Road Test Results on New Design of Fuel Economiser
January 19th, 1981
Report to Patreal AG
S F Bush
Introduction
Figures 1, 2, 3 give road test consumption results on Escorts, Minis and Marinas respectively. These results were obtained from a fixed course in the centre of Manchester and from steady speed runs on local motorways.
Test Procedures
The traffic test route consists of five stages totalling 10.5 miles in all. The test procedure has tightened somewhat during the period of road-testing (May to January). The latest tests were done so that complete engine warm-up was assured by driving round the course at least once. Alternatively a vehicle was driven on the test course for half a hour before starting the test.
Generally, introduction of the devices of the appropriate design raises the idling speed and so this speed is reset to the value without a device in order not to exaggerate the fuel consumption when the vehicle is stationary.
Tests are carried out by introducing a standard positive-displacement meter into the fuel line. The driver’s passenger is responsible for noting consumption at each of the five stages, the number of actual stops, and the time elapsed for each stage. The general reproducibility of traffic conditions over the complete 10.5 mile course is indicated by a relatively close correlation between average speed and the number of stops per mile shown in Figures 1 and 2.