1098 mpg on E5 fuel, what are you getting?

[cyrus]

When I got my latest 1098 saloon I was pretty disappointed by the mpg, I was getting 30 to the gallon. On my previous Minors I usually managed 38mpg - (10-40 mile trips, not many local runs, not thrashing it and not plodding)
I found the choke cable spring was missing so sorted that, the choke had not been returning completely. Having said that the mixture was still rich, leaned it off progressively a flat at a time until I got a nice coffee colour, got 32mpg then 35 and latest was 37.7 - not bad. Is this in line with what other folks are getting from a 1098? I did wonder if the e5 fuel is less efficient than the old style petrol.
It would be quite fun I think to see if I could get a bit more mpg, the weather got a lot colder the last couple of weeks and the heater, which I thought was excellent a month ago now disappoints a bit. I reckon the engine is a bit overcooled and was toying with the idea of removing the fan for the winter but whether or not that would make much difference with fuel consumption I don't know. Any ideas for little mods for improving mpg that are not the obvious ones to do with brakes not binding, driving technique, and so on?
Oh forgot to mention I fitted a 3.9 diff around the time I went from 32 to 35 mpg. Speedo now reads almost correct but was pretty optimistic with the standard diff. So my initial fuel consumption was probably even worse than it seemed.....

[KeithL]

We average just over 40 mpg in our 1098 Traveller. We got 54 mpg once on a trip to Yorkshire.

For the last 7 years we have used Shell V-Power or, if we can't get that, BP Ultimate or Esso Supreme and these days we only use Esso Supreme, which apparently has no ethanol in it despite being labelled E5.

[James k]

A few years ago I drove from Hastings to Inverness and back in my 1098 Traveller. I can't remember the exact figure but I worked it out as just over 40mpg for the full trip. That was on standard Unleaded 95 (E5) with mainly motorway and A road driving. I always have 40mpg in my head as the 'golden' fuel economy, although I realise that may be a bit out of date now!

[cyrus]

We average just over 40 mpg in our 1098 Traveller. We got 54 mpg once on a trip to Yorkshire.

For the last 7 years we have used Shell V-Power or, if we can't get that, BP Ultimate or Esso Supreme and these days we only use Esso Supreme, which apparently has no ethanol in it despite being labelled E5.

54!! How did you manage that? Are you sure the engine was actually on?
Oh well gives me something to aim for....

[KeithL]

It was out of rush hour and we sat at a steady 56 mph on the motorway for almost all of the way .

[ManyMinors]

I still get an average of around 40mpg when I measure it accurately. It does depend how you drive and the length of journey of course. I used to get about 42/43mpg when I used the Morris everyday for driving to work and back. Once on a long trip to Wales and back where we struggled to find a filling station, I had to drive very carefully for some distance with the gauge barely registering. When we finally found a garage I realised we had driven 300 miles since filling up which is pretty remarkable for a standard Minor 1000 tankful so 50mpg is not impossible. My 1934 Austin 7 could achieve 40mpg fairly easily, so we haven't advanced as much as people sometimes imagine.

[geoberni]

.... or Esso Supreme and these days we only use Esso Supreme, which apparently has no ethanol in it despite being labelled E5.

That depends where you are: https://www.esso.co.uk/en-gb/fuels/petrol

Although our pumps have E5 labels on them, our Synergy Supreme+ 99 is actually ethanol free (except, due to technical supply reasons, in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland). Legislation requires us to place these E5 labels on pumps that dispense unleaded petrol with ‘up to 5% ethanol’, including those that contain no ethanol, which is why we display them on our Synergy Supreme+ 99 pumps.

[cyrus]

I still get an average of around 40mpg when I measure it accurately. It does depend how you drive and the length of journey of course. I used to get about 42/43mpg when I used the Morris everyday for driving to work and back. Once on a long trip to Wales and back where we struggled to find a filling station, I had to drive very carefully for some distance with the gauge barely registering. When we finally found a garage I realised we had driven 300 miles since filling up which is pretty remarkable for a standard Minor 1000 tankful so 50mpg is not impossible. My 1934 Austin 7 could achieve 40mpg fairly easily, so we haven't advanced as much as people sometimes imagine.

I agree totally about the lack of progress.....a friend has a Citroen ax diesel from the 90's and it does 65mpg easily and often more.....
There must be quite a lot of potential untapped in the good old A series engine, it's hardly sophisticated but if folks are getting 40mpg plus out of a standard set up there must be a few little mods that can be done to make it even better. I am thinking about electronic ignition and whether it makes a difference, possibly separating the manifolds and electric fan. I am not sure if changing the diff to a 3.9 has made a difference to the mpg as I was fiddling with a rich running carb at the same time but it does feel quite a lot more relaxing to drive.

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Everything has to be in tip-top condition to get the best bang for your buck. A Minor should easily do 35-40 and more with intelligent driving. My 1098 Allegro returns around 33-44 MPG, 47 is the best I ever had with long runs being definitely better and I am filling up with E10. Cold weather makes a considerable difference. The best car I ever had for the perfect blend of performance and economy was a Talbot Solara with 1.6 SIMCA engine and 5 speed gearbox, twin choke Weber as standard, it would fly off the mark, was great on motorways and the best I got was 56 MPG. That was a damn good car.

[MorrisJohn]

I’m not so sure there has been a lack of progress. Petrol engines have improved considerably in terms of efficiency since the ‘90s.

For example, a ‘90s family saloon like a Renault Laguna or similar averaged 30-35mpg on a long motorway run. Of course they tended to have five speed boxes.

A sixth gear these days helps economy a lot. I’ve got a two litre petrol Volvo these days, it’ll return 50mpg (I’ve had it at 60mpg on a fair weather commute). And I know I can be a little heavy on the right foot at times. I’ve stuck with E5 Super Unleaded in the Volvo since E10 came in.

I think one of the main reasons we aren’t seeing better mpg in many cars is that they have increased significantly in both size and weight.

If the same engines that are in all those SUV faux-by-fours were in the normal sized family cars of the ‘90s I bet the figures would be pretty impressive!

As for my Minor…no idea

[KeithL]

That depends where you are: https://www.esso.co.uk/en-gb/fuels/petrol

Very good point. I'd forgotten that this didn't apply to all parts of the country. Thank you.

[philthehill]

I have noticed a reduction in MPG with my modern since using E10.

[ManyMinors]

I've heard others say the same. I have no experience of it as my modern is a diseasel

[Pete Bags]

I've heard others say the same. I have no experience of it as my modern is a diseasel

Sorry to hear your car is ill.

[geoberni]

That depends where you are: https://www.esso.co.uk/en-gb/fuels/petrol

Very good point. I'd forgotten that this didn't apply to all parts of the country. Thank you.

Yes, the areas are a bit generic. They start off with 2 counties and very rapidly they've got to a whole country.
And where are they going to draw the line for North of England.
To many in the south of England, that starts at Watford Gap Services.....

I mean, Northampton is well north of Southampton...

[acrobinson]

Not quite as per the OP Qu but during the recent petrol fill up mania, I drove over 240 miles in my 1275cc Minor and managed just under 54 mpg with a total brim to brim top up. It was all a steady and constant 55 to 60 mph on dual carriageways and motorways and me sh***ting it all the way as all the petrol stations I drove past were closed or had no petrol. That was on 99 octane Tesco s/unleaded E5 petrol with a 5 speed Type 9 gearbox and a 3.7 diff and as I was travelling from central England to the coast, so I guess most of it was also down hill!

Never been so happy with the fuel economy and ultra scared of not having fuel to get back home: both at the same time!

Normally, it's mid to high 30s with normal day to day driving but expect a lot less when my supercharger is fitted later this month!!!

[Sleeper]

" Normally, it's mid to high 30s with normal day to day driving but expect a lot less when my supercharger is fitted later this month!!! !

You nonchalantly slipped that in , please tell more ?

John ;-)

[acrobinson]

Not wanting to hijack this thread but it's my big birthday present to myself. As a teenager, all my mates dreamed of RS2000s but all I wanted was a rat, sleeper supercharged, A series Minor and that dream is finally coming to fruition after many, many years of building the car towards it. Happy days, (or so I hope). It's now all about the torque and no longer about the talk!!

" Normally, it's mid to high 30s with normal day to day driving but expect a lot less when my supercharger is fitted later this month!!! !

You nonchalantly slipped that in , please tell more ?

John ;-)

[Sleeper]

Congratulations and Happy Birthday....now can you start a thread about your intentions?

Please...

John ;-)

[Chipper]

Seconded. Which supercharger setup are you fitting?

In my 1275cc MG Midget engined with HIF 44 SU Traveller with standard gearbox & diff, I average around 30-35mpg, probably more on a long steady run, whereas I used to average around 38mpg with the 1098cc.

I tried fitting a 3.9:1 diff, but found it didn't make much if any difference to the mpg, just blunted the acceleration, so reverted to standard 4.22:1.