Poor MPG while towing
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Joined: Jan 2015
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Poor MPG while towing
First off....I know I should be towing with less than 1,000 on the truck. That's probably my first issue.
I drove 200 miles today through hilly highway and got 18.9 mpg.
Hooked up my 6,000 travel trailer and drove back that same 200 miles (returning home).
2014 F-150 SuperCrew. 145" Wheelbase, 3.5L Ecoboost V6. 3.73 elect lock rear axle. 5' bed (no toneau cover yet). ~300 miles on the truck before the tow today.
A bit windy today.
6.6 mpg - 6.9 mpg on the return trip. WOW. Was NOT expecting that. The power was phenomenal!!! - I'd tow this 6,000 pounds up any mountain pass in the country without any trouble (except the MPG).
1) Will this improve over time as it breaks in?
2) I've read all this trailer sway control stuff. Does turning it off help? (I use a 4 point hitch to help with the sway, so do I need to utilize the trucks trailer sway control also???
3) Is NOT having the toneau cover on the bed of the truck hurting me while pulling my travel trailer? I'm guessing that air is hitting the trailer and heading right into the bed of the truck creating a huge drag.
I'm hoping this is just a mixture of factors on this first tow, and it will get better.
Thanks all!!!
Brian
I drove 200 miles today through hilly highway and got 18.9 mpg.
Hooked up my 6,000 travel trailer and drove back that same 200 miles (returning home).
2014 F-150 SuperCrew. 145" Wheelbase, 3.5L Ecoboost V6. 3.73 elect lock rear axle. 5' bed (no toneau cover yet). ~300 miles on the truck before the tow today.
A bit windy today.
6.6 mpg - 6.9 mpg on the return trip. WOW. Was NOT expecting that. The power was phenomenal!!! - I'd tow this 6,000 pounds up any mountain pass in the country without any trouble (except the MPG).
1) Will this improve over time as it breaks in?
2) I've read all this trailer sway control stuff. Does turning it off help? (I use a 4 point hitch to help with the sway, so do I need to utilize the trucks trailer sway control also???
3) Is NOT having the toneau cover on the bed of the truck hurting me while pulling my travel trailer? I'm guessing that air is hitting the trailer and heading right into the bed of the truck creating a huge drag.
I'm hoping this is just a mixture of factors on this first tow, and it will get better.
Thanks all!!!
Brian
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 397
Likes: 7
Going through mountains or pulling long hills will make your turbo's work and you will use a ton more fuel. The Speed you drive at plays a huge part as well. I was running a 650 hp diesel crane (semi) for the last 10 years and can say that I found the hardest stuff to pull was always the items with massive drag in the wind. That always netted me worse mileage than the heavier loads. So all in all I wouldn't worry about it just yet.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton, AB.
First off....I know I should be towing with less than 1,000 on the truck. That's probably my first issue.
I drove 200 miles today through hilly highway and got 18.9 mpg.
Hooked up my 6,000 travel trailer and drove back that same 200 miles (returning home).
2014 F-150 SuperCrew. 145" Wheelbase, 3.5L Ecoboost V6. 3.73 elect lock rear axle. 5' bed (no toneau cover yet). ~300 miles on the truck before the tow today.
A bit windy today.
6.6 mpg - 6.9 mpg on the return trip. WOW. Was NOT expecting that. The power was phenomenal!!! - I'd tow this 6,000 pounds up any mountain pass in the country without any trouble (except the MPG).
1) Will this improve over time as it breaks in?
2) I've read all this trailer sway control stuff. Does turning it off help? (I use a 4 point hitch to help with the sway, so do I need to utilize the trucks trailer sway control also???
3) Is NOT having the toneau cover on the bed of the truck hurting me while pulling my travel trailer? I'm guessing that air is hitting the trailer and heading right into the bed of the truck creating a huge drag.
I'm hoping this is just a mixture of factors on this first tow, and it will get better.
Thanks all!!!
Brian
I drove 200 miles today through hilly highway and got 18.9 mpg.
Hooked up my 6,000 travel trailer and drove back that same 200 miles (returning home).
2014 F-150 SuperCrew. 145" Wheelbase, 3.5L Ecoboost V6. 3.73 elect lock rear axle. 5' bed (no toneau cover yet). ~300 miles on the truck before the tow today.
A bit windy today.
6.6 mpg - 6.9 mpg on the return trip. WOW. Was NOT expecting that. The power was phenomenal!!! - I'd tow this 6,000 pounds up any mountain pass in the country without any trouble (except the MPG).
1) Will this improve over time as it breaks in?
2) I've read all this trailer sway control stuff. Does turning it off help? (I use a 4 point hitch to help with the sway, so do I need to utilize the trucks trailer sway control also???
3) Is NOT having the toneau cover on the bed of the truck hurting me while pulling my travel trailer? I'm guessing that air is hitting the trailer and heading right into the bed of the truck creating a huge drag.
I'm hoping this is just a mixture of factors on this first tow, and it will get better.
Thanks all!!!
Brian
It will get better by a couple of mpg.
I find towing with the ecoboost is a lot like a diesel. The engines biggest torque is developed around 1990 - 2000 rpms. If you can play with the shifting even in auto mode to get your climbing engine power in that zone. Also if you can use the momentum of your previous downhill stretch to help you build speed for the next climb. Maybe that can help.
I have no idea what your towing style is, but I thought I'd throw that out.
That said, I was pulling a box trailer in Saskatchewan last year. Fighting a headwind everywhere. Nothing I tried helped. Best I got was around 9 mpg and I was only loaded with about 5000 lbs.
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 37,379
Likes: 1,863
From: Frederick, MD
Turbo's bring on the power but when you add boost you also add fuel.
Flat hwy towing is where you need to see about the fuel economy you can expect.
TT's are just a big wind catcher too.
Flat hwy towing is where you need to see about the fuel economy you can expect.
TT's are just a big wind catcher too.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,465
Likes: 725
From: Calgary Canada
I'll throw this in here, although I've posted it before. I tow the same Travel Trailer with my 2012 EcoBoost as I did with my 2005 5.4L truck. Heck, I even tow to the same places. I can say with confidence that my EcoBoost uses about the same amount of fuel to tow that trailer as my 5.4L did. Last time I calculated it, the EB was actually slightly better.
Unloaded, highway or around town, the EcoBoost is an awful lot better.
I have no idea how people can objectively complain about the mileage of the EcoBoost, unless they are only comparing against their unrealistic expectations, and not some real-world scenario.
Unloaded, highway or around town, the EcoBoost is an awful lot better.
I have no idea how people can objectively complain about the mileage of the EcoBoost, unless they are only comparing against their unrealistic expectations, and not some real-world scenario.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton, AB.
I went from towing with my 04 SD diesel to my 13 ecoboost and although we've downsized our trailer a bit, it's a great truck for a tow vehicle.
Maybe some of the other old guys like myself can chime in. Remember what it was like towing with the old Ford 460 big block. If you got 8 mpg, it was a good day. Maybe if you were lucky, you didn't boil over pulling a mountain pass. Those were some fun days.
When you're dragging a box car through the air at highway speeds, it just is what it is.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 10,154
Likes: 7,984
From: Texas
I believe that people have unrealistic expectations from all the advetizing they see. They see the stated xx mpg advertized, then when they hook up to a load, and that boosted engine goes to work, it is like....YIKES!!!! This thing actually burns gas!!!!!!!! Which boosted gassers will do, altho they do make damn good power! Which is one reason why I dont think we will see a large displacement turbocharged gasser in the Super Duty line just yet. But that would be nice!
And yes, I do remember towing with 390's, 460's, 400's, 351m etc.! Just about any of the modern engines have them beat, hands down, both in fuel economy and power output.
And yes, I do remember towing with 390's, 460's, 400's, 351m etc.! Just about any of the modern engines have them beat, hands down, both in fuel economy and power output.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2015
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So basically you will notice a difference based on where you are pulling with your turbo's. If you are gonna work the engine through hills you'll see a good drop in mpg. If running in the flats and taking it easy probably a fair bit better.
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Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
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From: Edmonton, AB.
This thread is about how many people have unrealistic expectations while towing. While the EcoBoost is fairly efficient and has lots of power for its displacement, there is a sacrifice when you spin those blowers. Some people will never get that.
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 152
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From: South Carolina
For a towing the same load the size of your engine doesn't really matter. To move a load thru the air requires a certain hp. Whether it's made with a 6.8 V10 or 2.0 l ecoboost. The 2.0 might have slightly less spinning friction but should be minor. People have the same expectations with diesels. For a given hp required they will be roughly 30% more efficient. If you pull a wind sail your going to get poor fuel mileage. The smaller number of cylinder engine will probably run more efficiently when lightly loaded do to smaller displacement and less spinning mass. H.p. Will require a certain amount of fuel and air to produce with fairly low variance assuming a well designed combustion chamber and engine. So pulling a trailer that requires a given power will require the same amount of fuel give or take a small amount.
Elder User
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 551
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I pull a TT about the same size as yours any the best mpg I have gotten is 8.5 mpg and the worst was 6. I usually average about 8 if I can keep my speed down to 60. In my experience a TT will take more fuel to move than anything else because of the wind drag. If it makes you feel any better my buddy has the same sized TT as I do that he pulls with a 6.7 equipped f-350. I followed him back from the beach on a 350 mile trip. He averaged 9 mpg and I averaged 7 mpg. It takes a lot of fuel to drag a boat sail.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: South Carolina
about a 30% improvement in fuel economy because of diesel from 7 would be 10. Add extra weight and more frontal area and it brings it down slightly. I still believe the biggest factor is drag with a travel trailer so no matter what light duty vehicle you pull a given trailer with you will get the same fuel economy. i noticed this when hauling firewood. Ive gad my superduty overloaded and it really didn't drop my fuel mileage with a ton and a half of wood. About 2 mpg's. i towed a little 6x10 enclosed bike trailer unloaded and it dropped my mileage 6 mpg's. i dont think it weighed more than 1000 pounds if it weighed that much.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2011
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Anytime you are using power to maintain speed....down your gas mileage.......Diesels are a bit different when it comes to turbos.....they don't drop in fuel mileage like a gas engine does. Anytime a gas engine goes into boost MPG will go down...........