V8 or TD6 for towing

[ytt105]

I want to buy an L322 for general touring and towing of a Jayco camper and ultimately a 16' caravan.

I understand that the TD6 is a brilliant engine, but the V8 produces more power and torque, and if converted to LPG it would be cheaper to run. It would also be cheaper to buy.

Any comments on either.

[p38arover]

I can't comment on L322 but I can say that, when towing the same caravan, my V8 P38 used far more fuel (LPG) than my 300Tdi Disco used diesel (both autos) - by a factor of nearly 3:1. Admittedly the P38A towed the van at 110km/h, the Disco couldn't. :D

If I was doing a bit of towing, I'd go diesel. Don't forget that outside the city, LPG loses its price advantage. I've found that often in the country, it is barely worth running LPG and, if I lived there, I'd never do the conversion. It would take far too long to pay for itself.

The added range of the diesel will also come to the fore when touring. It's a pain having only 200km range on LPG when towing.

[PAT303]

The Td6 would tow the van very easily,the trouble with LPG is there isn't a spot to put the tank. Pat

[ytt105]

I think the spare wheel for the L322's is the same as my P38, in the floor.

If so, this is totally unusable for a touring vehicle as the storage draw system I would build would have to be removed to get to the spare wheel.

So diesel, petrol or LPG doesn't matter, the spare wheel has to be removed from the hole and put on a rear wheel carrier.

Ron, I get about 250kms with my LPG P38, then just turn over to petrol till I want to refuel with LPG.

Travelled over 8,000kms on a single tank of petrol on one trip!

I hear you about the cost of LPG in the country. A year or so ago , they wanted 99c/l at Willcania so I continued on to Broken Hill and paid 80c/l.

Its one of the advantages I see in LPG. It gives me extended range over petrol only.

Anyway, has anyone done any towing with the petrol L322's. They have much more torque, and power, than the diesel's but they don't reach peak till over 3000rpm.

[PAT303]

LPG up here in the Pilbara is $1.10 to $1.15 a litre and diesel is $1.36 and up but a V8 is cheaper to buy so loose one way gain another.There isn't any room underneath to fit sill tanks either so LPG on an L322 is out. Pat

[ytt105]

Pat, where's the spare wheel in the L322 and how is it accessed?

[justinc]

I would recommend Diesel, all the way. Especially with LR products, as they are ALL very economical and efficient compared to the jap opposition.

JC

[PAT303]

Pat, where's the spare wheel in the L322 and how is it accessed?

Rear floor with the EAS compressor inside the mount and lots of wires around it!!.The Td6 is a great engine,lots of power and lots of economy and very cheap running costs that are even cheaper if you source your parts from the UK.JC has it in one. Pat

[scarry]

You would also struggle finding someone who really knows what they are doing fitting LPG to an L322.It may also have to be LPG injected which is not cheap.

As JC & pat303 have said,i would stick with the diesel,LPG is really no option at all in this situation.

[justinc]

I'll go out on a precarious limb here and say that in my opinion, with the quality and efficiency of diesel engines nowadays, there is no need to have a petrol engined vehicle for touring duties. In fact, even an early diesel engine is preferrable, IE 4BD1/T etc for heavy work, and a Tdi for anything else :).

There, take that:p

JC

[PAT303]

I would not under any situation par given one for free have a V8 L322 over my Td6.The Td6 L322 is the best 4wd bar none,I would not sell it to get any 2010-11 4wd because none are an improvement and many like the 200 series,Patrol can't match it in running costs,seating-cabin space,reliability,driving feel or practicality. Pat