Unbelievable fuel consumption

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Clem
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Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by Clem »

We drove from Johannesburg to East London today on the first long drive with the new 4.8 GRX since it has been very, very carefully run in per Nissan requirements. Filled to the automatic stop in Jhb. We have an African Outback roofrack on with a kayak strapped on. We get away late so drive very fast. Refill in Aliwal North at 715 km. I fill it myself to the very brim. Total for both tanks is 100.43 litres. That means 14 litres per 100km. I'm absolutely blown away. I recheck everything and its all correct. How can this be? Without a roofrack and at normal speeds, one would expect 13/100km then.
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Re: Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by IanT »

Hi Clem, you must have been rolling down hill! But yes I can believe that, drove down to kzn last Sunday with the big offense trailer behind, running on cruise control (so up some hills up to 4000 rpm) and I got about 15l per hundred so if I did not have 600 kg behind and wind drag from the trailer ( higher than the troll) I recon I could have been down to 14 l/ 100! Be happy you now have extra beer money!! QQQ :thumbup:
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Re: Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by Clem »

Ian, I'm just absolutely amazed. I would never have believied it after all the "fuel gobbler" stories.

We left Jhb and used the Golden Highway to Vereeniging. Went from there to Lindley. From Lindley we drove dirt back roads (at a steady 120, ocassionally dropping to 100) to enjoy the bucolic scenery up to Rosendal. From Rosendal we went Ficksburg, Clocolan, Ladybrand, Hobouse, Zastron, Rouxville, Aliwal at really quite a lick. And that's not really much downhill up to there. To cap it all, I also had the throttle fully open at two or three points for overtaking, spinning the motor all the way to 5000rpm.

I ran the engine in with extreme regard to Nissan's specifications, which IIRC do say that it can affect efficiency. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. A friend of mine with a 2012/early 2013 who had had another one just a few years older before that (he deals cars and trucks) notes that his newer one seems a bit more fuel efficient so it could also be that Nissan has done a bit of tweaking. Again, not sure.

Well, whatever the reason, I'm over the flipping moon. The fuel consumption is way better than I ever expected. At this kind of running, who cares that turbo-diesels even exist?

The other thing that I am absolutely delighted about is the Patrol's ability to completely ignore pothholes. Everybody else was trying to weave their way around them at 20km/h (even some bloke in an LC 80) while the Patrol couldn't care less at 120km/h - it just floats over them and is far better in that regard than any Land Rover I've ever driven.
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Re: Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by Tinus lotz »

Clem
The 4.8 is a cool car period
And yes the more you use it the more you will love it
And for you to say that its better than any land rover ......of course it is :rolling: :rolling:
Once you put a set of 33 inch tires on it will take potholes even better .....have fun down there . And when u come back seening that its all run in now we need to go flex the suspension a bit to see how it really van kick landy bud...
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Re: Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by bogeyman »

Good fuel consumption is a combination of sensible driving and choice of limiting the "upgrades" like bigger tyres , roofracks ect.
Driving the used 4.8 back from Cape town I also got 7.1 and towing a heavy trailer to Ponta and back with "spirited "driving I got between 6.5 and 5.5.

I have a GQ with a 4.5i motor that always did 7 and after we changed some sensors , Graham reset the engine management and now it barely gives 4km/l.
It has to go back to Maus to remap the chip we put in to get it to run correctly.
Bottom line is that standard vehicles run better than modified vehicles.

Chris.
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Re: Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by Tunja »

Hmmm I've "upgraded to the 33" muds and apart from the lack of power which i expected it seems the fuel consumption has gone downhill fast. With the std tyre's the km reading was the same as the Garman but the speedo was out by =- 9-10km lower.

Now the speedo is almost spot on, km reading slightly less and I got 425 Km for a full tank :doh: With the std tyres I was getting over 500 kms +- 6km/L. I didnt think the muds would make that much of a difference?

I did overheat it in the Atlantis dunes a few months back, tested radiator / water system but everything seems ok no water loss etc so thinking I might have damaged a sensor? Where can I get this check out on a tester in the Capetown area? Any members have one? :helpsign:

Anything else I can easily check or clean?

Thanx
'97 GQ 60 TD4.2 ST Patrol : Roof rack, Winch, Dual battery system, Tow Bar, 2" suspension.
Clem
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Re: Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by Clem »

Tuna, I had the same experience on my Land Rober when going from road tyres to mud tyres.
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Re: Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by Tinus lotz »

Tuna
Get frans to help u out there in the cape .
Wilhelm just lost the top on his 4.5 due to the agents not getting the problem oil cooler and manifold was blocked .
Mabe the viscus ????.remember the 4.5 does not get hot never
Are your aircon radiator clean ?Always check your fuel usage and distance with gps with 35 my odmeter reads 15km under per hunderd with 33 your odo meter reads over put your speedo will be spot on
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Bruin Beer
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Re: Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by Bruin Beer »

Bogeyman,
What sensors were replaced an why?
Seem these need to go on a don't touch list if you have good consumption.
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bogeyman
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Re: Unbelievable fuel consumption

Post by bogeyman »

Bruin Beer,
I had the wrong tps sensor (manual instead of the double auto) on the replacement 4.5 motor.
Graham had the double on his manual car and we swapped.
The rest of the story is on the tread,
I did play with the distributor timing just now (with no instruments , only by ear) and it already runs a million times better.

I will post the dyno results early in Jan after Mr Maus has had it seen to.
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