Fuel usage

[Flatbiskit]

Hi all, I have been reading a lot of threads and forum's and I can't decide if there is something wrong with my challenger or it is the mods I have made or both, so I am asking the brains trust before I trade it in.

I have a 2013 (MY 14) PC Challenger, auto (I realise this does not help) with the following mods, 2" lift, 32" all terrain tyres, steel bull bar with winch, roof basket with awing, and a rear draw system.

When driving around town I can not get better than 15.6L/100km. When towing my Jayco swan outback, I try to stay at 95 - 100km/h and drive in manual mode and have never had it go in to limp mode, the worst I have done is 25.8L/100km. Average 21L/100km.

The camper is at a guess 1800 - 2000kg (I will weigh it soon) 2 adults and 2 kids and small amount of gear in car and 2 bikes on roof.

I realise it is a heavy set up but others with similar rigs are not using any where the fuel I am. Is this the best I can expect front the Challenger? I have a DP CHIP on the kitchen bench that made more torque but did nothing for fuel consumption, and I'm in the process of having a diesel tunes Australia remap installed to see if this helps.

If some one could shed some light on this I would be very grateful.

TIA

Geoff.

[cookie9]

mine is similar setup, sans bullbar/winch. We get about 13L/100 around town, 11L/100 freeway and heavy 4wd about 25L/100 (we are talking zika spur, billy goat bluff steepness with full load and 3 people)

I havnt had dealer service for over 18months so no updates or SQL which might help. I've also got EGR resistor mod, but I rekon it makes it slightly thirstier anyway.. I clean my MAF sensor regularly which helps economy.

Will be interested to hear what others experience.

[Flatbiskit]

mine is similar setup, sans bullbar/winch. We get about 13L/100 around town, 11L/100 freeway and heavy 4wd about 25L/100 (we are talking zika spur, billy goat bluff steepness with full load and 3 people)

I havnt had dealer service for over 18months so no updates or SQL which might help. I've also got EGR resistor mod, but I rekon it makes it slightly thirstier anyway.. I clean my MAF sensor regularly which helps economy.

Will be interested to hear what others experience.

Cookie

That make me feel a bit better lol. I have never cleaned my MAF sensor, I will look into this and have a go, see if it makes a difference.

[Spoonman]

Are you taking your figures from the computer display or distance travelled vs fuel used?

[whereswes]

mine is similar setup, sans bullbar/winch. We get about 13L/100 around town, 11L/100 freeway and heavy 4wd about 25L/100 (we are talking zika spur, billy goat bluff steepness with full load and 3 people)

I havnt had dealer service for over 18months so no updates or SQL which might help. I've also got EGR resistor mod, but I rekon it makes it slightly thirstier anyway.. I clean my MAF sensor regularly which helps economy.

Will be interested to hear what others experience.

Pretty much the same. 12.5 to 13.5 'round town. 11 to 11.5 highway.

Cheers
Wes

[Flatbiskit]

Are you taking your figures from the computer display or distance travelled vs fuel used?

That is calculated. Computer shows worse that that most of the time.

[Flatbiskit]

Pretty much the same. 12.5 to 13.5 'round town. 11 to 11.5 highway.

Cheers
Wes

I'd be happy if I could get 13.5 around town. No matter how gentle I drive I can not get that low. If I drive it harder it goes nuts.......

[Amok]

it'll cost you much more to trade your vehicle than what you spend on fuel!

[pajeromack]

To be honest, your fuel economy around town isn't that bad. A lift, basket, bigger tyres and heavy winch bullbar will add a fair bit to any vehicle, especially at higher speeds. Around town your torque converter will be unlocked and drinking fuel. Especially with larger tyres. This can also happen when towing. Might be worthwhile installing a lockup indicator and monitoring it.

Don't forget to correct the distance for larger tyres.

The trip computer is pessimistic and reads about 1L/100km high. Measure at the tank.

For comparison, my unmodified manual challenger (roof racks + bash plates) does about 8.5L/100km on the Bruce highway (100kmh) and generally 9-10L/100km around town.

It'll cost your more to trade in than what you'll spend on fuel. Once you transfer your mods across you might not save that much fuel. If you have your heart set on a different vehicle, I'd go for one with a good quality automatic with better lockup capability and dual fuel tanks.

[Flatbiskit]

To be honest, your fuel economy around town isn't that bad. A lift, basket, bigger tyres and heavy winch bullbar will add a fair bit to any vehicle, especially at higher speeds. Around town your torque converter will be unlocked and drinking fuel. Especially with larger tyres. This can also happen when towing. Might be worthwhile installing a lockup indicator and monitoring it.

Don't forget to correct the distance for larger tyres.

The trip computer is pessimistic and reads about 1L/100km high. Measure at the tank.

For comparison, my unmodified manual challenger (roof racks + bash plates) does about 8.5L/100km on the Bruce highway (100kmh) and generally 9-10L/100km around town.

It'll cost your more to trade in than what you'll spend on fuel. Once you transfer your mods across you might not save that much fuel. If you have your heart set on a different vehicle, I'd go for one with a good quality automatic with better lockup capability and dual fuel tanks.

Oh yea I agree it will cost me a fortune. I went to a dealer (ford) and got a trade in price on a new Everest Trend, and they offered me $26,000 for it.

One of the vehicles I travel with is an Everest, it tows a 19 foot full size van approx 2.8T and returns 15.4L/100km.

I just did not think the mods I have done would have such a large impact on economy and power.....

[Flatbiskit]

A lot of you have the torque converter lock up kit, is this an ebay purchase? or a bricks and mortar shop?

[BruceandBobbi]

A lot of you have the torque converter lock up kit, is this an ebay purchase? or a bricks and mortar shop?

Bricks and mortar.

https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=81

[Spoonman]

$26,000 is a pretty good trade in I reckon, I would have thought you'd be offered much less than that. I must have picked mine up for an absolute bargain.

I think your tyres are what is killing your fuel economy the most. I've only recently put a bullbar and winch on my Challenger and haven't really noticed a change in the fuel economy (mine is manual though). The other thing I've noticed is removing my roof racks and awning has improved my fuel economy by about 0.5-1L/100km.

[Flatbiskit]

Bricks and mortar.


https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum...splay.php?f=81

Bruceandbobbi

Thanks for that will have a read and go from there.

[Flatbiskit]

$26,000 is a pretty good trade in I reckon, I would have thought you'd be offered much less than that. I must have picked mine up for an absolute bargain.

I think your tyres are what is killing your fuel economy the most. I've only recently put a bullbar and winch on my Challenger and haven't really noticed a change in the fuel economy (mine is manual though). The other thing I've noticed is removing my roof racks and awning has improved my fuel economy by about 0.5-1L/100km.

I was hoping for quite a bit more as a trade considering the mods low k's etc.

I did the lift and tyres within about 4 days of each other and not much driving in between so not sure which has made the most difference. I think there was about 1.5L/100KM after these.