De-Tuning for fuel economy

[MidnightRacer]

Here is one for you.

 

Just supposing you had an ECU with different maps and you wanted to build a map for all out fuel economy over performance...

 

If you need a reason lets just say driving across Europe to get to the nurburgring....

 

so what would you do to detune the car...... could it all be software based or would you have to introduce restriction to the inlet also to workinline with less fuel?

 

any thoughts welcome!

[Wasso]

For the cost of mapping your car to become economical, will be more expensive than just being economical with your right foot. Be aware fuel prices in Europe are more expensive, so I'd increase your budget and just have fun. Who wants to be economical on a Autobhan?

 

Seriously there's no point for the hassle.

 

If you have cruise control you can apply multi maps, but without you'll just have to be careful

[Ebized]

Just control your right foot and get it in 6th as soon as you can - no cost options and will save you more fuel, when you want to

[threefiftyz]

Just control your right foot and get it in 6th as soon as you can

 

I'm sure that cruising at low speeds in a high gear (40mph in 6th) actually uses more fuel, may be wrong

[rabbitstew]

Just control your right foot and get it in 6th as soon as you can

 

I'm sure that cruising at low speeds in a high gear (40mph in 6th) actually uses more fuel, may be wrong

 

Surely its down to the RPM? so if your doing 1500rpm which is about 40 in 6th your using less fuel than if you were in 2nd gear at 40mph which is a higher RPM?

 

I may be wrong?

[Mark@Abbey m/s]

You can tweak the fuel map to make the car run spot on re AFR/timing , these car run closed loop so they normally run pretty spot on re AFR, but the fuel maps do need tweaking to make sure the car sees the AFR spot on;

 

If you have a car other than the UK 276bhp with cruise control we can make a map with a slower throttle response so making the car a little more economical but you cant really map these car much leaner than what Nissan tuned them from , but after tuning a lot of people say they get better fuel economy after a remap.

 

 

 

What about a unleaded map cheaper fuel?

 

 

 

Mark

[Chris`I]

IMO I would go with what the others have said, control your right foot properly and that will save you most fuel. Get it into higher gears ASAP and dont rev it hard (equally dont let the engine labour). If you're not so good with the right foot then get a throttle controller and set it to Eco.

 

Really though, its an NA car, you're never going to be able to detune it for much more economy, you just have to live with it. If you dont rag it the Zed is suppringly frugal for a 3.5l engine

[threefiftyz]

Just control your right foot and get it in 6th as soon as you can

 

I'm sure that cruising at low speeds in a high gear (40mph in 6th) actually uses more fuel, may be wrong

 

Surely its down to the RPM? so if your doing 1500rpm which is about 40 in 6th your using less fuel than if you were in 2nd gear at 40mph which is a higher RPM?

 

I may be wrong?

 

you'l probably notice that say your in 6th @1500rpm to gain speed you'd have to apply more pressure on the accelerator, in turn using more fuel than if you were initially cruising @ 2500rpm (higher speed)

 

I'm no pro, the logic makes sense to me, would be good if someone with better knowledge could comment

[spursmaddave]

Whatever the technique to drive economically it would make your Zed sad

[CaptainSensible]

Just set off a bit earlier, cruise at 70 instead of 80, and that will make more difference than any 'economy map' would.

[Chris`I]

you'l probably notice that say your in 6th @1500rpm to gain speed you'd have to apply more pressure on the accelerator, in turn using more fuel than if you were initially cruising @ 2500rpm (higher speed)

 

I'm no pro, the logic makes sense to me, would be good if someone with better knowledge could comment

The Zed has so much torque that if you site at 1500RPM its quite happy. So long as you dont try and accelerate sharply and just gently it uses less fuel doing that than sitting at 2500RPM. I had quite a lot of time to test it during my commutes to Slough and back (70 miles daily) and sitting at 1500RPM is just fine

 

Saves the fuel for the fun bits

[glrnet]

Certainly agree with that, Abbey re mapped mine before the Scottish Hoon and I wasn't getting much better 23 mpg. I reset the mpg read out straight after the remap and in the near 4k miles since I've averaged 27.3 mpg. This includes 8 days Hooning (1.2k miles) and the Sussex/Kent run recently. I'm sure I could get more if I drove a bit more conservatively but that's not what I bought the car for

 

You can tweak the fuel map to make the car run spot on re AFR/timing , these car run closed loop so they normally run pretty spot on re AFR, but the fuel maps do need tweaking to make sure the car sees the AFR spot on;

 

If you have a car other than the UK 276bhp with cruise control we can make a map with a slower throttle response so making the car a little more economical but you cant really map these car much leaner than what Nissan tuned them from , but after tuning a lot of people say they get better fuel economy after a remap.

 

 

 

What about a unleaded map cheaper fuel?

 

 

 

Mark

[MidnightRacer]

To clear up a bit of confusion I wasnt asking how to get the the nurburgring cheap. I was using that as an example of why you might want to do it.

 

I was speculating on the fact that you have a multimap ECU and the ability to run different setups and what was the possibility of improving the fuel economy on one of those maps..

 

I was kind of thinking along the lines of a restricted motorcycle where the engine is the same but its highly restricted and while preformance is poor the fuel economy can be vastly improved.

 

I guess Abbey are probably the best solution so far to tune for 95 octane rather than fuel economy as such.

 

cheers

Kev

[Chris`I]

There will be very little between a performance map and an eco map on the Zed. Its not FI so you cant turn a turbo or SC off and reduce fuel consumption by massive amounts.

 

In all honesty the only way you will improve fuel consumption is with your right foot or a throttle controller that will dull you right foot movements

[Dblock]

Shame we don't have that cylinder shut off like the mercs

[Keyser]

................. Its not FI so you cant turn a turbo or SC off...................

 

Be a sod on mine would need to swap belts but my real thought would be

 

Like I'd want to

 

 

I have 2 maps on an after market ECU (UTEC) and I can honestly say I have used the lower power setting...................... Never!

[ianphampton]

On a run up the A1 about 3 months ago, the roadworks meant the traffic was all just plodding at 50mph

 

She was quite happy in 6th at 50, provided you didn't want to accelerate much, and on that journey I got 32mpg

 

I'm quite proud of that figure, but . . my God, it was tedious!

 

If you want great mpg, I'd suggest getting a Fiat 500 twinair. I'd suggest you also get a full frontal lobotomy, otherwise you'll go completely mad.

 

If you want to stay ALIVE, keep the Zed . . . and don't worry about the fuel consumption.

[MidnightRacer]

 

If you want great mpg, I'd suggest getting a Fiat 500 twinair. I'd suggest you also get a full frontal lobotomy, otherwise you'll go completely mad.

 

If you want to stay ALIVE, keep the Zed . . . and don't worry about the fuel consumption.

 

someone not read all the thread then?

[Ebized]

Just control your right foot and get it in 6th as soon as you can

 

I'm sure that cruising at low speeds in a high gear (40mph in 6th) actually uses more fuel, may be wrong

 

Surely its down to the RPM? so if your doing 1500rpm which is about 40 in 6th your using less fuel than if you were in 2nd gear at 40mph which is a higher RPM?

 

I may be wrong?

 

you'l probably notice that say your in 6th @1500rpm to gain speed you'd have to apply more pressure on the accelerator, in turn using more fuel than if you were initially cruising @ 2500rpm (higher speed)

 

I'm no pro, the logic makes sense to me, would be good if someone with better knowledge could comment

 

When you are on a road where the traffic is trundling along at the usual, 40, 50 whatever, there's no point staying in third/fourth as that is just wasting fuel. By putting it in sixth you are minimizing fuel use. But when it comes to some acceleration being needed I quite enjoy missing two or three cogs at a time and getting the right one for the road speed and conditions and one of the reasons why I will always prefer a manual over auto.

 

Now on a spirited drive that is completely different, but I'm talking here in the context of fuel saving raised in this thread.

 

And I certainly would not try to accelerate from 6th and labour the engine. Being in the right gear at the right time, and all that.... but the 350/370 engine has so much torque it is more forgiving, should you not select the ideal gear, and what goes towards making them such great driver's cars.

 

But I am really spolit now with the syncro-rev on the 370 that blips the change beautifully (going up or down the box) to match whatever gear you choose - heel and toeing has been forgotten