Disappointing fuel economy...

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Thanks for the info guys...total newbie just rambling here. I have not been impressed with my 13BT's fuel economy either. I just filled up today, and my calculations indicate that with this tank of fuel, I used 12.4L/100kms of mixed driving, or roughly 18.95 US MPG...which is not that great, really. But then again, if fuel economy is really on top of my list for a vehicle, I would have picked up a Toyota Echo instead of a Cruiser. All things considered, I think almost 19 MPG for a 5,000lb truck is still respectable in mostly city driving.

I'm just trying to get my 13BT to run as efficiently as possible, and that may mean that I have to have a closer look at my injectors and injection timing. Maybe while I'm at it, I'll also get some compression numbers, although if the miniscule amount of blow-by is any indication, I project that my compression numbers should be alright. Cheers.
 
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No the 30 mpg was a best case that occured on a highway run from a fuel stop in Abbotsford clear through to a fuel stop in Hinton, Alberta. My wife was driving and following me when I was driving my old '83 Toyota diesel pickup loaded with material for a job (read no fast hill climbing!!!).
It was also pre-turbo though I would expect the possibility of better mileage now that the turbo is there, I've just never recorded it yet.

My 3B always starts on the first turn after allowing a full glow cycle (watch the volt meter for the end of the cycle).
 
come one guys, a 13BT shoudl get 25 mpg when driven by an old lady and a 3B should get 28 mpg by the same lady and a 2LT will get 32 mpg.
if you have any hilols at all your fule milage will drop, if you accelete quickly the milage will drop, if you drive with larger than 29" tires (factory size on all the 70 series trucks except the 75 series) the fule milage will drop.
i have heard rumours of 3Bs getting 35 mpg, i have not seen it and it is always ("my brothers friends dad gets"...).
no matter how bad the fuel milage your diesel is getting you will still be better than the gasser brothers.
if you want fuel economy then go buy a corrolla...
Moose, try a tank on level ground with out quick acceleration and you will probably get in the mid 25 mpg. you will never get the fuel savings back that you lost going down the same hill you went up...
cheers and happy holidays...
 
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here's my latest mileage experience:

Fj60 with a 13bt in it
235/85R16
3.70 gears
cruising moderate hills from eastern wa to seattle at 70 mph (110 kmh)
429 miles to 18.4 gal of B40 fuel (40% biodiesel)

that equals:
23.3 US mpg
27.9 UK mpg
10.08 L/100km

I was pretty heavy on the foot. usually i get neared to 26-28 US MPG. for those familiar with the area I cruised up the vantage hill westbound at 65 mph.....

my .03

mike
 
moose_sv1000s said:
I am now on my third tank of diesel since picking up the BJ70, and I must say that I'm less than impressed with the mileage. On the past two tanks I have averaged 13.25L/100kms or 17.75 miles per gallon.

Now I thought with this 3B engine I should be getting 9.5 L/100kms or 25 miles per gallon or better, given 100% highway driving.

Can someone offer a list of possible causes for this poor economy?

Thanks,
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The feedback I have heard on the 3B-II (rotary Inj pump) engine is that the fuel economy is poor as compared to the inline pump 3B. so that could be part of the problem right there. Still I think it should be better than 17.75.. heck,my HJ61 5spd does between 10.6 and 11.5l per 100km.

Sheldon
 
Stone said:
I've never seen a 13BT that has had better fuel mileage than a 3B, Charles...including mine. So if you run into a 13BT owner that can beat the close to 30 MPG that a well tuned 3B is capable of...let me know. :) I'd be curious to know. I suspect that the direct injected 13BT is probably not as efficient as an indirect injected 3B even with the turbo. Thanks.
Click to expand...

My experience...
When I swapped a 13B-T into my 86 BJ70 I noticed a noticable improvement in power.. and fuel economy. No scientific MPG data since my speedo was out due to 4.11s.. but I did the same trip that I do every year with the BJ70.. 13B-T70 this time with a boat on the roof! and kept up with traffic on the Coquihalla Hwy.. and got back with 1/8 of a tank where the 3B would have been on fumes. Big smile.

Sheldon
 
the BJ61 i brought in had the rotory pump 3B and it ran smoother, quieter, more power and better fuel economy....than the Canadian 3Bs i have driven...
interesting
cheers
 
Sheldon knows how to baby that throttle, Wayne. You and I both have lead in our right foot. Greg B.'s numbers would be more comparable to ours as his driving style is more similar (don't deny it Greg...I've seen your tach reglarly hit 3000). :)
 
ok lets get down to it...

Ok lets get right down to it....


We are all driving really cool Toyota Diesels, so what if they vary on mileage, at least they are not gassers. :D

Well somebody had to say it :cool:

Michael
 
tlcruiserman said:
Ok lets get right down to it....


We are all driving really cool Toyota Diesels, so what if they vary on mileage, at least they are not gassers. :D

Well somebody had to say it :cool:

Michael
Click to expand...


Exactly...

Sheldon
 
Stone said:
Sheldon knows how to baby that throttle, Wayne. You and I both have lead in our right foot. Greg B.'s numbers would be more comparable to ours as his driving style is more similar (don't deny it Greg...I've seen your tach reglarly hit 3000). :)
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And your point? All I am saying is that I drove the same truck on the same road with the same load with two different motors.. 3B and 13B-T... the 13B-T went WAY faster in spite of a boat on the roof, and got me back home with fuel to spare.. where I would have been sputtering in the 3B. Driving style is completely irrelivant.

Had I demanded only 3B performance out of the 13B-T (60kmph in third on the grades, 100kmph on flats) I would likely got significantly better economy.. but what is the fun in that.

Sheldon
 
I don't make the argument that I'm not saving money having switched from gasoline to diesel, but the orginal thrust of my post was that my 3B is inferior to other 3B's in similar trim and driven in similar conditions. Having said this, I am plannign to have the injectors looked at soon.
 
OK, to end any heresay about "I heard a guy once got 'x' mielage in his 3B, I will put those rumors to rest.

I have an '85 BJ70 with a rebuilt 3B. I have 20K on the rebuild and my compression numbers aren't even that great for a rebuild (425, 425, 400, 400 lbs), maybe it's still breaking in. I'm running 4.11's with 33x10.5 MT's, 2.5" body lift and a 2" suspension lift. It's not exactly aerodynamic.

On average with mixed driving I get 24-26 mpg (Imperial at 4.54L per gallon that is). On the highway however, I get between 30 and 33 mpg driving from Calgary to Vancouver and back (1000 kms). I've done this drive many times and these are consistant #'s.

The trick to mileage your revs. My father-in-law bought an '84 BJ60 new off the lot in 1984 and drove it for 9 years imparted this wisdom (this same truck later evolved into the infamous Tippy 'R' now driven by my brother-in-law).

When I'm driving on the highway I keep the revs below 2400 rpm. I don't care what speed I'm going, but that usually keeps me at about 105-110 kph. On the hills, I wind up doing 70 kph...oh well, I drive a Landcruiser. That 33 mpg is from a very heavy truck with aerodynamics like an open parachute. Revs, revs, revs.

So...to sum up. Keep the revs under control and most of your mielage issues will be solved. Sure, you can go faster (Wayne), but you bought a Landcruiser, so imagine you are in Jamaica, and go with the flow. Slow and steady wins the race...

Craig.

PS
Yes Moose, I would check your injectors. Before my rebuild and with old injectors I was getting 18 mpg.
 
PS
Yes Moose, I would check your injectors. Before my rebuild and with old injectors I was getting 18 mpg.[/QUOTE]



Lumpy, we have VERY similar set-ups, all except for the lift and the tires (I'm running 31's). Ironically, I'm also getting 18mpg...so it's just a matter of finding an injector-rebuilder here on the Island. I would be thrilled with 25mpg, let alone 30mpg. My 98 F250 was getting 14mpg on the highway, cost me $12 per day to commute to work.
 
Just remember that Craig is talking about Imperial Gallons (as he has clearly stated in his post), and not US MPG. His UK MPG of 24-26 (for mixed driving) is really about 20-21.6 US MPG, which is still good.
 
moose_sv1000s said:
Lumpy, we have VERY similar set-ups, all except for the lift and the tires (I'm running 31's). Ironically, I'm also getting 18mpg...so it's just a matter of finding an injector-rebuilder here on the Island. I would be thrilled with 25mpg, let alone 30mpg. My 98 F250 was getting 14mpg on the highway, cost me $12 per day to commute to work.
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Hey so where's the best place to get rebuilt injectors? Or how hard is it to rebuild them? Just put on new nozzles, like the Denso nozzles 4wheelauto has? I know there was a thread recently on it, but I searched and found nada. Except this post again.

I have noticable black smoke under load, lots of white smoke at start up. Normal or ? Yeah, gutless on the hills, but this gutless?

B
 
my very first full tank of fuel (can't really drive it yet due to some laggin paperwork)
I was happy to discover that I had made it 690km on just over 66l of fuel (think it was 66.3, but didn't look carefully) that works out to 9.59 l/ 100km, right? So about 24.5 mpg. WOW!!! HolyfreakingI'msohappyIcouldpopthisisgreat!!!!
Keep in mind that around here we yearn for good old city driving. I spend most of my time puttering around on dirt roads and frequently idle for long periods to let a cow amble by or to chat with a friend.

I'm having a little trouble believing the mileage is really this good. My fj was getting as high as 10mpg in similar conditions (of course, it is much heavier).

Running stock 2H with h41 tranny, and 31's. I think 3.70s as it doesn't feel as low as my 40 w/ h41 and 4.11s
 
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