[ebonho]

Originally Posted by condor

What are you guys running on ?!!!
And at what speeds do you change gears ?

I have not got those numbers even if I drive @ 90kmph.

I swear man. Both the Government, Oily Moily, as well as our friend Sasi are conspiring to really depressing me (not reallly, just kidding, love what my Storme does and don't grudge my black haathi mera saathi its juicy ganna and channa .....)

[kaviprem]

Originally Posted by condor

What are you guys running on ?!!!
And at what speeds do you change gears ?

I have not got those numbers even if I drive @ 90kmph.

I guess, Bangalore traffic is far far worse than any benchmark !

If I drive my DICOR in Chennai, I get about 10-11 KMPL in CITY driving condition. In Bangalore, I get exactly 9.5 KMPL for all these 4 years.

As long as we dont rev beyond 2.5K RPM in any gear, we should be OK and we are driving neither sedate nor aggressive

Prem.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by kaviprem

I guess, Bangalore traffic is far far worse than any benchmark !

If I drive my DICOR in Chennai, I get about 10-11 KMPL in CITY driving condition. In Bangalore, I get exactly 9.5 KMPL for all these 4 years.

As long as we dont rev beyond 2.5K RPM in any gear, we should be OK and we are driving neither sedate nor aggressive

Prem.

I agree that Delhi guys should get better mileage. They have the country's best city roads by far.

Speaking about 2.5K rpm and city traffic driving though, in the Storme at least, you are usually playing between 2 and 3, with 4 only on open stretches or flyovers (sometimes 5 as well).

So in 2 and 3, when you get an opening and want to / need to get away, its really rediculously easy to overshoot 2.5K rpm in the Storme, and from what I have seen in the new Dicors, there too (in fact their needles jump more).

You cannot pull the same way in the longer geared 3rd because invariably you do not get the road or opening for it. But in 2nd its easy.

[narayan]

Originally Posted by sasi405

Just filled my first top up. 32.75L @ 477km, making an average of 14.56kmpl.

Originally Posted by condor

What are you guys running on ?!!!
And at what speeds do you change gears ?

I have not got those numbers even if I drive @ 90kmph.

If you recall FE figures i had reported during run in, I used to get similar numbers - a bit more of around 15.5kmpl in highway driving conditions at speeds of 70-80kmph

So it all boils down to the speed. The FE drops to 12-13kmpl levels if speed increases to 100kmph and further down if one does 120kmph. - Which is why i wonder if a 6th gear could have helped in the Highways to deliver better FE at 100-120kmph

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by narayan

Which is why i wonder if a 6th gear could have helped in the Highways to deliver better FE at 100-120kmph

Please correct me if I am wrong, because my perspective is more bike-oriented and trying to fit it to cars (trucks in our case).

What you say would be true if the truck was feeling strained in 5th or able to still redline in 5th. I think its no for both right? My truck leaps like a 2.5 ton gazelle in 5th.

I would not lose that by potentially lugging the engine in a now lifeless 6th gear for extra mileage. Personal opinion of course.

[sasi405]

In my experience so far, I haven't really felt the need to push beyond 2500 rpm. The truck has enough power to pick up required speed for overtaking maneuvers in the city. On the highway, if you keep it at around 2000rpm, you will always get the punch required to shoot off if you want to overtake.
And yes, the 1st and 2nd gears are shorter and there is a gap into 3rd, which makes it a bit bothersome in slow traffic. The XUV has the same problem, though it is felt much more in it, also amplified by the push of the Mahindra engine. The Storme is easier to manage.
A 6th gear would have allowed better efficiency, but personally I prefer the 5-speed format as then one doesn't need to downshift to overtake.

[4x4addict]

From a mileage and performance perspective 6-Speed is always better than 5-Speed, but it I suppose, we like to feel good about our purchase and justify the reasons.

[kaviprem]

I am aware of Chennai. Probably, Pune and Jaipur too has a lot of plain roads [not much of up and down].
Bangalore, on a contrary, has a lot of ups & downs in our regular streets. I am not saying we would be in 3K RPM every time going uphill, but, it will be more frequent where 2.5K RPM would be easily crossed in Bangalore on a daily run.
I consciously avoid reaching 3K and up-gear around 2.7K. If I get a clear road for few yards, it will be good. If not, engine will be lugging/begging ! If I up-gear in 3K, engine wouldnt be lugging. Probably, this is where we lose FE

PS - Too much on RPM, lets get some other topic around Storme

Prem.

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

From a mileage and performance perspective 6-Speed is always better than 5-Speed,

6 Spped can be tried on Automatic, People normally wont prefer 6 speed manual in cars/suvs.

[sasi405]

I have now crossed the 600km mark. I must say that the road grip, composure over rutted surfaces and steering response is very good indeed. When I test drove the Dicor a year ago, I just didn't get the same confidence. The headlights are also very good, with dipped beam giving a good spread and high beam throwing a long and pointed beam ahead. I have put the lights height setting at 2, which seems good enough.
What is the ideal tyre pressure? 32 or 34? It's only me in the vehicle these days, office commute and back.
Has anyone faced the issue of noise from the CRB (Clutch Release Bearing), like what used to happen in the Dicor? It usually makes the noise when you declutch after changing gears and if you are not immediately accelerating (kind of like when you change a gear before coasting to a stop at a light or something).

[condor]

Lights are good. Good thing is the double beam. Hence when out on highways, we can use both beams & switch off the HB in case of on-coming traffic.

Originally Posted by sasi405

What is the ideal tyre pressure? 32 or 34? It's only me in the vehicle these days, office commute and back.

I try to leave it at 33 most times, unless I am heading out long distance, when I increase it to 34 (as part of routine pre-travel checks)

Originally Posted by sasi405

Has anyone faced the issue of noise from the CRB (Clutch Release Bearing), like what used to happen in the Dicor?

No noise experienced/seen from clutch, except a light sound from the clutch pedal each time I press the pedal.

[storme'd]

I drove a friends storme today and was surprised to find quite a big difference between my truck and his:

1. His steering is very light as compared to mine. I am now worried that there is something wrong with my set up considering its quite heavy. Could it have something to do with the tires? Both are using stock size but I am on Michellin cross latitudes while he is on continental cross contacts

2. His cars pep and overall drivability is quite better than mine. Engine was more eased up and even the engine noise was lesser than mine. This despite the fact that I normally remain under 2K rpm while since the beginning be has been ripping the car. What could be the reason here?

Also the above is clearly not a function of "doosere ki biwi apne se acchi lagti hai" - "others wife always looks better than your own"

Look forward to your comments guys.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by storme'd

This despite the fact that I normally remain under 2K rpm while since the beginning be has been ripping the car. What could be the reason here?

This IS probably the reason here. Start ripping her to clear out her lungs. My truck always feels peppy after a nice blast. How many kms have you completed? Only in haathi mode am I under 2K rpm .....

[condor]

@storme'd:
1. Tyres.
2. Tyre pressures.
3. Diesel engines - recommended to run at about 3000 rpm once in a week, for at least 30 secs to keep things clear inside.

How much have your trucks run ?
Your keeping your truck at under 2k rpm doesnt really help - unless you want to really stretch the fuel. Go & drive normally. Unless you want to, you wont be crossing 2500 rpm. There is nothing that says you should not exceed 2000 rpm. The red-line is at about 4200 rpm

[narayan]

Originally Posted by sasi405

Has anyone faced the issue of noise from the CRB (Clutch Release Bearing), like what used to happen in the Dicor? It usually makes the noise when you declutch after changing gears and if you are not immediately accelerating (kind of like when you change a gear before coasting to a stop at a light or something).

I get that "tuck" kind of sound in the scenario you described. Is that a problem ?