V6 fuel type and consumption

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

What sort of consumption are the V6 owners getting at the moment? And are you using 98, 95 or 91 octane fuel?

I only do about 20-30km a day (usually not in any traffic) and am getting 15.5-16.5l/100km. No where near what I expected. I'm being pretty gentle with it too. I was expecting maybe 13-14l/100km for easy town driving.

Currently using 98 (BP Ultimate) but at 15c/l more expensive $1.45 I think I'll try regular unleaded next time.

Cheers, Sam.

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Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

Do you drive in hilly terrain? Are the fuel consumption figures calculated or from the trip meter? It does look a bit on the high side if you are on the flat and not encountering stop starts at traffic lights etc. Maybe just need to run the engine in a bit more.

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

Not flat, but not super hilly either. Drive to work involves a merge onto a 90km/h highway and then two sets traffic lights. A couple of hills thrown in there but nothing too steep.

Opposite on the way home.

Hopefully it'll settle a bit.

[gxllouie Member Find all posts View Profile Close gxllouie]

Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

hi sam,

my car averages 12.6 and that's with about 80-90% highway driving. so i too am disappointed (given combined is supposed to be 11.5). however, as i mentioned in the first fuel thread, the car probably needs some time to run in (usually around 10,000km).

i use ethanol blend. ethanol 91 = 95 octane. therefore, power output is good. however, ethanol fuel economy should be less than 95 (ethanol burns faster).

next tank (when the fuel price is down) i will put 95 in to see if i get a better return.

note: by my calcs, i'd have to average 1L/100 better with 95 just to break even! (95 costs 11c/L more than ethanol)

also, imo 98 vs 95 - i'd go 95. 95 will give you better milleage (i've found this with my cbr600rr). 91 would give you the best milleage (again on my cbr), but the prado is designed to run on 95 or higher - hence i use ethanol. you can run 91 in it - the knock sensors will take care of that - but i wouldn't do it all the time.

louie

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

V6 fuel type and consumption

Thanks Louie, i think I'll try 95 next time. I may even see if I can find some ethanol blend somewhere too. Never used this before so is there anything to look out for? Is one better than another?

The average for this tank (only 100km into it) is now up to 17.1! I've been very gentle too trying to get somewhere near 15.

Still a bigger range than in my 88l tank in the Pajero but a lot more expensive. Oh well, the extra grunt and refinement is well worth it and the cheaper servicing will help offset the fuel cost!

Cheers, Sam.

[gxllouie Member Find all posts View Profile Close gxllouie]

Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

hey sam,

most servos, bp, caltex, etc will do ethanol - it's branded E10. usually branded E10 + Unleaded 91.

as for which is better... six of one half a dozen of the other. again, theoretically, 95 better fuel consumption but e10 a lot cheaper. however, i would never use e10 unless your car has been approved to do so. eg. i would never use e10 in my cbr or in my mower or in my line trimmer. the prado has an e10 sticker on the fuel door so all good.

and i agree. i was always wanting the diesel, but the $10,000 price difference at time of purchase was too big to ignore. also, i took the petrol for a test drive and was impressed with how much better the sport shift worked than the diesel and how much more power was available on tap. if i had a choice again and there wasn't the price difference... i'd be torn: the fuel economy of the diesel and low down torque is appealing. the refinement and power of the petrol is just as appealing. i'm taking the prado out with a 4.2 diesel patrol and 4.5 diesel cruiser cab chassis - so that'll be a good test for how the petrol goes - i'll let you know the results.

louie

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Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

The engine uses the most petrol when it is cold in the morning. So if you are climbing that slight hill or accelerating to merge onto the 90km/h highway early in your journey, it will increase your consumption. I usually take it very easy coming out of our suburb for the morning school run. Then at the 1st traffic light is when the temp needle is close to halfway point (warmed up). From then on, I drive normally. My wife on the other hand tends to rush out of the house in the morning school run and fuel consumption is noticeably higher. So I have decided that she drives the Tarago and I take the Prado and I will do the morning school run.

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

I continue to be disappointed by the fuel consumption on the petrol. Absolutely love the car but the last two tanks have both averaged in the 17's which is nowhere near th claimed figures. I'm really driving Miss Daisy too at the moment to trrryyyy and get it down. I'm down under a 1/4 of a tank at the moment with barley 600km on the clock. Will be lucky to get 750km which is sh%thouse for 130l (normally what it takes on refill).

I realise it'll settle as it runs in but will it settle by 4-5l per hundred to get anywhere near the claimed figure???

What's everyone else getting?

Cheers, Sam.

P.S, No 'you should have bought a diesel jokes . I do love the petrol, just not its alcoholism

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

Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

notice you are using 275/65 tyres instead of standard 265/65 , some of the increase in fuel economy maybe down to that ????
heavier, taller tyre with more rolling resistance and your speedo would be closer to reading correct. ie So previously when indicated 100 you are only doing 97, but now genuine 100, going faster creating more wind resistance.
Its a guess of course, but 5 % increase in fuel economy due to the bigger tyres wouldn`t sound unreasonable, they have changed your gearing a little bit.
Add in weight and extra wind resistance from accessories.
I know my Jackaroo Diesel went from around 10.5 to around 12, with slightly bigger tyres, bullbar, second battery, drawers full of stuff. That is without roof rack.

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

V6 fuel type and consumption

Yeah, the tyres would be adding a tiny bit but nowhere near the increase over the claimed figure. At this stage the only accessories I have are a dual battery which is only a little 60ah and Sportz cross rails which are very aerodynamic.

I'm sure there's heaps of 120's running BFGs getting way better consumption and they're supposed to be thirstier than the new model.

Hopefully it will settle in a bit. Not holding my breath though.

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Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

maxjj, you may have found the reason.

Apart from bigger tyres (i.e. more weight therefore increasing fuel economy), you are also travelling further than indicated on the odometer. So whatever your odometer is reading, you need to multiply by the % change in rolling diameter. So say the % change is 5%, then you need to multiply your mileage by 1.05 to get your true distance. Then use this new distance to calculate your fuel consumption. Then subtract 0.5 to 1L/100km due to going for larger/heavier tyres and you will get a figure closer to the stickered fuel consumption figure.

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

17 around town would be avergae for a 120 with a bit of kit, i am sure their combined figures is 95% highway 5% town, just keep telling yourself how much u love the power.

[Prado BB Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Prado BB]

Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

I just had a spat after doing an all highway run to Melbourne and back using around 16lt/100. Mine is a pre D4D diesel :shock: I have concluded the follow:

Stock: av. 12.5lt/100
bigger tyres add 1lt/100
roof racks (3 bar) add 1lt/100
Rhino Rack add 1lt/100
Luggage on rack add .5lt/100

and that's my rule of thumb (don't bother arguing with me :twisted: )

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

Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

on my Liberty I went from 215/45/18 oem re050a to re 001 225/45/18 at around the same speed I took a hit in fuel economy of about 4%.
I got figures to back it up. This may sound stupid, but it definitely feels like it puts a lot of more rubber on the road
So wider tyres, more rolling resistance, more weight, more wind resistance and then the whole gearing, speed/ km travelled issue.
I used to make a point of cruising on a 118 in a 110 zone now its more like cruise on a 115, so its not just down to gearing.

just guessing of course, but a/t and m/t tyres may well have a higher rolling resistance than oem grandcraps. More tread more rolling resistance.

interesting read here on rolling resistance
http://www.michelin.com/corporate/front ... G_AXE_RECH

[gxllouie Member Find all posts View Profile Close gxllouie]

Re: V6 fuel type and consumption

our car has done close to 10,000 km. the average over that time has been 12.5 L/100.

consumption varies so much. the other day after refuel the car was returning 11.8. after then sitting in 40 mins of stop start traffic on the freeway (a trip that should only take 15 mins), guess what it read... 11.8. this surprised me!

after spending a bit of time watching the fuel consumption under different conditions, i have concluded that the following general conditions affect fuel economy the most:

• 1. traffic lights (idling and then accelerating) burns fuel
  2. other drivers (especially ones who sit in the right lane, forcing you to lose your momentum and then accelerate to regain it) burn your fuel
  3. cruising at constant speed saves fuel (cruising between 60-80 uses much less fuel than cruising between 100-120)

i've also found that babying the car actually uses more fuel - it takes you longer to get to cruising speed.

so now i just drive how i want to drive and not worry about babying it, and guess what, the fuel economy is getting better - last 2 tanks have both been 12.0 L/100 (and that's even with the mother-in-law's lead foot behind the wheel for a day).

louie