Amazing Puma economy

[kenleyfred]

Love that SVX
Did Brisbane to Longreach by way of Rockhampton, bit of driving about and then all the way to Saphire where admittedly we were very low on diesel.
All on one tank.
Amazing.

[Blknight.aus]

got the long range tank tick in the box on that one then?
what size tank?

[scarry]

got the long range tank tick in the box on that one then?
what size tank?

And also how many k's

[kenleyfred]

Sorry Guys, time to fess up
We started the trip family holiday on the "Spirit of the Outback"train, Defender bringing up the rear on the train. Fantastic experience.

Economy acrtually was not good for the first two tanks. But that was because we were six up in the Defender and a lot of gear plus very full fridge. First 2 tanks I was holdng quite a bit of speed and that was heavy. 14.8l/100km. back closer to civilisation and on the speed limit we were back to 11.6km/100km.
So really very little difference on my normal driving around empty and fully loaded.

[cewilson]

Sorry Guys, time to fess up
We started the trip family holiday on the "Spirit of the Outback"train, Defender bringing up the rear on the train. Fantastic experience.

Economy acrtually was not good for the first two tanks. But that was because we were six up in the Defender and a lot of gear plus very full fridge. First 2 tanks I was holdng quite a bit of speed and that was heavy. 14.8l/100km. back closer to civilisation and on the speed limit we were back to 11.6km/100km.
So really very little difference on my normal driving around empty and fully loaded.

Both figures are worse than my 200tDi loaded up for a trip ;)

[Blknight.aus]

Sorry Guys, time to fess up
We started the trip family holiday on the "Spirit of the Outback"train, Defender bringing up the rear on the train. Fantastic experience.

Economy acrtually was not good for the first two tanks. But that was because we were six up in the Defender and a lot of gear plus very full fridge. First 2 tanks I was holdng quite a bit of speed and that was heavy. 14.8l/100km. back closer to civilisation and on the speed limit we were back to 11.6km/100km.
So really very little difference on my normal driving around empty and fully loaded.


thought as much, as a rule of thumb when my fuel economys that bad it usually means Ive done a lot of low ranging or Ive forgotten to unhook the trailer. (or Im having a good run with the v8)

[Nera Donna]

Last tank of fuel worked out at 9.95/100. Wrapped.
Around town, a lot of freeway and country road driving.
Mainly two up and light loads.
11,000 k's on the clock. Looking forward to when she's run in.
Very happy. :)

[Blknight.aus]

at those ks' shes run in

[dullbird]

we get 11/100 pulling the trailer.....

Our engine is not quite loosened yet...still around another 10g to go, Blknight they reckon the puma is not really run in and loose until have hit around 40thou on them

[Blknight.aus]

I love that line from dealers...

do you know how many noises an engine can develop in 40K Km that can be hidden under the guise of

"yes well now that its run in it will sound a little bit different as the engine loosens up"
and
"oh no sir, thats a normal noise that should go away as the engine finishes bedding itself in"

which also neatly translates to

"so long as i dont document the complaint when it fails completely hopefully a, it will be out of warranty or b, we will be able to proove its been doing it for a while now and its your fault for not bringing it in sooner and can stiff you for the fixing of it due to negligent operation"

now Im all for a good run in and usually 5K km is about what it takes in my books.. Imagine what the guys who call my run in procedure excessive would say about a 40K Km run in.

[dullbird]

well dave I'm just going on my experience with this car, as were many other puma drivers, if things don't loosen up at 40 how come many of us experienced even better fuel economy after passing this mile stone?

[scarry]

I have had 3 TD5 D2's from new & none of them got good fuel economy untill they had done at least 10K.

The mechanic down the road has had his own business for over 45 yrs & specialises in Nissan 4wd's.He won't chip them until they have done at least 40k as he recons they are not run in enough until then.(thats probably half the life of a 3l patrol engine gone:p)

My son's Puma easily does 10l/100 k on a run,with nothing on the roof & lightly loaded.

I have done 1100k's in my current D2 on a run not loaded at all,on 96l,which is the max i have dribbled into the stock tank.

On the last Fraser trip the Puma used less than half the fuel that a mates petrol 80 series used.:eek:

[Blknight.aus]

well dave I'm just going on my experience with this car, as were many other puma drivers, if things don't loosen up at 40 how come many of us experienced even better fuel economy after passing this mile stone?

Umm thats when one service update or another changed the fuel mapping on the vehicle?

not saying its the case but there may also be a programed self change in the ECU that does it, sort of like the early cat electronic control systems that limit max power and the power curve during the first XX engine hours (I think it was 100 hrs from memory)

[dullbird]

OK Dave

[Hoges]

Interesting observations... must say over the past 30 yrs with several vehicles from new most seemed to really 'loosen up' around the 30,000 km mark with a corresponding improvement (10-15%) in fuel consumption. I kept a meticulous log book from 1981 -2009 on every petrol purchase (even included a HiAce!!:o) ... odo, litres, cost etc Was particularly noticeable in the LS1 V8 where similar return trips BNE-SYD the l/100km dropped from 11.5 average when new to 9.1 @ around 35,oookm. Wife's AH Astra (5yrs, 34,000km ) also showing improved performance of late and better economy... (hasn't been near the dealer for 3 yrs ...)

FWIW: an old uni mate who has been an oils chemist with one of the majors for 32 years reckons it's because of the improvement in lube quality and the consistently finer CNC machining tolerances on the assembly line...where almost every engine is essentially a "blue print" version ...

Has 2 results: the engines are safer to rev earlier in life (tolerances), but they take a lot longer to properly loosen up (less wear due to better oil) ...

[NQExplorers]

Just returned from a approx. 2500km trip Cairns-Lawn Hill-Cairns. 07 Puma just ticked over 36000km. Towing approximately 1.2 tonne Jayco Outback camper, fully loaded vehicle (3 people), small roof rack with jerrycan + other paraphenalia - averaged around 11l/100km or just under 600km on the stock tank. Travelled mostly at 90km/hr in 5th gear - some sixth gear on the long flats. Brother in law with same camper but towing with a 3.8litre auto Pajero V6 was using almost exactly TWICE the fuel as we were in the Defender. Plus mine looks better. And is more fun to drive.

Warren.