Fuel consumption numbers, for interest sake

[minicarz]

So I just returned from our maiden voyage this past weekend and wanted to report our fuel consumption, just for interest sake. I've got a L400, LWB, Royal exceed.
The Misses and I drove from Kamloops to Astoria, OR and back , with some side trips along the way. I quikly fabbed up a bed in the back and some storage and off we went. Excellant trip.
Total km driven was 1872 and I got an average of 11.16 L/100km (25.3 mpg), with a high of 10.22 L/100km (27.6 mpg) and a low of 12.09 L/100 km (23.36 mpg ). I tried to keep it at 110 km or under on the I-5 and stuck to the speed limits on the secondary roads.
This seems to be right in the ball park for fuel consumption, from what I've read on the forum. My question for the forum is there anyway to squeeze any more km/litre from the ol' girl (the van that is )

Cheers,
Neale

[jessef]

That's the max you can get short of putting in propane injection which would net you approx 8L/100km.

12L/100km or 20mpg is the consumption that is standard for the 4M40 engine in the L400. SWB/LWB/light or full load, it doesn't seem to matter.

http://www.delica.ca/forum/l400-fuel-co ... 10174.html

Your mpg's are off because you are using the UK(Imperial) gallon.

1L diesel = 2.35 miles per gallon (American/US)
1L diesel = 2.82 miles per gallon (UK)

This site will give you the proper calculation between US/UK(imperial) miles per gallon.

11.16L/100km = 20.28mpg

10.22L/100km = 23.02mpg

12.09L/100km = 19.46mpg

What you are getting is spot on for healthy economy on your L400.

[tonydca]

I've had my L400 pushing two years now, and by far my own heavy right foot is the worst culprit when I find my fuel economy getting worse.

To that end, the best $25 I ever spent on the van is a turbo boost gauge from Princess Auto. About a 2-3 hour job to install (comes with everything you need) and it fits perfectly where my non-functional tilt-o-meter used to be.

By keeping an eye on the boost and making sure I am toodling along at or below 10 psi instead of the 11-12 when I goose it, my fuel consumption goes way down.

As a side note, there are several threads on the forum about increasing boost pressure, but I've sometimes wondered about *reducing* it as a means to improve fuel economy.

To say 7-8 psi, then add in one of those in-line boost increasers for when you really need the extra oomph.

Any diesel pros out there know if this'd wreck things over time unless you recalibrate the IP delivery, or ???

[tonydca]

This is the manual boost device I was referring to:

http://www.delica.ca/forum/manual-boost ... 10800.html

Just route it inside the cabin so you can dial it up on demand.

[jessef]

boost controller won't get you better fuel economy
it will get a visual guide to tell you that you are getting worse economy and can do better if you take your foot off the pedal

anything under 12psi is healthy for the engine.

going down to 7-8 psi it will be starving for air when hauling uphill. the 9/10-12 area is the sweet spot.

the best thing you can do to improve performance (going up a hill with less throttle then norm) is to allow the engine to breath = larger exhaust

[tonydca]

I think a better exhaust is a great idea, and I hear what you say about air starvation..

But the thing for me; it is rare that I am really hauling up a steep hill; 90% of the time I am just schlepping around town on the relatively flat.

If I am maintaining around 60km/h or so on the flat, I am rarely over ~5-6 psi.

That's why I thought that the boost controller equivalent of a valet key might be useful:

- Back off the wastegate actuator to max out at around 8 psi.

- Install a manual boost device to allow another 4 psi at the flip of a switch.

- Switch Off = Chillin' Around Town Mode
- Switch On = Oh Crap This Is a Steep Hill Mode.

I just tend to notice that I so often goose it when I don't really need to, and my fuel bill suffers (I average around 13.5L/100 in town, and around 11 on the highway). With a granny switch on the dash, I wouldn't have the chance iunless I really needed to.

I was only wondering if it is kosher to run the engine at around 8 psi for extended periods of time, or if the fuel delivery would need tweaking.

[madmazda]

or you could try the 3mm washer trick like the uk guys/gals do just under the wastegate no more than 3mm or you might rupture the diaphragm

[jessef]

Variable boost controller is a good idea Tony. You can experiment with it at the stock fuel delivery(screw adjustment) setting.

[mararmeisto]

But the thing for me; it is rare that I am really hauling up a steep hill; 90% of the time I am just schlepping around town on the relatively flat.

Driving around town is the worst kinda fuel economy you can register. I've driven along winding back roads at 30-40 km/h and got the same fuel economy as driving down the highway at 100-110 km/h. Driving in the city, drop off anywhere from 3 to 5 mpg.

Check out my signature link: I've been tracking my fuel economy in my SWB Pajero for the last year-and-a-half, and it's pretty solid at 20 mpg, with equal amounts of city/hwy driving. N.B. the numbers go way up when I blend WVO (which I don't count because I got it for free).

[tonydca]

But the thing for me; it is rare that I am really hauling up a steep hill; 90% of the time I am just schlepping around town on the relatively flat.

Driving around town is the worst kinda fuel economy you can register. I've driven along winding back roads at 30-40 km/h and got the same fuel economy as driving down the highway at 100-110 km/h. Driving in the city, drop off anywhere from 3 to 5 mpg.

Check out my signature link: I've been tracking my fuel economy in my SWB Pajero for the last year-and-a-half, and it's pretty solid at 20 mpg, with equal amounts of city/hwy driving. N.B. the numbers go way up when I blend WVO (which I don't count because I got it for free).

I agree, but having watched from the passenger seat of my co-hort's vehicle with the real-time fuel meter display, the worst part about the town driving is the hard acceleration at low speeds (i.e. away from the light). That's when his instantaneous fuel economy can go as high as 80-90L/100km.

So my thought was if one was in perpetual Granny mode around town, yes the van would feel gutless, but at least the fuel economy might show an improvement.

Maybe I'll try a tankful in "Hold" transmission mode to see what the taller gearing does.

Besides, I can just close my eyes and pretend I was driving an L300...

[psilosin]

ECONO Mode Mod:

One thing that might help save some fuel while you are toodling around town is to place a vented switchable VSV valve inline of the boost line connected to the Boost Compensator with the control switch in the cab. Works like a hot damn on my Hilux Surf gaining up to an extra 100km/tank. I have noticed that the boost on the L400 winds up very quick even with a feather foot so this mod might work even better on the L400 than it does on my Surf depending on the L400's boost ramp etc. Since I have been tweaking my L400 for higher performance I will not be doing this mod but for some of you it might be worth it.

It works by simply blocking the boost to the boost compensator when the VSV is activated (switched to ECONO mode) thus preventing a ramping up of the fuel delivery (ie you are still boostin' but the engine isn't getting & using the usual extra fuel that comes long with being on boost). Yes that does mean it will drive exactly like it has no turbo BUT, based on my Hilux Surf which has less power than an L400, around town it likely isn't thaaaat noticable. On the highway it will be a dog so unless you like pain switch back to NORMAL mode for highway and hills.

If your L400 had ECS and you have replaced the shocks with non-ECS shocks then you already have a perfect in-cab switch to control the VSV.

It is important that the VSV has a vent on the side toward the boost compensator, otherwise it you were boosting and then switched to ecconomy mode that boost in the line would be trapped between the VSV and teh boost compensator leving the boost compensator thinking it is constantly under boost which would actually cause massive OVER fueling. The vent lets the presure disapate preventing this situation.

A bonus feature is that if you are zooming along in NORMAL mode and realize your EGTs are dangerously high...hit the ECONO mode and the fuel is cut but the boost airflow remains and teh EGTs will apparently drop faster than they would by just letting off the throttle in NORMAL mode. (This bonus is based on commentary from the Aussie Surf guys...never had to try it myself. Also based on comments on ih8mud that some of teh cruiser guys increase boost but lower fuel delivery for lower running EGTs.)

Pics from my Surf installation won't be too helpful since it uses an electronic boost sensor rather than a mechanical diaphram for the boost compensator but here is teh VSV I used on my Hilux Surf for an example:

[minicarz]

Real good discussion everyone , thanks heaps !
Neale

[roadie]

I just had the unfortunate pleasure of doing my wife's front injecton seal a few weeks ago. I accidentally advanced the timing and gained some extra noise but also an additional 50kms on a tank of fuel. I was going to pull it back last weekend but have decided to leave it be to confirm the better mileage......
She is queezing about 525kms (mixed driving) before the light comes on. My Pajero (with the bigger tank) hits about 800kms before the light comes on.....