Fuel Consumption Whinge

[siringo]

I know there are several fuel consumption threads, omne of them is very long, 50+ pages but I gotta have a whinge.

43,000k's on the clock and I have trouble getting 600 k's out of a tank.

Put 72 litres in her last fill, it was up to the mouth of the filler so I know it was chokkers. I drive it gently and sit on 95-100 k's (via GPS). All driving is in the bush.

Light came on at 520 k's and I'm hoping to get 600 k's out of that 72 litres.

I think fuel consumption improves if I sit on about 110, but so does my cahnce of being done for speeding (they're deadly where I drive).

Whinge over.

 

[johnbritto]

I know there are several fuel consumption threads, omne of them is very long, 50+ pages but I gotta have a whinge.

43,000k's on the clock and I have trouble getting 600 k's out of a tank.

Put 72 litres in her last fill, it was up to the mouth of the filler so I know it was chokkers. I drive it gently and sit on 95-100 k's (via GPS). All driving is in the bush.

Light came on at 520 k's and I'm hoping to get 600 k's out of that 72 litres.

I think fuel consumption improves if I sit on about 110, but so does my cahnce of being done for speeding (they're deadly where I drive).

Whinge over.

do you have standard size tyres your driving in the bush does that mean in 4wheel drive or on dirt road all these things can have an affect on economy or you have a problem somewhere else what condition are your fuel and air filters in try changing them or are you getting shit fuel so many possabilitys or you have a lemon

 

[siringo]

285/75x16 mud tyres. King cab with an unladen alloy tray. All road driving. Filters are all good.
Fuel, well I can only get what I can get.
Any fuel additives around that claim to improve fule consumption?? Maybe that's something I should look at??

 

[longy509]

remember a lot of the D40s have still got around 17L left in the tank when the low fuel light comes on.

 

[LLadnar]

I just got 490km out of a tank when the light came on, that's crap. All highway driving too. I'm not a fan of my auto.

 

[nakedape]

285/75x16 mud tyres. ?

I think I've spotted your problem right there!

Those tyres have a dia of 834mm - not sure what these things had on as standard (265 70r16 or 267 70r17?) but either way your more than an inch bigger! And that mean shit economy!

 

[Micmac71]

I think I've spotted your problem right there!

Those tyres have a dia of 834mm - not sure what these things had on as standard (265 70r16 or 267 70r17?) but either way your more than an inch bigger! And that mean shit economy!

I have 265/70/17 MT MTZ on mine and only get 11.4l/100km. I am sure this is becasue of the MT MTZ's as I know other guys with stock tyres who get much better fuel economy.

My First Nav (although was a D22) was had stock tyres, no problem with 600K plus from a tank. Second Nav (D40) had 265/75/16 MT ATZ amd I was struggling to get 550k from a tank full.

I am pretty sure it has to do with bigger tyres than standard.

Mike.

 

[matmce]

Try the Ecu reset. That worked for me. I was getting 15l/100k before and its better know. Still not what i would like but i,m about to get a scanguage so i can watch what the fuel usage is doing and change my driving to suit.
Regards
Jacko

 

[siringo]

Can/how does your average Joe try the ecu reset?? Can you do it with a PC and some cables??

Just filled up again. I did 593 k's on 72.5 litres which comes out at about 12.14l/100k's.

Bought some Chemtech diesel additive, I'll see if that makes any difference.

 

[longy509]

Try this of the Chip it website

You will need to follow the procedure below fairly carefully and precisely and ONLY whilst engine is hot so that the “relearn” is completed without engine being in cold start/run mode.

If at first you don’t succeed, try again. You will get it with practice. Remember that these instructions are very precise and we suggest, to be accurate, you use a watch with a seconds hand.

Before you start, confirm throttle pedal is fully released.

Turn ignition on [wait 3 seconds]

Then pump accelerator 5 times [this needs to be done within 5 seconds]

At the 15 seconds point hold accelerator down for 10 seconds

At time ~ 25 seconds MIL lamp flashes.

Hold down accelerator for more than 10 seconds.

Release accelerator and expect to see flashing CEL. 10 flashes [pause] x 4

10 flashes equal “0”. So 10 flashes x 4 = 0000 which equals ZERO CODES.

 

[morticus]

Just like jailbreaking an iphone... i suppose this gets easier with practice!

I recently drove to Brisbane from Newcastle and can confirm i got at least 705kms for the tank. Mind you the light had been on for a little while. Im running 265/75/16 tyres, so bigger than stock. This works out to be just pretty close to 10L/100kms yeah? i think that your bigger tyre size has a lot to do with it... The extra width would mean more resistance for a start...

 

[KraftyPg]

Disconnecting the battery technically should erase the ECU too but I wouldn't put much hope in that being a savior as the any reset is more than likely negated by the driver within the next tank full of fuel anyway.

There has always been complaints on this forum that KC's get worse economy than DC's and some complaints have reported 17's are the average type figure they were attaining, but there has never to my knowledge been an adequate reasoning as to why it happens. As your now suggesting 12.14 I'd suggest you are in the "average" range of most other owners on this forum.

Driving style is impossible to gauge on the internet and it's not that I don't believe you when you suggest your driving is "gentle" but I have no evidence to gain what your definition of gentle is. I can however tell you that while speeds of around 97-100 are quite economical in my DC I can just as easily increase the low 10's I get but remain at that 97-100 limit. Just because the car is at a particular speed does not mean the driver is driving it at its most economical.

I still say 12's are good going by what others on here are saying their utes do and I wouldn't suggest there are any definite problems but I also say driving style could improve it but you may need to work at it.

 

[siringo]

12 isn't a bad figure when you compare it to Falcons and Commodores which typically run around 10-12l/100k's, well your typical family 6er runs around that.

The Nav is a fair bit heavier and not as aerodynamic, so when you consider that, it's not too bad.

Snorkel, more free flowing muffler and 1 or 2 other things are on the cards that will improve my economy. But I'd love to pull 10's. Bravobrad told me his KC was getting 9's!

 

[KraftyPg]

Personally I doubt you'll get that much from a snorkle and muffler but many experts claim different, however one thing that is for sure is that if you're doing those things just for economy it will take a long time in fuel savings to recoup the costs.

I think Brad is the only KC driver on this forum getting 9's which proves that they are capable of getting good numbers but it just seems so many KC owners are saying they can't and there is no real evidence as to why.

 

[longy509]

My 2011 kingcab was getting around the 10l/100 the first few weeks i had it now that i have the canopy/bullbar/sidesteps/snorkle/chip/K&N filter/egr blank it weighs in around the 2.8 tonne mark and i average 11.5 to 12L per hundred.
but when i go hunting i am cruising around at 20 to 30kms an hour i get back into the 10's

 

[joe2006]

Which ever way you cut it, I don't think the 4 cylinder Navara is particularly economical for a modern diesel motor. There are other utes out there that are more economical but I really can't think of any in the class that are less economical. Mind you they would probably be one of the most powerful for their tiny 2.5lt as well.

The only point having a diesel is for torque & economy. Otherwise they are stinking dirty bastards that are more expensive in every respect.

 

[KraftyPg]

Otherwise they are stinking dirty bastards that are more expensive in every respect.

No that's their drivers not the car

 

[johnbritto]

Can/how does your average Joe try the ecu reset?? Can you do it with a PC and some cables??

Just filled up again. I did 593 k's on 72.5 litres which comes out at about 12.14l/100k's.

Bought some Chemtech diesel additive, I'll see if that makes any difference.

man its those tyres agressive tred pattern very wide and very tall if your going to stick with that size type of tyre fit a snorkel if you dont already have one, but best bet is if you only need that size tyre for playing in mud get another set of more standard size tyres for your daily driving, someone here may have a set with rims for sale cheep

 

[Connaught]

i got a 2007 d40 dc with stock tires on a 2 ' lift, and am getting the published figures for fuel economy, of 8.9l/100 (give or take .3l/100)

blocked egr and catch can are the only mods done that may affect economy, and my trucks got 160k on the clock

mind youuuuu

i don't put deisel in it

 

[qqc d22]

Big tyres are the killer and mud tyres are worse again. my old ute use to pull 780km out of a tank when i got it had 80000kms on it put snorkel on it went down to 765a tank put canopy on it went down to 650kms put 31x10.5 all terrains very mild tread pattern went down to 590kms a tank yep that much. Wound the fuel pump up went back up to 610kms a tank. opened the exhaust down to 560kms a tank, put 265/75/r16 on it 530kms a tank :/ changed them to the same size muddie 515kms a tank. thank god i didnt care about diesel back then lol. changed it back to standard wheels standar exhaust wound the fuel pump back a bit but not all the way just before i sold it and got 625km out of tank 75ltrs and truck now had 205000kms on it. it was a 2.8 turbo non intercooled 98 rodeo but it shows how big the difference can be with small mods. biggest difference imo was tyres the canopy made a big wack but it was quiet heavy and once it went on it was always full to the brim with tools etc. snorkel and exhaust used more fuel for me it definatly didnt improve my fuel economy. That said it went like the clapper with 265/75 on it at the end, i reckon it would have been quicker than my new 2.5d22