vitara 1.6 spi, tips for improving fuel consumption

[upjakscreek]

I need some tips to pinpoint my problom. Im shocked, really shocked, im getting 20 miles to £10 :O.
iv checked the pluged, cleaned them and regapped them, admittidly with abit of sand paper cause my feeler gauge is missing, but the gaps were huge, now not, iv removed the air filter and put a cone for now which seems to have made it easier to accelerate, iv cleaned the dizzy cap and rotor arm.

the car starts and runs fine but this surely isnt right?

this is with standard wheels now, no chrome and not even booting it everywhere.
theres abit of a judder when pulling away but I dont have to rev it much more.

I had a 2.0 BMW that had better consumption than this, its a joke.

its a 97 vit swb soft top with a 1.6 spi.

also got a god awthal sound when decelerating in 3rd but thats a different storey.

need to sort this fuel consumption quick :(

thanks for any help
Neil

[dunnin21]

I'm running same engine in a sj with mud tyres and get around 20-30 mpg there not the most fuel efficient but you should be getting better that that. Is your engine management light on

[turbo-tom]

ive got a 1.6 8v single injection vit engine on 31's four speed gear box and 410 transfer box standard diffs i get about 15-17 but its only a off road toy

a good tune up can help improve you mpg and believe it or not if you do a service that can help alot more then you could think

[upjakscreek]

No managment lights on, went from 255 60s down to 195 80 tyres not one difference.
Iv been a sevice tech for 12 years and can say from experience that a service kit wont improve it that much as the parts are not in that bad a condition. Useable anyway and like I say apart from the clutch judder it runs fine through the revs. I was thinking maybe the lambda sensor or something.
I knew you guys swap these all the time so thought someone might know what could be wrong
what would I tune up on this? Theres no indication timing or anything is out thats why im stumped.
iv got a universal lambda I might put on and see if that improves anything, but I dont spend too much time over 3k which is when the lambda starts working isnt it?

Neil

[ScottieJ]

That really isn't right, you should get at twice that really.

Are any brakes sticking on? have the gearbox, tbox and diffs got fresh oil. it could be a number of things as I wouldn;t really expect any single thing to make that much of a difference to fuel consumption??

[upjakscreek]

I know its ridiculas iv never had a car so bad on fuel, I know they are a weight to push but still not that much.
diff oils are all clean, iv checked them and the oil is good, havnt got under neath yet to check the g/t boxs but cant imagine that doing it either, no brake dragging but fronts need replaceing, again, not something that would cause it. Also got fwhs that work fine.
this is why im confused and thinking something really isnt right :/

Neil

[Jordi]

Are the free wheel hubs in free?
Its definately out of 4wd?

As above sticky brakes? Fresh transmission oils? Replace plugs and dizzy cap?

[upjakscreek]

Can turn front shafts by hand no problom and they lock unlock perfect, fluids I havnt replaced but think they were done before as both diff oils look fresh. Dizzy cap isnt too bad, cleaned of the corrosion and made no difference :(

[Jordi]

I'm a bit stumped. I was getting better than that from my SJ with a 1.3, sticky brake and gearing miles out.

I'd be tempted to have the brakes apart all round and make sure everything is ok.

Possibly an electronic injection issue just pouring fuel into it?

[upjakscreek]

Fronts I know nned replaceing and rears arnt sticking cause if im sat in traffic the car rolls in neutral on its own and thats not even on a hill. I know my fronts are shot but not sticking anywhere on the brakes.
and good point but if it was pouring in fuel it wouldnt run so well and im sure id smell it.

im well confused and getting pi%%ed off with the car already