General Volvo C30 1.6D Fuel Economy Extremely Poor?

[BlackC3016]

Hi All, I have a question regarding the Fuel Economy on my Pre Facelift Volvo C30 1.6D R Design (5 Speed Box) Drive E

Bought The car last summer and ended up having to have a new DPF Fitted in February of this year due to the previous owner not doing many miles and it not having any EOLYS fluid in it.
New EGR installed last year too

Before I had the new DPF done I noticed the fuel economy wasn't great but I thought it was down to the car somehow using more fuel due to the bad DPF

So I thoughr with the new DPF I would see better fuel economy but in al, honsety it didn't make any difference.

Having done 5,000 miles in that time and running the car on Shell Premium Diesel every fill up, I just can't seem to get many miles out of a tank. The car doesn't tell me the MPG figures ( Has to be coded in by Volvo ) But I can just about scrape 300 miles off half a tank on a very good motorway run. Usually getting around the 270 miles mark off a half a tank.
Second half of the tank just seems to disappear to and I don't think I have got more than 400 miles off 3 quarters of a tank (That's the lowest I let it get to before I fill up)

90% of my journeys are decent runs so I would assume I would be getting better mileage from a tank. Is there something wrong somewhere because for a Diesel I don't think this is very good

Would apprecaite some advice or what sort of miles from half a tank and a tank you get from your 1.6D

Many thanks

[xco]

Hi m8
Suggest you try this if only once to compare and see how you get on.

Me and the missus both got D5's...mine is an XC90 D5 SE LUX and the missus runs a pre face lift C30 D5 SE Lux.

We have run these cars for 8 years now... They are both MY2008 so both having DPF

In the 8 years of ownership we have been able to try many supermarket brands against the allegedly superior brands.

We have found the best to be Sainsburys and the worst to be Tesco's although this is not knocking Tesco's diesel it's just that the Sainsburys in the car feels more responsive than the tescos.
We also add a full shot of Red X Diesel cleaner to a full tank if we are doing a long motorway run and once a month anyway if not.

Many will tell you that Red X Diesel cleaner is nothing more than snake oil ....but having run D5's since 2009 with and without it it gets my full 100% endorsement as a must have.In the 8 years we have owned these 2 D5's we have neither of us suffered any DPF issues.

I know you own a1.6D so maybe not relevant to you but I just thought worth a try if you are stumped.

If you are getting bad returns you could at least try this....you may be pleasantly suprised.

Hope this helps.

[Rocinante]

I would suggest that you figure out what MPG you are getting, which will make comparisons easier and more accurate, and give you a better idea the scale of the problem, if there is one.

• Fill the tank.
• Zero the trip.
• Next time you fill up, fill the tank to the top again, and note the quantity of fuel used.
• Note the miles travelled.
• This will tell you your mpg.
• Post you mpg, here and, the C30 section would probably also yield some specific results.

Believe you have around a 12 gallon tank?
1/2 tank, 6 gallons, 300 miles = 50mpg.
3/4 tank, 9 gallons, 400 miles = 44mpg.

Honest John website suggests an average 51.1, so your half talk appears in the right ballpark.
https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg.../c30-2010/16-d

I've got a V60 1.6D, and get around 54mpg. Heavier car, so in theory should be less, but a lot depends on how it is driven as well. Not sure if it's the same engine either.

[BlackC3016]

Thanks for your suggestions mate. Had a quick glance at these Diesel cleaners in the past researching online and stuff but then you get 50/50 opinions on the stuff. I'll look into it a bit more

[BlackC3016]

Maths really isn't my strong point haha. But what you said lastly sounds correct for me tbh. As sometimes I can get 300 miles off half a tank so that working out at 50MPG is actaully quite good.
Even getting 280 will probabaly be round 46/47MPG then?
And so now I reckon I am doing 40 - 50 MPG or even closer to 45 - 50MPG

Quite surprised actually. Thanks for that mate

[Cloth Ears]

Originally Posted by BlackC3016

Maths really isn't my strong point haha. But what you said lastly sounds correct for me tbh. As sometimes I can get 300 miles off half a tank so that working out at 50MPG is actaully quite good.
Even getting 280 will probabaly be round 46/47MPG then?
And so now I reckon I am doing 40 - 50 MPG or even closer to 45 - 50MPG

Quite surprised actually. Thanks for that mate

Fuel gauges are rarely linear. My wife's Seat does about 240 miles before the indicator comes down off 'full', then over the next 240 miles it drops like a stone to the reserve light coming on. So what you're seeing as 'half' a tank, or 'one quarter' is probably nothing like accurate enough to gauge fuel economy.

As has been mentioned above, you need to note how much fuel you put in, and how many miles you get from it. You'll need to brim the tank (I'd probably fill until it clicks off, then trickle in more fuel until it clicks off again, twice). When you refill, do the same again, so you'll be reasonably consistent with how full the tank is. Note the miles travelled from the trip meter, and do the sums.

[xco]

Hi m8
I can't speak for all the diesel additives only the Red X one.

Sorry to say that your fuel returns for a 1.6d drive e does not sound good.
If you access Parkers guide it will tell you you should be getting about 65mpg return on motorway driving.
The figures you are getting return are the same as my missus D5 which is a 2.4 ltr 185bhp and that is a 5 pot lump.

May I suggest you try what I said and use your cruise control aswell on motorway runs as that seems to be the magic button for economy.
With cruise on on motorway driving at 75mph ish gives revs @ About 2.225 ish (she has 5 speed gear tronic aswell)locked she gets about 47-48mpg and around 40-43 around town not at all bad for a 2.4 5 potter.

Also tyre pressures seems to make a difference...too soft and you will use more fuel and wear your tyres out quicker.
Check on your drivers door pillar on the label for economy pressures and stick to it.I think my missus runs on 36 psi and the car seems to like it.

Also pot holes are notorious for draining power (I know what your welsh roads are like and how the weather can suddenly change)so if you are about to change your tyres at all I recommend something like Good year Vector 4 seasons in an XLflavor for the few extra pennies involved because they have a reinforced side wall and keep a better shape when encountering crap roads or rain or heat or ice and snow.
Being 4 seasons tyres you don't have to change them summer and winter either just stick them on and leave them.

Www.camskill.co.uk

always have deals on and will deliver to your designated fitter who should charge you about £10.00 per corner all in(incl vat) to fit.
Even if you only change the front tyres being the driven wheels you may still find quite a difference on your fuel returns.

Hope this helps.

[SnineT]

Give it a full set of filters service making sure you use the recommended grade of oil and then warm her up and tune it up Ferrari style without endangering anyone else, i.e stop driving Miss Daisy for a while, most overlooked filter is the fuel one, they get blocked and the intervals for replacing them are too long imo a dirty filter throws everything out as you get irregular supply as indeed the air one does as well, tyre pressures are important as well,

A lot of mpg problems are due to people trying to be economic which then uses more fuel than tanning it, as it's a diesel they get better with age and although it may seem strange 80k is a good time for the engine to fully loosen up, adapt your style, get up to speed asap and then get your foot off the pedal until the momentum starts to drop and then simply feel for the pedal point that keeps momentum with only a small amount of pedal, coasting helps and don't engine brake as it's the most wasteful way to drive, judge your junctions so you only need a little bit of brake assistance,

On the downside I think that is that awful Pug lump, I had friends who ran 407's with them and they were forever on the ramp and loved a turbo for dinner regularly so if you do the tune up when you stop let it idle for 5 minutes before turning the engine off.

[BlackC3016]

Hi, Fuel Filter was done last year and has just had an Oil and filter service last week (Have it done every 5K) Done at Volvo specialist.

Don't worry about me driving like miss Daisy I do often give it some and thought maybe that was why my MPG didn't seem great
Yeah I never engine brake, Seems so wasteful and pointless the engine revving again.

Yeah that's correct, it is the Peugeot lump. Known for DPF issues and carbon build up, Although looked after properly with maintenance done on time and even be over cautious as in servicing at earlier intervals I think it's a decent engine. They just usually get neglected or left to long in between services.

Thanks for the tips mate, Apprciate it

[BlackC3016]

I do use cruise control a lot on motorway runs but I do often turn it off for a bit as it gets boring staying at one speed lol

The tyres is a good point. On the front i've got 2 budget Autogrip tyres that the place I bought it from put on. I wouldn't put these on through choice. Got Kumho's on the rears

Haven't checked my tyre pressures but after just having it serviced they should be okay

And yeah these Welsh roads are god awful. Think we have craters in the roads nowadays

Thanks for the tips mate