Cruise Control - Guzzler or not?

Hi, me again, I've only had my Disco TD5 for about a month now and it seems to use more fuel on the motorway when I use the cruise control, is this possible or am I just imagining it.

Thanks again Peter

Well I dont have cruise control on my Landy but have had it b4 on a previous car with a digital fuel computer. On nice motorway runs with the cruise on It was returning slightly better mpg. I think this is down to the fact that no mater how steady you are on the accelerator you will still vary the position of you foot slightly e.g slight acceleration ... back off again ... slight acceleration and so on. Cruise just gives you a nice constant.

Thanks Disco inferno, that's what I thought, it makes sense, will keep an eye on it though and let you know what I find soon,

Cheers Peter

I agree, you should get better MPG using cruise control sincce its a constant rate of fuel usage.

Thanks Ghazz, I agree, must be my mind playing tricks

Cheers Peter

Cruise control usually returns better fuel consumption for the reasons given above; it can use more fuel in certain conditions.

Letting your speed bleed away a little on short and gentle inclines and using the down slopes to build momentum will use less fuel than cruise control in a similar situation.

Cruise control will use a wider throttle opening and use more fuel going up the hill to maintain the set speed, going down hill the cruise will go to the other extreme and almost shut the throttle - but significantly it will rarely close the throttle totally. The extra fuel required to build up momentum again of the downslope is less than was used to hold the speed going up the hill.

The difference is more noticeable on less precise vacuum controlled CC systems. I prefer to use CC myself though.

Widget said:

Cruise control usually returns better fuel consumption for the reasons given above; it can use more fuel in certain conditions.

Click to expand...

I have to agree... here in the outback, on flat roads, much more fuel effecient, but further south where it starts to get hilly, even the slightest hill will have my V8 auto kick down a gear and accelerate to maintain speed. This is most un-nerving when you are approaching a narrow crest of a hill and it wants to throw you at a potential on coming hazard at full noise!..lol

I suppose that means that it depends on the area you're driving in to adjust your styles according to your hip pocket requirements.

cruise control on my old series was a housebrick.

We had a hand throttle which led to some interesting moments in the Series 3 2.25 Diesel !

Hand throttle? please do tell

Peter

on some of the older series, they fitted hand throttles. for the farmers using a pto etc...
just like a tractor.

Thanks ormus, all clear now apart from one thing, what does gorm stand for/mean?

well, gormless is a northern expression meaning a sort of idiot type person.
eg, look at that gormless tw@t.

hence got some gorm!

You learn something new everyday!

Cheers

aye the internet is a wonderful thing.

i learnt about some funny shaped ladies from bancock last night.

I think it was an extra fitment designed for use with PTO accessories.

Mounted in front of the gearstick against the bulkhead, it was quite a large arrangement with a handle that moved from left to right. It was sprung against a ratchet to hold the engine speed.

I remember trying it out out once, then realising that it would be plain dangerous in an emergency.