Thread: What could they have done to our fuel economy??

Brakes draging????
Do a drive using the brakes as little as possible.Then pull up and see how hot they are.If your rears are hotter than the fronts something is amiss.
Andrew

Hi Stuart, I would suggest that your 15 is probably worth checking out too - our TDV8 returns around 10.5 to 10.8 around home - mainly hills driving not city driving - and only goes out to 15 when towing our 18" van in the wind, usually around 13.8 towing otherwise. Of course I hardly ever sink the boot in......

Hi Stuart,
X 2 with Marty110, my TDV8 returns 10.9 to 11.0, relatively long run 10.7 to 10.8. Towing same numbers.

Cheers Marty

Thanks Marties (!? ),

Yes the 14.7 to 15.0 is after a week of my wife teaching Toyotas respect ( :P ) at inner city Melbourne traffic lights, but on a straight highway run it normally returns 9.8 to 10.0 (NB that's as stated by the trip computer, it's definitely actually half a litre or so higher as measured).

My wife isn't normally one to comment on things mechanical as long as they go, but even she's observed, and I agree, that it seems down on mid-range torque. Is it possible that they put it on the computer as a matter of course and the tune has been messed with, or that a sensor has been knocked... or something?!

I'm going to call them for a chat tomorrow and will report back...

As an aside, the dealer observed that it didn't have a transfer case protection plate - should that have been a standard item on a 2010 RRS TDV8? Weird that it should have been removed?!

If its only stated since the service then its possible the wrong grade or spec of oil has been used.
Wheel alignment going out suddenly could also give you a jump in fuel economy

It's got a bit weirder cos I've figured out it's when the car is standing and idling that the average economy starts rising - 19.5 after a few red lights this morning. It drops slowly as the car moves. 240 km of freeway yesterday returned 9.8.

I still think it's down on mid range torque

What's a transfer case protection plate, the plastic under body protection? My L322 doesn't have plastic protection under the transfer case.

Originally Posted by rar110

What's a transfer case protection plate, the plastic under body protection? My L322 doesn't have plastic protection under the transfer case.

Yeah I don't know - it wasn't even particularly expensive so maybe it is plastic - I just figured it sounded like a good thing to have rather than not have!