Thread: Petrol availability for long 4wd tracks

I've used nulon pro at times and carry a bottle when touring.

Never tried opal but thanks for that info nomadic - same engine as me so very good to know !

I think the engine ecu will respond to lower octane fuel as you say Graeme, but I've not noticed when I've had to use 91 - but when using low grade fuels as I said I do take it easy unless I've added nulon (in which case I drive as usual). The main downside of octane boosters is that they add $20 or so to each tank of fuel !

Whilst on the fuel issued,
I plan on going up the 'Old Ghan Track' next April but can't find fuel stops after Oodnadatta.
Does anyone have any information on fuel availability in the remote top of South Australia?
I'm thinking about eight days and taking in Chambers Pillar, towing a caravan (yeah I know, dangerous) Adelaide to the Alice.
Planning has started, just stuck on the fuel issue at the moment, I'll worry about the roads closer to travel time.

Cheers

Mike

Originally Posted by nismine01

Whilst on the fuel issued,
I plan on going up the 'Old Ghan Track' next April but can't find fuel stops after Oodnadatta.
Does anyone have any information on fuel availability in the remote top of South Australia?
I'm thinking about eight days and taking in Chambers Pillar, towing a caravan (yeah I know, dangerous) Adelaide to the Alice.
Planning has started, just stuck on the fuel issue at the moment, I'll worry about the roads closer to travel time.

Cheers

Mike

Can fill up at Mt Dare. Mt dare to Alice via chambers pillars is only 450 ish ks
We traveled Flinders ranges Strezlecki track, Camerons cnr, Innaminka, Birdsville, Birdsville track, Oodndatta track to alice via Finke and Chambers pillars with a petrol Pajero towing a 1700kg camper trailer. Our economy was up around the 20l/100. We carried 2 jerries on the trailer and 2 of those short 20L jerries on the roof. I calculated the bit between Innaminka and Birdsville was going to be the only touch and go road with 2 jerries hence why i had the 4 but once we got to Birdsville i dropped 2 of the jerries and the mount i made at the tip because i didnt need them any more. We filled up at Mt dare ducked out to lamberts on the way to Chambers and then into Alice with no issues. Brother inlaw for some reason didnt fill both his tanks (prado) at Mt Dare so grabbed some Opal at Finke. We also did Cape York on the same trip with just the 2 jerries on the roof.
Each of the fuel companies has a plan my route on their website and also the fuel finder app's are quite handy.

Originally Posted by 4evershiva

Hi All,

I know I did a mistake of taking a petrol 4wd, that aside. I got a V6 petrol Disco 3 and was impressed with its 4wd capability with the help of fellow Aulro members on a trip to glass house mountains. Even since then I have been 4wding and have added, on board compressor, bash plate and rock sliders. want to install llams and you know the list goes on.

Eventually I want her ready to do the cape York and the simpson desert tracks. I know the options of adding long range fuel tank and jerry cans, however, my question is what is availability of 98 octane petrol for these tracks. Is it worth building her or stop and sell her and get a diesel disco 4. don't have the cash to buy the diesel but atleast I don't want to keep spending on the disco 3.


Can I put normal petrol at all? will it be a issue??

Advices please.

Choosing a petrol 4wd is not a mistake, its a personal choice. The cost difference between a petrol and diesel was significant enough for us to choose the petrol as we would never recover the premium price of the diesel when we looked at similar second hand vehicles. Everyone's situation will be different, you will need to do the math to see what works best for you with purchase price difference v expected km's travelled per year and subsequent fuel usage.

We own a V6 petrol D3 and have just returned from one month of touring over 9000km through the outback. We did the red centre, crossed the Simpson, toured SA around Innamincka and Coongie Lakes etc and outback Qld. Like most people, I choose to use premium unleaded when available, but places like Mt Dare only sell regular 91 unleaded. I think Innamincka also only had 91? Everywhere we went unleaded petrol was available. The D3 user manual states to use fuel no lower than RON 90, so you'll be fine. You definitely don't need 98, again that's a personal choice. We crossed the Simpson using 91 and noticed no significant reduced performance (if any at all?), distance was 515km from Mt Dare to Birdsville and used 135 litres. That was the only leg of the entire trip that we used jerry cans.

I'll post a trip review in the next few days after I get a chance to transfer all the photos onto the computer and sort them out.

All the modifications we have done to our D3 can be easily removed and fitted to a D4 when we decide to upgrade when the time arises, saving even more funds in the future.

Plan your trips for the fuel stops, save your money by not trading in for a diesel now, and enjoy the capabilities of your V6 D3 for now.

If you decide to upgrade to a D4 in future years, weigh up the petrol v diesel again and see if you can not only justify the price premium, but also think what other mods can be done to the vehicle with the money saved in the short term by choosing petrol over diesel.

We're already planning Cape York for next year, might see you there!