RICE RACING

Yeah Dave, Facts are Facts, opinions drive Diesels and talk up their economy LOL.....

Same test applied to a MINT 100 Series Turbo Diesel running Melb and back (~600km round trip) yields almost the same result! 2004 model Manual uses at least 1lt per 100km MORE than the FJ Cruiser.

So far as towing, I have seen people CRY over how much fuel their "ecomonic" anemic oil burner does pulling a car trailer with a car on it, I proved long ago how little these Toyota motors use in the same conditions.

I teach Automotive mechanics and I as you stated if people are "honest" and factor in real costs you would NEVER EVER own a Diesel, especially a small crap box 4cyl 3lt or heaven forbid a sub 3lt capacity one......... they are total garbage.

I did a test on one VW Golf wagon fitted with a 2lt TD motor same as seen in a Tiguan and it was a joke, responsive as Gina Reinhart pole dancing!!! and all for 2lt per 100km less usage (mind you in a car body) v's what my 2 tone FJ does on the exact same road where I tested it.

Back at the start of this thread I test drove even a 85k at the time Toureg V6 TD Twin Turbo and even it munched more fuel than a "nice girl" does crack at a lap dancing bar. I say all up just like you found out in reality you just can not beat these petrol V6 motors, very powerful and very efficient in ALL condtions. When mated as well as they are to a modern automatic and you just have a fantastic and simple vehilce................. one that makes most oil burners totally jealous with envy at how awesome you are for having a superior and much much more fun ride :)

The trip was up near mount Hotham (actually Dargo high plains) nice deer hunting spot and it was heaven, 3 days of not a cloud in the sky!!! but it was very cold, permanent snow and ice, made it more fun though.

Barney I agree, the power delivery of the kluger is so smooth, you dont really realize how fast the kluger is until you look at the speedo, I given a few young guys in their falcon and commodore a surprize at the lights at how fast I can accelerate, not that I would do that of course

I also nearly bought a diesel suv, when I bought my prado, I drove the diesel, which was the old 1kzte motor, then I drove the 4litrev6, wow the 4.0v6 won me over straight away, the acceleration was absolutely astounding, I had the salesman hanging on when I test drove it, I remember looking at the tacho and the speedo and thinking bloody hell this thing is of the chain, and I wasnt flooring it either.

Both the kluger and the prado are great on fuel , yeah sure I admit if you want to tow the diesel still a better bet for ecconomy, but for normal touring and just everyday driving the v6 I agree puts a bigger smile on my face and the pulling power of my old prado when I towed with it was brilliant.

You cant beat a big donk for power and grunt.

I test drove a 2008 navara 2.5 turbo diesel auto for the missus, and I hated it the lag was awful the performance was like a slug compared to the kluger and my old prado, so give me a v6 anyday.

As per my ususal standard of seperating Fact from Fiction and showing just how great these motors are I decided to do a proper back to back comparo and have a nice time away with the old bay as well :)

So here is the ultimate test of a Petrol V6, true back to back comparison, same days, same trip, same driving styles (excpet for me overtaking a few cars at 130+kmh! slow diesle crap box's)

Start trip 130m altitude (home base)

Drive 3 hours 15 minutes to hunting ground (elevation 1640m) see pics!

Involved about 1 hours 15 minutes in 4wd, high range and low range) see pics

Had car running for 30 minutes charging a battery for my camera (mid trip at camp site), same for the HJ60 to charge fridge! so honest comparison.......

THEN: Return trip back to base, around 3+ hours together *same details as above*.

Note: Both cars owned from new, perfect running order and fully maintained, HJ60 same fuel consumption after run in period in 1984!, and RICEFJ modified as per posts above........ HJ60 has high flow extractors and system I made for it in 1990, which improved its fuel economy.

Result.

2050kg as tested weight Auto FJ Cruiser 4.0lt V6 motor 10.1lt per 100km 35.7lt used

2030kg as tested weight Manual HJ 60 3.9lt Diesel 11.36lt per 100km 45 lt used

Modern V6 petrol Toyota motor as I proved in my own Kluger in daily driving, towing, highway hauling and now the Toyota FJ Crusier is a GEM of a motor!

Yes mate, they are great.

If you look at the 2012 4WD of the year test you will see just how much so they are in reality, very efficient engine IMHO, using the same amount of fuel in off road and 5 day test as a 200 Series Turbo Diesel !!! (sure it is in a slightly ligher vehicle) but regardless the petrol V6 has 1 jizzilion times more character! and in my case my motor delivers around 230rwkw after tweaking it, its a rocket compared to the anemic vacum cleaner sounding clacking diesle ..........

I know which I would rather have.

In fact we do comparisons to all kinds of other crap boxes from TD BT50's to Prado's in TD and at maximum they get about 0.5lt per 100km better economy for like use (if the owners are honest LOL with the oil burners!) they are all shocked when I show them the facts of the old Kluger I had and then this new FJ Cruiser!!! Unless you own one and try it you have no idea just how unbelievable these engines are in being efficient.

So far as the power and character, there is no comparison the petrol V6 destorys them, I take people for rides in the FJ and they simply cant stop talking about it, sounds like a race car!........... very cool sound, and the power is just ridiculous :)

On your thread that got locked on the BP Ultimate coloring oil??????? I have ONLY run BP Ultimate in my FJ Crusier since new and covered 13,000km to date and change the oil twice (once after 950km, drain factory crap and change filter) and now once on the Mobil 1 5w-50 and the oil is never colored running BP Ultimate.

Toyota knows how to build a great v6 engine, I have driven other makes and model v6s engines and they dont even come close to the v6 I had in my prado and the one I got in my kluger, they deliver excellent performance and outstanding fuel economy.

TOYOTAS RULE

Agree 100%

For context I have a 650bhp 1200kg Mazda RX7 and that thing is a litteral space shuttle! BUT my RICEFJ *ALWAYS* puts a smile on my face and really does shock me with how fast it is for a 2 tonne vehicle, amazing fuel efficiency (near equivalent of a D4D Prado!) and with acually an a55 load of character (read noise, and revs, and no crappy oily smell with running rubbish chip fat fuel)

Toyota have made an OUTSTANDING V6 engine, it really is great :)

My RICEFJ is allot faster, despite being less aero dynamic, again doing controlled testing it easily gets to 160kmh without even thinking about it or even trying hard.

With the speed limiter bypassed it will do around 230kmh or so

On my own private test track I had mine up to 190kmh indicated with 2 other people in the Kluger, did it very easily indeed.

I did a 50/50 bet (being cautious) and filled about 30 liters of 100 octane (< this fuel is 10% ethanol mixed with premium) the rest in the tank was BP Ultimate 98 octane.

The full power Air to Fuel ratio on tonight's test was 12.05 to 11.95:1 and the beast feels really good, REALLY GOOD!

If this tank goes well I'll fill it totally on the 100 octane ethanol mix and do a test run with it, preliminary as expected is that it does indeed lean out the fuel mixture when the ECU goes open loop (no AFR adjustments from EUGO exhaust sensors) ..... this is ideal for power generation as the Toyotas from factory are set stupidly rich to cover using this fuel but also to cover garbage standrds toyota allow on a spread of acceptable tollerances on things like Air Flow Meters.

Will take me a few weeks till I eat through this tank of fuel, will post back when time allows

Done some more fine tuning to the beast, got the air flow meter tuned a bit better and the Air to Fuel ratio at full load just tested now is around 11.75 to 11.35:1 in 2nd gear to red line. Some more tweaks to it and she will be great. Though the ratio it is at now will be ideal for an 10% ethanol mixture of fuel if I am ever forced to run that crap!

Dont even get me started on car dealers or especially car salesman, im sick to death of their brocken promises and especially their liars. I reckon on everyone of my car purchases ive been liared to, bought the vehicle then when taken delivery and things they said they were going to do wasnt done.

people can defend car dealers and car salesmen or they like but I woundnt trust them as far as I could kick them.

^ What he said x 1 Jizzillion

Dealer Trolls and Groupies can go suck on it, FACT is Dealers are dogs! never met a good one, nor an honest salesman!.......... all the honest ones dont stooge enough people thus they dont make bonuses and they go get real jobs!

Today's "sales people" are not only dishonest but they are totally inept at their own product and knowing anthing about it~!!!! They are too busy thinking how to scam you and make the next sale rather than investing time in professional development in customer service and product knowledge. How do I know??? I was a sales man, a sales rep, a shop manager, and a workshop owner!!!! been there!!! done that!!!!

Only crooks and con men survive in this modern world of crap service and "lets make a deal" mentality, long after they have run away with your money, you are nothing more than another victim to their money making adventures.

Its all about the customer BS!!! Its ALL ABOUT THE GROSS PROFIT!!!!!

Treat dealers for what they Are!!! Lying dirt bags!!!

Get EVERYTHING IN WRITTING!!! TRUST NOTHING THEY SAY!!! TRUST NO HAND SHAKES!!!! KEEP ON THEIR CASE@@@!!!! and NEVER EVER GIVE IN TO THEIR RUBBISH!!! REMEMBER THIS, THEY NEED YOU@@@!@!!!!@ YOU DO NOT NEED THEM!!!!!

Oil line recal (skimped on proper fix as per new Klugers *metal line factory fitted*) their solution was a piece of crap rubber line of "new special material"

Using the new rubber material is nothing to do with the dealer; Toyota Japan decided the repair method for all vehicles globally and provided parts accordingly. You can't hang that one on the dealer in any way!

Bull crap!

It was a directive simply to save labor and money on the correct repair!

I got told by Toyota themselves from 4 different service departments!

It was simple economics!

Cost cutting!

Dealer was a kunt for doing this on a 50k car!

Simple!

My Dealer was so ashamed he got in the proper metal part for me for free!

Why????

Cause I told them they were cheap scates! I told Toyota too.

Its a corporate company run by accountant bean counters NOT by engineers or people with any tact or customer service,

The pipe DODGY FIX was all to save money,

A) on the part

B) on the extra labor associated.

THAT CAN BE HUNG ON TOTYOTA IN SHAME AND ON ANY DEALER WHO DARE ARGUE WITH SOMEONE WITH A BRAIN LIKE MYSELF.

If it were a proper fix no new cars would have a piece of crap rubber hose, end of story troll!

HI EVERYONE, I JUST WANT PEOPLE THOUGHTS OF THE KLUGER AS TOW RIG AS IM THINKING OF BUYING A CAMPER TRAILER.

I ALSO MIGHT ON ODD OCCASION TOW A TRAILER . SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE TELL WHAT YOU TOW AND HOW WELL THE KLUGER

HANDLED THE LOAD ALSO WHAT SORT OF ECONOMY I SHOULD EXPECT . YOUR THOUGHTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

D

Hey CROCO, another Peter here!

Have a read of my mamoth thread on my old Kluger, on about page 12 or 13 I have a picture of the Kluger towing my Mazda RX7, I got a round trip average of 12.9lt per 100km (I think it was like a 1400km trip) the economy was excellent.

I am not sure on the long term durability of the Kluger platform though, part of the reason why I sold mine and bought something much more heavy duty. But if you are towing a box trailer and not near the towing limit I say it should be good. Economy is excellent on these engines as you know :)

Best Regards

Peter

Dwyers Bairnsdale Toyota:

Worst customer service on the face of the planet!@

LIARS (promised manuals I never ever got or recieved)

Oil line recal (skimped on proper fix as per new Klugers *metal line factory fitted*) their solution was a piece of crap rubber line of "new special material"

I even got screwed around on my new purchase of my FJ Crusier where they LIED and STALLED on getting me the factory manuals! I MYSELF had to do all of the research and leg work to find the manuals through a Melb City dealer!!!! *all it took was a couple of phone calls and about 20 minutes of time* I had to do all of this myself. I also got stooged on promised parts (verbal) to compensate for waiting so long for my car.

All in all WORST dealership I have ever dealt with in my life! Highly recommend people to stay away from these #### who are more interested in bottom line profits than anything to do with integrity and honesty and customer service, all of which in my two purchases seem to be foreign concepts, Dwyer family would be far better at running a bank on Wall Street than anything to do with dealing with the public :)

Well I finally got around to doing a Melbz round trip in the FJ :)

Total km covered 675km (filled to brim at start) BP Ultimate 98

*Highway drive, passed a few punks at warp speed :) did a few full throttle runs in the tunnel to hear the BEAST :), and 1 x 0-100kmh test out side a Toyota Dealers lol + driving into the city Collins street/Flinders Lane! and a few multi level car parks!*

Filled back up two days later (drove to work and back twice) and needed exactly 62lt to the brim

That is 9.19lt per 100km

^ Compares basically exactly the same with the Phillip Island run where I did 9.2lt per 100km in the Kluger. Though major difference is I am running much heavier oil in the FJ so I dont ruin this engine like I did in the last one running "water" grade stuff to help fuel economy .......... with thinner oil I could get better economy than the Kluger managed I say. Either way very VERY HAPPY with the mighty FJ Cruiser, done 10,000km with it and its a beast :)

.I LOVE YOUR FJ MATE IM SO JEALOUS I WANTED A FJ CRUISER BEFORE I BOUGHT THE KLUGER BUT BUDGET DIDNT QUIET STRETCH ARE WELL ONE DAY . THOSE 4 LITRE V6 ENGINES KICK *****. I HAD ONE IN MY OLD PRADO AND IT WAS STOCK AND IT WAS PUSHING A BIG HEAVY PRADO A LONG AND IT WENT LIKE A SCALDED CAT THE FJ IS BASED ON THE PRADO SO ITS A GREAT PLATFORM TO BASE A VECHICLE ON. I MISS MY OLD PRADO ARE WELL NO POINT CRYING OVER SPILT MILK

Thanks mate,

This is one sweet motor, better than the Kluger in every respect mechanically.

The FJ's are in another dimension and can't really be compared to the Kluger (which is still a nice car anyway) If it were not for my experience of the Klugers abilities and efficient motor I would never had considered the FJ Cruiser with its petrol engine.

The one thing with these motors is they sound FANTASTIC, with the exhaust and air box modifications they simply scream when reved but also have a perfect note when just driving 9-5, 24-7.

I told one mate, every time I get in it to drive its an experience and I enjoy it, cant say that for many cars..... especially modern ones.

Mine had less than 20km when I picked it up.

I took delivery of a new Celica in 2000 that had about 60km on it and I wasn't impressed because I'm sure they had been joyriding in it

I realise how long ago this post was made, but I felt I had to offer my opinion here, do you really think that with the amount of vehicles that come through a dealership that we'd be in any way interesed in flogging cars?

The novelty of having different cars come through here wears off very quickly.

Nice opinion, worth as much as the honesty from any car salesman LOL

Consider the question without being immmature about it and you might see the sense in what I was saying...

No one gives a toss about what a salesman says!

Just sit outside a dealership or the local servo they use and watch the abuse on a daily basis! I have! so have many others!

Don't kid yourself thinking some ****** at a dealership is going to respect your car! let alone follow the factory guideline to run it in correctly!

Go back to lying to your customers fool!

Here is the power output and performance test report as promised :)

here is pics of the DON MEGA Mega Racing exhaust, this is quality! not your typical Bong Bros backyard mig welded mild aluminized steel crap you find in "exhaust shops" LOL!!!

The DON!

Taken from my RICEFJ page, after fitment of Megan Racing scat back 2.5" exhaust

Here is the fuel usage (or lack of!)

This includes the above video :) too, the economy is 100% better with the cat back (pleasant surprise). About 1lt less per 100km of equivalent driving style ............... WINNING!

Work n back cycle, consisting of highway and intown running and warm up cycles, also passing a few c7nts at full speed and a 0-100kmh test and a skid :)

24mpg for imperial units lovers

Hi everyone,

I noticed a whine in the transfer case which started just before 20,000kms...going at speads above 60kms per hour (under power). Some speeds its more noticeable than other times, and the noise has been identified by Toyota as a whine in the Transfer Case, potentially requiringa re-build. Although Toyota are reluctant to actually get on with the work, stalling for months. They are not 100% it will fix the problem so I guess reluctant to spend the money on it.

Is anyone experiencing similar, if not watch out for it and report it immediately to be covered?

I towed once with mine and it did the same thing, they are a rubbish car honestly. I sold it so someone else could have the problems.

Mine had less than 20km when I picked it up.

I took delivery of a new Celica in 2000 that had about 60km on it and I wasn't impressed because I'm sure they had been joyriding in it

I realise how long ago this post was made, but I felt I had to offer my opinion here, do you really think that with the amount of vehicles that come through a dealership that we'd be in any way interesed in flogging cars?

The novelty of having different cars come through here wears off very quickly.

Nice opinion, worth as much as the honesty from any car salesman LOL

Dealers and their staff in the workshops are NEVER To be trusted!

I see DAILY abuse of brand new cars, being taken down the road to the servo filled up on the cheapest rubbish 91 oct fuel then totally FLOGGED out of the servo at full throttle with liters of water shooting out the exhaust!!! IF THIS WERE MY CAR I WOULD KILL THE SOB!!!!

When my car arrived at Dwyers Gippsland Toyota I demanded NO ONE DRIVE IT without my presence, the car had 2 km on it only, the "mechanic" drive it like a baby around the block, and proceeded to tell me how he used to flog Aston Martin (worth 250k) brand new before delivery, and that to my face!@

NEVER EVER TRUST A SALESMAN, NEVER EVER TRUST A DEALER@! its your 50+k of ca$h you are the customer, you demand to not have some ****** flog your pride n joy from brand new. IT HAPPENS DAILY and everywhere in every stealership, you are too green if you think it does not happen

Buyer beware!

Gas is for BBQ's, it's not good for any engine, its a poor lubricant, runs excess temperatures, makes less power always, will totally destroy your valves and valve seats...... do I need to go on?

Its super dangerous, WILL explode in an accident too.

I'd rather shoot myself than be in a gas bomb waiting to go off, let alone own one.

The economy of gas is a total con job.

And wait till the govt tax break goes.

The other massive f*ck up with gas is the stuff you buy. Its mixed propane and butane, BUT it varies at every single outlet! your gas system (absolutely non of them to this day) will take into account the different gas blends from outlet to outlet, so an engine that is under stress already running on BBQ fuel is now even more of an abortion waiting to wear out and cost you a fortune in repairs.

Go GAS if you are mad

If you want economy buy a Diesel.

Petrol is a real fuel, keep your car that way, and dont ever use any blend of Ethanol either

If you want to know how unreliable and bad gas is go ask Toyota about warranty on ANY current or past engine, you will not get ANY IF you chose to run it on gas, cause there are too many variables, too many lean outs, too much heat, and no Toyota engine is made with materials that will sustain the PUNISHMENT of gas BBQ fuel being put through it........... DONT DO IT!

Well I did a run with the Denso IT2 hooked up and downloaded the data log, and I was 100% right! the factory ECU does indeed target stoich at two points in 1st gear only crazy stuff

Also of note is the on board AFR sensors DO NOT READ below 0.821 Lambda so they are totally useless to tune from. Also right about the ECU drowning the engine on the gear shift to save the Auto trans! 0.673 lambda!!! target by the ECU

Comparison of 2 different days runs. Also machine set to higher resolution for better data analysis on tuning parameters in bottom test. :itsok:

Here is the graph report of the latest test.

0-100kmh time has improved to 7.12 seconds (115.02 meters)

run weight at test was 2040kg and rwkw peak was 178.85kw

ambient test condition 12c AIT 17c

AF in mid range 11.45:1 dropping down to 10.82:1

0-60mph for imperial units people is 6.77 seconds

Next round of testing will be with the exhaust fitted, should be a couple of weeks ;)

The average fuel consumption on this tank (40lt consumed), with a ton of performance testing (10 or more 0-100km tests and dozens of full load tests in 2nd and 3rd gear) at full power and some off road on the farm is a totally amazing 12.5lt/100km.

I have been keeping full fuel records since the day I bought the car and the total fuel consumption average is 11.3lt/100km over the last +3500km. The best figures I recorded on daily commute over 2 weeks was 10.3lt per 100km (2 x stop starts every day, I warm my car up) and live in hilly country +- 130m with some small in town stuff included, ave velocity over this covered distance (560km) was 64km/h, max velocity 115kmh.

Best absolute fuel economy on a highway only run is around 9lt per 100km distance, again recorded multiple times.

p.s. I ONLY use BP Ultimate fuel, nothing else, not even the dealership was allowed to fill my car off the truck! or drive it lol

I have tons of info covering this in my thread that has of 30,000 views.

In summary BP Ultimate 98 is actually the ULTIMATE fuel to use in Australia, gives the best economy, best power, safest engine, cleanest engine.

If you love your car use it, if not use the other crap with Ethanol blended in it, don't say you have not been warned about the con that is ethanol and also the cheapskate 98 oct brews around from inferior vendors (including Shell@!)