Tipex Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Or more specifically government imposed emissions control systems, they don't work, they stop manufacturers focusing on better ways of reducing emissions and make cars drive badly. I've disconnected the EGR valve on my Euro 5 compliant Galaxy and it's transformed the car, the valve was sticking occasionally (although that wasn't responsible for many of the following effects), so after some internet research I bought a blanking plate to close of the valve, annoyingly I don't have the right size socket to fit it, so I just unplugged the valve instead temporarily (it's an electronic type) and the way the car drives is so markedly different it's ridiculous. It no longer feels like the accelerator is connected to the engine by a really stretchy elastic band, it picks up instantly, and when you lift off, it doesn't have that annoying delay that supposedly makes lifting off smoother, not only that but i'm almost 5 mpg better off, and I don't get any black smoke at all now, whereas before, it would occasionally let out a nice black cloud when you pull away, and if you put your foot down, you'd usually get a soot cloud too. The only downside is I have the engine warning light on, although hopefully when I get around to fitting the blanking plate, I can reconnect the valve and i'll get all the benefits without the warning light. Why don't governments allow manufacturers to develop cleaner engines themselves? Rather than insisting on EGR systems, CAT's etc that simply don't work very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Eurocrats don't insist on the methods used - they just impose the reduced emissions requirements. The only good thing to come out of it so far is stop/start technology - bloody clever. Oh, and that you can get a 320d BMW Efficient Dynamics that consistently does 70+ mpg :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted November 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 But they do insist on the methods, any car built after a certain date MUST have a catalytic convertor for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stooH Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Sounds like the optional setting bit on my car, you can have it on Eco Pro/Comfort/Sport, amongst other things it changes the throttle response - in Eco Pro it's sluggish and slow to accelerate and supposedly you get better fuel economy, on Sport you get the full oomph of the engine and the throttle is a lot more responsive i've played with both settings and the difference in MPG is negligible, in Sport you accelerate to where you want to be quicker then ease off and cruise which means you're at low revs and getting good economy quicker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 But they do insist on the methods, any car built after a certain date MUST have a catalytic convertor for example. That as implemented before any govt muppets or civil servants properly understood what they were doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted November 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Which is exactly my point, invented in 1950, and first seeing widespread automotive use in the mid 70's in the USA, and still mandatory today, if they lifted the regulations, manufacturers would come up with much better idea, at the moment, why would they when they have to fit a cat anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 A cat is the most efficient way of removing noxious gases from fossil fuel being burnt. Zero emissions is a requirement in California now. Won't he long before everywhere else gets it. If a manufacturer came up with a new way of dojng it that was cheaper for them, I'm fairly sure they could implement it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Oh, and that you can get a 320d BMW Efficient Dynamics that consistently does 70+ mpg :D Only if you believe BMW's lies - I got high 30s/low 40s out of a non ED version, which was less than I got from a VAG 2.0TDI-PD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Only if you believe BMW's lies - I got high 30s/low 40s out of a non ED version, which was less than I got from a VAG 2.0TDI-PD. That's from a 3 month old 320ed No, I couldn't believe it either, but it's spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stooH Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 that's quite impressive, if I drive fairly sensibly i can get mid to high 50's out of the 120d, if I really pushed it on a long run i'm sure low 60's would be achievable, what else do they put into the ed to make it go that much further? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Fairydust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 On a decent run, i've been getting 60MPG out of every diesel i've ever owned (which is quite a few), so the figures aren't that impressive on the face of it. However, when you look a little deeper, the ED BMW's are doing 50-60mpg in town too, which no other manufacturer can even get close to yet. They may claim combined figures like that, and people may see it on their in car computers, but the reality is, no one other than BMW makes a diesel car that will better mid 40's MPG around town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Start-stop around town is the biggest contributor to the BMW urban figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I usually find incredulous claims are down to hugely optimistic fuel computers - and VAG are the worst for it. My Golf really isn't getting the 38mpg the computer claims - and it's nowhere near what VAG officially claim. It's much closer to 34-35mpg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 The Golf 2.0 TDI only gets an average of 42, so 35 from a TSI isn't surprising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stooH Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 On a decent run, i've been getting 60MPG out of every diesel i've ever owned (which is quite a few), so the figures aren't that impressive on the face of it.However, when you look a little deeper, the ED BMW's are doing 50-60mpg in town too, which no other manufacturer can even get close to yet. They may claim combined figures like that, and people may see it on their in car computers, but the reality is, no one other than BMW makes a diesel car that will better mid 40's MPG around town. I've really noticed this, i've had tanks that have been nearly all motorway driving and other tanks that have been predominantly short journeys and around town and the difference in mileage out of a full tank was only 20-30 miles (so about half a mile per gallon). I don't even use the stop start that much but I think being able to crawl around at very low revs helps massively towards it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I am averaging 39.4 in the 640d. Incredibly happy with that considering I would be lucky to average 27 in the A5 doing the same driving. (and I might have been booting the BMW just a little bit:D). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stooH Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Have you deliberately been seeking out slightly damp roundabouts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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