Spartan Programer
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Cedar Springs,MI
I have the Spartan Phalanx for my 6.0. No reliability issue, and driving very conservative on highway I can get 19mpg. This is running one of there hotter tunes. I don't abuse my truck at all, other than to work the turbo occasionally.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 754
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From: Cedar Springs,MI
What motor?
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From: Gilbert Az.
I have Matts tuning products on my 6.0 and have absolute faith in his products, he knows his stuff!
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Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Saskatchewan, Canada
I've been running the Spartan setup on my truck for roughly 115,000km's now. Truck has worked flawlessly since the day I tuned it. 98% of that has been running on the 275 tune, even for towing but I make sure to monitor everything carefully when towing. I have a heavy foot so mileage is a bit of an issue, I average between 16.5-17.5MPG per gallon at around 80 MPH. If I slow it down I can get that to creep up closer to 20. Do a search in the forum and you will see this tuner has been discussed at great lengths.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Benn running Spartan forabout 6 months. Mixed city/highway driving, my mileage went from ~12 to ~17. Towing I went from 7.5 to 9.5...that's towing a 43 foot toyhauler. I haven't done a long trip with highway only to see where I am there, but previously my highway mileage was around 15. I don't expect the highway migleage to increase as much as the mixed did...regen frequency was an issue with mixed driving where highway it wasn't so bad.
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Ohio
Benn running Spartan forabout 6 months. Mixed city/highway driving, my mileage went from ~12 to ~17. Towing I went from 7.5 to 9.5...that's towing a 43 foot toyhauler. I haven't done a long trip with highway only to see where I am there, but previously my highway mileage was around 15. I don't expect the highway migleage to increase as much as the mixed did...regen frequency was an issue with mixed driving where highway it wasn't so bad.
Where are you getting your numbers from? From 12 to 17 is almost a 50% increase in mileage and I know of NO one that got that kind of increase, except when they use the Lie-O-Meter on the dash display as their reference.
Unloaded, on the highway and driving like a nancy, I managed to squeak out 16.44 mpgs and that was STRICTLY highway. My start and stop point was the same pump, at the same station, with no farting around in between and I stuck to the speed limit which in my area maxes at 65.
Mixing in city driving drives that number south very very quickly.
My 17,000 lb 43' toy hauler allowed me a MAX of 9.4 mpg to date, and that was a tank average, not a trip average. If I were tooling along one of those western higways that are flat as far as you can see, I may pull out a bit better, but adding in any hills screws that mileage pretty quick.
I would LOVE to hear how you are getting 17 mpg mixed out of an 08 F-450, as I'm sure a whole bunch of folks over of the Spartan forums would, as well as over at rv.net.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Where are you getting your numbers from? From 12 to 17 is almost a 50% increase in mileage and I know of NO one that got that kind of increase, except when they use the Lie-O-Meter on the dash display as their reference.
Unloaded, on the highway and driving like a nancy, I managed to squeak out 16.44 mpgs and that was STRICTLY highway. My start and stop point was the same pump, at the same station, with no farting around in between and I stuck to the speed limit which in my area maxes at 65.
Mixing in city driving drives that number south very very quickly.
My 17,000 lb 43' toy hauler allowed me a MAX of 9.4 mpg to date, and that was a tank average, not a trip average. If I were tooling along one of those western higways that are flat as far as you can see, I may pull out a bit better, but adding in any hills screws that mileage pretty quick.
I would LOVE to hear how you are getting 17 mpg mixed out of an 08 F-450, as I'm sure a whole bunch of folks over of the Spartan forums would, as well as over at rv.net.
Unloaded, on the highway and driving like a nancy, I managed to squeak out 16.44 mpgs and that was STRICTLY highway. My start and stop point was the same pump, at the same station, with no farting around in between and I stuck to the speed limit which in my area maxes at 65.
Mixing in city driving drives that number south very very quickly.
My 17,000 lb 43' toy hauler allowed me a MAX of 9.4 mpg to date, and that was a tank average, not a trip average. If I were tooling along one of those western higways that are flat as far as you can see, I may pull out a bit better, but adding in any hills screws that mileage pretty quick.
I would LOVE to hear how you are getting 17 mpg mixed out of an 08 F-450, as I'm sure a whole bunch of folks over of the Spartan forums would, as well as over at rv.net.
The towing numbers are the most accurate out of mine as they came from a 2000 mile round trip from San Diego up to Oregon and back. Set the cruise at 55mph and it never dropped out of OD pulling two mountains up to 4k, Grapevine and Siskiyou, and a few more in the 2k range...double over on the flats.
BTW, I am going to do the same trip at Thanksgiving this year without the trailer. Should be able to get some good numbers for straight highway.
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Ohio
To be completely honest, the 17 mixed is really closer to 85% highway...with the GearVendor OD my highway is pretty good. My economy had been steadily getting worse in that department as well. Had been closer to 14 mixed when the truck was new and could get close to 17 new straight highway...with the GV/without the GV closer 14.5-15 highway and 13-13.5 mixed. So with that in mind the increase from new to Spartan isn't quite so impressive. Basically what looks like a 40% increase...12 to 17...is really a 20% increase...14 to 17.
The towing numbers are the most accurate out of mine as they came from a 2000 mile round trip from San Diego up to Oregon and back. Set the cruise at 55mph and it never dropped out of OD pulling two mountains up to 4k, Grapevine and Siskiyou, and a few more in the 2k range...double over on the flats.
BTW, I am going to do the same trip at Thanksgiving this year without the trailer. Should be able to get some good numbers for straight highway.
The towing numbers are the most accurate out of mine as they came from a 2000 mile round trip from San Diego up to Oregon and back. Set the cruise at 55mph and it never dropped out of OD pulling two mountains up to 4k, Grapevine and Siskiyou, and a few more in the 2k range...double over on the flats.
BTW, I am going to do the same trip at Thanksgiving this year without the trailer. Should be able to get some good numbers for straight highway.
The gear vendor (I didn't spot that) and driving 55 makes a huge difference and to be fair doesn't really give the OP an accurate picture of what a Spartan programmer is going to do for him.
It's been my experience, both direct and via talking to other owners, that the programmer is going to do relatively little in the fuel economy department. A few mpgs at BEST for most people. What it does do though is put a lot more power on tap while not costing you any mileage. As long as you can keep your foot out of it that is.
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Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Frederick, MD
Where are you getting your numbers from? From 12 to 17 is almost a 50% increase in mileage and I know of NO one that got that kind of increase, except when they use the Lie-O-Meter on the dash display as their reference.
Unloaded, on the highway and driving like a nancy, I managed to squeak out 16.44 mpgs and that was STRICTLY highway. My start and stop point was the same pump, at the same station, with no farting around in between and I stuck to the speed limit which in my area maxes at 65.
Mixing in city driving drives that number south very very quickly.
My 17,000 lb 43' toy hauler allowed me a MAX of 9.4 mpg to date, and that was a tank average, not a trip average. If I were tooling along one of those western higways that are flat as far as you can see, I may pull out a bit better, but adding in any hills screws that mileage pretty quick.
I would LOVE to hear how you are getting 17 mpg mixed out of an 08 F-450, as I'm sure a whole bunch of folks over of the Spartan forums would, as well as over at rv.net.
Unloaded, on the highway and driving like a nancy, I managed to squeak out 16.44 mpgs and that was STRICTLY highway. My start and stop point was the same pump, at the same station, with no farting around in between and I stuck to the speed limit which in my area maxes at 65.
Mixing in city driving drives that number south very very quickly.
My 17,000 lb 43' toy hauler allowed me a MAX of 9.4 mpg to date, and that was a tank average, not a trip average. If I were tooling along one of those western higways that are flat as far as you can see, I may pull out a bit better, but adding in any hills screws that mileage pretty quick.
I would LOVE to hear how you are getting 17 mpg mixed out of an 08 F-450, as I'm sure a whole bunch of folks over of the Spartan forums would, as well as over at rv.net.
I get around 13 city and 17 hwy. Anywhere from 7-9 towing heavy. But my DPF is still on too.