Abnormal Fuel Consumption

[Ace]

Hi all, i know that you will think i am whinging and that i have nothing to whinge about, but my Disco has started using more fuel than normal over the last couple of months. Normally for example, if i do 500km i use 50L of Fuel, or less. Lately i have been doing 500km and using closer to 60L sometime more. If it was one or two litres i wouldnt mind but this is abnormal. I have put through two doses of Wynns Injector Cleaner and nothing. What could be causing this. I hadnt noticed but dad suggested it could be coinciding with the cold weather and my thermostat might be on the way out, therefore using more fuel cause the engine isnt up to the right operating temp as quick. Any suggestions? Matt

[discowhite]

i started reading your post and the first thing i thought was cold
dense air.
check air filter and engine oil condition. if it gets that cold up there
you might have to change to a lower viscosity oil for winter.
oil that has a high viscosity that dosent get hot enough will
create a lot of drag in the engine.

but it could be a million of things.
phil

[abaddonxi]

Hi

A couple of obvious questions.

You haven't changed from road tyres to mud tyres or added a roof rack lately?

Simon

[Ace]

Originally posted by abaddonxi
Hi

A couple of obvious questions.

You haven't changed from road tyres to mud tyres or added a roof rack lately?

Simon

No, no roof rack, i did get new tyres, they are about 10mm bigger in diameter than the old ones, i didnt think of that, is that going to make a difference? Matt

[abaddonxi]

I was thinking that the tread pattern might make the difference. I'm guessing/sure that big tread mud tyres are going to chew a lot more fuel than highway patterns.

Or if you've put in something really heavy.

I have the bad habit of using the tray as storage for all kinds of junk. When I came to sell the 110 I found that I was carting around about 300kgs of extra weight.


Simon

[Maggot4x4]

Originally posted by Ace+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ace)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-abaddonxi
Hi

A couple of obvious questions.

You haven't changed from road tyres to mud tyres or added a roof rack lately?

Simon

No, no roof rack, i did get new tyres, they are about 10mm bigger in diameter than the old ones, i didnt think of that, is that going to make a difference? Matt[/b][/quote]

10mm extra Dia will make your speedo read slower, there by at any given speed, you speedo will say you are doing less kph than you are actually doing. This then translates to your odometer.

Use a GPS to get a true speed figure and you can do the maths from there.

[Lindsay]

10mm larger diameter will give about a 4% increase in gearing. I cant see that causing a 20% increase in fuel consumption-but I could be wrong 8O
Lindsay

[incisor]

it could easily in hilly territory with a load i would have thought.....

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:green">are you still buying your fuel from the same place you normally do?

some places have smaller litres to match their prices....

also winter fuel is different to summer fuel...or your servo got a bat batch of the stuff...</span>

[RockmyTD501]

ive had my 01 td5 for a month and was told to expect around a thousand k's to a tank.WRONG.Either i got a problem or someones telling me pork pies.Currently i get around 600-700 k's highway or city per tank.
New filters,stock 17 tyres,no excess smoke,just thirsty.So your not on your own on this one bud.
Would it be a big difference between auto or manual?

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:blue">mine is a Td5 and im getting from 10.3 to 12 litres per hundred kms....

towing will give the 12 litre figure....



aces should be a bit more economical as its a tdi and not a Td5......</span>

[CraigE]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>ive had my 01 td5 for a month and was told to expect around a thousand k's to a tank.WRONG.Either i got a problem or someones telling me pork pies.Currently i get around 600-700 k's highway or city per tank.
[/b][/quote]
I was told similar porkies when I bought my Defender TD5. I am getting around 650kms on a 76 litre tank unloaded, although it does not change much when loaded or towing after being told to expect around 900kms per tank. The Disco tdi used to get around 850-900kms on an 80litre tank and around 700-750 loaded and towing a camper trailer. If anyone tells you a TD5 gets better fuel economy than a tdi they are lying. You would think with emmission standards new motors would have to get better fuel economy not the same or better. The new TDV6 fuel economy on paper looks absolutely terrible quoting I think 16litres per 100kms. A 5 litre Holden motor (around VT vintage) gets around 12.

[Frenchie]

Originally posted by CraigE+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CraigE)</div><div class='quotemain'>
I was told similar porkies when I bought my Defender TD5. I am getting around 650kms on a 76 litre tank unloaded, [/b]

I got nearly 900km out of my first tank, driving very carefully with a nice new vehicle. Never been able to reproduce that though. Just checked my economy at 11.2 L/100km.

<!--QuoteBegin-CraigE

The new TDV6 fuel economy on paper looks absolutely terrible quoting I think 16litres per 100kms. A 5 litre Holden motor (around VT vintage) gets around 12.[/quote]

That's cos it weighs 2700kg! 8O

[rick130]

I have found performance and milage to vary enough to notice over time, and it always seemed to correspond to a new tank of fuel.
I'm now pretty particular what fuel I use (brand) and where I get it.
Also, as has been mentioned, winterized fuel is different to summer, and could affect performance and milage.

[George130]

I'm averaging 11.4L/100km. That equates to 1400ks a tank style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif
Pitty I'm doing such high distances. :cry:
I was told years ago to buy diesel where you see the truck filling up. Usually better fuel.

[disconut]

Hi all,
I keep a fuel log on my vehicle and it has returned 10.7 litres / 100 klms over the last 3 months. That includes running up and down the range.
From 1/12/04 till current, 11.12 litres per 100 klms. (inclusive of towing 1500 kg van to Darwin return). Van usually pulls economy down to 13 / 14 litres per 100 klms. (I tow fast).

Gold Coast trips give around 9.8. I drive at 110 klms to the coast, change gears at 2500 revs usually. The 90 has a small tank (65L), but if filled right up in the filler neck I get 100 klms back to the full mark, then 100 per quarter tank.
I also run synthetic oils in everything but the diffs at present. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif
Trev.

[RockmyTD501]

i've roughly worked out that i get around 90-95 k's per line on the guage.Not real exact i know :roll: ,but i will top him up on the weekend when i go up to the block and see where i'm at when i re- fill it again.


style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif how big is your tank George,coz 1400 is a heap of k's out of a tank?


cheers.

[George130]

RockmyTD501
I have a 130 litre tank and a 30 litre tank linked to act as one. so 160 litres. I get 450 k's before the needle starts to move when its full. I usually fill up at 1100k's so still have a good leway. My log book covers the last 18,000 k's I have travelled. Also the length of time I have had the vehicle. I worked out the 1400 by looking at the consumption of 11.4 L/100 Km and the tank capacity. The gage still shows almost 1/4 tank when I fill it. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif
Sad thing is thats every 8-9 days or 41500Km a year :cry:

[one_iota]

I'm in the 10 to 11 litre/100km range except when I have lower tyre pressures on road or driving at 110 into a head wind with stuff on the roof rack.

The winter diesel theory is interesting.

What do they add to the brew to stop it turning to aeroplane jelly?

and

Would they bother to change the mix in Lithgow? It gets chilly but not alpine.

[Ace]

Originally posted by one_iota
I'm in the 10 to 11 litre/100km range except when I have lower tyre pressures on road or driving at 110 into a head wind with stuff on the roof rack.

The winter diesel theory is interesting.

What do they add to the brew to stop it turning to aeroplane jelly?

and

Would they bother to change the mix in Lithgow? It gets chilly but not alpine.

I am not sure about the change in mix from the coast to syndey, i cant see the fuel changing much between summer and winter on the cost because you dont get frosts, we get them nearly every moring here, provided its not raining or heavily overcast. I was getting smack on 10L/100km every tank just about, if i was to think back to when i noticed the increase, i couldnt say for sure it was when winter set in, i will have to see what happens when it warms up. Matt

[one_iota]

Ace,

I guess that the questions are still begged.

What is winter diesel?

Who makes the decision to sell it ? Retailers or wholesalers.

Is it geographical? (Cooma/Jindabyne vs Lithgow/Bathurst-Orange)

At what dates does someone decide that winter diesel should be sold and normal resumed?

Is this issue solved with an additive?

[Ace]

Originally posted by one_iota
Ace,

I guess that the questions are still begged.

What is winter diesel?

Who makes the decision to sell it ? Retailers or wholesalers.

Is it geographical? (Cooma/Jindabyne vs Lithgow/Bathurst-Orange)

At what dates does someone decide that winter diesel should be sold and normal resumed?

Is this issue solved with an additive?

I am not sure what they do to winter diesel, i think its just an additive to stop it freezing. Going by my ex's dad, he gets his winter diesel in the week or so leading into winter, so he times it so his diesel tank is just about empty during that time so when the fuel supplier delivers the winter diesel it doesnt mix to much.

If it affects economy, i will tell you in summer. Matt

[LandyAndy]

Hi Ace
Perhaps you need a stern talk to your better 1/2.


























WORD HAS IT SHE HAS BEEN SEEN TAKING PART IN TRAFFIC LIGHT GRAN PRIX EVENTS style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

Andrew

[Ace]

Originally posted by LandyAndy
Hi Ace
Perhaps you need a stern talk to your better 1/2.


WORD HAS IT SHE HAS BEEN SEEN TAKING PART IN TRAFFIC LIGHT GRAN PRIX EVENTS style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

Andrew

If she was I'd love to see it, TDi's arent exaclty a powerhouse of acceleration. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[cewilson]

Guys, a lot of it could jsut be wear and tear? How many km's does your truck have on it - how are the injectors, fuel pump, fuel filter???

How fast are you accelerating, what speed are you sitting on?

I know with my 93 Tdi hammers through the fuel at around 13.5L - 15L per 100km's if I sit on around 130km/h. If I drop the speed to around 100 - 110 and the fuel consumption is around 10L per 100 km's.

As a rule when living in Sydney I very rarely hit anything above 10L per 100km's. But I also didn't have too many hard accellerations etc either.

Hope this can help some.

Cheers
Chris


BTW - the reason for higher speeds available is living in the NT, and my transfer case is fitted with Disco high range, and Maxi-Drive low range gears! Instead of the standard Defender gearing!

[Ace]

Originally posted by cewilson
Guys, a lot of it could jsut be wear and tear? How many km's does your truck have on it - how are the injectors, fuel pump, fuel filter???

How fast are you accelerating, what speed are you sitting on?

I know with my 93 Tdi hammers through the fuel at around 13.5L - 15L per 100km's if I sit on around 130km/h. If I drop the speed to around 100 - 110 and the fuel consumption is around 10L per 100 km's.

As a rule when living in Sydney I very rarely hit anything above 10L per 100km's. But I also didn't have too many hard accellerations etc either.

Hope this can help some.

Cheers
Chris


BTW - the reason for higher speeds available is living in the NT, and my transfer case is fitted with Disco high range, and Maxi-Drive low range gears! Instead of the standard Defender gearing!

Hi Chris, my disco has done nearly 185000km, and i try to keep the speed below 110km/h, but that doesnt always happen. I do get impatient up hills, but i try to keep the revs at around 3k regardless of gear or speed when climbing hills.

I am begining to think its a combination of the following

1) The colder weather not allowing my engine to get up to operating temp on short runs to work, about 15km.

2) Wear and tear, will get the injector pump serviced and get the injectors cleaned (is there an injector pump kit you can buy, is it difficult to refurbish them)

3) My slightly bigger tyres making my odometer read more than i have actually travelled

Matt

[wardy1]

Just did a quick check today. I fill my td5 at the SAME pump, from the SAME side....so I reckon it'd as good as it gets for a test. Currently I get 10.01/100km. I drive part freeway part burban all week. I ignore the yellow light on the dash as it comes on with at least 25 litres still in the tank!
I drive with sanity, don't try for the sub 10 second 0-100kmh etc, but I don't hang about either.
I listen to the truckies about fuel on the CB...their consensus seems to be buy Shell or BP...... or ask for trouble..... I dunno....its their living tho

[Ace]

Originally posted by wardy!
Just did a quick check today. I fill my td5 at the SAME pump, from the SAME side....so I reckon it'd as good as it gets for a test. Currently I get 10.01/100km. I drive part freeway part burban all week. I ignore the yellow light on the dash as it comes on with at least 25 litres still in the tank!
I drive with sanity, don't try for the sub 10 second 0-100kmh etc, but I don't hang about either.
I listen to the truckies about fuel on the CB...their consensus seems to be buy Shell or BP...... or ask for trouble..... I dunno....its their living tho

I generally fill up with either Shell or Caltex when i can. Matt