Toyota Carina E (1992 - 1997) - Unique driving style | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 02:07

Unique driving style - cmbdon

hi

I have a Toyota Carine E , 1.6 GS , on this (Honest Johns ) website review it says the following about the way to drive it to get the legendary 40 mpg around town out of it :

"Lean-burn engines require unusual economy driving style of high revs with small throttle openings - not holding high gears. "

I have been getting lousy mpg with this car around , I put 20litres in and only managed 128 miles which is about 29 - 31 mpg around town , can anyone describe what the above means in terms of driving this car?

I have taken this to mean driving in 3rd at 30mph at about 2K revs and am sure must be doing something wrong as 29mpg is pathetic - could have bought a Jag and got more out of it !!! ;-)

Cheers

CMB

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 08:44

Unique driving style - Collos25

I read the report and no where does it say 40mpg was achieved round town it refers to an average of all conditions,29 mpg round town in an old motor like this is very good.

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 09:31

Unique driving style - BobbyG

First of all, you need to do some accurate mileage readings. Getting x miles for £20 doesnt count - you need to do a full brim to brim check to start with.
--
2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 14:44

Unique driving style - cmbdon

oops have i mis-read this?

DOH !!

Homer gene strikes again ROFL !

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 10:05

Unique driving style - J Bonington Jagworth

Is it a lean-burn engine? I thought they weren't compatible with cats?

30mpg around town isn't so bad. Presumably it's better on longer trips.

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 11:01

Unique driving style - normd2

I would have said your problem is '...driving in 3rd at 30mph...' all around town, try using the next couple of gears too sometimes.

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 14:44

Unique driving style - jase1

I would have said your problem is '...driving in 3rd at 30mph...' all around town

try using the next couple of gears too sometimes.

You're not seriously suggesting 30mph in 5th are you?!?!?

I urge you to ride a bike around town in top gear and then come back and make that remark. You'll be knackered, and so would the car.

If the report mentions low gears with higher revs and a small throttle opening, then your driving style seems correct to me -- it's how I drive.

For reference I get around 31-32mpg around town on my 1.8 Primera (a known economical engine for the size of the car), so what you are getting is not unexpected. It'll be on the high side of what you mention, and I don't really see a problem.

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 18:16

Unique driving style - cmbdon

I considered a Primera before I saw my Toyota , but the AA review said the speedo was way out , like 30mph could be seen and read out as 36mph by the speed signs ?

Am wondering as my next car could well be a Primera ! :-)

cheers

cmb

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Thu 13 Sep 2007 11:29

Unique driving style - normd2

not having driven a Carina but in the 214 30 in 5th is a liesurely 1250ish revs or 1600 ish in 4th. To go any distance at 30 in 3rd seems a bit odd to me but then what would I know, I've only been driving an average of 30000 a year for the last 25 years. And where does bike riding come into it? But seeing you ask I usually ride my 15 speed in top gear around town (yes, even from rest) to keep the muscle tone for off-road riding.

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 11:26

Unique driving style - Altea Ego

it says the following about the way to drive it to get the legendary 40

mpg around town out of it :

So legendary in fact, that like all legends it does not exist. No-one ever got 40mpg around town in a 1.6 Carina, E or otherwise!
------------------------------
< Ex RF, Ex TVM >

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 11:35

Unique driving style - mike hannon

Pal of mine had one of these some years ago and it was a dreadful underpowered thing that had to have its neck wrung all the time to get anywhere at all - no wonder its fuel consumption was pathetic.
He kept it just a few months.
Incidentally, how do you achieve high revs with small throttle openings?

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 14:41

Unique driving style - cmbdon

Yes am starting to think the same , shame as its not bad to drive and makes an excellent family car - loads of space in it.

Have noticed foot flat on the floor at 60mph trying to get her up to 70 takes forever , know what your friend means!

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 15:51

Unique driving style - mike hannon

He turned it in for a 2-litre version, which was excellent by comparison - and actually lighter on petrol for the traditional reason that he didn't have to cane it all the time.

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 18:17

Unique driving style - wmo

I had the 1.8 Carina E lean burn. This would do around 32mpg around town but on a steady run could achieve 50mpg!

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Wed 12 Sep 2007 18:35

Unique driving style - LinuxGeek

I used to drive a 96 plate 1.6 Carina E!
Believe it or not I used to get better MPG in that Carina compared to 1.4 Polo which I drive round town now!
29MPG for 1.6, I personally think something is wrong because I easily used to achieve high 30s.......and I was driving it for pizza deliveries with 120k on the clock!

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Thu 13 Sep 2007 00:57

Unique driving style - davidh

Incidentally how do you achieve high revs with small throttle openings?

Its about engine load. If you rev the engine in neutral you need very little throttle to acheive say 6000 rpm because theres no load on the engine save friction etc. If you're in a low gear on the flat you're not loading the engine so will get high revs for little throttle opening like in neutral. As soon as you go up hill the load increases so to maintain high revs you need more throttle.

Engines sense load by measuring inlet vacuum and / or by using an air flow sensor. If the air flow doesnt increase / vacuum change with throttle opening it knows what load the engine is under load and can alter fuelling to suit. Its not a linear relationship throttle position to engine speed.

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