This evening, I've just travelled from Hamilton to Rotorua, and back. I was delivering a Power Macintosh system from 1995, including printer, that I sold for $10. I quoted $30 for the delivery (10 pounds 84 pence at today's exchange rate).

I thought about taking the Stilo (safer), but the Uno now has a more kick-ass stereo (who needs six airbags anyway, death by Uno would be much more exciting), and the Stilo gets 7.8L/100km on a long trip. I thought the Uno could do better.

The distance, including 6 miles in Hamilton this afternoon, was 136.5 miles (219.6km). The fuel used: 14.36L (3.16 gallons). The cost: $22.39 (I used 91 octane petrol!) That's 8 pounds 9 pence, for my 136.5 miles

The result: 6.54L/100km (43.2mpg). I didn't exceed 100km/h (most times doing 80-90) and the turbocharger didn't boost once in the whole trip home!

My right ankle was getting sore from the delicate pressure, so I remembered a chequered flag stored under the seat - has a thin wooden stick - I used this (located in one of the accelerator pedal's convenient holes) to maintain the small throttle opening by hand.

I'm very happy with my Uno Turbo.

-Alex

Haha, you're mad, who else would ever do that?

I went for a drive in my Tipo last weekend. A drive up to Mangawhai heads on Saturday. We found the most interesting way to go. And Sunday, just a day driving around town. I used about 50L of gas, almost 1.5 tanks and did 400km! Hows that? :slayer:

I like my Tipo! :devil:

LOL - that's 12.5L/100km (22.6mpg). I have to be driving pretty hard in the Stilo to average that. That said, it's not the worst I've seen...

...but I reckon if we both set off from your place in Auckland, I'd get to Wellington, and you'd run out of petrol on the 'desert road', a long way from any service stations!

The low compression ratio of the Uno Turbo probably counts against economy for light-throttle cruising (it's about 7.5:1?) Maybe what I need is a 9.2:1 Tipo engine with 0.5 bar max boost... hmmmm...

-Alex

My Tipo is actually very fuel efficient if you drive nicely. Far better than my mk2 turbo ever was. It will cruise at 100km/hr (true 100km/hr) at over 10 inHg vacuum depending on the road etc. That doesn't happen very often though

Maybe if you operated the throttle by hand, with a stick...

alexGS said:

The cost: $22.39 (I used 91 octane petrol!) That's 8 pounds 9 pence, for my 136.5 miles

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In the Panda that would have cost me £8.96.
In the Coupe in would have cost me £23.13
Welcome to the UK
H

alexGS said:

(I used 91 octane petrol!) That's 8 pounds 9 pence, for my 136.5 miles

-Alex

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Isn't that a little low octan? :chin:

I drive on 99 octan on mye Uno Turbo!

jokke said:

Isn't that a little low octan? :chin:

I drive on 99 octan on mye Uno Turbo!

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True, but I drive gently. The knock sensor seems to do a great job of preventing any tinkling. A FIAT specialist drove my car once and commented that it was pinking under boost. I'm not sure what he was managing to do to achieve that - full throttle at 2000RPM perhaps. I put 95 in and did some tests, didn't seem to make much difference.

-Alex

But you would usually use 95 right?

I've found they pink a bit at low rpm and high load if you have the standard exhaust. Dont ask me why, ive just seen it more than a few times. I do wonder if it is actually detonation or just some other engine rattle.

<sigh> Yep I remember a similar scenario with my old Uno Turbo. That's the great thing with small engined turbo's, you get the fuel economy of a low compression 1.3L engine, as long as you don't use boost on the turbo and take it easy.

The Uno 60s is pretty good for fuel, but as for the other car (Coupe 20vt), I'm sure I can see that fuel guage physically moving when I drive it...

Hi Steve,
I do use 95 most of the time, especially if I'm trying to drive properly e.g at one of our events. But when I'm on 91, there's no such thing as 'low rpm and high load' with me driving, because that's not conducive to economy anyway.

circolo said:

you get the fuel economy of a low compression 1.3L engine

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Yes - I was wondering, wouldn't this be less economical than a high-compression 1.3L engine? Wouldn't it be great to have both? I think Saab made an engine with a pivotted cylinder head that gave variable compression-ratio. In the meantime, at least the intercooler might be having a beneficial effect to economy

-Alex

alexGS said:

Yes - I was wondering, wouldn't this be less economical than a high-compression 1.3L engine? Wouldn't it be great to have both? I think Saab made an engine with a pivotted cylinder head that gave variable compression-ratio. In the meantime, at least the intercooler might be having a beneficial effect to economy

-Alex

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I don't think there's much in it tbh. Maybe a newer design of engine may improve fuel economy. Some of the newer 1.4 GM units (16v) are excellent with fuel economy. But not sure how bust proof they are. the 1301 unit on the Uno T, is pretty much indestructable. Most members of the (previous run) Uno T club in the UK found even ridiculous boost levels, the engines would continue on, and on.

Superb cars.

SteveNZ said:

But you would usually use 95 right?

I've found they pink a bit at low rpm and high load if you have the standard exhaust. Dont ask me why, ive just seen it more than a few times. I do wonder if it is actually detonation or just some other engine rattle.

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I have to agree i thought the 91 octane was a typo as its just crazyness to use it. Knock sensors are supposed to be there as an emergency/temporary measure not something to be relied upon. I run my coupe on 99ron (which prevent detonation due to the higher ron rating) and even then im still worried about it!

I would recommend running no less than 95 octane, or installing a Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator. That way you can physicall increase the fuelling across the range. More fuel = less chance of detonation.

Ross

Although, bare in mind the earlier Fiats, (Uno, Strada, Tipo, etc) were designed to run on Italian fuel, (usually 92/93 ron).

But I agree, on the whole to avoid detonation you really ought run a relatively high octane fuel, particularly on the more performance oriented cars.

another first by Alex, Cruise control in a Uno.....
soon you'll have 6 balloons stuck to the dashboard and side panels and call them airbags!

i'm still in the full throttle stage with the Uno so not even going to guess what fuel i use in, all i know is that when the needle gets to 1/4 it gets filled back up again!

I dunno how much fuel my Strada uses, the fuel guage has packed up along with many other electrical bits on the car. Now I know where the legendary reputation for unreliable electrics comes from - as its 22 years old I can forgive it.

I didn't find the UT too bad for fuel but nothing special either. My diesel Alfa gets pretty good fuel economy av. 50mpg about 40% better than the Stilo driven with economy in mind.

fiatdownunder said:

another first by Alex, Cruise control in a Uno.....
soon you'll have 6 balloons stuck to the dashboard and side panels and call them airbags!

i'm still in the full throttle stage with the Uno so not even going to guess what fuel i use in, all i know is that when the needle gets to 1/4 it gets filled back up again!

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Hey - that's a good idea. Maybe if I get some sleeping bag cases - they're about the right shape - duct-tape to the dashboard.

I remember the 'full-throttle' phase. I still get it every now and then.
Meanwhile I'm still rollin' with 91-octane. The engine seems to be idling smoother for some reason! I still don't hear any pre-ignition so it seems to be good.

-Alex

Dont be such a cheap skate, put 95 in it at least. The extra cost of the fuel is irrelevent. The extra safety margin is very important. I know you're not stupid enough to drive it hard with 91 but whats the point having an Uno turbo if you cant give it a squirt every now and again. thats the whole point!

When I had my turbo in its most powerfull, hungry state, I got about 330km to 40L out of it with everyday driving. Nothing but 98 went in the tank too. This is not that bad either IMO. Ive been driving my dads Bluebird for a while. It only gets 300km to 40L on everyday round town driving. Usual story though. it will get 500+ on the open road.

Still not as bad as my Croma turbo 75L to 550km on the open road. It had a bung fuel pressure regulator. I did soemthing like 30,000km in 10 months too. funny how economical that engine is now in the Tipo. I'd say I could get 550km out of about 40L now on the open road