Member Since: 09 Sep 2013
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 13
D3 Chipping For Economy
I have a D3, 2008, 2.7 V6 Diesel.
What's the best recommendation for chipping it? Not interested in monster HP or ft-lbs. It has enough of those in standard trim for us. A small increase is acceptable as long as reliability is not affected.
What I want is better mpg for same or (slightly) better HP & ft-lbs. Current urban is 16-18mpg, & on long runs, will get between 24-26mpg.
Any thoughts?
Julian.
28th Oct 2013 10:54 pm
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20786
Never remap for economy...
If you are only achieving 24-26 mpg, then there is likely something amiss (unless you are driving everywhere at 80mph)
Mine will do 25-26mpg sitting at those speeds, on my private road, and have seen as much as 33.6mpg sat at 60mph My D3 Build Thread
Last edited by Disco_Mikey on 29th Oct 2013 7:53 am. Edited 1 time in total
28th Oct 2013 11:10 pm
numptydog
Member Since: 09 Sep 2013
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 13
I should have been more specific re speeds.
Mostly, the car does urban, 4 miles a day, to & from house to wife's work. So I expect urban mpg to be rubbish! Engine will barely be warm by the time she gets to work!
But on a recent long (1,200miles), on one tank I got 26mpg, running at around 70mph, cruise control on.
On the way back home on this journey, I got 24mpg, running at 70mph mostly, 80mph for some time, very occasional increases over this to 90mph, on private roads you understand.
SO...
Wife driving car, mostly urban, 350-380 miles on a tank.
Me driving car, long run, 500miles on a tank. Heck of a difference. I never drive at 60 if 70 is allowed!
I have a mate with a Mercedes E class, 3litre diesel, chipped, 300HP. He gets over 50mpg on a long run at 65mph.
Diesel supposed to be more fuel efficient. Kinda just trying to work out what is "the norm" for these big old buses and whether it is worth chipping.
You say don't just chip for economy. Why? There is a firm up here that will chip the D3 for me, guarantee 10% better fuel consumption and power\torque increase as well.
Just wondering whether it's a good idea, overall, gather advise from this that have done it on this forum.
28th Oct 2013 11:55 pm
caverD3
Member Since: 03 Jul 2006
Location: Oberon, NSW
Posts: 6922
You can remap and get better economy. I have a superchips Bluefin on my D3. If I drive carefully I can get better economy but the extra oomph is too temping. “There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely gamesâ€
Ernest Hemmingway
D4 3.0 Active Diff, Adaptive Lights, High Beam Assist, Surround Cameras, Privacy Glass.
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29th Oct 2013 1:37 am
Snapper66
Member Since: 05 Aug 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 132
Hi Disco Mikey, when you says something's amiss, what sort of things might I be looking for, as that's about what I get out of mine, even if I drive like Miss Daisy's in the back
It runs really well, but is a lot thirstier than my last D3, which would return 30 - 33 on a run (that's actual not via the computer)
I've cleaned the MAP sensor, and have a set of EGR plates, a decat pipe, and a BAS remap (all brought of this site) to add when I get my holidays out of the way, but even without these, it still seems heavy on diesel, than it should be so any other pointers gratefully receivedJust 'cos your paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you!
29th Oct 2013 1:50 am
blue200tdi
Member Since: 23 Sep 2012
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 1094
Four miles a day? I'd be more concerned about that than mpg. Only doing that sort of mileage you do not need a D3 and certainly not a diesel.
As for bad mpg, first thing to check is tyre pressures, then binding brakes. Do you have a roof rack/bars or is the boot full of heavy junk. All things to be considered before a remap.You guys are gonna be busier than a test bench in a plunger factory!
Java black 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE AUTO.
2014 Kawasaki ZZR1400 Performance sport.
29th Oct 2013 5:30 am
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20786
As above really.
Mine has the EGR's blanked, Silicone hoses, De-cat fitted. Not mapped yet (but that is coming) Got a bloody good service.
Because mine was in bits, I know that it is all good. All the brakes are nice and free, the EPB was stripped and free'd off, tyre pressures are all good, gearbox oil and filter were done (not sure if that would make any difference to ecomony)My D3 Build Thread
Member Since: 05 Aug 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 132
Thanks Mikey, I have had some issues with one of the rear brakes binding, but this is intermittent and may well be due to the fact it was standing for a while before I bought it (only had it about a month) think it's freed itself off now as it will roll forward on a very gentle incline when in neutral
I did have the tyres set for a full load on my old one even when just me, and no luggage etc in the car, which I think may have improved the economy, but I've tried to be good with this one and keep them as they should be. Might try the full load setting though and hope it doesn't wear the Pirelli's out even faster
Gear box has been flushed by the previous owner (bought the vehicle off this site as well - Hi Redjelly) It was a while ago, but the gear changes are really smooth, so I don't think there's any issues there. Got 2 stroke ready to go in the tank once EGRs blanked.
It's a flying machine compared to my old one, but even when I don't utilise the power, driving really carefully, building the revs up carefully and keeping them low, I'm still not getting above 23 at best.
Is there anything in else I've missed?
Do the silicone hoses make any difference if there's no splits on the old ones? (I was thinking about a set from BAS next time I'm in York)
I did wonder about these as the engine makes more of a higher pitched "whirring" sound (sorry for the non tech description) than my other one, and I did wonder if it was a turbo thing, but to be honest this is only marginal, and may be just how the sound travels through the soundproofing as I don't think I would even notice it if I hadn't just come from another D3, (certainly SWMBO can't notice it) and as I say, there's no lack of power which I'm guessing there would be if the hose was damaged?Just 'cos your paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you!
29th Oct 2013 9:15 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72918
Snaper, are these mpg number real (miles driven/fuel in)? If so they are about par for the course. My long term logged average (110k miles) is 26.0mpg, and most of that is driving at 60mph on long hauls. They are thirsty beasts and do their best to warm up the planet. I work on short cold trips 15mpg, around town (warmed up) 18mpg, cruising at 75mph 27mph and cruising at 60mph on cruise control 30mpg. I get higher numbers when it's hot (by ~10%) and lower when cold. You could spend a fortune trying to squeeze one or two mpg out of the car, way more than you get back in fuel costs. Basically these are thirsty cars and there's not a lot you can do bout it.
Now if your mpg numbers are off the trip comp you have issues, like binding brakes, as the trip computer over estimates the figures by anything from 2 - 5mpg.
29th Oct 2013 10:24 am
Snapper66
Member Since: 05 Aug 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 132
Thanks DSL, don't get me wrong, still v happy with the car. Had an old v8 RR back in the day, so happy to accept the low mpg, and I don't do a lot of miles anyway TBH but as I say, could easily get 30 - 33 actual on a 50mile run on the old one, and can't figure out what's different Just 'cos your paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you!
29th Oct 2013 10:42 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72918
Every time my mpg has headed south in a major way it's been binding brake calipers.
29th Oct 2013 10:47 am
Snapper66
Member Since: 05 Aug 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 132
Could be they're still sticking a bit then. I'm taking it in for its test when I'm back off my hols, so I'll get them to check it out at the same time.
Thanks for the infoJust 'cos your paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you!
29th Oct 2013 3:49 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72918
Just take it for a, say, 10 mile drive & CAREFULLY check the wheel temp with the back of your hand. They should be bit above luke warm and certainly not hot, if any are hotter than the others then there's your problem corner.
29th Oct 2013 4:25 pm
waterbuoy
Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: Argyll
Posts: 2884
Another one into the pot:
Over the past 9 days I have covbered just short of 2,100 miles - return trip to Cornwall/Devon from W coast of Scotland, and 9 days of driving around Devon, Ciornwall and Dorsel with at least 5 sites per day being accessed by off-road means - varying between 500m and 7 miles acros Dartmoor. Car was very heavily laden with generators, steel cables, test weights etc plus tools, two crew etc. Only modification is BFG AT tyres onto 17" rims, else a standard vehicle. We certainly don't spare the horses whilst working, and only use the cruise control for average speed camera sections of motorway, yet true average mpg over this distance was 29.7 mpg
Carful driving when empty gives more than 32mpg, and 'giving it the beans' can reduce down to single figures if I really try (ie when not fully laden!)
Car has done 78k miles and, other than tyres, is bog standard.
29th Oct 2013 4:25 pm
Snapper66
Member Since: 05 Aug 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 132
BTW DSL, the MPG on this vehicle is via the computer - on my old vehicle it was miles per fuel added, but I haven't had this one long enough for a proper tank to tank comparisonJust 'cos your paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you!
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