Canning stock route fuel consumption question ??

Thanks Mick

We also want to drive the CSR. So the video is helpful. I have a few questions.

I had an easy time of Big Red recently on a short run into the Simpson. How do the "big dunes" that you mention in the video compare with Big Red?

What is the material on the bonnet for?

I may if you don't mind challenge you on the fuel usage. That works out at 40 litres per 100Km. More than twice what I have heard of before. Is there any chance that you made a typo?

Would you suggest removing the protective plates under the car so grass and stuff has a lesser chance of causing a fire? Did you?

Thanks

Phil

Phil,

We drove the Canning in June/July last year.

There are no dunes as big as Big Red. We had not trouble getting over any dunes and only used low range where the approach to a dune was chopped up, so that we could go slow enough over the moguls. The key of course is low tyre pressures.

In terms of spinifex, we took a piece of shade cloth to go over the front of our vehicle but never fitted it on the trip. I checked under the car several times each day for spinifex build up but there was never enough to worry about. In the end it depends on when you go and how many vehicles have gone before you.

Ando

We should all be reporting fuel consumption in the recognised format of litres/100km. Like it or not that is the official format - and it saves mistakes when converting mpg and km/ltr to l/100km.

Thanks Ando

Not worried about the dunes. Got up and over Big Red on each track.

We will most probably remove the plates for our drive. We also have both dry powder and water sprayer (arrived yesterday) for fire protection.

The only thing's we need to sort out are the timing, logistics like fuel and food. The car is ready and so are we. I do not think we will do all in one go as I have to be back in Canberra every fourth week for treatments.

Garry

I personally do not care how the fuel is stated as long as it is fairly accurate. I still challenge his figure. I just got home from the hospital and will check the notes myself soon.

I would still like to hear what others with a fairly heavy 100 series 24.2TD automatic GLX got. We all drive differently and with many figures one can take an average and add a bit for Christmas and use that figure as a repliable guide. Besides can anyone tell me how old that trek fuel figure is.

Enjoy

Phil

PS What happened to the formatting. That centralised stuff looks like crap.

Phil,

For what it is worth, we have a 150 series TD Prado which was heavily loaded up for the trip - food, drinks, fuel, water, etc for our family of four for 3 weeks. Our consumption was 13.9L/100km for the length of the CSR, we used 249 litres from Wiluna to Billiluna.

I do believe that the sand was not as soft as it could have been when we went through as it had rained not long before our trip.

Ando

That's about what I would expect. And it is close enough to the trek notes as well. The initial figure above was way out that was why I questioned the notes seeing that Mick hadn't responded as yet.

We used 13/100 recently when we were seeing how the fuel gauge for the long range tank was reading. We went for several fairly rough rides through wind, rain and hail (vk1dx on youtube of Bendethera) and around town. This was mainly bush work and the car was half loaded. I am happy with my planning at 18/100 for the CSR.

I have the front of the car worked out. We fit a 1/4 rock and stone guard across the front of the bull bar (1/4 inch rod). It has 10mm chicken wire across it and a section in the centre gets shade cloth for the seeds. I will add a bit for under the bull bar where the radiator is exposed. And the plates will come off.

I know this is Marcel's thread so I will get "outahere". I hope that he got some info from this sub thread as well. Certainly sorted out a few concerns for us. Simpson first though. Maybe in mid May.

Phil

Phil,

There is no real comparison between the Big Red’s of the Simpson and the Canning. The Canning dunes are not as high and are largely covered in flora. The difficulty is the nature of the track in that it is deep sand and is often heavily chewed out and scalloped due to the many other failed attempts to cross by others. Also, the run-ups are heavily corrugated making speed and therefore the momentum required to gain the summit problematic. This is also exacerbated by sharp turns immediately before the runups.

The material on the bonnet is 70% rated shade cloth from Bunnings. It is part of my spinifex protection for radiator and intercooler.

Fuel, challenge away. You’ll see I said I base my calculations for travel on those figures. I know from keeping an accurate record since new just what my car uses in varying situations. Bearing in mind that when fully loaded with the Quad on behind I have a GCM of 5.65 Tonnes. The 2.5km per litre was based pushing the 285/75-16 party balloons through “Constant heavy going (off track work/breaking new ground in soft country or sand)” and not on a track like the Canning, that’s what the 4kpl figure is for. The 2.5 km per litre (in fact both) figure provides a contingency for varied conditions. This is not to say that this is the actual fuel consumption figure I will achieve, rather it’s just what I could well expect to achieve out of my vehicle considering worst and best scenarios over a given trip. It’s a brave man that heads out bush believing his vehicle will consistently perform at a specific figure. A lick of rain or a fair bit of low range work forging a new route around obstacles or recovering others from situations will soon put paid to those notions. 2.5 doesn’t apply to travelling down the Canning.

Protective plates are for protection, that’s why they’re there. I’ve done many thousands of Km across spinifex country and never had major issues with spinifex buildup under the bash plate. Not having the plate, particularly in my case, leaves me more open to radiator damage by underbrush. You’ll see that the shade cloth covers my skid plates. I also buy quite a few $1 car wash sponges from Bunnings and plug holes and gaps around things like bull bars and bash plates to prevent spinifex ingress. You’ll find more chance of fire from build up around the catalytic converter and exhaust flex joints. Main area is in the little gaps between the bull bar and radiators.

Cheers Mick

Marcel. Thanks for hosting this side bar ;-)

Hi Mick

You are certainly correct there. No comparison with the two sand hills. I had watched a lot of videos of both areas and not being too keen on running around sand hills near salt water I wanted a comparison with Big Red. We tried all the tracks over it when we were up at Birdsville. To really find out what the car was like I started from a dead stop at the bottom each time. Went over relatively easily. Tyres 15 lb though and drove as smoothly as I could. I believe it helps to have an auto as well.

I had heard that the corners at the bottom are a problem that was why I started from a dead stop.

Re the fuel. We are only at just over 3000Kg and not towing. So one could expect better than your 40 litres/100 K. We should get a better idea after the Simpson as well. The worst I have got was 17 litres per 100 coming out of Bendethera is a raging hail storm and slipping a sliding everywhere. Had to get out for my chemo later that day. All was fine.

Regarding the protective plates. That's still in the balance. I have had good advice from both sides. Its a bit like which car is best. Holden or ford! There isn't any real answer.

I have proven the stone/grass seed guard at the front on other trips. The only difference will be if I remove the plates. Hmmmm.

Thanks for the info. All taken on board and in the mix.

Phil

Thanks again for the replies fellas,
Food for thought.
Getting excited now !! And looking forward to getting out of the Perth rat race (traffic)for an adventure of a lifetime ( the last frontier )
Marcel

Same here. Our problem for the CSR is that we normally travel alpne and I noticed yesterday on some maps (reading even at chemo) that some exit tracks are two or more cars only.

But its a while yet so we need to make phpne calls.

Catchya and I was hoping that I hadn't stolen your thread.

This photo shows the rock guard. The new bullbar does not have those holes in it and I also put shade cloth over the center section. Thats what Mick and I were talking about. He puts shade cloth all across. Nicely protects the lights as well.

Phil