THIRSTY 99 3LT HILUX

That's gonna be one high snorkel to get ya above the dirt and dust. Ya may need a red flashing light on top....check with civil aviation dept :)))Hooroo

OSkar If you had continued your tripyou wouldn't have been fined - only if you go onto a road that has been closed, that is go past the closed signs and onto the road. They will let you complete a trip!!

BArnsy - something not right there!! I get 18mpg towing a 16ft van with a 3.4l Prado petrol.

When we were at Poeppels we met some bikers who said there were quite a lot of you guys waiting over there. We were planning cross the desert travelling in the other direction but our stay beside the Birdsville track stuffed our plans and we were only able to go into the corner and then back again (160K each way). But the whole experience was fantastic and we just need to get back there ASAP.
The wild flowers were only just starting to bloom on our way back to B'ville so I guess you got the best of them. Did you see the big herd of camels near the corner?
The guy who got booked (reportedly) out on the B'ville track got a hefty fine (the cop said about $5000 but who knows really), and rightly so. He passed us while we were camped beside the road and we bumped over his wheel ruts all across the road (and off on each side of the road) all the way to B'ville when the road dried out. The locals really hate that sort of thing.
Makes a good trip yarn though.

Anyway glad you had a great trip
Cheers

We saw one group of wild camels and a bloke from Echuca walking 2 across to Purni bore and back to Birdsville. as for the ..... who drove on the close road, we heard as well as the fine he had to pay for the works on the road as well amounting to between 20,000-25,000 all up expensive little drive for being impatient. Flowers were just starting to come out lots of different types.

Thanks for the info
Your fuel economy is what i was getting out of my 2.8 that is why i am wondering what is going on. As for the speed the roof rack sticks up a fair way and acted like a sail so i am not real suprised about that, but the economy did not get any better at slower speeds. The only time i noticed any difference was when i had a howling tail wind, my sail worked well then. Just trying to get some suggestions from anyone that has experienced the same. Have heard that this model does use a significant amount of more fuel than the 2.8 so your figures do suprise me.
Cheers
Steve

barnsey I actual had a look at my travel diaries last night and i got it the wrong way round. On all of the trips I have gotten 9.2-9.8 km per litre. This equates to 10.86-10.2 litres per 100kms or 26-27.7 miles per gallon. Sorry for my confusion.
Darren

i have a 2002 turbo diesel dual cab no load on the black top around town i get 22mpg and on a trip not much better i am very disapointed with these figures. have a friend with a navara gets 31mpg

Truckster
Sure was a parichute, I do not have the speed problem without it on the hwy cruises at 110 no probs. But cant seem to improve the economy though.

There was a post by AWILL4x4 on air foils for roofracks(he knows his shiat he makes Roofys!), and said they arent really worth the effort.

Do you NEED the roofrack? Is your fuel econ ok without the rack?

Are you saying with or without the rack its the same?

No Truckster it seems to make no difference with or without the rack on the fuel economy side, if i have a head wind sure it uses morebut in general the fuel economy is sh..

The only difference is the speed without the rack I am fine.
I need the rack for extended trips as there are 2 Adults and 3 Kids trying to fit everything in is impossible.
Would be great to not have it.

Thanks for the info, mine had the same box before the air cleaner but i had to remove it to put my second battery. I don't think that this would have contributed to the problem though as i would have expected the increse air flow to have the opposite effect, will get it checked out when it is serviced, due now after our trip. Thanks for the info

Hi Again, Did you notice any difference in noise levels when you removed the airbox? I vaguely remember reading that the box was only put on to reduce the induction roar. Of course that may or may not be true. (depends on who you talk to/read.) I was thinking of removing mine for the same reason (extra battery) and also to fit a snorkel.
Ciao,
Wayne.

I was in 2 minds whether to remove the box or not as I had heard the same about the induction noise, but you can always put it back. It does make a difference to the noise levels but not enough inside the cabin to make me give up the second battery.

You can certainly hear the difference outside though I can hear my wife coming home one block away no sneaking around. It only took me an hour approx to pull it out as there are 2 parts to it as it actually goes inside the guard as well , the intake ends up just behind the front of the front door not behind the headlight as in previous models.I have removed the box from the moulded piping that it is attched to and closed up the hole so i can fit the piping back as I think it is needed to attach a snorkel.

I had an experience with my first hilux (2.8) with the snorkel, I had an airtec one fitted NEVER AGAIN. From day one it vibrated and the induction noise was horendous, Put a sock in it marginal improvement. It also has a rigid pipe through the body work, I cut that off and replaced it with flexible hose 100% improvement I then went through and put rubber inbetween all parts near the body, got rid of 90% vibrations was happy then. Other suggestion is that if vehicle turboed it would also get rid of the Problem. I will be fitting a Safari one to this vehicle when i get around to it, they come with flexible hoses as standard.
I think if you did a search on this forum there are a few unhappy hilux owners with noisy snorkels and apparently it is a bit of hit and miss Some are noisy and some are not.

Sorry, should also have stated the bleedin' obvious - that drag is all about air speed, not ground speed (hence head winds and tail winds make a big difference), and I've ignored all the other factors like tyres etc.Russell S
Prado RV6