Fuel economy when towing

[Jaymboze Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jaymboze]

Curious as to what fuel people are running in the v6 when towing...?

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Curious as to what fuel people are running in the v6 when towing...?

I'd say Petrol!

Sorry, you left the door open on that one...

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

i'd say petrol!

Sorry, you left the door open on that one...

jet a1?

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Curious as to what fuel people are running in the v6 when towing...?

That's a pretty good question, if one guy is quoting figures on 98 Octane and another on 91 then your not really comparing apples with apples.

Cheers Andrew

[Jaymboze Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jaymboze]

That's a pretty good question, if one guy is quoting figures on 98 Octane and another on 91 then your not really comparing apples with apples.

Cheers Andrew

Exactly...

I have been using either E10 or regular 95 unleaded when out on longer trips ( much cheaper out west ), but will be giving just the higher 98 premium unleaded a run when towing on longer hauls.
Have been using it around town but does not seem to effect fuel economy to a great extent when plodding around in the potholes of Sydney metro.

[Jaymboze Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jaymboze]

I'd say Petrol!

Sorry, you left the door open on that one...

Door now closed :-)

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

I think the weight I was carrying ( extra ) has made a big difference....I had nothing extra in the van, weighed it full of water , with food in and limited clothes and I was just under the 2500Kg.

When I first towed it, the Prado was relatively empty....on the recent trip I pulled out the back seat and added a basic camping kit, spares, and of course the extra food, generator, spare booze.

Also on this trip I kept the spares in a space case on the roof rack, whereas the first trip didn't bother with the spares as all I did is go down to Sydney and back, via the Pacific and New England Highways.

So bottom line ( for me) is all that increased the average from 15 to 17.

In relation to the quotes on the 200 series, that wasn't just from one owner, I spoke to many and of they were towing 3000Kg plus ( and most were) they were all getting about the 22 per 100 as an average .

I saw a guy towing a Kimberley Caravan ( I think about 2100 fully loaded) a and he said he was getting 19 travelling at 105Kph

Don't know what the Jeeps were getting , but holy dooly there are some of them towing vans these days, I'd say Toyota must be crapping themselves.

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

I forgot before to ask this question, would there be a significant benefit to install a chip???

I know it would give me more power ( and that would be nice up a steep hill), but for most of the time the existing power does pretty well.

Next year I'll be away for 6-7 months and plan on doing between 20-25 k , so a 15-20% saving ( and I have my doubts on those figures) could save a few dollars.

So,

Does anyone use one, that tows something similar in weight to me and if so how's your fuel consumption going??

[barajak Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barajak]

I forgot before to ask this question, would there be a significant benefit to install a chip???

I know it would give me more power ( and that would be nice up a steep hill), but for most of the time the existing power does pretty well.

Next year I'll be away for 6-7 months and plan on doing between 20-25 k , so a 15-20% saving ( and I have my doubts on those figures) could save a few dollars.

So,

Does anyone use one, that tows something similar in weight to me and if so how's your fuel consumption going??

I should let those with a chip say something first but lets not. The chip manufactures claim better power and they do this with controlled over-fueling, mainly at low and medium revs and mainly at medium to heavy throttle positions and from what I have read they mostly settle with genuine settings for cruising as this is the most economical. Makes it hard to see where fuel savings could come from other than drivers imagination. This forum has more than a fair share of problems discussed caused by chips so, because like you, I think the power output is fine for every day driving, I will settle for a little slower off the mark with a load and go without a chip.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

If a chip is going to give you more power and better fuel economy there has to be a trade off, otherwise Toyota would run the same tune especially if the fuel savings were in the 15-20% range.

That trade off has to be reliability, that's a big trade off in a modern CRD Diesel.

Cheers Andrew

[bdee Member Find all posts View Profile Close bdee]

Exactly...

I have been using either E10 or regular 95 unleaded when out on longer trips ( much cheaper out west ), but will be giving just the higher 98 premium unleaded a run when towing on longer hauls.
Have been using it around town but does not seem to effect fuel economy to a great extent when plodding around in the potholes of Sydney metro.

91 for me I have not seen a benefit in fuel consumption using the high octane.

[bdee Member Find all posts View Profile Close bdee]

Thats actually not to bad, especially considering the general assumption that the petrol version will drink like a fish and therefore should not be considered for such duties. I dare say you take it very easy and drive to conserve fuel.

Its funny how the Prado built their reputation mainly on their Petrol engine yet in the 150 series it has become irrelevant. Whilst I have not towed with the diesel I spent a lot of time driving both a Petrol and Diesel version and the Petrol drives so much better for around town. For what I am doing the Petrol seems just fine and probably uses about 20% more juice. As for how I drive I would say I average about 90kph so yes I do drive conservatively.

Brett

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

If a chip is going to give you more power and better fuel economy there has to be a trade off, otherwise Toyota would run the same tune especially if the fuel savings were in the 15-20% range.

That trade off has to be reliability, that's a big trade off in a modern CRD Diesel.

Cheers Andrew

Well for where I ( we both) go that answers the question, reliability please!!!

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Well for where I ( we both) go that answers the question, reliability please!!!

Yep, Potato chips are the only ones coming near my rig!

Cheers Andrew

[sj_001 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close sj_001]

Hi All, 1st Post for me, hoping it comes through okay!

2008 Prado
V6 Auto
100K
265 70 17 Mickey T's

I thought I would share fuel figures from a recent ~6500KM trip from Sydney to The Daintree over a 3 week period (not really long enough, but that's another story!) towing a 2012 Jayco Swan Outback with 2 Adults and 2 Kids, 2 Ice Boxes, Food Clothes etc.

I used both 91 Unleaded and 98. The numbers were dramatically different. Some routes below;

- Cairns to Cape Tribulation towing Van, plus day trip (without van) up Bloomfield to the Lions Den and return to Cape Trib plus some driving around to the local tourist spots then towing back to Cairns after 4 Days - Average Fuel 20 L/100 - UNLEADED 91 (Various Speeds)

- Cairns to Airlie Beach towing Van - All Bitumen, still approx 20 L/100 - UNLEADED 91 (Speeds generally between 95 and 105)

- Gympie to Hastings Point - 14 L/100, - UNLEADED 98 (Speeds 90 - 95)

- Hastings Point to Sydney - 16L 100, - UNLEADED 98 (a few more hills on this run, but still not too bad)

I was hoping for a low fuel usage with the combo of slower driving and perhaps better roads and 98 Unleaded, but a low of 14 was unexpected.

Overall, the total trip achieved 17.3 L/100. All in all, I thought 17s aren't too bad, but next time I will be trying to consistently use the 98 if available.

Cheers