Fuel mileage
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Fuel mileage
As all of you should know big trucks suck alot of gas, and gas ain't cheap. What do y'all do to improve gas mileage? I've heard about a few products that people buy and maybe custom tuning. Somebody help me out here. What are some good products?
Token Redneck
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 344
From: Breckenridge, TX
Toyota makes a great product called a Prius, excellent for MPG. Ford's primary competitor of the C-Max kind of sucks.
I needed to significantly increase my fuel economy for an 80+ mile daily commute, so I bought a second car that gets about 40mpg. Payment+insurance+gas is less than savings on diesel/truck maintenance not commuting in my truck. When the truck is really needed that means it's working, there's nothing to do to increase fuel economy at that point and I'm happy it get's what it does while it's working.
The only things that ever actually made an impact on my truck are:
Remove lift
Smaller tires
Fully inflated tires
Drive 60-62mph
Nothing else ever recouped the buy-in cost of the mod.
I needed to significantly increase my fuel economy for an 80+ mile daily commute, so I bought a second car that gets about 40mpg. Payment+insurance+gas is less than savings on diesel/truck maintenance not commuting in my truck. When the truck is really needed that means it's working, there's nothing to do to increase fuel economy at that point and I'm happy it get's what it does while it's working.
The only things that ever actually made an impact on my truck are:
Remove lift
Smaller tires
Fully inflated tires
Drive 60-62mph
Nothing else ever recouped the buy-in cost of the mod.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 89
From: TN
It is almost impossible to get a block to be economical. Definitely driving habits, keeping your tires properly inflated and try to draft as much as possible. 5startuning.com may can help you. They do make some eco tunes that I have noticed about a 1-2 mpg gain, but it is boring. Deeper gears can help if you are towing alot or have large oversize tires with a lift. Really not much in the way of a magic bullet to increase mileage on these trucks.
BTW, what truck, year and drivetrain config?
BTW, what truck, year and drivetrain config?
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 344
Likes: 7
Drive like an old lady. Consolidate trips. Keep your windows up. Keep your tire pressure at the recommended pressure. Remove excess weight. etc...
There's not really a whole lot you can realistically do to "unlock" more mpg's from a truck. The manufacturers already spend millions of dollars researching ways to improve fuel economy because of government regulations and consumer demands. You're not going to find some magical $50 thing on ebay that will significantly improve mpg that somehow slipped by the manufacturer. It is good to run a bottle of fuel system cleaner through every once in a while to keep your injectors squirting good.
That said, optimizing gear ratios and a tonneau cover have been rumored to help slightly, but do not expect to get even 10% better than stock with any sort of bolt-on unless you do some major modifications, or engine swap. Tuners and HHO (hydrogen on demand) "work", but basically all they do is lean the engine out.
There's not really a whole lot you can realistically do to "unlock" more mpg's from a truck. The manufacturers already spend millions of dollars researching ways to improve fuel economy because of government regulations and consumer demands. You're not going to find some magical $50 thing on ebay that will significantly improve mpg that somehow slipped by the manufacturer. It is good to run a bottle of fuel system cleaner through every once in a while to keep your injectors squirting good.
That said, optimizing gear ratios and a tonneau cover have been rumored to help slightly, but do not expect to get even 10% better than stock with any sort of bolt-on unless you do some major modifications, or engine swap. Tuners and HHO (hydrogen on demand) "work", but basically all they do is lean the engine out.
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Someone was telling me about some aftermarket thing they put put on their Tahoe to get better mpg. I also heard about something from diesel sellerz about some product they just plugged it in and I have them a couple extra mpg. I'm not really complaining because I love driving my truck either way. And will continue to fill the tank. Just wondering what was out there.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 4,392
Likes: 22
From: very South Texas
driving an aerodynamically challenged vehicle
driving a Heavy vehicle.
then with 4x4 is heaver.
get a 500 cc motorcycle... they get 70 mpg...
my 1800 cc 110 hp gets 40mpg.
my gas 6.2L gets 14 to 17... but towing its 7 to 10
All the advertised gas savers...LIE... just like in the 1970's.. Gas Embargo
driving a Heavy vehicle.
then with 4x4 is heaver.
get a 500 cc motorcycle... they get 70 mpg...
my 1800 cc 110 hp gets 40mpg.
my gas 6.2L gets 14 to 17... but towing its 7 to 10
All the advertised gas savers...LIE... just like in the 1970's.. Gas Embargo
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 344
Likes: 7
If there was a cheap, reliable, easy way to noticeably boost MPG, you can bet your last pair of drawers that every manufacturer in the book would be using it already.
Trending Topics
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 6,259
Likes: 438
From: IL
Same here, I get about 16mpg, the truck sits until it needs to work. I drive a Kia Soul back and forth to work and as a grocery getter.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,146
Likes: 32
From: Maryville, TN
Originally Posted by gabriell12123
Someone was telling me about some aftermarket thing they put put on their Tahoe to get better mpg. I also heard about something from diesel sellerz about some product they just plugged it in and I have them a couple extra mpg. I'm not really complaining because I love driving my truck either way. And will continue to fill the tank. Just wondering what was out there.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: Yakistan, WA
With the way our super dooty's are built there is not much of anything we can buy or do that will really get us gains.
People will say they get 22-25 mpg's with some aftermarket product, but I do not believe it........ Some will argue otherwise
The best thing you can do with in town driving if its a major issue for you is time your stop lights, crawl to the intersections and do California stops, and slowly accelerate.
Usually these products that help save fuel, if combined, the cost of all of them out weight the mpg savings.
Also, rotational mass is one of the best ways to save fuel. Stick to stock size tires. And light weight rims.
Although I do care about getting decent fuel mileage, I do not really bother too much with the thought. Just do meticulous maintenance, that helps alot.
People will say they get 22-25 mpg's with some aftermarket product, but I do not believe it........ Some will argue otherwise
The best thing you can do with in town driving if its a major issue for you is time your stop lights, crawl to the intersections and do California stops, and slowly accelerate.
Usually these products that help save fuel, if combined, the cost of all of them out weight the mpg savings.
Also, rotational mass is one of the best ways to save fuel. Stick to stock size tires. And light weight rims.
Although I do care about getting decent fuel mileage, I do not really bother too much with the thought. Just do meticulous maintenance, that helps alot.
Senior User
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Glad you didn't buy it when fuel was over $4 a gallon. As all have said it's a big heavy truck..can't expect to much. If it's gas..live with it. Nothing you do is going to be a positive ROI. Diesel....delete it if you drive a lot and plan on keeping it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: Yakistan, WA
Thats when I bought my first diesel, a 7.3 idi 1990 
My point exactly
My point exactly
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: Yakistan, WA
But really, maintenance, and driving style are the best things you can do.
