s.v.o. versus m.p.g

[MontysMaverick]

With all this talk of sunflower oil,rapeseed, and veg oil, I did a bit of searching on google, (mixed messages on the pros and cons) but I did find a forum on the merits of s.v.o. and found this post....."Just out of interest, does anyone have any real life data on the effect of mpg when using SVO? I got into a debate with someone from Shell's technical division about Shell V-power, which I found to give awful results on the mpg and he said it was due to the lower density of the high tech fuel. The synthetic part of the fuel, from natural gas, had a noticeably lower density than the refined fraction and as density generally equates to energy content, which equates to mpg, lower density = less mpg. Now SVO has a density of about 0.91 vs derv which is about 0.85, but SVO isn't pure hydrocarbon, so that I assume will knock it back a bit. So, does it affect mpg? " this started me thinking "what miles to the gallon are you all getting???? Also found a site that seemed to point at the real issue with s.v.o. is that "unless you get larger injector nozzles and a inline fuel filter that allows 20 microns thro and not the standard 10 microns as found with standard o.e.m. filters then you are really going to run into problems with burnt glow plugs etc".... this may be of interest to some and whilst readin I immediately thought of Adz problems, Makes good reading, please dont ask for a link to the appropriate page as its easily available by just typing in s.v.o. I await your response to both of these posts with interest :thumbs :thumbs :thumbs

 

[Deleted account DD]

I would have thought burnt glow plugs suggest fuel starvation on cold start ie back to the viscosity/heating up balance

As far as mpg goes i didnt notice any significant difference on the number of miles per full tank between any of the fuels or a mix of them.

Theres so many variables in the maths and info isnt there . The first thing i would wonder about is would a shell boffin support svo :augie:augie I wouldnt :naughty

Whoever the original author is lost me in the waffle (for this time of night) but one thing I did spot , i think , is a statement saying natural gas is synthetic did i understand that correctly

 

[wildbri]

I have been using some asda sun flower mix and I will check out mpg has I keep a log. Don't

forget this excellent calculator when checking, regards bri

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/downloads/fuelconverter.htm

 

[Deleted account DD]

Can i also add that after several thousand of miles on svo , usually 100%, in various weather conditions , I most definitely did not experience glow plug failure and when I had them out they looked ok too :thumb2

 

[makeitfit]

I didn't buy me Mav for it's fuel efficiency but I am running on bio and have many engine mods:sly
I'm in the habit of driving it hard all the time:augie and run neat:thumbs
Still returns 25 mpg on 33" tyres and usually has the back stuffed with tools
Luv it

 

[Deleted account DD]

I'm in the habit of driving it hard all the time:augie

thats why youre often illuminated in a nice shade of blue light

 

[makeitfit]

I should add, " when safe to do so" :sly

 

[Deleted account DD]

I should add, " when safe to do so" :sly

highly commendable :clap:clap

 

[Trigsbroom]

I've never used pure diesel in mine, so I have nothing to compare it to, and it's not very precise, I know, but I reckon on 400 miles full to empty on 100% SVO which works out at 25-26mpg. This is not driving 'hard' but it is driving without any concern for economy. I also didn't by mine for it's fuel efficiency, but because it just does the job!

 

[kbekl]

the problem with this mpg marlarky in my mav is that if i go and sit at 62 then my mpg isnt too bad but if i try to raise that to 70 then my mpg takes a huge drop downwards

but on average i am getting about 110 miles to £20 at £1.14 per ltr

 

[Terranosaurus]

I don't do enough miles in the Terrano to matter so I don't really care I just put fuel in when its empty.

However I run my work van on Bio and have run it on SVO. My research and what my Bio supplier tels me is that Bio and SVO both have lower specific calorific values than diesel, both by weight and by volume so to get the same power out you have to put more in so they do less mpg - read that again my bio supplier is admitting you get less mpg from bio, thats an honest answer I think not fudging the facts to fit the corporate line.

All that said the cost differential still makes bio cheaper for me to use and I really haven't noticed the difference in either loss of economy or loss of power, driving round full loaded (3.5T) all the time I return about 22mpg.

As well as the calorific value differences I wonder if the effective increase in cetane value (anti knock), which is much higher, has an effect on higher reving diesels. The higher the cetane value the slower the flame front will propogate, if this is too slow it may mean that you do not get the optimim work out of the fuel as the peak pressure will occur too late in the cycle - just a thought. Though it would also mean that alternative fuels would be more suitable for increased boost as increase in boost pressure would effectively cancel out the cetane increase and you ought to get the benfit of the increased boost level without the increased levels of knock. Both my van and T2 defintely suffer less diesel knock from cold when running on bio or svo.

 

[11redrex]

after my previous question about tank size and poop MPG, I found out that one of my fellow workers had been using my truck as a heated canteen on his breaks. I knew he'd been sitting in it because I could see it most of the time, but I didn't know he'd been nipping over and warming it up for 5 minutes before break time, cheeky ****er.
Anyway back on track .
According to the gauges, I just got 125 miles from 1/4 tank of 70% diesel/30% SVO with shot of redex.
So thats 600 miles from a full tank, or 10 Miles Per Litre, or 38 Miles per gallon (60 litre tank) or 7.5 MPL, 28 MPG. (80 l. tank)
Pretty good whatever the tank size.
I drive fairly sedately everywhere, I never accelerate hard unless it's in an emergency, and I don't use the brakes much. Try it, you'll save money.

 

[makeitfit]

600 miles to a tank full
You're pulling my chain surely:doh Do a full tank zero mileometer then drive it and fill up again and do the maths. I cant believe 600 miles to a tank
The gauge is not linear and only a guide Mine looks good at half tank but then strangely my mpg drops through the floor for the last half of the tank

 

[bobbee]

bio

sorry lads if im sounding thick. ive got the 2.7 mistral,can i put veg oil straight in or do i need mods? a lot of the info on here just confuses me to be honest:nenau:nenau

 

[11redrex]

600 miles to a tank full

Er, well, I might have been a little bit enthusiastic there, seeing as 4 x 125 is actually 500, not 600. Why did that occur to me on the way home today ? I have no idea. However I also cocked up on the litres to gallons calculation. A 60 litre tank is 13.2 gallons, an 80 litre is 17.6 gallons.
So, 500 miles off 13.2 gallons would be 38 MPG (woop woop) or 500 miles off 17.6 gallons would be 28 MPG, so it's still the same.
Anyway I know what you're saying about the gauge, mine stays on full for the first 30 miles or so, and drops off rather more quickly from half full to empty. Just put another 12 litree of SVO in it today, the gauge showed 1/2 before and now it's a tad under 3/4, so I'm guessing I have a 60 litre tank ?

The thing with MPG comparisons is that people drive very differently. Accelerate hard, use your brakes a lot, or very late, and your mpg is going to drop. Drive like a stoned pensioner and you'll get good MPG.

Get that veggy oil in Bobbee, they love it. Never used more than 30% myself, with some redex added for lubrication.

 

[Trigsbroom]

The tank is closer to 70 litres I reckon, the best way to check mpg without danger of running out, is the way makeitfit suggests. I think you're probably safe to go to 50% this time of year, but I don't believe you get more mpg using veg oil. More economy, yes, but probably marginally less mpg. As I said before, I reckon 400 miles per tank (full to spluttering) on SVO and 350miles towing a trailer with a car on it, so I would've thought that driving gently 450 would be acheivable, but any more, I'd be sceptical.

 

[bobbee]

svo vs mpg

so your saying its down to asda for veggie oil .use as a 70/30 mix with diesel add redex and thats ok? no mods.even on the injectors or glowplugs? again apologies for sounding thick but put this way ill understand

 

[lacroupade]

I should add, " when safe to do so" :sly

Little Liar

 

[lacroupade]

Er, well, I might have been a little bit enthusiastic there, seeing as 4 x 125 is actually 500, not 600. Why did that occur to me on the way home today ? I have no idea. However I also cocked up on the litres to gallons calculation. A 60 litre tank is 13.2 gallons, an 80 litre is 17.6 gallons.
So, 500 miles off 13.2 gallons would be 38 MPG (woop woop) or 500 miles off 17.6 gallons would be 28 MPG, so it's still the same.
Anyway I know what you're saying about the gauge, mine stays on full for the first 30 miles or so, and drops off rather more quickly from half full to empty. Just put another 12 litree of SVO in it today, the gauge showed 1/2 before and now it's a tad under 3/4, so I'm guessing I have a 60 litre tank ?

The thing with MPG comparisons is that people drive very differently. Accelerate hard, use your brakes a lot, or very late, and your mpg is going to drop. Drive like a stoned pensioner and you'll get good MPG.

Get that veggy oil in Bobbee, they love it. Never used more than 30% myself, with some redex added for lubrication.

Even 500 is not credible sadly!

If you get to to the halfway mark from a full tank and have done 200 miles you are doing OK....a full tank, until the light comes on, will be around 350 miles, maybe 400 if you are really careful, but thats it. Anyone who tells you (or even thinks) they are getting more than 30mpg in normal mixed driving is off their Tesco trolley.

And on a 50/50 SVO/diesel mix my mpg is unaffected.

 

[makeitfit]

Little Liar

:sly
400 miles on a tank
I've just come back from Newcastle (why eye lad) in my new truck.
Unmodded 350 miles on the tank topps
Just so dull without the TUNIT:naughty that's the first thing to fit at the weekend