Dec 30, 2009
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Well over the past 5 trips out weve been experimenting trying to improve the MPG whilst towing.

The reason for the experiment was we were only getting around 26 mpg from a mondeo tdci 130 6 speed pulling a 1400kg van. Could only use 5th gear as 6th at 60 indicated on the CAR speedo revs were too low to keep it going and had to keep gear changing thus impeeding mpg even more.

Tried to reduce speed to get revs down in 5th but doing around 50 mph to achieve that, didnt like that speed as being passed by lorrys all the time is rather uncomfortable. but did achieve 30mpg as an average, so knew we could get more than the 26mpg we had been recording.

Then we found the optimum speed in 6th to get good mpg. If we travel at 62 mph as indicated on the cars speedo, we can cruse at this speed in 6th gear manually or on cruse without many gear changing and the return is fab, we have been getting the past 3 trips 34/35 mpg.

Now before anybody tells me it is irrisponsible to speed our satalite device in the car indicates that our speed fluctuats between 59 and 60, the outfit sits very steady at this speed and as we have always done, slow down to around 50/55 for steep and or long decents. (we have seen far too many overturned caravans at the bottom of hills in the past few years)

This has been with the majority of motorway driving, as when we are on A roads the speed is reduced to a max of 50 and alot of the time less.
 
Feb 16, 2009
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Trucker if your speedometer on the car reads 63 you will be doing 60 mph, the Sat nav will be the correct speed, most manufacturers set the speedometer 2 to 3 mph higher, so l was told by my service technician at Mitsubishi.

NigelH
 
May 21, 2008
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Well done Trucker.

You have just proven that by experimenting and thinking about your driving style, you can be a better driver.

One thing people forget is to inflate their tyres properly. That can cause 10% fuel consumption alone.

Have a look at the thread on aerofoils in equipment & accessories.

You might want to try one of those too.

I find my Laguna tows most economic at 58Mph in 5th gear.

Atb, Steve L.
 
Dec 30, 2009
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Steve, always do my tyres, before towing up and once at site down(if were staying more than a couple of days deflate and then inflate again when leaving. Funny enough I dont seem to see anybody else do this and I do get some very strange looks.

Better tow and it also makes the tyres wear even.

Never thought of an arofoil, all I have read tells me unless they are set up absolutly right they make no difference, and I think they do look a bit ott imho.

John the reason we tested the different senarios over a few trips was exactly that. differing wind/outside temp ect, we used the m5 up to tewksbury area x2 and also Highbridge x2 from Tiverton Devon, not long runs but long enough to equal out the mpg from getting out of tiverton and onto the m/way mpg starts off at j27 m5 at 27ish and rises to as I say around 34/35 by the time we reach Highbridge and stays pretty constant.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I've got the 2.2 version and the same problem, it turns out the 2.2 has a slightly higher 6th gear than the 2lt so further degrades 6th gear towing

Nottingham to Dorset averaged 26mpg over 200 miles and lots of gear changes.

Coming back I set the cruise at 62mph on the sat nav which allowed it to stay in 6th most of the time, this returned slightly better at 28mph, but, in all honesty and never mind being a tad over the limit and as steady as a rock, I feel it's a bit quick so still no good for relaxed driving.

Don't know the full answer yet for mine, thought about a re-map until insurance wanted 20% extra! so that's out.

What I really don't understand, is why people kept telling me the TDCI pulls all day at 60mph in 6th?, because we know it don't?!
 
Dec 30, 2009
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Gary, is 5 gear higher as well, if it is it should sit at around 55 at 16/1700 rpm and return better fuel. Mine in 6th sits at 16/1700rpm at the stated speed(sat nav 59/60) and I find if the rpm is just over the 1500 mark its got the best mpg. Solo doing 65 in 6th I get upwards to 58mpg, which ant bad for a big family estate car
 
Mar 14, 2005
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One other thing I quickly found out is the 2.2lt solo MPG is not as good as the 2lt version, best I've seen is exactly 50mpg over 80 miles on a very steady trip back from Skeg, knocking about worst type driving it's down to 37mpg, motorway best 47mpg

So a lot less than the 2lt unless of course the same porkys are being told about mpg as 6th gear towing abilities??

Still I'm not bothered, it's a darn sight better than the old V6 and infact paying for itself, with fuel up as it is... I'm probably well in profit!!

Anyway, I'll need to check but as I remember from watching the rev counter and feeling the power come in, there is nothing below 1600-1650revs, might be wrong about the numbers but at 60mph on the clock it's barely on the power band solo, never mind towing, hit 65 though and it's off like scolded cat!

5th is fine but trouble is it sounds busy, not relaxed at all, I don't see how the mpg can improve then, I learnt on another 2lt petrol Mondy it gave 21mpg laboured in 5th and only 17mpg bussing away in 4th!

The remap seemed the best idea as this is designed to bring the torque in a bit earlier and ideal for towing, also told this would give perhaps 4mpg more overall.

Tried telling the broker I'm well past being a boy racer, that the meagre 25bhp extra from the remap was incidental and was actually to drive slower!, but he would have none of it LOL
 
Dec 30, 2009
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Gary, mines realy quick solo as well, love it, for a diesel its darn quick, its a 56 plate and only had 12k on the clock at 13 months old when I got it. just stated to power away now with 35k.

Keep thinking about changing but................. why, it goes well has cost me nothing so far and its a joy to drive.

Where can I get self leveling suspension, that would top it for me.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Self levelling is standard on my 55 plate GhiaX, as is, heated and cooled seats, thought I'd mention that as I found a reason to go out today in this heat to test them!...

No6 on the blue settings and the seat is lovely and cool...!!!

As for performance, coming from the V6 it's quick but not like the V6, worse though is the noise a diesel makes..horrible!!... I think that's why the V6 was so bad on petrol?...love the sound LOL

The self levelling Ford use is I think supplied by a third party company, I had one go down on a Sierra, new one was
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Trucker if your speedometer on the car reads 63 you will be doing 60 mph, the Sat nav will be the correct speed, most manufacturers set the speedometer 2 to 3 mph higher, so l was told by my service technician at Mitsubishi.

NigelH
Vehicle speedometers almost universally take their input from some part of the final drive system that retains a direct relationship to the rotational speed of the road wheels.

For any given speed the rotational speed of the wheels is a function of the radius, so tyre wear will affect the reading as will tyre pressure, and the load carried by the tyre.

Under the construction and use regulations, vehicle manufactures must ensure that speedo's never under estimate the speed, so to allow for the tyre wear and other tolerances, the speedo's will usually read slightly high. It is important to understand that the actual difference between indicated and real speed will change as the tyres wear pressure and load change.

For the above reasons (and some other related to the way sat navs determine speed) you cannot assume that a difference between a speedo and a sat nav will remain constant.
 
Sep 5, 2006
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Gary I concur with everything you've written about the 2.2d. I have the same engine (& probably box) in my X-type estate & I can only use 6th gear going downhill towing my Pageant Bretagne (1483kg).

MPG in 5th is around 27ish if I stick to an indicated 60mph but if I drive at a true 60 according to tomtom this is indicated at 64 on the car & consumption drops to about 22-23mpg. Engine's doing around 2200rpm at this speed.

I usually stick with cruise control & 5th & chill out.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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My Mondy is doing an indicated 60mph at exactly 2000rpm in 5th,

I know my speedo is out by between 2 and 3mph at an indicated 40mph, test it every morning coming into the village! fairly sure then 5mph at 60
 
Mar 10, 2006
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If you want perfect gearing for towing in 6th gear, buy the old type xtrail. Max torque at 2000rpm just under 60mph, about 2200rpm at around 60mph.Lots of low down torque. And around 30mpg towing.

I have noticed an improvement with mileage with my 2009 xtrail 171bhp, it will now pull at 1500rpm in 6th gear, something it defiantly wasn't happy with with under 7k miles on the clock.

The mondeo is really geared for reps cruiseing at 90mph?

And isnt a light car
 
Jan 12, 2010
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Well done Trucker.

You have just proven that by experimenting and thinking about your driving style, you can be a better driver.

One thing people forget is to inflate their tyres properly. That can cause 10% fuel consumption alone.

Have a look at the thread on aerofoils in equipment & accessories.

You might want to try one of those too.

I find my Laguna tows most economic at 58Mph in 5th gear.

Atb, Steve L.
my laguna also tows better in 5th gear around 56 mph,always worry that the luguna struggles on hills,but it has not let me down yet,does struggle in reverse ,soon as I start to go in reverse the clutch stinks
 
May 7, 2010
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A sat nav will always read 2to3 mph higher

than a cars speedo because of the sue you sue me

culture.

Car speedos get less acurate at higher (100mph plus) speeds.
 
Sep 5, 2006
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Andy, You mean the sat nav will read LOWER than the car's speedo right?

I car speedo will be at its most accurate when the vehicle is on new tyres inflated to the correct pressure. As the tyres wear or become under inflated the effective rolling circumference reduces & the speedo gets more optimistic.
 
Oct 28, 2006
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Hi,

Ray when you say "pull at 1500rpm in 6th gear" does that mean with the van in tow? and will it lug down as low as 1500rpm and keep pulling?Only ask as i like the look of them and had a glance at a new one earlier this week.

cheers
 
Mar 10, 2006
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seth

The old xtrail would tow at 1500rpm in sixth, but only on the flat, it was happier at 2000rpm, but the 2.2 engine seemed to have a lot of low down pull.

Unfortunately the 2l engine in the latest xtrail comes with higher gearing, while it pulls ok at 1500rpm solo, and no doubt will tow on the flat at 1500rpm, i feel that the engine is not happy, but the engine is getting better with more miles on the clock, i am only at 8k miles, and the engine performance has noticeably increased.

But in practice i am spending a lot of time in 5th gear to keep at peak torque 2000rpm

You will not be disappointed with the 171bhp version i have solo, but the lower gearing on the old model makes for a better luger, even with less power.

If you get the nissan brochure the 171bhp power graph should be in it, or was in 2009.
 
Oct 28, 2006
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Yes thanks Ray,just dawned on me looking at these figures how crazy it is.We all expect our tugs to just plod away at 1500rpm towing 1500kgs up hill and down dale all day,perhaps just a little bit more than 15 years ago engines barely ticked over at that speed,amazing!
 

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