Ratbag's 2006 Fox XS - Roo2

Gidday Folks

Guess I should start a journal. Seems a goodly system of keeping this stuff organised ... :lol:.

Anyway, I have fitted the OEM roof bars and Rola basket to Roo2 in the last couple of days.

Took it for a spin into town today on the Nepean Highway.

From about 70 km/h, it started to purr.

By about 80 km/h, the purr had become a more of a roar ... .

This will drive me NUTS, in short order ... Fortunately, it is my intention to fit the basket to the lid on my rebuilt trailer, where it should be out of the wind, and the noise should be well behind me ....

Will keep you posted about all this ... :iconwink:

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Steve

Hey Ratbag,

Great journal so far! A very enjoyable read mate.

Nice beast.

With regard to fuel economy, I'm getting between 8.6 and 9.4 litres per 100km (depending on what I'm doing). That's in my manual 2007 Foz X.

Keep the journal going (add some pics if you can - everyone loves pics! :rotfl: )

Cheers!

Steve

I can only dream about economy like that ATM ...

Thanks for the vote of confidence mate.

I will try to upload some pics over the next week or two. The last 6-7 weeks have had their moments for me ...
AND I have been having a protracted fight with my ISP about the poor performance of my second line here - the one that also has our ADSL2 on it ...

Currently knackered with headache, and need to start getting ready for bed, as an early start tomorrow.

 

[Ratbag]

Roo2 fuel use

Gidday Again Folks

Just updating my previous observations on my fuel use.

Well I filled Roo2 up yesterday.

439 kms and 54.02 litres.
So 12.3 L/100 km.

Filled up today.

472.5 kms and 49.4 litres.
So now around 10.4L/100 kms.

Far better than previously; this sort of economy is acceptable to me.

Of this 472 Kms, about 200 were on the open road and lurking around Lerderderg SP - 2 people, plus full recovery kit, spare fuel - all up around 100 kgs extra in the car for about 300 kms.

I have also removed the roof basket; and using 5th at 55~60 kmh around town.

My driving habits haven't changed ... :iconwink: :rotfl:.

Still exceptionally happy with the new tyres.

 

[Shiv]

Have you had a chance to take your Michelin's off road as yet? I know they're road tyres but interseted to see how they cope when taken out of their comfort zone.

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Shiv

Have you had a chance to take your Michelin's off road as yet? I know they're road tyres but interseted to see how they cope when taken out of their comfort zone.

They were fine at Lerderderg Gorge; but this was almost entirely dry.
Very good when creeping; at speed on the dirt (up to about 90 kmh); and cornering on dirt, both smooth and rough.

There were some very difficult drainage crossings (sharp, up hill, at a bad angle) where they slipped a bit. Impossible to tackle this sort of thing with "momentum", only by creeping. With the right approach and throttle control they climbed OK. No doubt a more aggressive tread would do better, but they got us where we wanted to go ... .

I have had the Pirelli P7s in pretty appalling conditions at Bunyip and Noojee, and these have an almost identical tread pattern. I expect that the sidewalls of the Michelins will be a good deal stronger. They are certainly more directionally stable on the bitumen in both wet and dry.

 

[Shiv]

Gidday Shiv



They were fine at Lerderderg Gorge; but this was almost entirely dry.
Very good when creeping; at speed on the dirt (up to about 90 kmh); and cornering on dirt, both smooth and rough.

There were some very difficult drainage crossings (sharp, up hill, at a bad angle) where they slipped a bit. Impossible to tackle this sort of thing with "momentum", only by creeping. With the right approach and throttle control they climbed OK. No doubt a more aggressive tread would do better, but they got us where we wanted to go ... .

I have had the Pirelli P7s in pretty appalling conditions at Bunyip and Noojee, and these have an almost identical tread pattern. I expect that the sidewalls of the Michelins will be a good deal stronger. They are certainly more directionally stable on the bitumen in both wet and dry.

Thanks for the feedback.

My work colleague needs to replace the tyres on his Outback. Just tossing up the different brands.

He takes his car onto unsealed roads. No off-roading, but wants something that handles well and can deal with the rough stuff. I thought my Pirelli's were okay, but good to hear the Michelins are worth considering.

 

[Ratbag]

No worries Shiv

Thanks for the feedback.

My work colleague needs to replace the tyres on his Outback. Just tossing up the different brands.

He takes his car onto unsealed roads. No off-roading, but wants something that handles well and can deal with the rough stuff. I thought my Pirelli's were okay, but good to hear the Michelins are worth considering.

I would choose the XM-2s over the P7s every time, for all uses. AND they are heaps cheaper!!

Leaving aside the terrible alignment with the Pirellis, I could see them wearing out before my very eyes! Even with the alignment being like that (it was within spec ... ), I should not have been able to notice appreciable wear in only a couple of thousand Kms!

 

[thunder039]

Gidday Again Folks

Just updating my previous observations on my fuel use.



Filled up today.

472.5 kms and 49.4 litres.
So now around 10.4L/100 kms.

Far better than previously; this sort of economy is acceptable to me.

Of this 472 Kms, about 200 were on the open road and lurking around Lerderderg SP - 2 people, plus full recovery kit, spare fuel - all up around 100 kgs extra in the car for about 300 kms.

I have also removed the roof basket; and using 5th at 55~60 kmh around town.

My driving habits haven't changed ... :iconwink: :rotfl:.

Still exceptionally happy with the new tyres.

thats a respectible fuel economy for the 2.5. i would get about the same in my 2.5 forester.
the removal of the roof basket will help a little.
55 in 5th? not in my 2l forester puts way to much strain on the clutch 70 is the lowest speed it will cruize on in 5th

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Thunder

thats a respectible fuel economy for the 2.5. i would get about the same in my 2.5 forester.

It's not all that much worse than my Impreza under the same usage. i.e. very acceptable for a heavier and more powerful vehicle, with a 36% bigger motor.

the removal of the roof basket will help a little.

Sure as heck helps my state of mind. I really don't like the wind noise!
I become even grumpier than usual! :ebiggrin:

55 in 5th? not in my 2l forester puts way to much strain on the clutch 70 is the lowest speed it will cruize on in 5th

Roo2 will toddle along at about 40 kmh in 5th, but I don't expect jet-like acceleration from 1000 rpm in 5th ... :rotfl:.
It is also far too low revs for good engine health.

I'm starting to think that the fuel economy issue could be linked to the way it was previously driven, and that it had only done about 1000 kms in the whole year prior to my buying it.

The engine is 'loose' and very free-revving, and this is probably due it it having done most of its miles on the open road. However, that would also be at pretty steady revs.
All engines need a good squirt every week or so - up to around 5500~6000, in the case of a 4 cylinder petrol donk - in order to stay clean inside.

The engine in a car used mainly around town may be very badly carboned up, and also 'tight', depending on how it was run in.

 

[mr turbo]

Filled up today.

472.5 kms and 49.4 litres.
So now around 10.4L/100 kms.

Far better than previously; this sort of economy is acceptable to me.

That sounds more like it

Mine's a little higher than that, but the again, it is a turbo Together with it being raised plus front & rear bars, so I can't really complain :iconwink:

55 in 5th? not in my 2l forester puts way to much strain on the clutch 70 is the lowest speed it will cruize on in 5th

I'm close to the same. I tend to slip mine into 5th when I hit about 60-65km's/hr

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[taza]

Wow, I don't jump into 5th until about 80km/hr. If i'm doing 70km/hr through the city, am in 5th and start going uphill it just dies in the arse and I have to go back to 4th.. I find if im doing under 2700rpm I basically have no pull or acceleration that won't take longer than 25seconds to get to 3000rpm where it has an ok pull.

 

[thunder039]

yep i am the same if i speeding up to 100 i will keep it in 4th untill 80km.

i dont have the problem carbon build up due so much highway driving

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Taz & Thunder

Wow, I don't jump into 5th until about 80km/hr. If i'm doing 70km/hr through the city, am in 5th and start going uphill it just dies in the arse and I have to go back to 4th.. I find if im doing under 2700rpm I basically have no pull or acceleration that won't take longer than 25seconds to get to 3000rpm where it has an ok pull.

I use 5th HR at 60 Kmh. Roo2 will accelerate sufficiently to keep up with most traffic from this speed. If not, there is always 4th ... :iconwink:

yep i am the same if i speeding up to 100 i will keep it in 4th untill 80km.

If I am accelerating up to 100, I leave it in 3rd ... until I get to 100 ... . Of course, this depends on the circumstances; sometimes leave it in 5th; sometimes stay in, or drop it into, 4th.

i dont have the problem carbon build up due so much highway driving

You can easily get carbon build up from this. At the speed limit, the 2.5 L donk is only doing around 2800 rpm. If this is steadily maintained, it can cause carbon problems. That's why it is so important to give all engines a squirt from time to time. On a fairly regular basis. Jaguar recommended 5500 rpm in 2nd, at least once a week for the E-Type. That's about 96 mph ...

 

[thunder039]

yep i give it a good squirt about once a week

 

[taza]

yep i give it a good squirt about once a week

:rotfl:

Some people could take that the wrong way

I give mine a good squirt 20 odd times a day

 

[Ratbag]

:rotfl:

Some people could take that the wrong way

I give mine a good squirt 20 odd times a day

Well now ...

I must admit that I tend to be somewhere between these figures ... :iconwink: :biggrin: :rotfl: ...

Then there's the way I drive my car ... :rotfl: :banana: ... perhaps a tad inappropriate?? :rotfl:

Maybe I have successfully lowered the tone of the conversation even further ...

 

[taza]

Well now ...

I must admit that I tend to be somewhere between these figures ... :iconwink: :biggrin: :rotfl: ...

:lol:

Then there's the way I drive my car ... :rotfl: :banana: ... perhaps a tad inappropriate?? :rotfl:

I didn't think married men were allow to be inappropriate :iconwink:

Maybe I have successfully lowered the tone of the conversation even further ...

I don't think so mate

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Shiv

Thanks for the feedback.

My work colleague needs to replace the tyres on his Outback. Just tossing up the different brands.

He takes his car onto unsealed roads. No off-roading, but wants something that handles well and can deal with the rough stuff. I thought my Pirelli's were okay, but good to hear the Michelins are worth considering.

I forgot to ask ...
What year is your friend's OB?
Has it got the rear LSD? This makes a huge difference IMNSHO; regardless of the derogatory comments that are made about it here from time to time.

All cars are a balance, in many different ways and areas. I find that my Fox suits me very well. Part of that is having the rear LSD. Makes up for a lot of tread pattern, if you get my drift ... :iconwink:

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Folks

I have finally had a run down to Gippsland and back with a fair bit of toddling around in the hills and some use of LR. Some quick bits in the hills (getting the feel of how the car handles under pressure ... ), and some very quick bits a couple of times.

Filled up at the start, and at the end. 312 kms and 29.0L, giving 9.3L/100 Kms.

That's with two people, and a moderate amount of stuff on board.

It should do much better than this with straight out touring, IMO.

I'm a lot happier with that mileage than with what I have measured before.

 

[NachaLuva]

Hey RB. Yep, I reckon using LR in the hills would give it a lot more zip, esp with your nicer EJ25 than my lil EJ20J :iconwink:

9.3 is pretty good with some extra weight & playing in the hills...I'd be rapt if I got that lol.

 

[thunder039]

down in my area of the world:iconwink: were abouts did you travel?

9.3 is good i got 9.0 in our auto which was made up of mostly highway driving