Does weather have an Influence on MPG

[zaki]

Have had my 2002 c270 cdi auto for around 1 month now and the car runs well and with 92000 miles full main dealer history should be nicely runin by now but. I have noticed with all the cold weather we have been having that the cars fuel consumption has worsened and improves when the weather warms up just wanted to no if this is normal and if any other owners have noticed this as if any thing as i would of thought that the cars mpg would increase with cooler weather.

 

[television]

This is normal in the cold weather, the difference with Summer/ Winter can be 15%, it will be Summer next week

Malcolm

 

[mr_s]

Yes, it's normal. Takes the engine longer to warm up in the colder weather, so it's running richer (on choke if you like - for those old enough to remember carbs ) for longer.

 

[davidsl500]

also heater tends to be on longer and higher, headlights on more. fuel consumption also is higher when it rains as well - the tyres have to clear water to retain grip and this takes more power to maintain a given speed compared with in the dry.

 

[Stulc]

Yes, it's normal. Takes the engine longer to warm up in the colder weather, so it's running richer (on choke if you like - for those old enough to remember carbs ) for longer.

My engine (C280) is at normal temp within about 2-3 mile's, so the choke's not on that long at all....

Davidsl..my heater's on (just bordering the red) more/less all the time, but as for the light's, there only on when I cant see or if I think mmm this is kinda murky.


So basically with big engined car's.......dont go out in the winter or you'll go through fuel no end....:mrgreen:

 

[television]

Yes, it's normal. Takes the engine longer to warm up in the colder weather, so it's running richer (on choke if you like - for those old enough to remember carbs ) for longer.

You have reminded me of the days of the automatic choke, I hate to think of how many fords I converted to manual, but in those days there was room enough under the bonnet to climb in if it rained.

Malcolm

 

[Ian Brown]

You have reminded me of the days of the automatic choke, I hate to think of how many fords I converted to manual
Malcolm

Bet it was mostly the VV carbs you done.

 

[turnipsock]

headlights on more.

not me, I often wonder how much power these other guys are wasting flashing their lights at me 'cos I haven't got my lights on. (There are some guys that save power by not indicating, I tend to flash at them so that evens things up.)

The worst guys for wasting power are the people with pop up headlights that pop them up when they don't need to.

Golf balls fly further in the summer, therefore it follows that cars will go at 120 mph with less effort.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Mind you, I've always noticed that performance increases drastically in cold weather. More condensed air perhaps?

Swings and roundabouts - in a hot summer, chances are you'll open a window or use the aircon.

 

[jberks]

Bet it was mostly the VV carbs you done.

didn't we all!

 

[zaki]

also heater tends to be on longer and higher, headlights on more. fuel consumption also is higher when it rains as well - the tyres have to clear water to retain grip and this takes more power to maintain a given speed compared with in the dry.

This may sound blonde but does heater and lights and so no have an effect of fuel consumption and also does it have a noticible effect? also what you mentioned about the fuel consumption being higher in the rain sounds very right to me only the other day when i set out on a motorway run in heavy rain at a steady 70mph could not exceed 33mpg.

 

[television]

It takes energy to power the goodies on your car,nothing is for free in this world, its a small amount. I have known people to spend £1000 extra on air con when buying a car, and not use it, as it might cost £1 in £50 of fuel to run it.

Malcolm

 

[turnipsock]

We were given a Volvo to run around the site, all the journey's are under a mile (some of the women use the car to travel a couple of hundred meters).

Eventually the thing struggled to start. The reason was the lights were always on, it had heated seats, the seat movement was electric (and we all had different positions).

The women would play with the climate control and set this 30C...the heater fan would run full chat attempting to heat the car up to a temp it will never reach in a mile journey...clueless.

The power used by the lights and things is more than people realise. Two 45W on dipped, plus two 60W when on full beam, plus the rear lights, then the alternator is not 100% efficient!

There is also a big drain on the system when you start the car, you can sometimes hear the belt slipping as the alternator struggles to make good the loss (usually these drivers have all their lights on as they start the car)

 

[SLinKyjoe]

,nothing is for free in this world,
Malcolm

ahem!!!!! Users of this site £1.17p to the " Save the Slinky" world appeal please every month. your £1.17 will go to making this endangered species live long and prosperous, you may even get a photo of something resembling a slinky.


Cor, thats the easist way i ever found of making over £10k a month. Well done Malc for telling us. I shall bung you a fiver for the trouble!!!:mrgreen:



for those of you with a sarcasticless disposition, i am merely pointing out that this site is free to members.

 

[SLinKyjoe]

Golf balls fly further in the summer, therefore it follows that cars will go at 120 mph with less effort.

we sent some golf balls to Australia last week. now its winter here but summer there, so did the balls fly further in the southern hemisphere en-route?


as for lights. i just pull the bulbs out and never use the brakes, i mean, thats what airbags and bumpers are for!

 

[turnipsock]

as for lights. i just pull the bulbs out and never use the brakes

It makes you wonder what we did before lights were invented.

What ever happened to good old fashioned hand signals? I think I'll start using them again, I'll try it on slip road on Monday.

 

[SLinKyjoe]

It makes you wonder what we did before lights were invented.
.

they used to nail a man with a red flag to your front bumper i think. I should imagine they would use a match at night for illumination. Mind you, its only recently that it got dark at night, in fact it was around 6.30 this evening here.

i still give hand signals....cant say the recipeints altered their driving styles, nor slowed down or indeed managed to drive back to the corect side of the road, but it doesnt stop me using them!

 

[davidsl500]

we sent some golf balls to Australia last week.

How many did you send? Was it Four ! by any chance?