Defender Td5 and fuel consumption

[dages]

Given fuel prices and the amount of kms I do my economy on the Td5 defender is one of it's best features for me. Wether city/ open road, towing I always seem to get 10l/100km on the mark.

That was until I just did 5000km over Easter were 12l/100km was the best i got nad it went up to 14 on open drives.

Now the major differences are;

Fitted a Safari Snorkel prior to leaving

Borrowed a ARB 3/4 roof rack

Now before you say weight, I went over the public weigh bridge and had bugger all than normal, swag and camp oven the heaviest things. I also sat on 100km/hour, were I normally do 110km on trips.

So it must be the roof rack. Amazed it would make that much difference. Given that it was borrowed to get the spare off the back door I reckon removal and a spare wheel carrier will pay for itself in no time.

I would be interested in what others are getting in economy as stuff I have read on the forum seems to vary greatly. Also if others have had the same with racks.

Brett.

[ATH]

Hi Dages.
I get around 11 kpl but most of my driving is short trips to and from work where it hardly even warms up.
The worst I've ever got was about 6kpl and that was dragging a van weighing 1.5t and into a strong headwind on the road between Hedland and Broome last year.
I've also got a roof rack but have never checked figures without it.

If I had room I'd devise a system whereby I could lift it off and leave it hanging up at the ceiling where it would be ready to drop on for the next trip.
I've just sold the van and am going to a camper trailer mostly so we can go further off road but as an additional unintended benefit we will get better economy.
With prices which might increase much more and with no real end in sight I think this may well be worth it.
Happy LR ing.
Alan.

[disconut]

Mine averages 10L / 100 klms, until I fitted a 1/2 rack (see pic), and it went up to 12 litres / 100 klms. Rack is now off and stored till required. Weight is not the issue, I believe it is the wind drag. Quieter without it also.

Trev.

[discowhite]

im with trev!
its wind drag not the weight!
i had a trailer on with the roof basket for easter and i was getting
14l/100 now with the basket off im back to 10l/100.

might have to get the chip and see what the fuel dose then??

phil

[noddy]

Gotta agree with everything said with respect to drag versus weight. The other factor is speed. Go over 110-120kmh and everything goes out the window.....literally!

Kimba has been remapped and the fuel consumption is pretty much the same. On average (with a roof rack and not loaded) we get 11l/100km everywhere.

Load the rack, with the swag and box and we go up to 12s.

Travelling around Oz, fully loaded, pulling a 1.5 tonne trailer we averaged mid 13s over 51,000kms. The worst was 14+ with the trailer in sand. Trailer + vehicle was over 4 tonne.

[Rosco]

Originally posted by AlanH

I get around 11 kpl

.... 9l/100 km 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O

Exceptional, amazing :!: :!: :!:

Compared to mine you must spend all your time driving down hill :wink: :wink:

Cheers

[Omaroo]

I have an EezyAwn rooftop tent up front and an ARB half rack behind that. I consistently get 11L/100km on the freeway - on which I do a steady 110kmh. Our trips to Cooma also contain a few hundred kays of 100kmh roads, sothat brings the average down.

I will take the tent off one day to see what consumption I get, but it's a pain in the backside to keep taking it down and putting it back up all the time. I like to have it there permanently so that we always have somewhere to sleep if need be.

[dages]

Yeah I agree that weight seems to make little difference. Will take the rack off this weekend to test.

I am building on our block some 400km from where I currently live. I regularly take a tonne down on a trailer and drive back empty. This towing seems to make little difference to fuel sitting on 90 to 100km.

And is one reason why I am a very happy as a Td5 owner, given that it also drives even better with that weight.

Have been told that a snorkel will reduce consumpltion, don't really think it would be large enough to notice.

[loanrangie]

A good wind deflector will cut down on the drag, most racks have a rather blunt front on them.

[Martin]

I have always had a full roof basket rack LR(ARB), and get about 10.5l/100 on average, but have noticed this go up to almost 13, when the rack is loaded. I too thought a deflector may help, especially as I am hading off on a 10K plus trip in July - I figured it may be worth while.

Anyone got any ideas on a decent deflector, or where I could pick one up in SA?

[crump]

I just completed a 5000k trip with my Safety devices rack which sits up a good 30cm above the roof complete with 3 jerries, gas bottle and swag and averaged 11.4L/100km. That included a fair bit of low range work and hiway cruising at 120kmh.If i was getting 14L/100kms I'd be looking for another reason other then the rack.I also have a Safari Snorkel fitted and a chipped ECU.

[Martin]

I have a safari snokle fitted too, although didn't assume that this would make any impact on cunsumption. I have also considered an ECU. What effect did it have, how much, and where from?

Martin

[disconut]

Originally posted by crump
I just completed a 5000k trip with my Safety devices rack which sits up a good 30cm above the roof complete with 3 jerries, gas bottle and swag and averaged 11.4L/100km. That included a fair bit of low range work and hiway cruising at 120kmh.If i was getting 14L/100kms I'd be looking for another reason other then the rack.I also have a Safari Snorkel fitted and a chipped ECU.

I did the trip to Darwin and back with a 1500kg caravan in tow, (pre chipping), and averaged 14.1 L/100 over the 8,600klms. (no rack fitted).

Now its chipped, I need (want) to do it again. Purely in the interests of science.:wink:

Trev.

[George130]

I'm averaging 11.6 in my 130. I have roof bars on the canopy but no tray. I also have wide tyres wich won't help.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

I have found that putting the a/c on 3 raises the consumption by about 1l/100k around town. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:indigo">using the ac....roofracks.....offroad tyres.....high revs......poor fuel....bull bars....
antennas.....spot lights.....etc.....i think you guys get the picture.....

this will all affect the fuel consumption......add to this the fantastic aerodynamics
of the famous defender.......need i say more.....?


i get around 11 to 11.5l/100km normally and up to 12.5l/100kms towing
around 700-800kg (caravan) or the same figures for an empty box trailer as well.....



the roofracks and bullbar complete with antennas are the biggest culprits of fuel consumption.......
then comes the speed at which the vehicle is travelling.....
then the revs the engine is doing.....

wind resistance isnt constant with speed....0 to 60kph will give some wind resistance....
which will double from 60 to 80kph.....which will double again from 80 to 100kph.....
and not double at 120 kph as you might expect.....
the figures i have given are from bad memory....but i think you understand the principal of what i mean...... </span>