Suddenely heavy on fuel and sticky gear box

[stugj]

Bought my 2 half year old van last summer, (1st MOT Jan) and was getting really good mpg, got 63 mpg on a journey from Swansea to Glasgow, and had an average of around 55mpg. Since the winter this average has dropped to below 48mpg. I have a few thoughts, but doubt they are of use. Prior to the MOT I put a bottle of Fortes in the tank which then ran for a good few miles, I drove to the MOT station but the van was not fully warmed up before the emission test, could either of these, or a combination have changed my mpg? The van does a lot of motorway/ long distance journeys, and only a few short ones, so the exhaust filter should be clear. I'm driving to France in a few weeks, so a return to 63mpg would be good!!!

Since I have had the van the gear stick/ box has been really sticky, can sometimes take 3/4 goes to get it into gear. Asked the guy at the garage to change the gear box oil, but he said it wasn't needed and the drip tray underneath was bone dry, he reckoned it was down to poor driving by the previous owner. Could I grease any where to help this?

I also have the leaky roof issue, drips from the interior light, not long had a new windscreen put in, but have seen the posts on here which will hopefully have the answer to that.
Thanks for any thoughts.

[Jed Clampit]

Hello stugj welcome to the forum have you had the van serviced air filter may be blocked could be the EGR stuck open on the MOT did it past the emissions test when you fill up you want to use miller in the tank don't forget in the winter it take's longer to warm up heater's fan going + A/C if you have it all use more fuel ??

[polar]

Defo on the millers fuel treatment and use a well branded fuel.

[stugj]

Hello stugj welcome to the forum have you had the van serviced air filter may be blocked could be the EGR stuck open on the MOT did it past the emissions test when you fill up you want to use miller in the tank don't forget in the winter it take's longer to warm up heater's fan going + A/C if you have it all use more fuel ??

Thanks for the reply. The van had a full service by a Citroen dealer in October, so the filter should have been changed, and it was still getting good mpg after this. It passed the emission test at the MOT, sailed through it all with no problems. How could I tell if the EGR is stuck open?
I only use Shell or Esso fuel and fill up just below a quarter.
I have only used Fortes not Miller, is it better?
At present it is idling around 7.50/ 800 revs when warmed up
I have left putting up this post thinking the winter might have had an impact and hoping for an improvement!!
I don't use the AC and the fan is only on when needed to clear the windscreen.
Hope this useful info

[ron]

Forte is a once every 6,000 or so treatment,Millers is used like Redex,at every fill.Both are good & I use both & had no problems.Check your service invoice,it should list parts used.The fuel & air filters need changing at 36,00 I believe.Good luck.Ps.Use the aircon at least once a month for 10 min or so to keep the seals wet.

[Opensauce]

How are you checking mpg? Going on the computer mine is on about 49.5 most of the time with mostly 70mph on motorway. If I zero it & then drive really carefully, no hard driving through gears & keeping to about 65 on motorway the best figure I get on readout is 52.5. Dunno how accurate readout is, I've never bothered to do it on mileage check between fillups. This for 110bhp 1.6 diesel. If you had egr prob you would have warning light on & 'antipollution fault' coming up on readout. Driving to MoT would make no difference but using the Forte might have improved fuel consumption.

If your windscreen is leaking after new windscreen fitted, call the screen company to refit. The work is guaranteed.

The gearbox sounds dodgy, don't be fobbed off. Possibly clutch prob though, try pumping & flooring clutch pedal hard before gear change. If that makes gear change easy then its clutch prob.

[stugj]

Forte is a once every 6,000 or so treatment,Millers is used like Redex,at every fill.Both are good & I use both & had no problems.Check your service invoice,it should list parts used.The fuel & air filters need changing at 36,00 I believe.Good luck.Ps.Use the aircon at least once a month for 10 min or so to keep the seals wet.

Both the air and oil filter was changed at the service. Will start using the aircon as you recommend, thanks

[stugj]

How are you checking mpg? Going on the computer mine is on about 49.5 most of the time with mostly 70mph on motorway. If I zero it & then drive really carefully, no hard driving through gears & keeping to about 65 on motorway the best figure I get on readout is 52.5. Dunno how accurate readout is, I've never bothered to do it on mileage check between fillups. This for 110bhp 1.6 diesel. If you had egr prob you would have warning light on & 'antipollution fault' coming up on readout. Driving to MoT would make no difference but using the Forte might have improved fuel consumption.

If your windscreen is leaking after new windscreen fitted, call the screen company to refit. The work is guaranteed.

The gearbox sounds dodgy, don't be fobbed off. Possibly clutch prob though, try pumping & flooring clutch pedal hard before gear change. If that makes gear change easy then its clutch prob.

I check the mpg on fill up, always stop at first click, I don't really use the trip computer, I only believe it when it says 999 mpg!!!!!!!!
I drive similar to you, but slower, I'm happy at 55 on the motorway, happy to dawdle and save pennies, if I have used the brakes I have wasted fuel kinda attitude.
Will add another bottle of Fortes this week. But I'm happy that no one has come up with something disastrous.

Sorry, it's not the windscreen that leaks?, the water comes in through the interior light, have checked the aerial, but the seal looks good.

Will try pumping the clutch next time it is sticky, first and reverse seem to be the worst and it is an intermittent problem. It also makes a strange popping noise when I change gear, can't really identify where the noise comes from though

Thanks for your reply