A6 2.5tdi Poor Fuel Economy

[garwquattro]

Hi Guys.

New to the site looking for some help. Picked up an '03 A6 Avant Quattro Sport tiptronic 2.5tdi/180 - 3 mths ago. 50k on the clock, almost 2k since purchase and showing 24.3 mpg during that time. Even allowing for quattro seems a bit low. Any thoughts? Happy to spend on a fuel re-map or bolt-on if someone can recommend a specialist (south-west or nearest). Other than mpg it's a cracker and would look to keep it for some time if I could only get the figures up. It's about a 50/50 split town/mway use. Any help gratefully received.

Kev

[Froggy]

I know a couple of All-road owners that are getting about 27-28mpg and thats from a manual - so you are maybe just suffering a bit from it being Tiptronic and Quattro.

I understand the manual versions are significantly better mpg, especially around town.

[JimSharp39]

Hi, doesn't really help but by way of comparison I have a 99 2.5tdi quattro tiptronic and in similar driving to yours I get 32 ave as measured by the car's computer. (116K miles). Jim

[adamss24]

Hi Guys.

New to the site looking for some help. Picked up an '03 A6 Avant Quattro Sport tiptronic 2.5tdi/180 - 3 mths ago. 50k on the clock, almost 2k since purchase and showing 24.3 mpg during that time. Even allowing for quattro seems a bit low. Any thoughts? Happy to spend on a fuel re-map or bolt-on if someone can recommend a specialist (south-west or nearest). Other than mpg it's a cracker and would look to keep it for some time if I could only get the figures up. It's about a 50/50 split town/mway use. Any help gratefully received.

Kev
Hi, i think your MAF might be shot. Disconect and see if the milleage is improving or the car runs worse than with the airmass meter connected. If it improves, replace it asap. I have a a4 2.5 tdi quattro manual and i get 37-40 Mpg in town and 45-50 Mpg on the motorway...that equates about 600 miles on the tank.

[garwquattro]

I know a couple of All-road owners that are getting about 27-28mpg and thats from a manual - so you are maybe just suffering a bit from it being Tiptronic and Quattro.

I understand the manual versions are significantly better mpg, especially around town.
OK. I'll have to try driving in slippers and leave my diver's boots behind then. Thanks anyway.

[garwquattro]

Hi, doesn't really help but by way of comparison I have a 99 2.5tdi quattro tiptronic and in similar driving to yours I get 32 ave as measured by the car's computer. (116K miles). Jim
Hmm. Clearly need to investigate further then. Hoping some new leads might turn up on here. Either that or unhitch the caravan for everyday use. Thanks for the steer anyway.

[garwquattro]

Hi, i think your MAF might be shot. Disconect and see if the milleage is improving or the car runs worse than with the airmass meter connected. If it improves, replace it asap. I have a a4 2.5 tdi quattro manual and i get 37-40 Mpg in town and 45-50 Mpg on the motorway...that equates about 600 miles on the tank.
This looks promising. Is this (MAF) a Mass Air Filter and how does a numpty like me do this?

[adamss24]

Yes, that's the MAF. Its fitted on the black plastic pipe from the air filter housing and has a electric cable/conector on the side of it. Unplug that and take the car for a drive. If it runs worse, then the MAF is ok, if its no change, chanses are that the MAF its shot. Remember that it will set a fault code in the memory that will need clearing by someone with a Vag-com or symilar diagnostic equipment. By the way, mine is a 6 speed manual and will have a better economy, also its chipped as well, but still weighs 1554 kg !

[davej]

Hi Who did your rechip adamss24 ? How did it affect the performance at the bottom end ?
Dave

[garwquattro]

Yes, that's the MAF. Its fitted on the black plastic pipe from the air filter housing and has a electric cable/conector on the side of it. Unplug that and take the car for a drive. If it runs worse, then the MAF is ok, if its no change, chanses are that the MAF its shot. Remember that it will set a fault code in the memory that will need clearing by someone with a Vag-com or symilar diagnostic equipment. By the way, mine is a 6 speed manual and will have a better economy, also its chipped as well, but still weighs 1554 kg !
Many thanks a24. I will return once checked.

[Undercover]

May get laughed off here, but I just put a bottle of the Wynns diesel injector cleaner through a full tank, since then my 1.9 tdi has sounded a lot less dieselly, goes much quicker and has given an extra few MPG. For the sake of £3.20 from ASDA, it's definately worth a go.

[garwquattro]

May get laughed off here, but I just put a bottle of the Wynns diesel injector cleaner through a full tank, since then my 1.9 tdi has sounded a lot less dieselly, goes much quicker and has given an extra few MPG. For the sake of £3.20 from ASDA, it's definately worth a go.
Cheers mate. I'll give it a go.

[adamss24]

May get laughed off here, but I just put a bottle of the Wynns diesel injector cleaner through a full tank, since then my 1.9 tdi has sounded a lot less dieselly, goes much quicker and has given an extra few MPG. For the sake of £3.20 from ASDA, it's definately worth a go.
Take the car on the motorway and give it a trash with engine rpms over 3500-4000 in the 3rd or 4th gear ! That will clear any carbon build-up on the injector nozzles ! Trust me it works, plus it will work the turbocharger VNT mechanism and will clear the intake manifold a bit ! If its koked-up, it may need removing and clearing up/soaking overnicht in carb cleaner/ptrol or similar !