Summer fuel economy

[George130]

What kind of difference do most people find between their summer and winter fuel diesel consumption. I seem to be getting at least 100 km more range. I fill up at 1100km's on the trip and now I never get into the bottom 1/4 of the tank.

[one_iota]

Hi Edd,

Both the performance and consumption drops off in summer.
I put it down to warm air: less dense, less oxygen, more fuel.

Larger intercooler required?

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Maybe the air is lower density, so it puts less fuel in... and you haven't noticed going a little slower.

This would suprise me a little. Since using the aircon I think we are using a little more style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif

[George130]

I am maintaining the same speed I normally do but did wonder If I had been a little bit gentler on the load peddle. In view that I have had to over take twice in the last tank and both times got cought out by the kick down feature making the engine really scream and not go any faster I guess not but my fuel pump is louder so I think the fuel filter needs changing.
The difference is only about 0.5-0.8 L/100

[cookiesa]

Anyone looking round wreckers found a larger intercooler that can be fitted to the 300Tdi with minimal fuss. Getting a new aftermarket one is a little $$$$

I would like to fit a larger or more efficient one, possibly from something else, (Maybe a 2.8 Gu Patrol Top Mount or 3.0 GU??)

[NOZ]

Yes a bigger intercooler would be great, $$$ is always the issue

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:blue">dont forget that in summer the air conditioner is also on for those that have one.....

this will affect power as well as fuel economy....
as it draws power from the engine to run....you accelerate harder to get
the same take off that you are used to.....

along with, as mentioned, the warm less dense air getting in the engine being less efficient.....</span>

[George130]

[quote=DEFENDERZOOK]<span style="color:blue">dont forget that in summer the air conditioner is also on for those that have one.....

this will affect power as well as fuel economy....
as it draws power from the engine to run....you accelerate harder to get
the same take off that you are used to.....

along with, as mentioned, the warm less dense air getting in the engine being less efficient.....</span>

ZOOK I am getting better economy. Thats what has surprised me. I do need to look at the pulleys though as I get a squeel under hard accelleration.

[duff]

WOW better in summer is surprising.

I have posted way back that my TD5 is like two differant cars between Weipa and adelaide. Two trips I have made to adelaide dreing adelaides winter has really highlighted that the TD5 is probably running at about as efficiently as it can with its little 2.5 capacity. I can only guess this anyway, because I have never seen such a drastic improvement in drivability and fuel econ as when I head from 32 + degree days of Weipa to the night time temps down around 2 - 4 degrees off adel winters. I think the hot dusty north really does make the poor thing work its but off, I wish I could afford a bigger intercooler, the cooler air potential would probably pay dividends up here.

[timberwolf_302]

One things for sure, my Rangie runs heaps better on the coast, particularly early in the morning, for obvious reasons.

I am almost tempted to move to the coast for that very reason.

[JDNSW]

Well, I have detailed fuel records of my County since I bought it, covering 320,000km over 12yrs, and there is no correlation between fuel economy and time of year. It varies according to type of driving (city, country, trailer etc) but not according to time of year or part of the country. Rather surprising, since you would think the airconditioning would make a difference.

[George130]

In the last two weeks I have been travelling faster than normal so cannot trust the last couple of tanks to see if it has keept up this trend. I have also started using the aircon and fitted side steps so they might also change my stats again.

[rmp]

There's no doubt low-powered diesels improve in colder conditions. I saw that with my old 2.2 non-turbo Jackaroo, and I see it again in the Defender.

High conditions don't help because the higher you go, the lower air density.

Aircraft operators need to be careful of "hot and high" conditions, ie airfields high above sea level which have high ambient temperatures. Engine performance is dramatically reduced and you need a higher speed to take off.