Thinking Of Swapping

[Guest shiftyshuffle]

Hi all,

 

I've recently moved to Guildford from Brighton, but will be travelling to and from Brighton a fair bit.

 

You know a 1.6 8v sits at around 4k @ 70 m.p.h and with me being a student and fuel prices as they are, I have to keep it at 55 to save money! It uses around 8 litres of 97 octane petrol for one journey Guildford-Brighton @ a steady 55m.p.h

 

I've been thinking of part-exchanging/swapping/selling up my 1.6 for a 1.9 8v, as the 1.9 box has longer gearing.

 

So, a) At what revs does a 1.9 do at 70m.p.h;

Would a 1.9 save me money on long-distance journeys considering the longer gearing, or does the larger capacity offset this;

c) Does the increase in torque mean I might also save money by not having to plant my foot as much to get up to speed?

 

Any thoughts/opinions on both cars would be great.

 

Thanks, Rob

[Guest shiftyshuffle]

So if i decide to sell up, i'll be advertising the car with pics in the for-sale forum. If anyone fancies it for part-ex etc. I'd be willing to travel up to 100-odd miles.

 

Rob

[luggy 13]

1.9 does 3.5Krpm at 75mph.

What about keeping your 1.6 and getting a hybrid box with 1.6 FD and Mi gearset, that'll give you 75mph at 3.5Krpm.

The main points I'd be looking at is

1. How reliable is my currnet 1.6?

2. How much more is the insuarnce going to cost for a 1.9?

3. How mechanically reliable will the replacement 1.9 be?

[jackherer 543]

You can't rationally sell a 1.6 and buy a 1.9 for economy

 

luggy's suggestion of a hybrid 'box is the way forward if you want to make a mechanical change but I don't think you'll see anything like the sort of improvements you are hoping for.

 

BTW constant speed is not the best for economy, especially with all the hills you have down there, let the speed build up on downhills but equally let it decrease on inclines changing down where necessary. Just like you do if you are riding a pedal bike. Do a google for hypermiling and try some of the techniques out, using them carefully I can get over 50mpg out of a Vauxhall Omega V6 estate that normally gets 32mpg.

[welshpug 1,657]

I think its perfectly rational to get a 1.9 over a 1.6 for economy, they use so much less fuel at speed because of the gearing, my last tankful of XC and Motorway driving returned 39 mpg from a 1.9, my friends with 1.6's curse me as they struggle to reach 32

[ashley peddle 3]

fit an mi16 box? then you get 1st 2nd and 3rd of a 1.6 box and 4/5th of a 1.9 (i think?)

[Guest shiftyshuffle]

I know there are things to consider ie. condition of engine, how well it's set up but it makes sense to me if two identical cars, one 1.6 the other 1.9 with the same tyre pressures/set up sat side-by-side at 60, the 1.9 would have better fuel economy. Unless the extra cc's makes a difference.

 

I've read it's hard to find a decent 1.9 now without spending a lot of cash, I reckon my car's worth around £600 so if I can source a 1.9 I don't mind spending a bit extra in part-ex for a good one. I'd rather chug along using the 1.9's torque than have to scream the 1.6 to keep up speed.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Get your 1600 set up well is my advice, I took my 1600 on the PSOOC euro tour and got between 39 and 44mpg out of it, on a mix of steady runs on the autoroute at 80mph and other bits of blasting down some smaller roads.

[shalmaneser 26]

Get your 1600 set up well is my advice, I took my 1600 on the PSOOC euro tour and got between 39 and 44mpg out of it, on a mix of steady runs on the autoroute at 80mph and other bits of blasting down some smaller roads.

 

 

surely not?!

 

I've avoided the whole question of fuel consumption, as I'm scared to find out the numbers, but even with quite a bit of Mway driving im not even near that! I reckon I'm getting 30 ish (although i have been hooning it about a bit lot - new car see?

 

but seriously, its like 4500 rpm @ 80!

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

 

surely not?!

 

Surely yes. I don't just type made up s*ite on the forum for the hell of it, instead I type stuff from first hand experience.

 

I've just looked up my figures, not quite as good as I remembered off the top of my head, but not at all far off.

 

Home - Fill up - 0 miles

Whitstable - 26.6L - 221.5 miles - 37.8mpg

Nr Reims - 29L - 450.7 miles - 36mpg

South of Paris A5 - 17.8L - 597.1 miles - 37.44mpg

Chaumont - 15.65L - 726 miles - 37.4mpg

Mulhouse - 19L - 896.2 miles - 40.7mpg

Nr Metz - 31.56L - 1166.9 miles - 38.94mpg

Dover A2 - 34.4L - 1453.1 miles - 37.8mpg

Edited August 7, 2008 by Tom Fenton

[Cabana 0]

I think its perfectly rational to get a 1.9 over a 1.6 for economy, they use so much less fuel at speed because of the gearing, my last tankful of XC and Motorway driving returned 39 mpg from a 1.9, my friends with 1.6's curse me as they struggle to reach 32

 

I get similar figures from my 1.9, I was pleasently suprised the first time I worked it out, I was expecting low to mid 30s

[Rob Thomson 6]

I had to commute in my 1.6 for six weeks last summer. 110 miles a day, about 95 of which were done at a steady 90 on the M5. I averaged about 33mpg which I thought was pretty good considering that it spent most of that distance sitting at 5k.

 

The great benefit of the later 1.9 is the Motronic engine management which sadly was never fitted to the 1.6.

[mattmk1 0]

The answer is ...... 16 valve it.

My car as a 1.6 did around 30 mpg, with a 1.9 8valve that was slightly modified i used to get around 20mpg - i just couldnt resist thrashing it everywhere because it made the best noise ever. Now with an mi16 i get high 30's - all figures are with a 1.6 box.

[timb1046 1]

1.9 does 3.5Krpm at 75mph.

 

 

my mate said this to me the other day about his. but mine will be doing well over 80 probably around the 85 mark at 3.5k 70 is at just under 3k . have i got a strange box? btw i read my speeds from my road angel and sat-nav when its in so its accurate unlike the speedo!

 

Tim

[James_R 3]

I've found regardless of engine I get better economy on the 1600 ratios than the 1900's

 

As Tom F has said get it set up (wind on the advance) and you'll see better, I saw about 33's in the 1600 with mixed driving to work and thrash it, since swapping the engine to a 1900 (1.6 box and flywheel) I've jumped to 35.6mph first tank, driving it the same as before, and I'm still sorting the advance out on it.

 

Anthony scores 39's regularly on his 1900 on a 1.6 box and he spends a fair chunk at the limiter late for work every morning

[Ryan 99]

I reckon I'm getting 30 ish (although i have been hooning it about a bit lot - new car see?

 

Check that the vacuum advance on the distributor is working properly. If the diaphram inside has split then that can easily cost you 3-5mpg.

Edited August 11, 2008 by Ryan