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This P/ 2 -ion

22nd December 1961
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Page 44, 22nd December 1961 — This P/ 2 -ion
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Diesel is a Good All-rounder

Economy and Performance Well Balanced in Commer Walk-Thru Van with 2.26-litre Diesel Engine By A. J. P. WILDING

ALTHOUGH not strictly comparable with the 2-ton van with the 3-litre petrol engine tested a month ago (The Commercial Motor, November 24, 1961), the Commer Walk-Thru 1k-ton van with the 2.26-litre, fourcylindered diesel engine tested was surprisingly similar in performance and handling qualities. I had expected the relatively small diesel engine to give a sluggish performance in comparison to the 3-litre petrol unit, even allowing for the reduction in gross vehicle weight, but this was not the case. There was, of course, more noise with the diesel engine but acceleration and pulling power were in no way lacking. Suspension on the two models is little different, so the stability and standard of ride on the 131.-tonner were of the same high order as found with the 2-tonner.

The van tested was described with the rest of the WalkThru range in our issue of October 13. From the accessibility and driver-comfort angles the remarks included in the road test report of the 2-ton van published on November 24 apply to the same degree. Because of the diesel engine, the ignition switch is changed for a ba switch which incorporates the control for the hi and starter, but all other controls are the same.

The 2.26-litre diesel engine is identical, except alterations, with that available in the earlier Commer 1and 1-1-ton vans, which are still in r Maximum net power output is 52.5 b.h.p. at 3,

and maximum net torque is 100 lb.-ft. at 1, Transmission on all models in the Walk-Thrt through the same design four-speed gearbox wit mesh on the three higher ratios. Gear chai reasonably easy and in fact it was possible t quicker change with the gearbox on the van t with that on the 2-tonner.

. Optional equipment on the van was the sa the 2-tonner except that c heating equipment was fill heaters are the optional fittii single unit kept the interior warm during the tests. Unladen, the 11-ton vai 2 tons 2 cwt. With a load c blocks and sand-filled sack 1 ton 9+ cwt., and two passi gross laden weight was 3 to The load was evenly distril the body floor and the wei bution was 1 ton 9 cwt. ovei

wheels and 2 tons 7 cwt. OVel As 7.50-16 (8-ply) tyres arc round with single rears, this 1

The 14-ton van handled well it Reversing was helped by win adequate size in the rear do well nearside and driving mirrors.

the front tyres were within their capacity )tal of 111 cwt. the rear tyres were overby a total of 61 cwt.

the tests, except those for part-load and fuel consumption, were carried out at The seven runs intended to simu:livery work and designed to get an idea consumption on this type of operation :arried out over the usual six-mile outturn run on the A6 between Barton and 11. During the tests there Was a very and blustery wind blowing more or less the West. As the Walk-Thru van body tch a large side and frontal area, this have affected adversely the figures ed. It would be impossible to estimate ny accuracy the actual effect, but it may nade a difference of between five and 10 nt.

tuse of the strong wind, a high-speed fuel • nption run on the M1 Motorway on the first day of the tests had to be abandoned, although the maximum speeds in the four gears were checked. The maximum speed in top was 50 m.p.h. (allowing for a 5 per cent. inaccuracy of the speedometer at this speed) at which the van handled well in spite of the wind. The speedometer was found to be 2 per cent, fast at 30 m.p.h. and, taking this into account, the maximum speeds in the three lower gears were found to be 31, 17 and 8 nrt,p.h The high-speed consumption run was completed later on the same 10.6-mile stretch that the 2-tonner was tested over -South from the A505 to the A4147 junctions-and the figure of 20 m.p.g. at an average speed of 39 m.p.h. is very good. Taking all the factors into consideration, I would estimate the consumption likely to be obtained on general delivery work in reasonable traffic conditions at around 2528 m.p.g. Where there is a great deal of traffic congestion the figure would very likely drop to around 21-24 m.p.g.

As with the 2-tonner, the accelerator pedal spring was very light and there was little " feel " with it so that it was easy to allow more fuel to be supplied than was actually needed at any particular time. I feel that improved figures would be obtained if a slightly stronger spring was fitted.

Acceleration tests were carried out on the stretch of road used for the same tests with the 2-tanner-just off

c10 the A6 near the start of the fuel-consumption runs. tests were also completed on a different day to f sumption tests because of the high wind. The times c for both acceleration through the gears and in h from 10 m.p.h. were reasonably good and compare ably with results on tests of other vehicles of a simi and capacity.

Braking tests were also completed on the same those for acceleration. Unfortunately, on both the d tests were carried out, the road surface was wet an fore far from ideal for brake testing. The v completely stable under crash-stop conditions, in the fact that the tyres slid over the wet road with all locked for the major part of the actual stopping di Considering the conditions, the braking figures c -47 ft. from 30 m.p.h. and 20.2 ft. from 20 m.p.h very good. Maximum .deceleration as shown by a meter were 79 per cent_ from 20 m.p.h. and 75 p from 30 m.p.h. Hand-brake efficiency was above at 40 per cent.

Bison Hill was again used for the hill-performan it is three-quarters of a mile in length. has an gradient of 1 in 101 and a maximum gradient of A fast maximum-power ascent of the hill was co

nutes 16 seconds. First gear was needed on the section, being engaged for 20 seconds with the Wing to a minimum of 8 m.p.h. during this time. t temperature for the test was 44F. and the tern. of the radiator top tank increased by I5'F. on b.

isual procedure for the assessment of brake-fade ristics was adopted on the run down the hill. The trt of the descent was made in neutral with the Le applied to keep the speed around 20 m.p.h., and he gradient is less steep towards the bottom, top s engaged and full throttle applied with the brakes to keep the speed still at 20 m.p.h. Total time for :ent was 2 mins. 35 secs. with 35 seconds spent in [-pressure stop from 20 m.p.h. at the end of the run Tapley-meter reading of 73 per cent.—some 6 per s than with cold drums. There was a small increase Amount of pedal travel indicating that the slight s due to brake drum expansion.

second run up the hill, the van was stopped on the section, and an easy restart was made in bottom Vhen facing down. the hill an equally easy restart he in reverse gear.

laintenance tests were carried out on the van tested because the similarity of the engine installation meant that there will be little difference in the times for comparable tasks between this and the 2-tonner tested earlier and on which a full routine-maintenance test was completed. As far as accessibility with the 2.26-litre diesel engine is concerned, the injection pump, injectors, fuel lift pump and filter are well placed and easy to reach.

In the test report on the 2-tonner, I said that no starting handle is supplied when the 3-litre engine is fitted. While this is so in standard form, I understand that equipment for hand starting—a starter dog, starting handle and guide bracket—is available as an option on all Walk-Thru models except the 3-tonner fitted with the Perkins 4.203 engine.

Excluding the various items of optional equipment fitted. the If-ton Walk-Thru van with the 2.26-litre diesel engine tested is priced at £952, £120 more than when the fourcylindered petrol engine of the same capacity is fitted. The price of the 2-tonner with the 3-litre petrol engine tested previously is in fact 15 cheaper at £947. The decision as to which of the wide range of Walk-Thru models to specify will depend entirely on the type of operation on which the vehicle is to be used. Where relatively high mileages are the rule without a great deal of traffic congestion, the fuel economy of the diesel engine will be of the greatest advantage.


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