100 series TD questions

That economy sounds about right to me for the 1HDFTE (I tow a 2300kg tare off-road van) - while not very heavy, the wind drag from the boat would be significant - the roof racks add up too. You would notice sig improvement simply by slowing down - remove the boat and the racks and the usage would be positively frugal :-o).

One thing I have found with boats if you have a taut cover over them it makes a huge difference. I only have a 4,2 explorer with no cover I still have to have my foot slightly on the accelarator on the run down from Yetholme, with the cover on No gas or even touch the brakes if their is a tailwind on the same decent.
Plus it keeps everything dry and outa sight.
Cheers Pete

I get 17.5 l per 100km towing 2800kg at 90kph. or 5.7kpl
I Never tow in O/D
You have a wiring problem in you car or trailer connection

Post which connector you have and we will post a wiring diagram.

When I bought my first van I had the same trouble and blew the brake lights.
Wasnt so much a wiring fault as one was wired up non standard.

If its a 1HD -FTE I use Penrite HPR Diesel 15 I usually buy it when its on special at Autobarn and buy a 20 and a 5 liter which gives you two fills of 11.6 litres and a bit over. Cost $138 for 20l and $36 for 5 less whatever the special discount is Usually 20%.

you can buy a haynes manual for it EP.. T018 get the up to 2007 vers

Drew are you in Bunbury at the moment.

Drew,
I have a 2004 5 speed but it would not be much different to yours otherwise.

I have used Penrite HPR diesel 15 (semi synthetic) happily since I bought the vehicle. I use no oil between fills. I find that the oil is usually on special every now and again at one of the auto places I go to from time to time (Bursons, AutoOne, Super!!!! etc) and I buy enough for a couple of changes. It is often near half the normal retail. I use genuine filters rather than risk cheapies. My Toyota delear discounted them by 1/3 when I purchased 5.

Make sure you have blocked off the EGR system as per the various suggestions on LCOOL. It makes a big difference to the amount of soot in the oil and in the inlet region.

Fuel consumption is strongly affected by how you drive. When towing I slow down if I have the time and it makes a big difference. If I knock off 10 - 20kph it makes a difference of ~ 3 - 4 l/100km. Also just letting the speed build up rather than accelerating hard will help significantly. If you see smoke from your exhaust at any time then that is wasted fuel and I see a lot of it from 4wds driving around. Generally I get ~11l/100km, ~14l/100km when towing gently and ~16 when I am pushing a bit. I am sure if I pushed hard it would go way up but I avoid doing so in the interest of looking after the vehicle.

Re the lights - I agree that it sounds like a wiring problem. I would trace all the wires carefully and ensure that the wiring is as it should be and undamaged. I would also avoid using it until the problem is sorted as a damaged loom can be very expensive/tedious to repair.

good luck
Alastair

Hi Drew,
I have a 96 model 80 series turbo (1HDFT) on gas which is returning 12.5 litres per 100K non towing (country town) and 18.5 towing 2.2 tonne van. Mechanics are identical to yours, as far as I know, but of course the 100 series has a different aerodynamic, I assume.

The electrical fault sounds like it is in the trailer wiring. Check the left blinker circuit for a short to earth somewhere on the trailer.

Regards, Bruce.