Will the excursion benefit from mid grade gas while towing?
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,758
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From: Colorado
A few years ago my X was down to 5mpg when towing. I played around and experimented and found that 93 octane brought me back up to almost 7mpg. I used to get close to 8mpg towing, but with the ethanol in the fuel it killed HP and mileage. at one point I could barely hold 55mph foot on the floor in 3rd gear. with just the tank of 93 power and economy came back. with the tuner set for 89 I am almost back to where I was when I first got the X.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,052
Likes: 1,550
From: Media PA
I bought the SCT tuner from Mike at 5 Star Tuning (site sponsor) 1. 3015 X3 Flash Device » 5 Star Tuning
Mike runs several sales throughout the year, I got mine around Memorial Day for much less than the current list price. I haven't taken a long enough towing trip on the highway with it yet to develope good data to see what if any improvements its delivering MPG wise, I know it has upped my power a bit and the trans performs sooo much better with it. Mike also has about the best customer service reputation of any business out there.
This pic is from that trip last year. I've since upgraded to 35" tires, so that will take a bite out of my MPGs.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 2
From: Flat Rock, MI
I put fresh plugs in mine at 100k. Last fall pulled an open car trailer (my Ex is 4x4) roughly 900 miles and the trip average was 9.2 mpg hand calculated. That's with 2 extra buddies, luggage and tools. The overhead read higher, no surprise! Most of the trip was about 65 mph OD off. Pulling an enclosed trailer on the same trip, same method, about 8 mpg. That's all it ever does. My previous 6.0L 2wd Ex would net 11 mpg with the same enclosed trailer.
I don't think your inlaws influnced the mpg much. Sometimes it's hard to know exactly what your mpg is on trips because not all gas pumps are equal.
I don't think your inlaws influnced the mpg much. Sometimes it's hard to know exactly what your mpg is on trips because not all gas pumps are equal.
Ok....so we got back home from our trip and I averaged 9-9.1mpg coming back I would probably attribute that to the hubs being unlocked coming back. I did run mid grade in it and on my last top off I used premium to bump up the octane even a bit more. It was all "up to 10% ethanol" gas though. They funny things though...after I dropped my folks off at their place.....I reset the mpg computer and driving home it read 10mpg with as high as 10.8 at one point. My folks are a bit overweight but not huge and they did have a couple hundred pounds of luggage in the Ex and not the trailer. Could 2 adults and their luggage have really made 1-1.5mpg difference in such a big vehicle?
The more I think about it.....even though I dread it....it looks like I'm going o have to look at changing the plugs and boots out on the Ex.
Jim
The more I think about it.....even though I dread it....it looks like I'm going o have to look at changing the plugs and boots out on the Ex.
Jim
Last edited by RobRoss; Feb 20, 2014 at 08:49 AM. Reason: added content
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 201
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From: Clarksville, TN
Guys, please Google octane and what that means. You are not going to get any better fuel mileage with a higher octane. It's a long read to understand octane but once you do, you'll understand its got nothing to do with the mileage you get. The truth is that your mileage will suffer by using higher octane in stock form. You're just wasting your money.
You would get better mileage using pure gas vs. a blend as you'd have more potential without the ethanol. However, you pay more for it so it's really not going to net you much if anything.
Changing the fuel filter has always made the largest change in mpg's that I recorded.
You would get better mileage using pure gas vs. a blend as you'd have more potential without the ethanol. However, you pay more for it so it's really not going to net you much if anything.
Changing the fuel filter has always made the largest change in mpg's that I recorded.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 2
From: Flat Rock, MI
I also meant to say that I did try 89 octane once pulling the enclosed trailer. I had wondered if it was detonating under load, turns out no change in mileage. I always run 87.
I think they are saying to if you have a tune and it runs more spark then you need more octane. Octane is the resistance to burn...the higher the rating, the slower the burn.
I think they are saying to if you have a tune and it runs more spark then you need more octane. Octane is the resistance to burn...the higher the rating, the slower the burn.
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