Best mods for fuel efficiency?
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Mar 2010
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Best mods for fuel efficiency?
Hey there all,
Just got me a 6.0 liter back in january, '05 model year supercab, longbed. Truck has a service body and is used for my HVAC business. I find the power of the motor more than adequate for my needs. However, I am driving in the neighborhood of 2-2.5k miles a month. Gas is not cheap as we all know.
I'm averaging 15 mpg with mixed city and highway driving. I am very pleased with this number considering my truck tips the scales at just under 10,500 pounds in its current configuration. However, with the amount of miles i am driving, getting the most from every drop of petrol is important.
I am not against getting a programmer and exhaust system to better my numbers. However, that is about as far as i'm willing to go.
What would be the general consensus on the best programmer and exhaust system available to me?
Just got me a 6.0 liter back in january, '05 model year supercab, longbed. Truck has a service body and is used for my HVAC business. I find the power of the motor more than adequate for my needs. However, I am driving in the neighborhood of 2-2.5k miles a month. Gas is not cheap as we all know.
I'm averaging 15 mpg with mixed city and highway driving. I am very pleased with this number considering my truck tips the scales at just under 10,500 pounds in its current configuration. However, with the amount of miles i am driving, getting the most from every drop of petrol is important.
I am not against getting a programmer and exhaust system to better my numbers. However, that is about as far as i'm willing to go.
What would be the general consensus on the best programmer and exhaust system available to me?
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8,241
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From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
Kind of an ironic suggestion given your occupation, but turning the A/C off is good for almost 1mpg on my truck. As Tylus suggested, if the truck is in a good state of tune, driving style can make the biggest gains. Bismic has posted he saw a small increase with his FICM tune if you haven't read his thread. I also saw a modest increase by raising the tire pressure. I guess a little here and there can add up. Maybe some has had some luck with a tuner or exhaust but the power gains cause them to drive a little harder. 
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
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From: Middle Tn.
Stock tires and suspension and good maintenance with a light right foot is the best rule of thumb. Also, any tools or parts on the truck rarely used should be shed. Tuners are for H.P. and rarely gets any MPG gains.
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New User
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Hmmmm, I did not get a full EGR delete kit, but i did unplug the sucker. Bad or good thing? Here in CA I have to get it smogged once a year. Are they going to know if I delete it?
And I cannot live without A/C, lol. Out of the question!
And I cannot live without A/C, lol. Out of the question!
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
Likes: 25
From: Middle Tn.
Ca. requires smog every other year. If they do the visual, they will, yes they should see it. Oil coolers cause egr cooler problems. You need to address the root problem.
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Wiser by FTE
Joined: Jan 2010
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You could tune your ficm, according to power hungry preformace(php) you could see a 1-3 mpg with the economy tune. Ed @ fmicrepair can do the same thing for you.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8,241
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From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
Unplugging the EGR on your '05 should turn on the Check Engine Light. Generally it not a good idea, check out this thread.
Problems with unplugging the EGR valve
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...egr-valve.html
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Central Arkansas
Could he not have the ends of the egr cooler welded shut? It would pass the visual and the delete it. Thats what I did and it's worked great so far. There is absolutely no way anyone can tell it's deleted by looking at it. The only thing that would get him would be if they hooked something up to the tailpipe to measure the exhaust fumes. Just a thought, if he really wanted to delete it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8,241
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From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
It depends on what flash version you have in your truck. The later flashes will set a Check Engine Light for low/no EGR flow. If you don't have a CEL now stay away from the dealer, many will update it without asking. If the CEL is on you fail the visual test. On the other hand, if your so inclined, changing the EGR is only two bolts and a plug. You could still run the welded EGR 364 days a year (but you still have the light unless you turn it off with a tuner).
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 424
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From: Central Arkansas
It depends on what flash version you have in your truck. The later flashes will set a Check Engine Light for low/no EGR flow. If you don't have a CEL now stay away from the dealer, many will update it without asking. If the CEL is on you fail the visual test. On the other hand, if your so inclined, changing the EGR is only two bolts and a plug. You could still run the welded EGR 364 days a year (but you still have the light unless you turn it off with a tuner).
Gotcha. I didn't get a CEL with mine welded an egr plugged in and I'm not running tune yet but I forgot that some guys do get the light. Good point though.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
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I'm in CA and have the smog every other year also. My EGR cooler is plugged on both ends,my EGR valve is in place and plugged in, but I also run a SCT tuner to shut off the light. Passed smog without a problem (even without a converter).
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,138
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From: Yuba City, Ca
My '05 valve cover says that its obd2 exempt. They didnt hook up the computer to it. All he did was look to verify the cat, looked under the hood for egr, snap tested it and passed it. It was quick. 15 mins in and out. I live in a small town in northern california so big cities and southern cal may be different. Im gonna weld up my egr cooler and get the sct to turn off the CEL but leave everything else stock. Itll pass visual no problem that way. And if in the future they come up with a way to measure the exhaust gasses for smog reasons ill just install a bullet proof egr cooler. Northern california (meaning sacramento north) is pretty easy goin on the smog thing compared to So Cal. But it does seem like everyone is getting an increase in mpg by doing this. I just installed a 4" straight TBE and i noticed an increase in mpg by around .75 mpg. And the egts are lower. Other than those two things id run synthetic in everything and low rolling resistance tires that are properly inflated and hope i break the 20mpg mark. Im at 18.8 now with 4.10's in a 4x4 dually(sig truck)