazbanz, May 4, 8:46pm
subs being the 1800cc version is yours all wheel drive?

franc123, May 5, 12:45am
Apart from the obvious stuff like tyre pressures I'd be looking for an underlying problem like a faulty oxygen sensor or a stuck thermostat that isn't letting the engine warm up fast enough, or not at all. Both these things may be monitorable on a scan tool but in the case of the latter a simple test is to drive it for 10 minutes and then grip the top radiator hose with your hand, if it cold enough so you can hold on to it for more than 5 seconds its not reaching operating temperature. Poor heater operation and a temp gauge needle that doesnt move much can also indicates this.

craigs_workshop, May 5, 4:39am
that is running thirsty

an 1800 from that era should be getting 13, 14 or 15 km/l

not the 8.x that yours is giving

subs1, May 5, 7:25am
I drive in the city stop satrt and max distance so far 10km one way

subs1, May 5, 7:27am
It is the 1he front wheel drive 1800cc version

skin1235, May 5, 7:27am
this

I get 11 lt/100km out of my 3.2 litre, 2050kg curb weight, full time 4WD SUV
your 1800cc must be getting seriously thrashed to suck down 12lt

subs1, May 5, 7:30am
Yep Tyre pressures are at 32PSI ( old school ) Thermostat has been replaced also

subs1, May 5, 7:35am
Very true ! I do think it is thirsty ! I am going to try no overdrive until maybe 60km speed limit and some proper injector cleaner

subs1, May 5, 7:41am
Thanks guys for all the suggestions .
I will get the proper injector cleaner and will add that when I fill up in the next couple of days , and not use the overdrive until over the 60km sped limit

franc123, May 5, 7:41am
How does it perform on the road, no flat spots, hesitation, surging, bogging down, poor acceleration when overtaking etc? Revs out freely?

skin1235, May 5, 7:42am
that is gobbling it down, check the rev counter, its either reving it's nuts off or seriously overfueling
like a lot of cars today they will not change into top gear until the engine is warm - try starting in L then slip it up one, etc, see if it actually finding top at all, which would be about 2400 revs at 100km/hr, around town the rev counter shouldn't even get to 2200, and thats between lights in 3rd

reving its nuts off is a driver error, back off the loud pedal
overfueling is an engine killer, get it checked, at 12lt/100km that must be dribbling raw fuel out the exhaust pipe

subs1, May 5, 7:48am
Ooooohhh I wish ! Nah I am 65 and past all that hooning about between lights and doing wheelies LOL Just normal adult driving

subs1, May 5, 7:52am
LOL Nah , my foot is as light as a feather , I am not tramping it down to beat everybody off at the lights . It is doing just a tiddle under 2000RPM at 50km with OD engaged .

subs1, May 5, 7:54am
All good on the open road , push down on the go pedal it goes , doesn't spend any time thinking about whether it will go or not . Free revving easily and no flat spots

skin1235, May 5, 7:54am
we are about the same age then, is this thing stuck in low ratio perhaps, does it have a low ratio even, even a big falcon gets better averages than that is currently doing,

skin1235, May 5, 7:58am
something wrong there
2000 at 50km/hr = 4000 at 100km/hr, have no doubt it would get into it when you poke it at those ratio's, whats it like on the open road at 100

intrade, May 5, 9:41pm
did the ignition system get tuned up you did not mention anything about that as new plugs new leads new rotor new cap and then cleaning intake and setting timing correctly that would be what is a tune up for a older early 90s car its what my 95 toyota got under normal servicing plus the rest like new fuel filter a squirt of morreys upper head cleaner in the fuel and i run it mostly on 95 + octane not the 91 crap no car is made to run on.
also you know you should not drive it like you have had suspended animation. no rudness intended ,but you need if it is fully serviced correctly important and i am not sure if they have a cambelt or not
you need to floor it every now and then when its warm like when you get on a motorway on the onramps floor it to get up to speed as fast as possible to mach the speed the traffic is doing this benefits your car you can also do this when getting from town to open road just floor it till you have 70+kph , nana driving is what can carbon loads of things up.