[Guderian]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Guderian,

1. What rpm rage do you maintain in the city?
2. Those are pretty impressive FE numbers.

Hi Nils, 1. Thanks.
2. Generally at 2K to 2.5 K. Change gears at 2 K. Of course in rage it growls/goes much higher !

General speed - 80-100 KMPH on EE H/W, don't exceed it at all whatever the temptation. In city around 40-50 KMPH max. Slightly above 50 KMPH slip into 5th as a rule even in the city. I avoid judders and don't over rev. Tyre pressure - all at 32 PSI. Done everyweek. Loose approx 0.5 PSI in a fortnight - all tyres.

Say - did you locate that measured torque wrench ? Let me know the cost when you get it. Planning to get one myself.

[nilanjanray]

Not yet.

Great numbers for that RPM range. I get around 10 if I do that in the city. I guess I make RPM changes too often.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Not yet.

Great numbers for that RPM range. I get around 10 if I do that in the city. I guess I make RPM changes too often.

Frankly Nils, I drive by the seat of my pants. Hardly ever look at the tacho. Do look at the speedo to check the upper limit. Otherwise the gear changes etc are purely by the feel factor. When I had slipped into the Admiral as a newbie, I used to look at the tachometer at every gear change and then slowly got comfy and now it is only by feel. Yes do look at the tacho once in a way to see if the assumptions are right.

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Frankly Nils, I drive by the seat of my pants. Hardly ever look at the tacho. Do look at the speedo to check the upper limit. Otherwise the gear changes etc are purely by the feel factor. When I had slipped into the Admiral as a newbie, I used to look at the tachometer at every gear change and then slowly got comfy and now it is only by feel. Yes do look at the tacho once in a way to see if the assumptions are right.

Neither do I, one gets used to driving by feel very easily with the Fortuner. I just try to make sure that I am riding the peak torque curve - which one can easily do without looking at the tacho. I guess it is the crawling Bangalore traffic that kills my FE - I should stop comparing to people from other cities :-)

After all, there is more to life that FE.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Hi Nils, 1. Thanks.
2. Generally at 2K to 2.5 K. Change gears at 2 K. Of course in rage it growls/goes much higher !

General speed - 80-100 KMPH on EE H/W, don't exceed it at all whatever the temptation. In city around 40-50 KMPH max. Slightly above 50 KMPH slip into 5th as a rule even in the city. I avoid judders and don't over rev. Tyre pressure - all at 32 PSI. Done everyweek. Loose approx 0.5 PSI in a fortnight - all tyres.

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Great numbers for that RPM range. I get around 10 if I do that in the city. I guess I make RPM changes too often.

Hi Nils, Major cock up from my side on the RPM figures. And my sincere apologies for causing a flutter in your ribcage !
While driving back to day had a good look at the tacho and noted the readings:

Idling RPM - 750 (approx).
City RPM Range - 1K to 1.5 K.
Gear change RPM - Slightly above 1.5 K - Approx 1.6 K.

In Fifth gear - 80 KMPH is at 1.66 - 1.7K approx - comfortable/smooth run.

Later on I realised what I had done - gave you the Scorp's values where the gear change was at 2K etc.

Once again - sorry about that.

[aah78]

Note from Support: Guys, please use this thread for ownership reports only. All other posts regarding meets, etc. need to be posted in relevant sections. Thanks!

Current posts regarding the meet & spotting of a commercial vehicle have been moved to the following threads ->

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/team-...ml#post2361353 (CI-VI(c) VEN-TO MEET FORTUN(er)ATELY)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/comme...t-carrier.html

[Guderian]

There appears to have been some repositioning of some of the posts of the meet by the mods.
So posting the drive experience and other details of the Admiral here - post the Lavasa meet on Sunday May 22, 2011:

And now coming to some attributes of the Admiral.

1. FE: As mentioned earlier - set the MID at the start of the expressway and did the distance from that point to Lonavala at speeds of 80 - 100 KMPH. The MID showed 14.7 KMPL. After deducting the difference it normally shows between MID and tank to tank calculation currently (ranging from 0.25 KMPl to 0.30KMPL) it should be 14.40 KMPL.

At Lonavala, reset the MID, increased the speed to 100-120 KMPL till the end of the expressway. On exit from express way it showed 13.2 KMPL. After 'standard deduction' (!) - 12.90 KMPL.

From that point to Lavasa and back on the highway it showed the reading at 9.3 KMPL (9KMPL). Thanks to all the twisties and slow run etc for about 60 KMs.

Back on the expressway I let the Admiral rip constantly at 140 KMPH, whenever possible. Not beyond. The MID on docking read as 11.3 KMPL.

This morning I filled up fuel and the tank to tank calculation showed 11 KMPL exact overall (MID 11.3 KMPL). This was the next fill after last Saturday, reported here. Included about 60 KMs of city running too before hitting the expressway on Sunday morning.

The sweet spot seems to be 5th gear, 100 KMPH. You'd get some amazing FE returns.

2. Handling and suspension: I must say that the suspension has settled down and the handling feels very comfortable compared to the comfortable feel in the long southern drive in April. Or maybe I am getting used to it more and more ?
Threw Admiral hard at some of the corners at it while returning from Lavasa as there was no traffic at all, both during the ascends and descends. Admiral really held its poise very, very well despite his height, weight and girth.
No pitching, rolling or yawing. May be compared to the Scorp. But I found it superbo ! Owner's pride ?

3. Tyres did its job well. But did feel that there is some amount of humming on the expressway.

4. On the return turned off the juke box and just listened for sounds inside the cabin. Pin drop silence except for the mild humming and my breathing. Even the rear most row seat's rackets are now silent, thanks to the taping activity of the anchor points carried out in the 2nd service. Some noise was heard from the glove compartment in some rare rough patches. Should surely secure the loose contents there.

5. Driving fatigue and discomfort - Nil.

6. Since it was the first real showers, checked out the wipers as well. Worked very well and the wiper rubbers are top quality - no streaking etc. But one feature is missing compared to the Scorp. Not sure what is the name of the feature. But it works like this - after you spray the windshield with the wash water the wiper automatically swipes three times and stops. In the Scorp after a wait of 10 seconds it swishes one last time to catch the dribble of the remaining wash water coming down from the water arc from the top of the windshield . Get what I mean ? This doesn't seem to be present in the TFort - one has to do it manually by pulling the stem for one last swipe.
The rear windshield wash and wipe is also super. Very slick in operation and does the job well.

7. Engine noise increases in the cabin as you cross 140 KMPH, however it is suprisingly much less than what it was in March this year. Engine too seems to be opening up and settling down.

8. Music system is decent. But when the AC runs at full speed - 5 notches ( when on starting and the climate control is on auto) it creates quite a racket and the music volume does need to be increased quite a bit.

9. AC continues to be excellent - chilling-wise. But the blower at speeds 4 & 5 is truly noisy. It creates some 'funny' situations. When driving back I had switched off the music system, as mentioned. Everything sephulchral silent and the AC blower was at speed 3. Just superbly humming along.
Sun peeked for a few moments and the brains behind the climate control suddenly felt that the temp had increased and kicked the blower to full suddenly causing a racket in the cabin.
I jumped out of my skin - in that silent cabin suddenly to have a hundred banishees wailing was too much even for my hardened senses. I look around if someone had seen me jumping up in my seat.
Nobody had at 140 KMPH.
I smiled a silly smile at myself (more to calm my frayed nerves) and drove on.

10. Deeply felt the need for a padded arm rest (miss my Scorp !) and padding on the doors just below the door switches console. You see while throwing the Admiral into a left turn my right knee/lower thigh sometimes goes painfully into the hard spot/projection on the door.
Never had this issue on the Scorp - because never threw the old chap this hard !

11. As per the observations received from Kaiser who was tailing me for sometime - the gait and posture of the Admiral was good. No waywardness or out of line movements observed. No smoke trail on changing gears etc -not a wisp.

12. On wet roads (the first rain/ freshly drizzled roads are more dangerous that the completely wet cleaned out roads due to the treacherous muck, grime and water forming a deadly skid trap) Admiral was very, very sure of himself.

So there you have folks, as I experienced the Admiral in a variety of conditions.

Perhaps the best comment came from Kaiser's lil' daughter, who is incidentally the youngest old member having attended all group meetings since she was 3 months or so old, when during one of the breaks she very shyly whispered to me " It looks like a bulldog from the front !" This was after Admiral was behind Tiger for a long time on the way to L.
When I gave her a quizzical look she quickly added - " Not me, Mama said so !"

Today it hit me. Did the mama feel that the Scorpio looks much better ?

But Bulldogs look nice, cute and fierce all at the same time right ?!!

[nileshch]

Awesome post HG. Your attention to the tiniest details is amazing. While I do tend to listen to my baby on the road at times, I can only dream of putting that down in words as superbly as you

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by nileshch

1. Awesome post HG. Your attention to the tiniest details is amazing.

2. While I do tend to listen to my baby on the road at times, I can only dream of putting that down in words as superbly as you

Hey Nilesh,
1. Thanks a lot for the words of appreciation.

2. It is indeed a great practice to regularly listen to your car when idling and then when driving around when the area around you is relatively quiet.
That is why highways are the best to do so when driving at moderately slow speeds. Because you need to open the window too to check the sounds coming in. And at high speeds on the highway one can't make out much due to the rush of wind and buffeting.

It is almost akin to the old GP's intently listening with their ears to the chest or with a stethoscope and in a jiffy identifying what is wrong with you. Yes today there are all those CT scans, Dopplers and what not and similary in the ASCs and garages there are those fancy electronic tools for diagnosis - but there is frankly nothing to beat the good old aural sense.

And for all non electronic stuff like suspensions etc, where the fancy diagnostic equipment can't play a role, nothing like the ear to pre-empt any issue.

[mdsaab]

LOL! what a comment, and then out came the source.
Agree with you Bulldogs kind of look fierce and cute at the same time.
Only problem being Bulldogs look kind of sloppy, and the Admiral looks far from sloppy.
Pristine is more apt.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Pristine is more apt.

Hi mdsaab, That is quite some consolation !

But am using this post also to put up some snaps from the drive (which now exist on the meets thread) just to buttress the post put up earlier on the behaviour of Admiral during the drive. Can't resist.

And most certainly can't bear to see this thread without atleast some of those snaps either !

1. The stretch between start of the Expressway and Lonavala was done in speed range of 80-100 KMPH and returned FE figure of 14.7 KMPL after resetting MID at the start:


2. When the clouds spoke through a drizzle the wipers did the job very well and Admiral was very sure of himself on the slushy, grimy tarmac:


3. Brakes were rather adequate and more in all kinds of situations:



4. The tyres played their part very well with the only observation being that it hummed fairly high.


5. Admiral held the curves well. This was a gentle curve - but even on hairpin bends where I threw him hard - his behaviour was impeccable !


6. The Admiral/TFort is quite a looker...from whatever distance:



7. On return all it had on it were a few splotches and a great new sticker !



The drive reinforced my belief that I had taken the correct decision to get the TFort - yet again !

[nilanjanray]

Guderian,

It was great reading through your long post on the Lavasa trip.

I think one gets used to the Fortuner's handling and brakes after a few thousand kms, and is able to push the vehicle more once one gets more confident about what it can and can't do. I have felt the same - i.e. improved handling in my recent drives.

Sadly I can't cruise at 140 kmph anywhere here apart for a few kms on NICE road. Will test out cruising performance on the Bangalore - Hyderabad stretch next week.

2000 RPM is the sweet spot, I agree.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Guderian,
It was great reading through your long post on the Lavasa trip.

Hi Nils, Many thanks.
Incidentally here is the link to the Pune-Lavasa drive & meet report with all the snaps:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/team-b...-er-ately.html

Pasting the link here as couple of my chums asked me to do so as the original location had changed.

[amitwlele]

Hey General,

While on the topic of meets, there is a new thread on a Pune - Mumbai meet on 11th June. Posting the link below for the reference of the broadcaster and all the subscribers of the TOGO channel.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/team-b...11th-june.html

[mdsaab]

Indeed noticed that the mods have moved your posts into that thread. It was not intended to be done that way. I thought we would have four stories on the meet posted on each ones thread. Since i dont have a proper thread for chicca as yet i created a new one just for the meet.