Thread: Fuel usage on a tdv6

Originally Posted by chw

Hi James,

We've an MY12 TDV6 2.7 with:

• ARB bar (no winch),
• Long Ranger Fuel Tank,
• Kaymar Rear Wheel carrier (single wheel),
• Rhino Tradesman roof rack,
• Camping Drawers and Engel 40 litre fridge/tools etc.
• and mostly 2 people,

so we may be running a little heavier than you have described for your Disco.

• Long bitumen road trips where we're travelling 'light' often with the roof rack off, can see the fuel consumption drop into the high 9's low 10 l/100km,

• On long trips over varying road surfaces, travelling with just a tent and camping gear in the car, but with roof rack sometimes carrying a spare tyre, we'll average in the mid 10 l/100km (approx 100kph).

• On remote area trips with two of us, towing a camper trailer (approx 1.2t), with a second spare tyre on the roof rack plus a pair of maxitrax, that figure increases to the mid 14's (we tend to sit on approx 95kph and reduce that on the dirt).

• Averaged over the last 60,000km of ownership (across all driving types) we've average 12.7 l/100km. All these figures are based on actual fuel put into the tank, but with mileage taken from the speedo, which I believe is out by the 'regulation 4%'.

More than the trailer I think the biggest impact on the fuel usage is weight, what you're carrying on the roof rack, and then speed (within reason). The reduced aerodynamics (can you change the aerodynamics of a brick ???) of adding the roof rack and associated gear on top adds significantly to the increased fuel usage.

Hope this helps your planning.
Craig

Thanks for that detailed reply, by the looks of it we probably are a bit high then,I definitely think the Bigger tyres have made it worse, even after correction,I might be wrong though, will do another check and see..

Just out of interest, what does everyone think is the most economical speed?

Never chased economical speed...

Always worked on fatigue, the longer driving the worse the fatigue...

Originally Posted by Tombie

Never chased economical speed...

Always worked on fatigue, the longer driving the worse the fatigue...

Plus when you're driving over the limit you tend to pay more attention to the road and all the other cars, in case they have little flashing lights on the roof...

Hi
I am 12000km into a long Australian. my 2.7 d4 is now on 72000km and very well looked after. I always do the fuel calculations at the pump after every fill. I change my oil at 3-5 k depending on conditions.
My rig is 5 tonne. Gearbox oil change at 50000Km.
I have found the dash readout to be unreliable and inconsistently optimistic. between 2 and 5Km/100l optimistic.
I can not believe how well this vehicle pulls on serious hills and sometimes have had to slow down to allow solo diesel utes to pass.

Here are my stats: towing- between 16.5 and 20l/100 Solo- average 10.5l/100
I am very happy with these figures as the vehicle performs so well.

Be aware that these vehicles have a relatively small engine oil capacity, about 2l less than a bt50 and about half the refill capacity of the 6 cylinder 100 series Toyotas.
hope this helps

I kept a fuel and mileage log for my last 2.7 D3. Averaged 10 Lt/100 over 8 yrs (just on 200k) Feeway/touring best 8.5 @ 100kmh, city stop/start 11.5, towing 2.5t 18 ft poptot van on long run would settle in around 13 with a peak of 14.5. Noticeable was Trade roof bars x2 added 1 Lt/100 to the freeway cruise.

My feeling was the consumption was more about aerodynamics than people and weight load. Roof racks and roo bars and raised suspension will be be costly on fuel.

Originally Posted by BushDisco

Mine is an MY12 SDV6 with 164k on the clock. It's a daily commute plus weekend warrior so mix of urban, City and freeway plus alpine tracks.

I average between 7.5ltr/100km on freeway and up to 11ltr/km towing 1.3tonne trailer.

My normal running consumption over last 5000km is 8.3ltr/100km.

N

That’s very good. I have exact same model and have an average of 10.3 since the day I took delivery. I measure at the pump based on odometer, I don’t go by the lie-ometer which consistently under reads by 1.4.

Live had a roo bar for 3 years. Done 94k kms.

My usage is similar to yours and I drive economically or thought I did.

I have a MY05 D3 HSE with an ARB BB, Rigidij SWC, Tradesman roof rack, Safari Snorkel, 18" Yokohama ATs and a Haltek performance chip. The speedo is pretty spot in with the Yokohamas. Unladen I get between the high 9's and high 11's on the highway and up to 15 in suburban driving. Whilst we have done the one major outback trip, with stuff on the rack, drawers and a fridge in the back, I did not bother measuring usage, but it was not noticeably significantly that much higher. I always lower pressures when doing significant travel on gravel, that would also impact usage.

The chip has made a real difference to the torque and to a lesser extent the power with no noticeable change to usage, but I rarely put my foot down hard. Overtaking is now a much easier and safer operation.

Not sure if this adds to the information.
Have covered 450,000K to date in a 2007 D3.
Have ARB bar, Rhino rack (solid front face), rear carriers and often towing. (plenty of wind resistance up front)
Did 390K on first motor then got hold of a low K Territory motor, old engine is happily powering another D3.
I haven't noticed any difference in consumption between the original 2007 mtr and the 2015 mtr in it now.
I average close to 40K a year (35k since January this year with a busy year, and looks like I will do a further 15k this year).
Most K's have been long distance and averaging 110-120kph, unless towing.
I agree with the comment on the "lie-ometer" being not a real guide to consumption, and likely my gauge doesn't accurately show usage as when needle shows have used half, I know I am 2/3rds through the tank.
I appear to average 10.5 K's 100K's about town.
I never drive more than 20K's when reserve light comes on, and best ever distance on a tank (before light comes on has been 600K's), and if light comes on usually means I put in close to 75litres to refill. I don't bother writing it down , but reset with every tank and watch the consumption (indicated).

I'm sure somebody can work out how much I actually have left in reserve on those sums, and what my real MPL is.

I also run Hankook 265x 65x 18" tyres, which slightly indicate a lower dash speed reading against my sat nav speed indicator (maybe 5-8%)
I can cruise at 130KPH at 2200rpm with that tyre size showing 12L /100k. (But notice that the headwind effect then pushes indicated consumption up to 13.2-13.8litres 100K).
If I have a 40kph tailwind then usage can drop to 11.5L/per 100k (Indicated), and close when checked against refill at next bowser.
I can cruise along at just under 100kph (to get it to drop into top gear) and dash shows 9.8 L/100k.
If I sit behind a semi (and are prepared to get a new windscreen) the it drops to 8.5 L/100k (indicated)
I have noticed no negatives from using 65 profile tyres, no scrubbing from tyres, no issues and have used them last 100,000+ K's, and I have more to let down when in sand If needed), and I have noticed slightly better fuel economy with different profile and no loss of capacity.

Towing a 21' 1200Kg (enclosed much resistance) van (see pic) I note that at 95-100kph, I am using close to 16L p/100k, Full or empty, with more consumption on uphill incline of course (maybe 18L/100)
I would not go back to 60 profile tyres, as I feel i get a real fuel benefit and no downside.