How many miles to a tank...?

[Bruss]

Problem is that the Evora base tables may or may not be optimised for the fuel you put in. Also the learning aspect of the ecu may be limited. The sc models- all of them, will be likely optimised for 97 RON as that's what the manual; says to use. The car will run on 95 but it won't develop the power that 97 will. After that it gets as complicated as you like, given that 97 RON rating is just a standard comparison number for compression v knock parameters. It doesn't indicate that shell 97 is the same as BP 97 or Sainsbury's 97 in terms of power output. That depends on the hydrocarbons and oxygen in the mix for individual suppliers.

Also re the learning aspect, it will take a good amount of running to re-learn. So put a tank of 95 in and the ignition will be pulled automatically to compensate and stop damage. Put the 97 back in and the ignition will happily run at the pulled timing values. You may have to reset the ecu to 97 normal values. I don't know how Lotus manage this in the ecu but  it may not be as quick or as automatic as we might want.

 

 

[Techyd]

That's a really good point - my friend had a Subura STI UK many years ago and that had to be run on RON97, he accidentally put 95 in once and the car needed to go back to the dealer for it to be corrected.  So it could protect itself (downwards) but had no capability for upwards adjustment...

Given the age of the engine / design its unlikely to be any different, but happy to hear from those in the know.  Mines booked in to a specialist (Analogue Automotive near Petersfield next month) so I'll ask them some questions...!

[Bruss]

13 hours ago, Techyd said:

That's a really good point - my friend had a Subura STI UK many years ago and that had to be run on RON97, he accidentally put 95 in once and the car needed to go back to the dealer for it to be corrected.  So it could protect itself (downwards) but had no capability for upwards adjustment...

Given the age of the engine / design its unlikely to be any different, but happy to hear from those in the know.  Mines booked in to a specialist (Analogue Automotive near Petersfield next month) so I'll ask them some questions...!

You can try the reset by removing all back up power to the ecu on older cars ( Remove battery connections for 15 mins). The theory is that the ecu will lose its stored info and reset to base parameters. It will then re learn as you drive. 

Whether this works on the Evora I don't know. Newer , cleverer systems should be able to live update and record sensor info each time the engine is started. Depends obviously on the number and type of sensors employed. 

We need someone familiar with knowledge of what ecu model Lotus are now using, to update us. Presumably still efi integrated with the Bosch traction control?

Edited August 8, 2018 by Bruss

[pete757]

Interesting. My car had an ECU 'update' on it's last service and it then felt more powerful... so perhaps it had been run on lower octane fuel at some point prior to this...? I have run it on Shell 'V-Power' ever since.

Why is this stuff not in the owners manual? Surely Lotus themselves would know the answer to this ECU behaviour question?

[ramjet]

I'm not sure really. I can't imagine that it is very good?

 

[Breeze]

The better feeling on the 400 is due to the charge cooler. Non charge cooled supercharged engines are slightly over fuelled to aid cooling.

[Breeze]

Luckily we get 100 Octane fuel in Italy, so I usually run on that, if not the 98 octane. Interestingly, after I had the car fitted with the TVS1900, the fuel consumption is actually better than it was before, I guess because the inlet temperatures are not so high and the ECU isn’t over fueling to compensate. On the drive from the UK down to Italy the car averaged 9.8 Its / 100kms, and that included some rapid cruising on the Autobahns.

[Celica]

Having just picked up an NA 170 miles from Colchester to Bristol with M25 bumper to bumper I managed 37mpg, it was helped with M4 average of 60mph. 
still had almost 3/4 tanks left 

How big are the tanks? 

[exeterjeep]

19 minutes ago, Celica said:

How big are the tanks?

Everywhere I have seen say 60l

[TdM]

I believe 60l is true.

I trust you have the long ratio gear box. On a run, I think I can get into the mid 30s, I've seen some on here have returned over 40mpg at times but I'm relatively certain it's impossible with the short ratio box.

[Cdm2018]

On my recent Scotland road trip I was having to fuel up when I could 

I was filling to cut off and the range readout always stated 345 and this would start to reduce after a 20-30 miles of driving 

I was getting 30-35mpg on the highland roads but on motorway back home was getting 38-39mpg 

I had to use a variety of fuel brands including a Scottish brand not familiar I think called Gleaders ? Seems to run the car ok 

[Simon Bateman]

I go up to see my cousin in Scotland once a year and even in the 400 doing 75mph, my average MPG on the gauge sits between 36 and 37.

With the 13.2 gallon tank, the car has a very reasonable range.

[KJD]

60 litre tank in theory but I’ve only ever been able to get 53 in it, and I’ve run it to waaay beyond indicated empty.

[SCMTBCOACH]

People slag of the long box on the S1 but i love mine, 38-40 mpg on the motorway and whisper quite then just use it like a 4 speed on the country roads! It also won't explode like some early short ratio boxes so that is a bonus! 

Also i quite like the fact that if your in 6th on the motorway it literally doesn't have any shove at all! stops me speeding for sure as you have to consciously change down to move! Previous car with short gearing and loads of torque you would sneeze and be in licence losing territory! ha ha   

 

[Spanky3]

To add to the MPG knowledgebase, My supercharged IPS showed 30mpg on a long mostly motorway run to and from Silverstone this weekend.  That's a record for me - I normally see high teens driving on mostly B roads.  The IPS 6th is similar to the long ratio box, great for 70mph cruising but 5th gear needed for rapid acceleration.

[Bruss]

Evora S 400/410 ish bhp. Manual box.

Best long run mpg was 26 mpg, varied motorway and back roads mid France to Budapest via Czech republic.

Best on a shorter run was 29 mpg 50-60mph, 100 ish busy motorway miles.