first longish trip in my G observatoins

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cozz
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Location: nottingham

just got back from caravan trip down to devon in my LWG G300D

covered around 800 miles in all

returned 25 mpg (80% of miles was towing) so I think thats quite good really - mind you was a bit of a shock getting £91 of derv in tank before setting off (it wasnt even dead empty)

anyway, I know that my speedo is out - by about 10-12 % judging by my sat nav - cos ive got 31" tyres on,

seemed to tow at around 48-52 mph, but down to 36 on a hill on the M5!

Obviously a very stable car for towing very good there, BUT REALLY need more power, up a steep hill in devon i was changing down the box to keep going, until I eventually got down into first and then It STALLED in first on a 1 in 5 hill. Some quick rumaging for low box got me going again - but really would have prefered not to need low box at all. - is that normal! of course only used for a few metres to get some steam up again!

It seems I was in stealth mode and wasnt even spotted the once :(

Jdring
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Location: South of Oxford, UK. 87' 230GE SWB Manual, 89' 230GE SWB Auto, 2012 G350Bluetec LWB
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

Guess it depends how big or small that caravan was. <50mph is pretty slow on a dual carriageway or motorway.
What did the engine temperature look like? How about braking performance too? Especially going back 'down' that 1 in 5 ;)

fixwin38
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

good to see you kept within the speed limits when towing a caravan!!! Om617 engine performance in a LWB G'wagon can only be described as poor!!?? . the engine is capable but the injector pump setup is biased towards frugal fuel consumption rather than performance....pump overhaul specialists can adjust the pump internally to deliver more fuel which will in turn change the power curve a few %....fitting the factory bult OM 617A turbo diesel improves things all round but the engine was only built in the early 80s for the W116 LHD model car sold in Europe and the USA. by the time you source one.go to see it running.palletise it.ship it to GB your looking at GBp 1500 or more and you still have to do the retrofit mods flywheel change. exhaust interface. pipes and linkeages.so the host vehicle needs to justify the costs along with the desire to keep the G' for a long time to reap the benefit....

cozz
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

temp NEVER gets above 1/3 - this is one reason ive thought about removing the fan?!

brakes are mint, it pulls up real quick for its size

and its a small caravan as well

trouble is i love the car

but estimated value of £5000 i think - what could I upgrade to - id need a 300gel? 463 LWB - and they are prob twice that price?

Id be better off fitting a V8 to it I think

fixwin38
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

Hi you would not want to B**st**dize a 460 G' valued at GBP 5000!! would you? 463 LWB GEL fuel consumption 12/15 mpg pulling a caravan..GDL manual would be best bet to tow with but still sluggish...and only around 20 mpg...LEEU this forum has an SWB 460 with a retrofit OM 603 6 cylinder diesel fitted to an auto G'box for sale if you are seriously considering re-engining your own there is an engine and a pattern to work to..

cozz
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

I know its nice to own such a good original example

Not really fussed about what it costs to run

but I know theres a big jump from a 460 lwb to the next (ie a 463 lwb) if one can be found at all, and too much for me

got a niggle that a £5000-6000 lancruiser would do a better job

but I do love the G and the look of it, and the fact there are not many around

fixwin38
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

Hi LWB 463 GEL models are available in Autotrader starting at GBP 8000 + or try G Wagen UK (James Lafferty) 0118 9721100... at least you have one to trade and it is a "buyers Market" .......

prwales
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

going slightly left field wouldn't fitting lpg improve the performance?

cozz
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

I remember the lpg diesel golf that top gear did a few years back - it was rapid

leo
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

You mention the Land Cruiser.

Just forget it (IMHO) - I have towed with a 230GE and a Toyota L/Cruiser (3.0TD) and the Toyota was much stronger. I know the Merc diesel may have a bit more than the 230 low down, but I always felt I was having to work the 230 way too hard just to make respectable progress and from your description you seem to have had a similar experience.

Keep away from the Toyota and you will avoid becoming dissatified with your Merc. You'll get there eventually!

Leo

prwales
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

the guy who fitted lpg to my 280ge a few years back offered to fit it to my gd300, he reckoned that it would be like fitting a turbo, I half regret not taking him up on it. He seemed to think that many of the lorries on the road had lpg as a booster to diesel performance. Have you fitted lpg to a diesel Peter?(Fixwin)

fixwin38
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Re: first longish trip in my G observatoins

Hi without electronic fuel management to generate the pulse LPG cannot be used to best advantage as neither the 463 300ge or the 300gd have this system on the RHD vehicles.....raw lpg with just a manual flow adjustment is primative and is prone to give an under or over gas supply resulting in too lean or too rich gas to air mix causing the occasional backfire...or exhaust valve decay...tried it on a diesel forklift based on consuming either one fuel or the other.. not as a booster additive like Nox' or water methonol.....