Help My TD5 is too thirsty...

I'm just at the end of my first full tank since buying my '02 TD5 Auto.... it's currently sitting at one notch above empty and I've only done 290 miles. However, I've only used it for my commute to the station which is 10 miles each way, so no long runs and always in traffic. I filled it to one click.

I was quite worried as it went down to half way on the guage in less than 100 miles! It had a major service at this point and, thankfully, the guage has slowed it's dive. The next tank full will be interesting.

Someone mentioned checking the viscous fan. Mine turns but doesn't spin freely - how easily should you be able to turn it?

In truth, as my last car was a V8 M5 - anything over 17MPG will be a vast improvement!

Mikey-R said:

I'm just at the end of my first full tank since buying my '02 TD5 Auto.... it's currently sitting at one notch above empty and I've only done 290 miles. However, I've only used it for my commute to the station which is 10 miles each way, so no long runs and always in traffic. I filled it to one click.

I was quite worried as it went down to half way on the guage in less than 100 miles! It had a major service at this point and, thankfully, the guage has slowed it's dive. The next tank full will be interesting.

Someone mentioned checking the viscous fan. Mine turns but doesn't spin freely - how easily should you be able to turn it?

In truth, as my last car was a V8 M5 - anything over 17MPG will be a vast improvement!

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Hi Mikey, you may notice a slight difference in performance

To be honest the extra amount of fuel you can get in , between the first click and seeing the level of diesel in the neck, is quite surprising. But it does take patience !!!!!

Whenever I get another car I always fill it to the brim for the first few tankfulls, just to establish a baseline mpg for comparison.

Personally, irrespective of what I have been told about the service history I always go through it from stem to stern, again just to establish a baseline.

As these cars breath deep and heavy my first thing is a new airfilter, sometimes even before I've got the car home - but that's just me

With general running around and being a TD5 auto you should get 25mpg minimum, once you have got used to a different performance envelope. On a run at 65-70mph nearer to 30mpg.

PS Sorry I forgot to comment on the Viscous Fan. These should turn relatively easily on a cold engine, should turn easily on an engine at normal temp and should be realy quite stiff to turn on a very hot engine. Thjey are not like the VF on my BM 740 which would spin, on a cold engine.

You're not wrong about the performance, however, the upside is I won't be at risk of losing my licence every time I venture out

I do the same as you... fill the tank on a new car. Trouble with this one was that's how I found out the seal had gone the the sender unit and promptly lost a quarter tank of diesel all over the forecourt and my drive :doh:

The next tank full will be the one I'm interested in as I've got used to the autobox and where it tends to change up and down and at what speeds etc. Coupled with the service it's just had, I'm hoping for better figures.

I'll check the fan again tonight - I only tried spinning it by hand without the engine on at all - this could be done with one finger but wouldn't spin freely.

Cheers.

When you fill it up, are you actually putting in a tankful? As in what's left in the tank as shown by the gauge or light equates to the amount of litres to fill to its book capacity. I only ask as the gauge readings on these are not always that accurate. The float may require a slight adjustment to ensure it is reading correctly. My manual TD5 has covered +130k miles and not what I would say is maintained as it should and I cover around 20k a year and I still manage around the 30mpg mark on the daily 70 mile commute.

thebiglad said:

Hi Jeremy, was your TDi 300 auto or manual?

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Auto, so comparing like for like. Also I believe that these cars are wire driven from the peddle as oposed to manual cable, as such should I be driving with a different style with my right foot?

Jeremy Hughes said:

Auto, so comparing like for like. Also I believe that these cars are wire driven from the peddle as oposed to manual cable, as such should I be driving with a different style with my right foot?

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Hi Jeremy, sorry for being slow to reply but I am currently at my sisters place, so not so accessible to a computer.

The differences between D1 and D2 autos are follows:

1. D1 - 4 speed auto, manually controlled kick-down, torque converter (TC lu) lockup at 52mpg in 4th (D), fly by wire pedal;

2. D2 - 4 speed auto, electronicaly controlled gear changing, torque converter lock-up in third (48mph) and 4th (55mph), electronic throttle pedal.

The importance of TC lu should not be under-estimated. Having it available in third gear as well as 4th gear is extremely useful, when driving on slower roads/hilly areas/when towing, as it means you effectively have a form of 'direct drive'.

Do some experimentation and see how you get on, with regard to the gearbox, as the layout is designed to swap between 3 & D without any detents.

Good luck
Dave

thebiglad said:

I find if you are driving in areas where you are unlikely to achieve 55mph or more, then selecting '3' rather than 'D' has it's advantages, especially when above about 48mph as the 'box goes into third gear torque lockup.

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I never knew this and its great advice. I am achieving 25mpg on average with an 11 mile each way commute through lanes - always in D and rarely if ever get above 55. I'll try using 3rd to see if that makes a difference.

stamford said:

When you fill it up, are you actually putting in a tankful? As in what's left in the tank as shown by the gauge or light equates to the amount of litres to fill to its book capacity. I only ask as the gauge readings on these are not always that accurate. The float may require a slight adjustment to ensure it is reading correctly. My manual TD5 has covered +130k miles and not what I would say is maintained as it should and I cover around 20k a year and I still manage around the 30mpg mark on the daily 70 mile commute.

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You may have a point there. However, I refilled to first click and my MPG is a shade under 22. I'm quite happy with that considering it never had a long run at all.

What is interesting is that to the first click I managed to squeeze in 57.3 litres. Now, before I filled up, the guage was at 1 mark above empty, however, assuming it hold 93 litres, that means there was still in the region of 36 litres still in there! I suppose I could have squeezed maybe another few litres in (1st to 3rd click) but still, that's well over 7 gallons in there, so I think I'm safe in assuming the guage needs adjusting.

Try the 3rd gear trick on any road where you hover between 25-55mph. It does make a difference on autos.

My 03 auto seems to have become moderatley better on fuel since doing a decat pipe, K&N filter, egr removal etc. I now get 450 miles on the mway cruising at 70-75.

Round town and general work I get 380 to a full tank. It will never beat a tdi for fuel economy but the stereo is better (Harmon Kardon). So far thats the only real benefit.

If you can get a clean 300tdi with little or no rust and want something reliable and cheap thats the oone to go for (in my experience of having both).

Over the last few days I've done about 800kms (about 500mls) so I thought I would report on the results; this post if mainly to inform on range, rather than mpg although the two are associated.

Vehicle details: 1999 D2 TD5 auto, no aircon, 212,000kms, de-cat; K&N filter; fully synthetic oils in the tranny box and axles; road tyres at 2.2bar front, 2.6bar rear; weather cold and a bit snowy, not much wind; journey was 20% A road at 90kph (56mph) plus 80% motorway 100-110kph (65-70mph)

Weds morning, filled up with approx 81litrs of diesel to the 4th click of the pump.

Drove approx 250kms, parked up for 2 days, then drove approx 365kms stopping off for coffee only.

The main message of this post is that at about 600kms, I took a pic of the dashboard and it was showing just slightly above the halfway mark !!!!!



I am not for one moment suggesting that if half a tank does 600kms then a whole tank will do 1200kms - I am certain sure now that after this experience and in these conditions, I could do 1000kms on a full tank.


I have not spoken about mpg as that was not my goal when making this post and I haven't yet refilled the tank so I don't have the data. But a 1000kms on a tank does seem pretty good doesn't it?

I put this down to a well maintained car and high quality transmissions oils reducing friction losses in the drive-train and correctly inflated tyres.

Hope you find this of interest

Dave

Mine is doing 28mpg to 30mpg on normal drive`n but kick it`s ass & that drops to low 20`s its well serviced and its chipped to 200bhp so i would say your`s is a bit low

don't know what mines doing but the 3rd gear lock up is useful if your under 50 ish.

mines been chipped abd the boost adjusted so i can motor on. one thing i have noticed that the extra torque produced seems to make the box bite harder and change up / lock up better.

T1G UP said:

don't know what mines doing but the 3rd gear lock up is useful if your under 50 ish.

mines been chipped abd the boost adjusted so i can motor on. one thing i have noticed that the extra torque produced seems to make the box bite harder and change up / lock up better.

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I know the Discovery 1 only locks up in D but the original Landrover handbook tells you to leave the autobox in 3 around town. I find it drives better like this and gives slightly better mpg.

my disco td5 auto does about that its normal mate if you wanted a cheap run about a landrover isnt your idea car m8