How much fuel to cross the simpson desert

[matmce]

Hi All
I'm planning a trip next year. I was wanting to know how much fuel others have used to cross the simpson desert from Birdsville to Mt Dare. I'm planning on only carrying 2 jerry cans but i'm concerned it wont be enough. I will be in an 07 d40 stx auto fully loaded and not towing. Has anyone else with the same setup, done this trip, and if so, how much did you use/carry? I have read somewhere that 120 litres should be enough. I would like to install long range tanks but that cost will come later down the track.
Cheers all.

 

[Pete22]

Hi All
I'm planning a trip next year. I was wanting to know how much fuel others have used to cross the simpson desert from Birdsville to Mt Dare. I'm planning on only carrying 2 jerry cans but i'm concerned it wont be enough. I will be in an 07 d40 stx auto fully loaded and not towing. Has anyone else with the same setup, done this trip, and if so, how much did you use/carry? I have read somewhere that 120 litres should be enough. I would like to install long range tanks but that cost will come later down the track.
Cheers all.

I did this trip in 2009. Full tank at Mt Dare (160 ltrs) and when I filled up in Birdsville I took on 104 ltrs. My D40 is and auto and heavy....refer to my aftermarket fit in the signature block.

 

[siringo]

Try this.
Work out what your consumption is per 100 k's over a few weeks or a month. This will give a baseline of what it is. Then maybe load up the Nav with more weight, then do your consumption again and see if there's any difference.

Then you can probably draw a rough estimate by taking your worst figure and adding 50% (or more). So for example, if your worst figure was 10L/100K's you could say you might use 15L/100 k's going across the desert.

You can refine my thought pattern somewhat, but that's how I'd go about it.

 

[matmce]

I did this trip in 2009. Full tank at Mt Dare (160 ltrs) and when I filled up in Birdsville I took on 104 ltrs. My D40 is and auto and heavy....refer to my aftermarket fit in the signature block.

Thanks for that
Did you do many detours (around lakes or sightseeing) or was your trip basiclly staight across? How many km's between fills. if i only have 120lts, that wont leave much room for unexpected detours. i think i might allow for another jerry in my planning.

 

[matmce]

Try this.
Work out what your consumption is per 100 k's over a few weeks or a month. This will give a baseline of what it is. Then maybe load up the Nav with more weight, then do your consumption again and see if there's any difference.

Then you can probably draw a rough estimate by taking your worst figure and adding 50% (or more). So for example, if your worst figure was 10L/100K's you could say you might use 15L/100 k's going across the desert.

You can refine my thought pattern somewhat, but that's how I'd go about it.

I have worked out roughly what i have used when i did a trip through the Big Desert national park but that is only a short trip in comparison. On that trip i was using above 20lt/100km and that included some highway driving getting to the servo.
Anyway thanks for your advise.

 

[Pete22]

Thanks for that
Did you do many detours (around lakes or sightseeing) or was your trip basiclly staight across? How many km's between fills. if i only have 120lts, that wont leave much room for unexpected detours. i think i might allow for another jerry in my planning.

Did quite a few detours to the various ruins etc. I think I still have the OziExplorer gps files that I recorded somewhere. Let me know if you want them and I'll try and find them......one one of my 'puters somewhere.

On this trip I also had a 105 series Landcruiser (1HZ diesel with aftermarket turbo) and a Holden Fronter (V6 petrol) and a Prado (3ltr diesel) in the convoy...the thirstiest was the 105 and it used 140 ltrs.

 

[matmce]

Dont need the GPS files but i would like to know how many km's between fills.
20lt/100km with 120lts is only 600kms. I've read it's only 520km between the the fill points with no detours.
Is this correct?
Has anyone else done this trip using less than 20lt/100km in a D40 auto?

 

[Pete22]

Dont need the GPS files but i would like to know how many km's between fills.
20lt/100km with 120lts is only 600kms. I've read it's only 520km between the the fill points with no detours.
Is this correct?
Has anyone else done this trip using less than 20lt/100km in a D40 auto?

It is about 510 km from Birdsville to Mt Dare (give or take 5 km) - these are the obvious fuel stops. Birdsville to Dalhousie is around the 440km mark and it is a further 70km from Dalhousie to Mt Dare.

 

[a1k3m1]

any change of uploading the GPS files?? .. im thinking of doing the trip someday too!!, would be great to see what you have come across!

 

[Pete22]

any change of uploading the GPS files?? .. im thinking of doing the trip someday too!!, would be great to see what you have come across!

The forum attachments parameters won't allow me to upload these files. If you send me an email to [email protected] I'll send them back to you.