800+ on a tank, whos with me.

[MikeMars]

__. That's *good* mileage on a big car with an engine with higher HP that we have in N America. To get this kind of mileage with the traffic density in the UK is really very good. Congrats!

Thanks, highly appreciated

If I understand it correctly, the 115hp cars are the same as the 90hp PD cars in the USA, but with a different engine map. The European map improves the max load as well as the low-end torque (at the cost of higher particulate emissions), which means that we can stay in the low RPM range longer, and hence can get (slightly) more mpg when driven that way.

You'll notice that the Passat above me in March's competition (joetdi) is also a European car, and it has an interesting history - it has the original unrecalled engine map and injectors which I suspect provide a further low-rpm boost.

I may be way off the mark of course, so corrections welcome

 

[dieselgrandad]

What's the last thing a hill-billy says before he dies?

HEY!! LOOKY HERE!

 

[txpigeon]

Got another one. This is getting to be a (good) habit. Reserve on at 789.7, filled with 16.208 on 822.7 miles. About the first half of tank I was only getting ~47 per SG. Lots of heavy winds for a few days. SG said 51.0 mpg & 16.1 gal, hand calc says 50.76 mpg & 16.2 gal so it looks like I've almost got the SG set.

Duane

 

[wandlc]

Just filled my 2000 NB 5 spd today with 16.123 gallons at 815.7 miles. I drive 140 miles per day to get to work. I too was fighting headwinds all week. The SG actaully indicated 38 mpg for one of my return trips home. The headwind was probably 40+ mph. The NB does not like headwinds. My scangauge is usually within .5 mpg of actual. Unfortunately for me the prevailing afternoon wind is a direct headwind for me, and in the mornings there is very little wind at all.

 

[VATechTDI]

Just hit it today for the first time (on the first full tank after a 5-speed swap). I was getting about 42 mpg before the swap on a typical 600-mile week of commuting. I'm driving the car harder with the new transmission too! Actually made it a couple more miles after taking the odo pic, total of 50.5 mpg at the fillup. Booyah!

 

[ofhs93]

First official 800+ tank for me. 805.1 miles...filled up 15.738 gallons...51.15MPG....About 300 miles of this was with 4 people in the car and another 300 miles with 2 people.

I have never in the past had the patience or discipline to get 800 out of a tank. With fuel at $4.30 though you find new patience you never knew you had I have had a bit higher MPG in the past but never let it get to beyond 800. This is with the cruise set to a real (GPS confirmed) 65MPH for most of the miles traveled...up and down PA mountains on I84 for the most part. I envy those of you who live in the flatlands...that's where the 55+MPG numbers can be readily found.

 

[grelli]

I was on track for my first 800mile tank, but my road trip ran out! Extrapolated from the 847km on 39.77L to fill, it should have been possible. Unfortunately I arrived back in Edmonton, and there was simply no way I was going to keep the mileage up amidst all this construction.

 

[JettaJake]

Way to go VaTech!

Keep trying, grelli

 

[lekolite]

I made it! 802.5 on 15.514 gallons + 8oz silver PS.

Personal best MPG too at 51.48 (corrected for ps additive)

Curious what the next tank brings as I accidently put in a double shot of ps with this tank.

 

[fitzski]

Wuhoo!!! 800 Mile Club!!!
1301 km (808 mi) on 57.9L (15.3 USg) = 4.45L/100 km (52.9 mpUSg)

A new record for me!! Previous best (in the red Jetta) was 1244 km on a single tank - and that was interstate cruising going to Florida - this 1301 was 100% daily commuting! Plus, plenty left in the tank (well... plenty is relative, I guess...!). I was figuring I'd be over 60L, but nope... wasn't even a record fill, since I've put in 59.4L twice before.

Maybe not much for a lot of the folks here... but given my commute (40/60 city/hwy, with LOTS of stop signs and traffic lights on the city portion), and the disciplined driving required to get these numbers, I am *thrilled* to get an 800-mile tank!

yyyyYYYYYYEESSSS!

 

[MikeMars]

Do you recall what point the reserve light came on? In theory there should be 8 or 9 litres left at that point, but note that it can be misadjusted (I had one car whose reserve light came on within 2 - 20 miles before it ran out. Caught me out more than once).

 

[fitzski]

I drove 76km after the light came on. I know there is plenty left, but I definitely get nervous! With the data I keep track of (i.e. including my distance travelled after the light comes on), I should be able to run the numbers and come up with a pretty reliable indicator of how many litres it burns before the light comes on.

Really, though... the issue is my commute, which makes me quite nervous with the light on. I just have so much unavoidable stop and go. On this tank, the light came on about 1/3 of the way home on Thursday... still drove home (lots of stop signs and lights), drove to breakfast in town Friday morning, carried on to work (lots of stops), and then drove almost the whole way home before getting to a station. My commute is only ~35km, and even with the balance on hwy, my average speed is, at best, about 60km/h (35mph) because of the city portion. I have to cross a bridge into Quebec, which really limits my route flexibility and any wish to avoid the worst areas.

 

[MCathcart]

Hey I don't mean to Rain on your Jetta(s) 800 mpt Parade, but if a few of us Beetle owners could Squeeze 15.738 Gallons of juice in our Beetles we'd be in the 900 mile club. 52 or 53 mpg on a Jetta is not what I'd call outstanding. We had an '01 Jetta that would post constant 53.0 mpg driving like I used to. At that time the best I was getting out of a Beetle Tdi was 49.0 mpg. It took 4 weeks for me to run one tank out of my '98 Beetle at 58.3 mpg. (My best in 10 YEARS, on 3 different Beetle Tdi's.) Using this as a Bench Mark, your Jetta's should get into the 60's. I feel sure if we still had the '01 Jetta that it would smoke the 1998 Beetles 58.3.

Now do something to get your MPG's Up, your car is capable! (Really it looks like a bunch of "High 5's" for what the EPA says for a Jetta.)

Above I see a 16.2 gallon fill-up.... 16.2 x 58.3 = 944 miles (If you check the mileage thread someone posted a 58.6 on a Beetle the first of June)

What I did to go from 40's to 50's MPG

1. Drive the Speed Limit
2. Don't rev it over 2,000 RPM shifting
3. Leave red lights crawling
4. Let people cut me off. (Yea, this takes some patience)
5. No A/C
6. Keep a watch on my ScanGuage
7. Coast down long down hills in netural

 

[fitzski]

Hey I don't mean to Rain on your Jetta(s) 800 mpt Parade, but if a few of us Beetle owners could Squeeze 15.738 Gallons of juice in our Beetles we'd be in the 900 mile club. 52 or 53 mpg on a Jetta is not what I'd call outstanding.

umm... you know we're in the 800+ mile thread, right? There's also a 900+ thread you can go brag in if you like.

We had an '01 Jetta that would post constant 53.0 mpg driving like I used to. At that time the best I was getting out of a Beetle Tdi was 49.0 mpg. It took 4 weeks for me to run one tank out of my '98 Beetle at 58.3 mpg. (My best in 10 YEARS, on 3 different Beetle Tdi's.) Using this as a Bench Mark, your Jetta's should get into the 60's. I feel sure if we still had the '01 Jetta that it would smoke the 1998 Beetles 58.3.

You simply CANNOT compare your experience to most anyone else's. My commute is challenging - and I frankly doubt many drivers could do as well in my situation with my car (at least not without seriously ticking off a lot of other drivers - which is another thread... or eight...). I've already adjusted my work hours to avoid traffic as much as possible, and I routinely tweak and adjust my route to minimize stops and traffic during the summer construction season, along with healthy heapings of discipline with the throttle and "reading" traffic and road conditions.

I don't believe that every driver's situation is amenable to 60+ mpg (again, without getting into extreme techniques).

Now do something to get your MPG's Up, your car is capable! (Really it looks like a bunch of "High 5's" for what the EPA says for a Jetta.)

Above I see a 16.2 gallon fill-up.... 16.2 x 58.3 = 944 miles (If you check the mileage thread someone posted a 58.6 on a Beetle the first of June)

What I did to go from 40's to 50's MPG

1. Drive the Speed Limit
2. Don't rev it over 2,000 RPM shifting
3. Leave red lights crawling
4. Let people cut me off. (Yea, this takes some patience)
5. No A/C
6. Keep a watch on my ScanGuage
7. Coast down long down hills in netural

Personally, I do ALL of those things, and I do them as much as possible, and more (higher tire pressures, coasting in gear, pulse & glide, anticipating traffic lights, timing traffic flow at stop signs, carrying momentum, turning car off at long lights, etc.). With tremendous discipline in applying these techniques, I got 52.9 mpg, and I'm damn happy with that!

 

[Blue_Hen_TDI]

I'm trying to find the 1,300 mile thread but a search is returning nothing.

Btw, great work Fitzski with that commute you have!

 

[BrianCT]

My commute is challenging - (at least not without seriously ticking off a lot of other drivers

• I've already adjusted my work hours to avoid traffic as much as possible
• I routinely tweak and adjust my route to minimize stops and traffic during the summer construction season
• along with healthy heapings of discipline with the throttle
• and "reading" traffic and road conditions.

Very well put. I can't say that I've been as disciplined as you fitzski, but for the daily commuter driving and all of us to reach higher goals your points are excellent for anyone.

BrianCT

 

[tttthumper]

Wooo hooo first 1300km/800 mile tank

I just joined the club. I've had my car for over 8 months, and I started out getting 700-800Kms a tank non vented. I was happy with that.

Then I found TDICLUB.
I started venting, then got a ventecomy and started getting over 1,000kms
Then I found out about hypermiling and practised that a bit, 1,100kms on a tank.
Got chipped, and coasted more, got 1,200kms on a tank.

After 3 or 4 tanks getting 1230-1260 on a tank, I finally got
1304kms /810 miles for 58.3L/15.4gal = 4.45LHK/52.8mpg

I drive on 100km highways and drive 110-120km/h for most of my commute.

If I were to drive steadily on 80km/h highways I know 1400 would be reacheable.

Peter

 

[gertimus1]

800

last 4 tanks on 04 wagon 5spd tdi were all over 875 miles with 1 at 917 and one at 927, use scanguage II but last tank rant out at 909 and coasted into cenex station in New York Mills. Had to push last 15 feet whe I realized deisel pump was on back side of station. Last Sunday drove 200 miles from DL to twin cities - 200 miles with tail wind and got 60.20 MPG. thought I was cool getting 700 miles then routinely got mid 800's then with scanguage now routinely get over 900. commute 45 one way with 3 stops. Drive 55 or less, never over 2000 rpm and coast to stops.

 

[ScottyB]

It seems that people consistently report improvements once they have a ScanGauge. I can get over 800 and 50.1 if I keep it to 65MPH but there is no way I could keep it at 55MPH on the interstate here. Dang I would back up some traffic!

 

[fitzski]

WooT! Another PB!

1367km (849 miles) on 58.4L (15.4G) = 4.27L/100 km (55.1 mpUSg)

This result also reinforces the efficiency benefit of relaxed highway cruising vs my usual mixed city/hwy commuter driving. This tank included a ~450km trip to Montreal (with the A/C on for half of it), at ~65mph (an indicated couple of clicks above the limit of 100km/h). There's no question that's the difference, since the remainder of the km's were my usual disciplined commuting.

I should be able to run the numbers and come up with a pretty reliable indicator of how many litres it burns before the light comes on.

I also ran the numbers for my last 6 tanks, and determined that my low fuel light comes on after a remarkably consistent 54.5 litres (14.4G) consumed. From my math, there was less than 0.5 litres of variance for when the light comes on. So, I can be pretty confident in knowing that when the light comes on, I still have 2.5G (~10L) in the tank (based on the general consensus around here that you can squeeze 64L into a MkIV tank).

 

[mjhandy]

1321.7km = 821.267m

Took this this morning, and still don't have the fuel light on:

mix of highway and city, though i've been avoiding the 401 for some 80/60km roads.

This is vented, with close to 64L.

 

[LarryLymb]

Gertimus, Did you have any problems starting when you ran out? What procedure do you use to restart?

 

[tttthumper]

Took this this morning, and still don't have the fuel light on:

mix of highway and city, though i've been avoiding the 401 for some 80/60km roads.

This is vented, with close to 64L.

Dam Mark, Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
So you could get 1400 out of this tank. I've been impressed my last two tanks got 1300km/tank, driving on 407 and 401.

My best has been 1230km's when the light went off.

You really notice the better FE driving on 80/km highways instead of 401.

Peter

 

[Variant TDI]

Just had my 2nd 800+ tank yesterday (804), and put 15.7 gallons in.

This tank was special for many reasons. One, because it's been over 3 years since my first 800+ mile tank.

Second, because it was 100% well disciplined commuting in the DC area complete with with Cold starts and traffic woes. No long lazy trips to Grandmas to pad the findings.

And lastly, because as I topped the hill, and headed to my normal fuel station, I found they had dropped their price from 4.699 to 4.599 last night, and it was one of the first times in recent memory where streching a tank further actually resulted in lower prices.

Scangauge almost makes it too easy.

 

[mjhandy]

Dam Mark, Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
So you could get 1400 out of this tank. I've been impressed my last two tanks got 1300km/tank, driving on 407 and 401.

My best has been 1230km's when the light went off.

You really notice the better FE driving on 80/km highways instead of 401.

Peter

I might leave work later than normal so i'm not stuck on the Gardner in traffic. Though either way, i gotta fuel up to make it home. I 'should' be able to stretch it till guelph line, though i may fill up closer to the office.

 

[Brian_Spilsbury]

You are doing well Mark.
I think the SG really makes a huge difference. At least now we KNOW when we aren't driving as economically as we could be.

 

[mjhandy]

You are doing well Mark.
I think the SG really makes a huge difference. At least now we KNOW when we aren't driving as economically as we could be.

Exactly, so with this tank, i'm going to drive different. Bit faster on the 401, and no taking guelph line, campbellville road, to churchill blvd to avoid the milton backup.

I'm all for good FE, but i do want to get home at a decent time too.

Cheers.

 

[tubesguy]

First timer here. 804.2 miles on 14.76 gallons of B2 plus Stanadyne. This was my first tank since getting RC2 at the Fond du Lac GTG. No extraordinary measures, just driving the speed limit, A/C as necessary, almost all highway miles at 65 or 55.

 

[meby]

Driver: meby
Miles: 840
Gallons: 14.916
Model Year: 00
Model: Jetta
Tranny: 5m
Fuel Type: ULSD

MPG: 56.33

Next stop: 900

 

[Variant TDI]

Driver: meby
Gallons: 14.916

Next stop: 900

If you've got a ventectomy, this should be no problem. :thumbup: