1.8d Escort van advice please..

1198 · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Karma :

Ive just bought a 1.8d 55 Escort Van. It's reasonably tidy but dog slow- struggles at slow motorway speeds, 70mph - and drinks fuel - 31mpg on the motorway.
Is this standard? I know that it was never going to rip the road apart but I did expect to cruise at 70ish, not get passed by wagons on the uphills, and would have liked 40mpg on a steady run!
It's the NA version, 150,000 miles, 51 plate, and empty of load.

SQL · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Aug 2012 Karma :

Busa1340R · Nova Slayer Joined: 18 Feb 2014 Karma :

They're all like that sir......(cough) 😂
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Nb · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 May 2005 Karma :

Sounds like the same as our old non turbo escort van, 80 flat out and drank fuel.
Give it a change of filters and it might help, pump the tyres up that might also help.
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Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

I'd do oil and all filters, probably including the fuel filter at that mileage.

Any signs of pinking? Might be coked up harder than a journalism symposium. Water clean it?
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1198 · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Karma :

Blocked / buggered Injectors?

If it would cruise at 70 with a bit left for hills I'd keep it and run it through the summer - however 50mph slipstreaming Mr. E. Stobarts wagons up the hills on the M6 got really unfunny really quickly. As did the fuel economy!

andyscooter · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 May 2009 Karma :

Scrap it buy a swb trannie
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1198 · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Karma :

N cee thirty · Banned Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Karma :

sounds like its worn out of sorts, they all get thrashed, i have a 140k miles peugeot partner and thats okish on fuel, 90 miles to 10 quid, get to 70 eventually, but i wouldn't want to use it for many miles everyday, people say they're go to the moon and back, yeh they probably will if people didn't rag the fuck out of them from cold etc
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1198 · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Karma :

£51 for about 250 miles. I know it's not modern technology but that seems a tad extreme for an empty van, on motorway - or was I spoiled by the new Renault Traffic I had recently?

Robby · Dirty Old Man Joined: 16 May 2002 Karma :

Assuming it runs a fairly normal escort front suspension, fitting a powerful engine would be pointless, it'll just spin its wheels.

Can you fit the 1.8 turbo diesel lump and turn it into a reasonable van?

Nb · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 May 2005 Karma :

Andy_Pagin · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Nov 2010 Karma :

FWIW my old 1988 1.8D Escort Estate easily averaged 55mpg, and would do 65mpg if driven right. NSL performance was somewhat like a learner legal 125 bike though.
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