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I've got my 2003 F250 with the V10. No engine mods other than the cold air intake and the air raid throttle body.
I'd like to find out if the way to squeezing a few more MPG's is to change my non-OEM gears back to something else. I currently get about 13 MPG's on the highway whether i tow or not. I now longer have anything to tow, so I was considering getting rid of it for a diesel or regearing. See details below:
As mentioned, i don't tow, or go off-roading any more, just drive it about 20 miles/month. But, when i drive, it's mostly 1000 mile round trip on the highway.
Well, how about starting by going to 4:10 gears, then get rid of those oversize tires with too much rolling resistance?
Kelly, the idea is sound, as far as going to 4:10's however, getting ride of the tires also would mean getting rid of an 8in lift. It would probably cost me more to put it back to stock vs the fuel i'd burn in a few years.
Maybe just sell it for something smaller. Maybe a (cough) Prius for your commute? Big toys come with a price and mpg is one of them. That's a very nice truck though! I might have to keep the truck and buy something smaller for the mpg.
Maybe just sell it for something smaller. Maybe a (cough) Prius for your commute? Big toys come with a price and mpg is one of them. That's a very nice truck though! I might have to keep the truck and buy something smaller for the mpg.
Interesting comment. But, you're right on the money. I knew what i was building in 2003, but gas was cheaper back then too.
For as little as it gets driven, it most likely makes sense to just leave it alone!
I do have a vehicle with better gas mileage, was just curious how others may have solve an MPG problem.
I had considered selling it, but everyone thinks the additions were free to me, so they should be free to them. I've been astonished how everyone is willing to give me $8000 for it, but the tires alone were $2000 and they are new!.
In the end, when i add up the cost of keeping it, it's much cheaper to keep her than to get rid of her.
if you're getting 13 with the configuration, you're doing well. i doubt any mod would give you more than a few mpg tops. if thats a deal breaker, sell it and go 1/2 ton with a small 8 and smaller tires.
With my 2000 v10, the most I ever got (stock) was 14-15mpg. That was on a good day, no wind, no traffic, etc. most days it was only about 12-13. And about half that in the city.
Maybe just sell it for something smaller. Maybe a (cough) Prius for your commute? Big toys come with a price and mpg is one of them. That's a very nice truck though! I might have to keep the truck and buy something smaller for the mpg.
Originally Posted by 94xltsc
if you're getting 13 with the configuration, you're doing well. i doubt any mod would give you more than a few mpg tops. if thats a deal breaker, sell it and go 1/2 ton with a small 8 and smaller tires.
I use cheap mpg cars for my commute as it would cost me nearly $600/month in fuel to commute with the truck. The first car took me about 8-10 months to make back in fuel savings for what I spent on it. I mainly have a commuter car for mpg's and keeping my truck off the road during the salty road winters around here. I did however decide to skip the beater car route this time in favor of something that will likely last much more than a year.
My highest mpg was 11.3 and my average is 9 according to the fuel app I have. So even with that huge lift and massive tires I would be absolutely thrilled with 13mpgs. Nothing is going to increase your mpg that much that would justify the cost of doing so. Even a gear swap wouldn't pay itself off in any terms of fuel savings unless you are driving a ton of miles per year. Again I would say 13mpgs for that configuration is absolutely stellar. Heck my ford escape only gets me 22-23 on the highway.
I wish there was an answer for this but it's 10 hungry cylinders that like to be fed.......
Having owned several old 360's, and 460's with no amenities, no overdrive and tall gears I would say 12-14mpg from these trucks is truly amazing. I put gas in mine and go. Don't really care about mpg.
i hear ya. i just got a '15 sd sc with the 6.2 and it is getting 14.7 in hilly western pa around town, over mountains, etc. i am happy with that. most of the miles have been with my boys driving and me buying the gas. if i babied it, it may do even better but thats no fun.
my 05 ram with the 4.7 barely got 12 in the same area and it was powerless.
I would second the second vehicle option. Next to my super duty there is parked a 95 civic that I payed $1500 for and very reliably gets me place to place while getting 35+ mpg. The 50,000 miles that I've drove that car over the last few years would have put my bank account to shame if I would have driven my truck. But I still have the truck when I need to tow, drive in adverse conditions or just feel like not driving my rice burner.
- Go back to stock gearing (definitely something noticeably taller than 5.13)
- Smaller tires (like the stock 265/75-16)
- Stay easy on the gas pedal and set the cruise at 65mph on the freeway
- Fill up during the week (Tue-Thu) when gas is usually cheaper
Honestly there's only so much you can do since you own a hauling machine that weighs over 3 tons. These weren't built to set any fuel economy records nor were they ergonomically designed so there's not a lot of options short of a second vehicle (like skymanr) or trading it in on a Nissan Leaf.
I put $100/week into my tank and that's just to commute to work. My hybrid "buddies" routinely let me know they don't spend that much on gas in an entire month. While I would like to say that too, I love my truck so I take the good with the bad (and expensive). In the end I'm driving what I want even though it's heavier on my wallet. I tried to sell the "commuter car" concept to my wife but she put the kaibosh on it (all she saw was another vehicle for me to work on instead of the $$$ savings).
Whatever you do, do NOT get rid of that truck. It is nice and have you priced a used one lately?? One that probably would not even hold that one's jock strap! I have an 04 CC 4X4 LB with V10 and cannot pass a gas station. I get 12-13 combined driving. It was breaking me as a daily driver so I got a used Honda and life is good. I barely drive mine as it collects more bird and bug poop than my butt in the seat time, but NO way will I sell it. I go by the ol' saying: It is better to have and not need, than to need and not have. It appears that you have what you do not always need. Keep it. Buy a gas sipping car.
10-20-2014, 07:27 PM
Big toys come with a price and mpg is one of them. That's a very nice truck though! I might have to keep the truck and buy something smaller for the mpg.
