3.9 V8 ???

[kwosie]

Hi all, have a couple of questions regarding a Series 1 Disco it's a 1999 model 3.9L auto.

We have a friend that has just bought herself this car and she asked me about the fuel ecomomy. She's using around the 20L per 100 K's, even for a V8 this sounds a bit heavy. She was also concerned that the car didn't have the grunt she was expecting I took it for a drive and found that if you leave it in 'D' and just drive it it does feel like it lacks a bit of grunt it's smooth but not fast. But put it in '1st' gun it and work the gears by hand then it goes like you would expect. When travelling up hills she also says it's not keen to kick back down gears.


The answer to the 1st question most will ask, no she is not a leed foot she drives very carefully...read slow.
She's just had major service done after picking it up, she bought it knowing it needed some work done. I drove it before and after the service and the engine is now running well.
Milage is around the mid 100's

I own a 95 TDI Disco and know bugger all about the V8's. Any feed back on the fuel economy and the performance of the tran's and if /how they could be improved would be great.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

a quick weight Vs Hosepower calc will show its NEVER gunna be a rocketship,,

as for the fuel,,
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/58439-d1-v8-economy-run.html

one of only a million threads on fuel usage in a D1 V8,, :p

that in itself should tell you something:angel:

[Utemad]

Standard they were about 130kw and slightly under 2 tonne so they are not a 200kw Commodore. However they are not that slow. Slow is your Tdi :wasntme:
Fuel economy of 20L/100 sounds normal for city cycle.

Mines a manual so not sure on auto shift points etc.

I put mine on LPG and am very happy with it. Not so sure I'd still be commuting in it otherwise.

[Hucksta]

I've got a 98 Disco 3.9 manual .... The fuel economy sounds about right, I have heard worse than that, up to 22 or 24L for 100, so 20 is not as bad as what it could be.

As stated in earlier reply the Disco is never going to jump off from the lights, that's not what they where built for. Get the Disco off road and in low range and your friend will begin to understand just what the Disco is meant to do.

As mine is a manual i can't help you with the auto stuff ..... The only thing I can add is that when cruising around in 4th or 5th mine feels a little sluggish also, so it is probably normal.

Hucksta

[Utemad]

The good thing about the V8 is you can be slowing almost to a stop and then pull away again easily in 3rd gear. Not changing gear constantly like in a 4cyl etc.

Love it :)

[Gullible]

Hi,
We have a 1998 V8i Disco auto, the fuel economy sounds right for day to day use. We were pleased when we managed 17ltrs/100km on a 600km, run fully loaded with surfboard on the roof and a speed of 100-105kmph.

We have just installed injection gas this weekend and will start a thread when we have some figures.

I have to agree with the others, you don't buy a disco for the economy.
You buy one so you can load up the car with the family, holiday stuff, and surfboards, spend the day at Stockton beach, drive off the beach hit the highway and head off to Queensland.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

to put it another way,,
max torque is around 2600rpm,
max power is around 3600rpm,
(please correct me anyone!!)

the more revs you play with, the better it will seem,,(until you look at the fuel guage:p:p)

Auto's are notoriously sluggish!!,
hence the SPORTS MODE in the D2:cool:

[B92 8NW]

If it seems reluctant to kickdown, maybe the kickdown needs adjustment? I had my auto serviced at a LR mechanic who also checked/adjusted the kickdown to spec. It holds 4th on hills at 60, but if needed, a light touch sees it back in 3rd.

[PAT303]

Wind the slack out of the throttle cable.Both of mine suffered from that one. Pat