how much range do I need?

Submitted: Sunday, Apr 13, 2014 at 20:52
ThreadID: 107254 Views:2011 Replies:7 FollowUps:5
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Hey guys
I currently have a fzj105 which is gas and petrol planning on travelling australia in the near future, just wondering how much fuel range I need for those remote places where I will be going! Do I need about 1000k's or???
Thanks
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Reply By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 13, 2014 at 20:55

Sunday, Apr 13, 2014 at 20:55
Firstly. What do you call remote?

Phil
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Reply By: Top End Az - Sunday, Apr 13, 2014 at 21:00

Sunday, Apr 13, 2014 at 21:00
Love the sound of your plans. If you could advise if you are sticking to highways, or doing desert crossings etc the responses can be better answered. If you are just sticking to highways then there are servos usually every few hundred kilometres.
AnswerID: 530500

Reply By: Motherhen - Sunday, Apr 13, 2014 at 21:55

Sunday, Apr 13, 2014 at 21:55
Which are these remote places you plan to visit? Even the desert is dotted with Aboriginal communities that have fuel outlets.

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Reply By: matth j - Sunday, Apr 13, 2014 at 22:13

Sunday, Apr 13, 2014 at 22:13
Yeah would definetely be doing a fair bit off offroad such as cape york, vic high country but probably not a desert crossing! Possibly towing a camper around 1 tonne, obviously a lot of high way travel which wouldnt be a problem
AnswerID: 530505

Follow Up By: Michaeljp - Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 02:44

Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 02:44
1000km's worth is minimun i recken as a lot of places close reasonably early and there aren't many 24hr servo's in small towns. More fuel means you can travel to the next town and if none are open there you wait less time till they open in the morning. Also not many out of the way places have gas.
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Follow Up By: Member - Scott M (NSW) - Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 09:47

Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 09:47
No Desert crossings the 1000k would be more than adequate - even 800k would be fine.

1000k would get you almost everywhere except the Canning without a fuel drop.
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Follow Up By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 10:22

Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 10:22
I agree. The only place where we needed the extra distance was the Simpson and soon the other deserts. All the high country, Cape York and the Kimberley just had the standard 90 + 40 lt tanks. 1000km should be fine.

And saying that don't pass up too many opportunities. You never know if the next will be open, out of fuel or the computer is down. We came across one in 2010 and all those who had "left it to the lest minute" had to sit and wait about 6 hours for a computer tech to come out from Adelaide and fix it. I have a feeling it was at the SA/WA border. But don't quote me on it. We just carried on to Echuca.

Phil
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Follow Up By: disco driver - Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 10:34

Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 10:34
PJR,
How much fuel DO you carry if you can get from near Border Village (SA/WA border) to Echuca, which is in Vic.

I'm pretty sure that you actually meant Eucla which west of the border by a few Km.

Disco.
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Follow Up By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 10:38

Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 10:38
I get my wife to drive.

ooops

Phil
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Reply By: Erad - Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 11:33

Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 11:33
Until 1 year ago, I had a NL Pajero which ran on gas and petrol. Wnen towing our 16.5 ft Jayco poptop caravan, I had about 350+ km on gas, and about 300 on petrol. I drove around the block 3 times with this rig and never had any problems with fuel. I carried a jerry can, and filled it when I got to areas where fuel was likely to be scarce. I then used it up ASAP because I don't like carrying petrol inside the vehicle.

Your Tojo will use heaps more fuel than my Pajero, but the range issue is still the same problem. One thing I did with my Pajero was to install a relay in the petrol pump power supply. When the car was on gas, the petrol pump was isolated and not operating. This allowed me to leave the gas tank full (as a reserve supply) and switch to petrol when I was in an area where there was no gas, and still be able to run the petrol system to empty if necessary. If the petrol pump was still operating, it would damage the pump (this is why they tell you to keep a minimum 1/4 tank of petrol at all times). When I got back to a gas supply area, I switched back to gas and all was normal.

On my last trip round the block, I used 2 tanks of petrol - the rest was gas. Typically, we would go to a place and set up the van, and then explore out for a few days, then move on. We didn't miss out on that much, but what we saw told us that there is heaps more that we haven't seen - the more you see of Australia, the more you realise that you know nothing about the place.

I would prefer to have at least 700 km range in the tanks. My current tug - a Pajero diesel has 650+ km range with the caravan, but I will still take a jerry can with me, and also can get diesel a lot easier than gas when I am outback. ALl I have to do it pay for it! Incidentally, I still maintain that my old setup - the Pajero on gas was cheaper to run that the new diesel Pajero, by gee the new one is very nice...
AnswerID: 530521

Reply By: Bob W5 - Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 20:17

Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 20:17
Hi Matth j. I have the same rig, I towed my off road caravan 17,500 kms last year from Victoria up to Alice Springs, across the Tanami to Halls creek to Kununurra, then down the west coast to Perth and home. I used gas as much as I could, and filled up my gas at every reasonable oppurtunity. If I was down to a quarter of a tank I'd fill up. I had a jerry can of petrol also. I generally found I could buy fuel at least every 200/ 300 kms. Even crossing the Tanami, planned ahead you can buy fuel, research your road maps and you will find there are plenty of fuel stations. You'll quickly get to know your range. For me by the time I needed to fuel up I was also ready for a break to stretch my legs. A few years ago in Cairns and beyond on the way to Cape York. I found fuel stations selling LPG were very scarce. So we kept the gas tank full and ran on petrol, gas was our back up. No problem. I love my fz105. :). Happy travels.
AnswerID: 530558

Reply By: matth j - Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 23:20

Monday, Apr 14, 2014 at 23:20
Thanks for the replies very helpful, I was thinking there were far less petrol stations than what everybody has said! Thanks
AnswerID: 530576

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