Car Question - Is It Possible....

[Wadke]

Have a 2003 Nissan Xterra also with the supercharged V6.
It ate gas for a while and still does at times but what helps is turning off O/D until going over 50mph (highway). Switch is on the Gear selection stick for automatics. (btw the X ain't mine (mom's) I have 1999 Ranger XLT and that SOB eats gas worse than our Xterra)

[XtrmeJ]

Yah knew about the O/D. Helps a bit but not much. Mostly doing 4x4 stuff and gas gets sucked down much quicker. Highways its alright, but you can see the gas go when on rough terrain.

Really your XLT? Small pickup, cant imagine it'd be worse than the Xterra, thats pretty bad hehe. Maybe that Tornado attachement you see advertised on TV alot. Hook that up to the engine, supposedl saves gas and increases horsepower, thats a thought hehe.

[Gixer]

"It's a 2003 Nissan Xterra which is going to have a 5-7 Inch lift in a few months. Need it for the heavy offroad in Hawaii"

Heavy off road work? Shoudl of bought a Jeep

Nissan Xterra with a 5 to 7 inch lift and your worried about trips to the gas station living in Hawaii? You have to be kidding me?

Firstly, I can't imagine a Nissan Xterra with such a massive lift, if you lift and add bigger tyres your gas miliage is going to plumit and you will be making even more trips to the gas station.

Secondly, Modifying a gas tank is the last thing I'd try on a vehicle it's designed to specs for a reason. Mounting a gas tank on the rear bumper or roof is also risky and some countries illegal incase of accident. Same with keeping gas inside at the back.

Thirdly, Only time I've ever wished for more gas in a 4x4 is in Australia where the gas stops are few and far between in the outback. I can't imagine Hawaii being a 1000 mile drive between stops.

Good Luck.


...-Gixer

[XtrmeJ]

Yah it is going to be a pretty big lift. Maybe even just 4.. It seems to scrape quite a bit on some roads. You'r right, it is short drives everywhere. But considering I drive to the beach almost everyday on a tank which gets 16 mpg, it adds up. Beach is 40 miles away, its a 12 gallon tank. I refill every 4 days or so.

Yes Gixer I am in fact kidding you, this is all one of my charades, you've been trapped .  The reason I want the extra gas is so I'll have it incase im on a long trip, and I know I have gas to toy with. May be a silly thing to you, but it's logical with my life style.

All I want is some extra storage containers for fuel that with any luck will be just like a aux fuel or 2nd tak. Where I flip a switch and voila. The lift is needed for terrain here. 1/30 vehicles on the road are lifted, see at least 15 every day, all of which people do because its a fun activity, and a easy solution to get to the nice and secluded places here. But you know all about Hawaii, so I need not continue;)

[Gixer]

XJ,

I'm sure the terrain in Hawaii isn't any worse for off roading then here in NZ. I just finished a OME 2 inch lift on my Jeep and with 31inch mud tyres, airlockers, and some armour underneath find more then enough for bush trails here. Which are usually steep,muddy,rutted,narrow,rocky and unforgiving. We have some guys in our club with 3-4 inch lifts and 33" tyres but I've yet to get stuck where they don't.

Over 2 inches your really starting to alter the vehicles centre of gravity and design spec. More then likely require regearing and other changes like a transcase drop,gearbox packing, Panhard rod extensions what ever is required. Otherwise you'll experience varying degrees of vibration.

Of course sure you've already looked into all of this.  

Which makes of lift kit's have you looked into? Can highly recommend Old Man Emu from Australia not sure what they do for your wagon but for Jeeps it's the best available. Improves the handling off and on road. Totally different vehicle now from stock.



...-Gixer

[beet1e]

Originally posted by XtrmeJ
I have a about a 12-16 gallon tank and get approx. 16 miles to the gallon.

Buy a diesel next time.

<-- diesel, 55 litre tank, 500 miles between fill-ups.

[capt. apathy]

diesels aren't very good off-road.  great for mileage and power on the hwy, but poor acceleration & not much 'off the line' power that you need for off-road.

[beet1e]

Originally posted by capt. apathy
but poor acceleration

diesel? or turbo diesel? That turbo makes a hell of a difference to a diesel. Mine has top speed of 134mph, 0-60 in 8.8 secs. I bet that's better than XJ's truck.

A lot of people hone in on the max power figure and forget all about the perhaps more relevant max torque figure - my 2.8iV6 had 204bhp @ 6200rpm, the 1.9TDi has only 150bhp @ 4000rpm. BUT... Max torque in the V6 was 199ft.lb. @ 3200rpm; Max torque in the 1.9TDi is 236ft.lb. at 1900rpm.

[Spooky]

Use droptanks !

[capt. apathy]

the turbo does make a huge difference, my volvo (4cl w turbo) accelerates much faster than many v-8's I've owned.

I still can't help but think if diesels had a comparable power/weight ratio, and better milage (=longer endurance) why don't they put them in race cars?

[beet1e]

Originally posted by capt. apathy
the turbo does make a huge difference, my volvo (4cl w turbo) accelerates much faster than many v-8's I've owned.

I still can't help but think if diesels had a comparable power/weight ratio, and better milage (=longer endurance) why don't they put them in race cars?

Yes, and I sometimes wondered why they couldn't make a diesel powered light aircraft. The low revs would be suited to normal operating prop speeds without gearing being needed. The answer is of course weight. Owing to the heat that a diesel engine generates, it has to be liquid cooled. And to withstand the cylinder pressure (comp ratio in mine is 18½ to 1) the cylinder block has to be much sturdier/heavier.

A diesel car engine will last what - 200,000 miles at least. But a racing car engine is designed to last for the duration of the race! If it lasts longer than that, the designers are looking for what extra metal (and extra weight) they put in the engine that wasn't needed.

[capt. apathy]

yep, and in off-roading weight is a concern.  I not an exert at 4wd's, I've owned a couple but don't do any more than the most basic work on them.  and the only mods I make are custom bumpers, hitch's, and winch-mounts that I make.

but I don't know of anyone who uses a diesel for off-roading.  I don't think jeep or most of the other 4x4 makers even offer diesels.

[lazs2]

those stupid xterra things only get 16 mpg?   What is the point of that?

lazs

[Airhead]

Wait a sec... This guy lives in Hawaii... isn't that a tiny little island? How far from a gas station CAN you get? A mile? Maybe two?

[Hawklore]

Originally posted by XtrmeJ
To somehow install a bigger fuel tank into a SUV vehicle? Seems I run out of gas faster than I can fill it up, thinking a bigger tank might save a few trips to the gas station, even if it is a bigger burn in the wallet.

I have a about a 12-16 gallon tank and get approx. 16 miles to the gallon.

Was just gonna carry some extra fuel containers in car but I carry alota stuff back there. It's a 2003 Nissan Xterra which is going to have a 5-7 Inch lift in a few months. Need it for the heavy offroad in Hawaii. Anyhow lemme know if its possible, thanks ahead of time.

Our truck gets 16mpg, but ours holds 20-25 gallons...