Terrano diesel Auto mpg

[Gordon Thomas]

Hi guys.
I changed my Patrol 4.2 manual for a 1998 Terrano 2 auto last December and was dissapointed with the mpg of 21 to 23 mpg. i asked for info on this forum about remapping etc at the time but remaps on this vehicle need the ECU removing and it costs too much. However, I embarked from then until now on a proramme of mods to hopefully improve mpg and I'm reporting here the results, not to teach granny how to suck eggs but to add to the forum knowledge.

Adding a K & N induction kit ....+ about 2mpg
Running with 32/33 psi instead of 26psi in tyres, less rolling resistance, OK in summer..................+ 2mpg
Adding a Speedbox from Donator store. Negligible, but smooter take off. Turning the adjuster definately makes better performance but more smoke so its turned right down. Non measurable gain.
Adding Acetone at 15cc per 45 to 50 litre fill up (supermarket diesel)...+ 2mpg.
Trying BP expensive super diesel...non measurable gain.
Keeping to 60 or less mph on A roads and 65mph on motorway ....+ 3mpg

All these tests were done tank full to tankfull, correctly converted from litres to gallons. Mixed driving, approx 30% town,70% runs over 1hour.

Current consumption 28.5 to 31.5 mpg !!! RESULT. I'm happy with that with such a heavy, comfortable and automatic car.
By the way, even at 21 to 23 mpg and now, at known long wait traffic lights, I put it in neutral so it's not trying to creep.

Hope this info is useful but if you guys can easily afford present fuel prices, you are probably the ones who zoom past me in the outside lane whilst I,m cruising at 65. Drive safe............Gordy

 

[Gordon Thomas]

Excelent results!

 

[Gordon Thomas]

Any other suggestions to experiment with??

 

[solarman216]

watch that the increased tyre pressure does not produce increased center tread wear, resulting in replacing tyres sooner than required, other than that looks good, Rick

 

[makeitfit]

you've done the KnN why not go full bore exhaust too :sly get the stinky stuff out quick too should get you a bit more :thumbs
EGR , bin that too :thumb2

 

[Gordon Thomas]

Thanks. What and where is the EGR. What does it do?
Cheers

 

[macabethiel]

MPG

Look impressive m.p.g. figures will be interesting to see if they sustain over the next 3,000-miles or so.

My 2.7 TD Auto R3mR returns an average of 21.2 over a 12 month period. It drops to 18 mpg in winter and rises to 22 mpg in summer all on urban cycle of journey of 4 miles to work.

On the long runs to France and Chester usually in the summer it is 25-28 mpg depending on who is driving. Usually cruise at around 65-70 mph on dual carriageways & motorways.

I have found two stoke oil gives me a 2-3 mpg gain but the only cheap source of oil is either Morrisons or a local shop on the wrong side of town so I always run out! If I factor in the 99p cost its probably not worth it but it does run quiet and smoothly with 2T oil added.

I have found Texaco or Shell standard Diesel give me 1 mpg or so more than Sainsburys.

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

watch that the increased tyre pressure does not produce increased center tread wear, resulting in replacing tyres sooner than required, other than that looks good, Rick

I have always found that the front tyres tend to wear on the edges first, so it might help offset this - but i ave also found that with increased tyre pressure the old T2 handles dreadfully, poor road holding and a bumpy ride

 

[BIGSEAN]

I have always found that the front tyres tend to wear on the edges first, so it might help offset this - but i ave also found that with increased tyre pressure the old T2 handles dreadfully, poor road holding and a bumpy ride

Mine runs at about 38psi front and rear, nearly always fully loaded with junk, handles fine and has all but eliminated the outer edge tread wear, though i must say the torsion bar adjustment is spot on and i guess this helps.

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

Mine runs at about 38psi front and rear, nearly always fully loaded with junk, handles fine and has all but eliminated the outer edge tread wear, though i must say the torsion bar adjustment is spot on and i guess this helps.

I put my tyres up to 28 psi a couple of weeks ago after reading a thread on it and went out and towed a trailer full of sheep -NEVER AGAIN! it was awful!

I always have mine loaded, about half a ton in the back, and tow pretty heavy trailers and I wouldn't consider 38 even as a dare - what would the insurance assessor say if there was an accident!

Once at a service the garage put 2 bar pressure in the tyres (29.4 ish) and i could feel it loosing grip within a few miles.

you must have more bottle than me :augie

 

[Gordon Thomas]

re tyre pressures and mpg

I remember in 1995 when I bought a Patrol 4.2 GR , the thing slid in an any sort of wet when briskly going round corners and roundabouts. West Coast 4x4 put me straight. The original tyres were designed for the middle east market with abrasive sandy conditions. The tyres had a plastic ingredient and they showed no sign of wear after 2 years on our metalled roads. So I changed the tyres to a softer rubber which gripped the road a treat but by the time I changed to my present Terrano they were done. I have fitted Avon Ranger tyres on this Terrano and they grip good at the 32/33 pressure so it depends a lot on the tyre compound how they perform. Some of the chinese tyre reviews show alarming lack of grip and consequential longer braking distances!!! Look at race bike and race car tyre compouds. I have no qualms at 32/33 psi. I ran my Patrol on South Coast 4x4 recommendation at 45psi and at the end they were wearing even, not in the centre.
Whats the thing I need to remove mentioned earlier in the topic?

 

[BIGSEAN]

I put my tyres up to 28 psi a couple of weeks ago after reading a thread on it and went out and towed a trailer full of sheep -NEVER AGAIN! it was awful!

I always have mine loaded, about half a ton in the back, and tow pretty heavy trailers and I wouldn't consider 38 even as a dare - what would the insurance assessor say if there was an accident!

Once at a service the garage put 2 bar pressure in the tyres (29.4 ish) and i could feel it loosing grip within a few miles.

you must have more bottle than me :augie

Interesting, as an experiment i`m going to reduce my pressures whilst at work today, just to see the differences.It could be that being used to a "sport" oriented car previously i expected the reduced handling capabilities of my Terrano and accepted them. It is entirely possible that my handling is bad but as said earlier i have learned to compensate, i will post my feelings later on my return from work.

 

[Terranical]

When I first got my T2, about two and a half years ago, I had all five tyres changed for Nankangs (made in Vietnam, cheap as chips, around £50 each). At the price I was not expecting great things from them, but as I was taking the car to Spain and leaving it there to use on our frequent trips, on really bad mountain tracks, I didn't really want to buy top of the range.
16,000 miles down the road they are still in good nick, front ones showed a bit of feathering on the outside edges so I had the tracking done (the mountain tracks, with up to 18inch deep ruts and rocks and boulders all over the place plays havoc with the tracking) and swapped the front to back and vice versa. I have always run them at the recommended pressures and the front ones (ex rear) have 6mm of tread left, and the rears about 4mm. Like most Terranos it's a bit light on the back in wet conditions, but I only get swing-out if I accelerate around bends, so I make sure I treat the accelerator with respect in those conditions.
I am sure car manufacturers don't pluck their recommended pressures out of mid-air, and even allowing for different makes of tyre possibly needing a pound or two more or less to give their best balance between grip and wear, I think it makes sense to stick to those pressures.

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

I remember in 1995 when I bought a Patrol 4.2 GR , the thing slid in an any sort of wet when briskly going round corners and roundabouts. West Coast 4x4 put me straight. The original tyres were designed for the middle east market with abrasive sandy conditions. The tyres had a plastic ingredient and they showed no sign of wear after 2 years on our metalled roads. So I changed the tyres to a softer rubber which gripped the road a treat but by the time I changed to my present Terrano they were done. I have fitted Avon Ranger tyres on this Terrano and they grip good at the 32/33 pressure so it depends a lot on the tyre compound how they perform. Some of the chinese tyre reviews show alarming lack of grip and consequential longer braking distances!!! Look at race bike and race car tyre compouds. I have no qualms at 32/33 psi. I ran my Patrol on South Coast 4x4 recommendation at 45psi and at the end they were wearing even, not in the centre.
Whats the thing I need to remove mentioned earlier in the topic?

I have Avon Ranger tyres on mine! theresa f ew pics of in on this thread:

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8153&page=3


the placard in the car says unloaded 26 front 26 rear - loaded 26 front 26 rear

I have a compromise in mine as to keep pumping them up and letting them down 3 times a day would be a pain - 26 f 27 r

now the theory of a couple of extra PSI to improve MPG and centralise tyre wear would give you 28 all round, so why 33? I know from experience it would handle dreadfully and is way out of the manufacturers range.

 

[Timbo_1975]

I put my tyres up to 28 psi a couple of weeks ago after reading a thread on it and went out and towed a trailer full of sheep -NEVER AGAIN! it was awful!

I always have mine loaded, about half a ton in the back, and tow pretty heavy trailers and I wouldn't consider 38 even as a dare - what would the insurance assessor say if there was an accident!

Once at a service the garage put 2 bar pressure in the tyres (29.4 ish) and i could feel it loosing grip within a few miles.

you must have more bottle than me :augie

I run my SWB at 30psi front and 28psi rears. I would say the handling is very neutral and tyre wear even across the tread.

 

[makeitfit]

Obviously pressure depends on the tyre size too (I think):augie
I'm running on 24 psi all round but then their 305s . I looked at all sorts of info on pressures on big tyres and in the end went for a pressure that kept the tread flat on the ground :thumbs
Works for me
Run about 15 ish off roading though:naughty