Petrol Consumption Issue

Sajith83 · February 10, 2012

Hi Everyone, need some advice / direction.

I'm running a 2007 Jap Swift Beetle (ZC11s) and usually on a full tank of petrol (37.5-38l) I get about 350-380kms.

My issue is this, I recently filled up the tank from the Flower Road shed and the needle is already at just above half a tank and it hasn't even done 120kms... usually at this point it should have done about 190kms on the meter.

I'm wondering why this is... cos so far the figures have been round about consistent and now this is a noticeable change.

No change in driving habits or amount of traffic or anything like that.

If it helps to diagnose, I went to Arugam Bay and back over the weekend and racked up about 720kms on 1.5 tanks of petrol.

Any advice? Been taken for a ride? something packing up?

Thanks in advance!

VVTi · February 10, 2012

720kms on 1.5 tanks of gas? So what is the problem?

Sajith83 · February 10, 2012

On 2/10/2012 at 2:19 PM, VVTi said:

720kms on 1.5 tanks of gas? So what is the problem?

That was before this latest top up machang, and it was an outstation drive so it did well... this latest tank, well, is already down to half at just under 120kms

VVTi · February 10, 2012

Check your air filters, tyre pressures and the loads you were carrying.

Dead reckoning the fuel gauge is not 100% accurate. Fill up the car to brim, run for about 200Kms , then fill it up again to the brim, preferably from the same gas station and then do the maths and see.

Must be a fluke.

Edited February 10, 2012 by VVTi

Sajith83 · February 10, 2012

On 2/10/2012 at 2:37 PM, VVTi said:

Check your air filters, tyre pressures and the loads you were carrying.

Dead reckoning the fuel gauge is not 100% accurate. Fill up the car to brim, run for about 200Kms , then fill it up again to the brim, preferably from the gas station and then do the maths and see.

Must be a fluke.

thanks for the advice, will try these out and check

Gyiman · February 11, 2012

I had a problem like this when I had a old Mazda 323. Full tank went down like someone was gulping down a pint. Popped the hood to check for something else as well, turned out to be a fuel squirting out from one of the carb hoses. Talk about a close shave..

varunatech · February 11, 2012

On 2/10/2012 at 2:37 PM, VVTi said:

Check your air filters, tyre pressures and the loads you were carrying.

Dead reckoning the fuel gauge is not 100% accurate. Fill up the car to brim, run for about 200Kms , then fill it up again to the brim, preferably from the same gas station and then do the maths and see.

Must be a fluke.

This is what you need to do first as VVTi suggested...........no point discussing over for feelings that we are getting from fuel meter.