The following data was collected over 29 total fillups covering a total of 13,622 miles. I track every fill up and hand calculate the fuel mileage. First the details of my truck for a comparison. 01 F350, DRW, LWB, 2WD, CC, 7.3PSD, E4OD transmission, 3.73 gears, Auto meeter guages EGT/Trans Temp, Boost, MBRP turbo back 4" exhaust, DP Tuner (mostly run on 80hp Econo tune), Daystar leveling kit.

The first 20 tanks of fuel, before tuner installed, averaged 15.7mpg combined city/hwy.

The last 9 tanks with the DP Tuner set on 80hp econo tune vast majority of the time average 16.91mpg. A gain of 1.21mpg(7.6%) on average.

As everyone knows the power/driveability gains are impressive, and I consider the small mileage gain a bonus.

Have yall had similar results?

 

Thanks for the info and welcome to the forum.

 

I wish i had that type of fuel economy. For comparison, I drive a 1999 F-250 short bed crew cab 4X4. I have 4" exhaust, 6637 intake mod, stage 1 single shot injectors and i usually drive on the DP Tuner 80 hp Econ. I get about 13.7- 14.2 mpg. I very seldom drive with a heavy foot and generally keep it under 200 rpm's. Is this about the same as others?

 

Hey Welcome to the forum. Good info, but i have one question. Are you sure you have a E4OD Trans? those were in OBSs and not a 4R100 witch was put in the Super Duty?

 

???

My thoughts exactly.

 

I had similar results, gotten better since switching to Gearhead - averaging 2.1mpg better around town from stock at 17.1mpg and 19.3mpg freeway with some traffic slowdowns. The 35's on stock gears help with the freeway mileage as well though. City driving also never peaks over 45mph, and I don't have to commute in a lot of rush hour traffic so that also helps on that end. Full specs and mods in signature.

 

Were the last 9 tanks recent? As in this spring now heading into summer? Were the first 20 tanks in winter? Despite the climate and temperature change, could there also be fuel changes, depending on where you fuel? Many stations blend their fuel in winter months to keep the fuel from gelling. The winter blend tends to get less fuel economy than regular No. 2.

Comparing fuel economy between different tunes in different seasons makes it hard to know what factor contributed to the change in economy, especially since the change noted is less than 10%, which is possible to realize during transistions between seasons even with the same stock tune.

I'm experiencing the same conundrum right now. I added an additional chin spoiler (described in the Dam, Double Dam thread). Strange as it may seem, I immediately began logging a 1 mpg increase in economy. I haven't reported it yet because I want to wait an entire year to cycle through the seasons, even though I don't live in a severe winter area.

I'm not saying your conclusion is erroneous... I'm just saying that there could be other causal factors that simultaneously contributed to the fuel economy improvement you measured, given the time period and the fact that we cannot control the fuel that refiners distribute.

 

I was thinking about the winter blend fuel as well.......not sure if VA has winter blend or not.

I used to see at least a 2 mpg drop on winter fuel, not to mention the additional warm up time.

 

If this were a bet, I would put my money on the "dam, double dam" making more of a mpg difference than the chip. As Y2K stated, just fuel variables alone can make a big difference. I have had my truck since new (almost 15 years) and I am still amazed at the tank to tank differences. I still haven't figured it out; is it entrained air, cetane differences, old fuel? I can't even buy same brand same station and be consistent. One thing I think I have noticed with my less than scientific observations is that newer fuel stops seem to be better, like Quick-Trip of all places seems to always run well. Its been speculated in the past that the part of the country you live in can make a difference. Sometimes, I've thought I was developing a driveline vibration, especially at hi-way speeds; I'll fill up with new fuel and its smooth as silk. Fuel needs to be a thread on its own - IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

 

Case in point...possibly.... The last time that I was in VA in early March headed to northern NH, I asked the manager at an Exxon station off of I-81 near Winchester if they used a winter blend. The answer was affirmative and that the resupplies would probably continue to be that blend until late March or early April, regardless of the early spring in the South, due to the supply taking that long to deplete.

I have picked up 1 mpg average in the last three weeks here in mountains of NC with no changes to my truck.

 

Too much statistical noise and too small a sample size...

 

What is the best way to hand calculate MPG? I have never really needed or wanted to calculate my mileage but maybe I should just to see what I'm getting. Been asked a few times but just kind of guess when I answer.

 

Fill up your pickup on fuel, drive about 400 miles, fill up again. Take the fuel gallons on fill-up for the second tank and divide by the number of miles you drove in between fill-ups...that will give you immediate MPG. IMHO, we drive pigs for trucks, I am happy with anything better than a Triton V-10 because I know I'm going to have fun where I'm headed :-) I only use my truck for towing though...and I'm 29 years old so I like to haul *** to get where I'm going for fun hehehe.

 

I don't drive my truck enough to worry about fuel mileage around town. But towing a 10,000 lb 38' TT through rolling hills with some pretty good pulls running 70 to 72 mph running in the 80T setting on my DP Tuner I average 10.5 mpg(hand calculated) which is ok by me. And I'm NOT the last one to the top either LOL.