Gas Mileage Tips
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Austin, Texas
Gas Mileage Tips
My 2009 is getting 17.5 to 18 mpg according to the truck, But when I do the calculations it gets like 16mpg. Do you guys have any tips to get a little better mileage? Also, it will say like 640 miles to empty but never makes it that far. It usually makes it about 550 mile before I have to fill up. My last truck( 2002 Silverado) would get about 19mpg and had a 26 gallon tank. I just think that having a 36 gallon tank would allow me to go a lot further. I was filling up once a week regardless of how much I drove. In my new truck, I'm filling up every five days. Is this normal or not? This would be the first truck I've had that will tell all that info and I don't know if it's accurate or not. Thanks in advance.
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: RVA
My 2009 is getting 17.5 to 18 mpg according to the truck, But when I do the calculations it gets like 16mpg. Do you guys have any tips to get a little better mileage? Also, it will say like 640 miles to empty but never makes it that far. It usually makes it about 550 mile before I have to fill up. My last truck( 2002 Silverado) would get about 19mpg and had a 26 gallon tank. I just think that having a 36 gallon tank would allow me to go a lot further. I was filling up once a week regardless of how much I drove. In my new truck, I'm filling up every five days. Is this normal or not? This would be the first truck I've had that will tell all that info and I don't know if it's accurate or not. Thanks in advance.
As for tips. Your tire's air pressure is a contributing factor. Ford claims about 35psi, but most users report that this is too soft. Softer = less mpg is most cases.
Driving habits are your #1 factor. Speed is a large contributor. The list goes on. 16 seems to be a little on the low side for what the 09+ guys are reporting. 17's are more likely, but each truck and driver is different.
What are the specs of your truck? Cab? 2 or 4WD? Gears? Etc.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
My 2009 is getting 17.5 to 18 mpg according to the truck, But when I do the calculations it gets like 16mpg. Do you guys have any tips to get a little better mileage? Also, it will say like 640 miles to empty but never makes it that far. It usually makes it about 550 mile before I have to fill up. My last truck( 2002 Silverado) would get about 19mpg and had a 26 gallon tank. I just think that having a 36 gallon tank would allow me to go a lot further. I was filling up once a week regardless of how much I drove. In my new truck, I'm filling up every five days. Is this normal or not? This would be the first truck I've had that will tell all that info and I don't know if it's accurate or not. Thanks in advance.
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Joined: Mar 2010
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Also the Silverado is usually geared to get better mileage, but when I was looking at them, they were terrible in town because they were always chasing gears. My 2010 King Ranch 5.4 and 3.7 universal got 17-18 MPG actual on a 2700 mile trip, and as stated above the computer was indicating close to 1 MPG better. In town, I'm about 13-14 MPG. This is better than the 5.7 Tundra I was driving until this year. The KR a big truck and a joy to drive; especially on trips. I'm OK with the gas mileage.
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From: Austin, Texas
My ford is a 4 door 4x4 xlt with a 4.6 and a 6-speed.I don't know what kind of gears it has, I'm sure their stock. Silverado was a extended cab 2x4 with a 4.8 and a 5 speed auto. I know for a fact that the sliverados are lighter since every time it rained I could barley leave a stop light or go up a hill. I didn't expect the ford to get the same mpg's as the chevy due to the size and being that its a 4x4. I mainly commute back and forth to work on the highway and in town, and I don't haul anything on a regular basis. I haven't even put it in 4x4 yet. I don't haul *** on the highway or take off fast from a stop light. I'm not to concerned with the mpg's, as my company pays for gas. I was just curious if this was the norm. I would put a bed cover on but when I do haul stuff in the bed, it would just be in the way. Thanks for the info.
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From: Austin, Texas
And I did inflate the tires to the recommended psi on the side of the tire (44 Psi). We'll see if it does anything.
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Hotshot
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From: RVA
Look into a rollup soft tonneau cover. Extang, Truxedo, and a few others make a nice product for $300-$600 if you're wanting a bed cover. Most utilize velcro and roll up nicely and out of the way against the cab when you need to put something taller than the bedrails in the truck.
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From: Massachusetts
It is the maximum pressure for the tire.
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From: Austin, Texas
Has anyone had any experience with a liquid propane injection conversion? There is a company across the street from my office that installs them and they build the pump stations and install those all over the place. The systems that they sell let your car run on either gas or liquid propane. I see a lot of city owned vehicles there filling up. Just curious if thats a good idea, not that I could afford to have the system installed.
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: RVA
Propane is more expensive and doesn't yield the same mileage gains as gasoline. It's advantage over gas is that it burns more clean than gas.
It's not "renewable" like natural gas, as LP is a by product of making gasoline from fossil fuels.
So is it worth it? That's up to you to decide. Personally I don't think it's worth the investment. Kind of like buying a Tahoe Hybrid over the standard Tahoe...it's a 12 year payoff based upon mileage. But hey, if you can afford it, more power to ya.
It's not "renewable" like natural gas, as LP is a by product of making gasoline from fossil fuels.
So is it worth it? That's up to you to decide. Personally I don't think it's worth the investment. Kind of like buying a Tahoe Hybrid over the standard Tahoe...it's a 12 year payoff based upon mileage. But hey, if you can afford it, more power to ya.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
So the breakeven point is going to be different from person to person. 12 yrs might be yours, but that doesn't mean it will be the same for my parents etc.
Each person should do their own C/B and Breakeven Analysis and see where they stand. It might make sense for them to do some things compared to what the average joe blow should do.
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From: RI
Quote: "My parents can easily put 30k in 6 months on a car and most of that is long distance highway miles too.
So the breakeven point is going to be different from person to person. 12 yrs might be yours, but that doesn't mean it will be the same for my parents etc."
I'm guessing that the best fuel mileage savings for most Hybrid designs are realized by those driving non highway miles, where the battery/electro-mechanical assist helps the most. That means that for "your parents" a hybrid makes even less sense economically.
I'm partial to diesels myself, I just like em! For the 15k to 20k miles I drive annually my 5.4 is fine! I'm averaging 14 to 15 in town and 17 to 19 on trips. My Platinum has just had its 1st birthday, it has 22k miles on it and it has been a dream to own. The only defect so far has been a set of warped rotors, easily fixed under warranty. No vibrations, shifts fine, it is just an awesome vehicle!
Rifboy
'
So the breakeven point is going to be different from person to person. 12 yrs might be yours, but that doesn't mean it will be the same for my parents etc."
I'm guessing that the best fuel mileage savings for most Hybrid designs are realized by those driving non highway miles, where the battery/electro-mechanical assist helps the most. That means that for "your parents" a hybrid makes even less sense economically.
I'm partial to diesels myself, I just like em! For the 15k to 20k miles I drive annually my 5.4 is fine! I'm averaging 14 to 15 in town and 17 to 19 on trips. My Platinum has just had its 1st birthday, it has 22k miles on it and it has been a dream to own. The only defect so far has been a set of warped rotors, easily fixed under warranty. No vibrations, shifts fine, it is just an awesome vehicle!
Rifboy
'
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From: Maine, Virginia
My 2009 is getting 17.5 to 18 mpg according to the truck, But when I do the calculations it gets like 16mpg. Do you guys have any tips to get a little better mileage? Also, it will say like 640 miles to empty but never makes it that far. It usually makes it about 550 mile before I have to fill up. My last truck( 2002 Silverado) would get about 19mpg and had a 26 gallon tank. I just think that having a 36 gallon tank would allow me to go a lot further. I was filling up once a week regardless of how much I drove. In my new truck, I'm filling up every five days. Is this normal or not? This would be the first truck I've had that will tell all that info and I don't know if it's accurate or not. Thanks in advance.
A soft cover for your bed is a great idea.
44 PSI on the tires is the max PSI for hauling heavy loads. You'll wear out the middle of the tread before the outsides start to wear. I'd deflate them to the recommended PSI for everyday use.
The days of messing with the carb or adjusting the timing for power or economy are decades behind us. These trucks are optimally tuned for power, MPG's and endurance and they are heavy as hell.