Ordered new truck Wednesday 6.2 XL 250
I have 2 Diesel trucks now hoping I didn't make a mistake. This truck is replacing a 2500 chevy 6.0 gas that worked hard. Planning on retiring a 3500 duramax also.


ORDERED can't spell or type.

 

That's sweet. I went into my dealer to price an optioned XL against my already ordered XLT. There is no mistake going to gas from diesel these days unless you tow heavy all the time....maybe. I made the switch a few years ago and love my current 6.2, can't wait for the new '17.

 

Also being a diesel guy as I once was, I would recommend researching the 4.30 gears in the 6.2. That is one of the big reasons I already ordered a new 6.2. The standard 3.73 gears are less than desirable for any towing conditions and/or if running larger tires.

 

Hey RD if I order a 6.2 w/ 4.30's is the 18" wheels a better choice? Will I lose mpg's by going to 20" wheels?

 

It depends on your driving situation. I don't drive much unloaded on interstates so I'm not worried about running 2k+ rpms down the freeway. I spend most of time driving rural back roads,hwy and town. At speeds of 50-60, the lower gears will suit me better.
18" wheels w/the factory 275/70/18 are 33.2" at 60mph 1749 rpms
20" wheels w/the factory 275/65/20 are 34.2" at 60mph 1698 rpms.
I think the 20" wheels or a 34" tire is a great combo with the 4.30 gears. I see mpg numbers all over the place. There are plenty of guys that get better mpg than me w/4.30's. I think the best setup varies on driver.
The most consistent mpg loss for me and guys with the 6.2 and 3.73 where I live is going up from the stock size to a larger tire. I don't see that affecting the 4.30's the same way. About the only complaint at the dealer for the "xl" 6.2 many loggers run, is the reduction in mpg when they upgrade the tires. Of course, the dealer is selling them XL w/3.73 as a dealer stock truck.
I plan to run 34" tires on my new one.

 

Thanks RD,I currently have a 05, f-250 w/6.8 v-10, 6 speed manual trans. 111,000 miles on it, I don't know what gears are in it but towing my 5000 lb. enclosed trailer with 2 atv's and all the gear I struggle on long big hills to the point that I want to fold the sun visor to the side and not look in the rear view mirror. I will have to get into 2nd gear and at 4000 + rpm I will be lucky to hit 35-40 max. I love this truck and had manual trans. all my life and didn't expect to have an enclosed trailer but joking one day to my wife that we should get one and she said whatever, I took that as start looking and fast. This time I am building a truck to pull it and more, was going diesel but after some of the stories I have read I think I will go gas with 4.30's. The only thing that holds me back now is I'm waiting for work to pick up a little, I hope to order soon, thanks for your help.

 

Mileage reports are scaring me, 14 empty 10 towing would be OK, 10 empty and 6 towing don't know if that will work for me.

 

Rustynail - dashboard pic of a recent trip, 20% hills, 80% flatlands towing an 8,000 lbs trailer.

Truck is a 2014 F350, 3.73 rear and 35" tires. We get 13-14 mpg solo.

John in the UK

 

The people getting 10 mpg empty need to do 1 of 3 things....
1, lighten their right foot
2, put the factory tires back on their 3:73's around town
3, or stop bitching about it.

Driving back and forth to work in a ccsb 4x4 3:73 which is about 9 miles and 12 red lights, I am averaging 12mpg, +\- .2 each week. When I did the muffler delete, I played with truck a lot that week and my average went down to 10.6. How can I complain about 10mpg when I'm hammering a 7k lbs 4x4 truck with a 379 ci gas motor? On a short 200 miles road trip this weekend, I averaged 17 mpg driving civilized, but not holding up traffic. And I'm not sure the motor is fully broke in yet at 3,700 miles. I will gladly take my 17mpg, and not have to worry about being stranded from a bad tank of fuel in a $8k diesel option.

 

I ordered my 2016 F350 4x4 loaded xlt extended cab 8' bed 4.30 , 6.2 gas on May 3 and got a build estimate of June 21. Im putting a Reading utility bed on it. ALl in , Im at $44k. I got a great deal. Im replacing a 06 F350 reg cab 5.4.. I too have had 10 plus 6 liter diesels in my fleet before the economy slow down. I may never own another diesel.

 

Thanks guys, I'm feeling better.

 

I believe #2 is the largest part of poor town and towing mpgs.
It looks like your truck is doing better now than your post on 4/29:
I have 3.73's ccsb 4x4 and the tiny 31's. 12 mpg is all I have been able to manage, and I have been babying it. If I run 70 with the cruise on, it's actually under 12. I'm really hoping it gets better with some miles, currently at 2,700. I switched brands of gas today, going to see if that has any effect on this tank. FWW, my lie-o-meter has been very close to pencil and paper, within .1.

Oh, first couple tanks were under 11, found my hubs had been left locked in from the dealer.

Edit: I should mention that my daily commute to work is only 9 miles, with lots of red lights, most I miss in the am, but most I hit in the pm. I have been on several long highway trips.

I know each truck is different but mine is simply 10 in town if I try, and it is hard to keep my dial above 10. On the hwy I can reset and get 14 at 60mph. Now when I slow down to 55, manually put my truck in 5th gear, I can get 15 on the same 10miles of hwy. I do that to replicate my next truck rpm's with 4.30's.
I have the 3.73 and 33" 10ply all terrains. Even though I drive daily mixed, my tanks lately have all been avg about 11mpg hand calculated fill ups.
For the record Im not bitching about my mpgs, I just know for me it will improve with my 4.30's. I love my rock solid, damn near bullet proof 6.2.

 

Double post

 

Yes it has gotten better. The break in period for this motor truly is amazing. Never seen a difference like this. Didn't see much change in my daily commute, but sure did on the highway. I was a little worried about the fuel mileage, especially highway when I first bought it. I made a few road trips when I first got it, and it was pretty dismal, I was admittedly disappointed. This was the first highway trip in a couple thousand miles, and I was very happy. I can probably attribute some of my improvement to summer blend gas. My mileage is as good as an 06 f150 5.4 I had in town, and very close on the highway.

You stress the 4.30's a lot, but I do have to agree, my dads 4.30 average is already over 14, and he just broke 1000 miles. His driving is a lot like mine with just a little more highway.

The only thing I will disagree about 4.30's from the common assumption is, most people think the 4.30's will pull large grades better. This is not always true, it will depend on the grade and weight and it will always be a toss up. With 6 gears, the 3.73 may hold a lower gear, where a 4.30 may shift up, then not be able to pull the next gear, loose speed then down shift again in a never ending cycle. With 1000 lbs less weight on the same grade, the 4.30 May hold that next gear, and the 3.73 shifts back and forth. I will be leaving for a 600 miles beach trip pulling about 7500lbs and a 48volt golf cart in the bed on June 4th. I will be going through the gorge on i40 at the TN/NC line. It's nothing like some passes in the Rockies, but it's about the best we got over here on the east coast. Excited to see how it performs with the 3.73s and what my Mpgs will be.

Oh, and here's a picture you've already saw and commented on raindesert, this wasn't a reset going down the road with a quick pic, I reset it pulling out of the drive, and took the picture when I pulled back in. My average is back down to 15+ after 2 days of daily driving. We will see how the numbers line up hand calculated Friday when I fill up.

Attachment 148263

 

I'm happy with the 6.2L, 373 gears & 20 inch wheels. At times when the trailer is in tow, I've thought the 430s would be nice. Since most of my miles are now commuting the 373s seem like the better choice.
On a 1,200 mile drive here's what I did.
Tank 1 80 to 90 MPH, 12.1 MPGs, high speed highway traffic.
Tank 2 40 to 60 MPH some stopping due to traffic. 16.1 MPGs.
Tank 3 & 4, it was night pretty much straight 74 MPH, 15.1 & 15.0. A few slow downs and stopping for road construction.
That trip was NW Indiana to Cape Coral FL. There were some hills, a mountain and a lot of flat land.