Fuel Economy tips and tricks

[FalcoColumbarius]

Lol prairies with no wind... Like that EVER happens. My old L300 got its best fuel mileage in the city. But it was a std transmission with lower gearing. Amazing in the winter. The L400 can guzzle fuel like crazy in comparison.

I have very little experience with the Prairies, really only from the Rockies to Calgary and down to the Frank Slide, the latter was mountainous, the former was flat but I'm sure any prairie driver is rolling his or her eyes as they read this. I'm curious all the same ~ what sorts of winds does one experience on the Prairies? On the west coast the prevailing wind is typically a sou-wester. Is there a typical wind on the Prairies? Do you ever get a tail wind to help you along?

Falco.

[Mimic4]

Okay so 34mpg (imp) is 28 (us).

What I don't understand is, its a 60L tank, and if you were to achieve theoretically 600km, by running it right down to the last drop, you'd have 23.5 mpg.
(Which, even then, is more than most people seem to get.)

I fill mine up to the first "click" of the pump every time I fill it, and usually get 450~500km before the light comes on, but when I crunch the numbers this is a lot closer to 20mpg for me.

28mpg (US) would be 11.9 (12) km/l. Meaning, if you used 55L of your 60L tank you should be at 654.5km when you have 5L of fuel left.

There are of course variables here, I'm sure most tanks don't fill exactly to 50, and I don't recall when the fuel light comes one, but anything in excess of 600km per tank would be the heavenly numbers we are speaking about, and I just don't think the 4D56, with its inefficient indirect injection, in this brick of a van, can achieve such numbers.

But I challenge all to take pictures, take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!

[Growlerbearnz]

I'm a bit disappointed that I average 350km to a tank (400km highway driving). So I'm fitting a bigger fuel tank. No way I'm going back to 9psi and standard IP timing/fuelling- with 31" tyres I literally had to let the engine warm up before I had enough power to get out of my (admittedly steep) driveway.

[konadog]

75 liter tank for the autos....

[punkrawker]

info about prairie driving, at least in southern hellberta.....the vans SUCK @SS when you are driving in very windy conditions, not so much head winds while yes they suck too for obvious reasons. the worst is side winds, I have done enough trailer hauling in my time and driven enough different vehicles to get a good idea on how to change driving styles for this (if at all) especially between medicine hat/lethbridge but holly hell......so far all I can say about these vans in brutal side winds is....no sir I don't like them.....I don't like them at all. best thing I have noticed is to slow down to 80 on highway(because these vans arn't slow enough) have noticed at 100 on hiway you surely feel the side winds even more.

from my "research" I have noticed these vans are funner off road than on road, but that's just an opinion

[Mimic4]

75 liter tank for the autos....

Hey, is this true? Even when I've driven around with the fuel light on for WAY too long I still only squeeze in less than 60L.
I have auto L300 Crystal-Light.

[islander20]

75 liter tank for the autos....

Hey, is this true? Even when I've driven around with the fuel light on for WAY too long I still only squeeze in less than 60L.
I have auto L300 Crystal-Light.

Pretty sure 75L is for the L400 auto....hope so otherwise i've been mixing my 2-stroke wrong!

[Mimic4]

It's probably a bit bigger for the L400, larger engine, different vehicle.
I searched around but couldn't find any documentation about the L300 fuel tank, i'm sure someone around here will pitch in.

Here is a link to my mileage stats and liters added.
http://www.fuelly.com/car/mitsubishi/de ... ry4/173747

[FalcoColumbarius]

I actually ran dry one time and rolled into the filler station. Timing is everything! It's most certainly 75 litres in the L300 automatics, not including the filler pipe. In the MLB the little amber fuel lamp comes on between 58 and 60 litres (depending on how needy she feels that day).

I usually fill right up to the cap, wait for the bubbles to pop their way back down the tube and fill again 'til the diesel is sitting just below the cap. Then I shut the pump off by pushing the nozzle lever with my hand and hold the hose high in the air and drain another ounce out, until she clicks shut. Some may say this is cheating, I call it being practical ~ besides, I paid for it.

Falco.

[motorang]

Hi,
I am doing 400 km on a 50 litre refill almost every time (which is when my 60 litre tank warning light comes on).
So thats 12,5 litres on a 100 km or 22,5 miles/gallon (UK) or 18.8 miles/gallon (US).

On a standard setup, 4D56 2500 cc turbo diesel engine, air filter OK, manual trans, but usually that is all geared up, live 2.5 tonnes and with a roof tent. As this is our bug out vehicle, it rarely goes unloaded on longer distances.

I found three factors for me, aside from driving habits that is:

1) check turbo boost, mine was too low which decreased fuel economy
2) tire type (a nice offroadish tire can set you back by 10% on the mileage)
3) tire pressure

I HAVE all terrain tires (Cooper discoverer usually).
Best mileage ever, with my van ampty and no roof carrier, straight 95 to 100 km/h, was 11 litres/100 km (24,5/20,5 in above units).

I used http://www.thecalculatorsite.com/conver ... mption.php for calculation.

Andy

[konadog]

Last time I crunched the numbers my automatic L-300 was averaging between 10 and 11 liters per 100kms. I use it for work and pull a utility trailer which is seldom very heavy.

[Mimic4]

Sorry for res-ing my dead thread but I have news!

So I took Falcos advice at the end of May? and I replaced oil, Sakura Oil Filter, Air Filter, Fuel Filter.
Filled entire fuel filter with injector cleaner after replacing it.
Replaced my turbo core with a new one from China, and waste gate is stuck at 9 P.S.I. ... (how do you increase decrease boost anyways)?
Added a boost gauge & EGT to keep eyes on thinks.
Set tyres to 40psi (recommended max).

I think that's everything?

And wow, 75% Highway driving and I got 10L/100km twice, as well as similarly close numbers with accepted mileage measuring techniques!

See the before and after at my Fuelly tracking log :)
http://www.fuelly.com/car/mitsubishi/de ... ry4/173747
Scroll down to the dot & line graph.

I'm interested in seeing changes re: the winter months & would love to make a full tank trip somewhere on the highway as my most recent fuel update (10.9L/100km) is all city driving, as I work like 5m from home.


So shout out to Falco, thanks again, good products and small maintenance changes, as well checking your boost levels (as they do deteriorate from stock?), can really help your mileage!

Still to do ... replace wheel bearings and ball joints, as well as ATF fluid will be due soon-ish... 10.0L/100km is my record though. Try to beat it!

[Growlerbearnz]

I, too, recently broke my economy record: 17.3 l/100km (13.5mpgUS, 16.3mpgImp.) Still, that's with the van full of gear (2500kg total) towing a 750kg caravan that is even less aerodynamic than the van. At 90kph.

[Mimic4]

Wow that's a big difference but interesting to know, whenever I do renos and pick up a bunch of supplies from RONA I definitely notice the vans sluggish feel, but I appreciate how it holds the back tyres down In the rain!

I've been experimenting with leaving the van in D while stopped versus putting it in neutral, and albeit minimal, there is a noticeable difference in idling fuel consumption, as, in N, the idle is slightly higher causing more fuel to be injected per minute. (The same amount is injected every revolution, but because there are more revolutions in a minute, more fuel is being consumed). Sounds silly, but good to know.

Also, the 4D56's highest torque figure is (145 lb·ft) at 2,000 rpm, which is most situations is very close to the engines highest BSFC, or most efficient RPM. So I have also tried driving at 2,000 rpm (which requires more foot work than one might want to do with an AUTO) versus higher, and there are notable gains, but it's difficult to gain the acceleration one would prefer, and to keep engine cooling in check if driving at high boost/EGT.

So really its just for reference, IE: Driving on the highway yields about 2,000 rpm @ 80km/h.

But drive it like you have to drive, it's really just for fun. :) I just am trying to keep my MPG's over 20 instead of under.

I still have to redo my front wheel bearings and ball joints and perhaps that will make a difference.