Alright guys I'm trying to decide if it would make sense for me to tune my truck. I'm not doing it to go faster or anything like that. I'm thinking about it because I travel all over the west for work pulling a 7x14 enclosed trailer and I'm only getting roughly 9 MPG so I am considering tuning my truck for better mileage. I think i did the calculations right and at an average of $3.60/gal i should be able to pay for the tuner and tunes in just 7500 miles if i gain 2 mpg. I think i did that right but i could be off. So i was wondering what you guys who are tuned are getting for mileage. I dont plan on deleting so any of you guys who are not deleted and tuned have any insight please chime in.

 

Over the entire trip after tuning(my DPF fell off), I averaged .75 mpg better than the last two years, but that number was well skewed by going off the interstate and through the N GA mountains on the way home due to the interstate being closed just out of ATL. Up until then, I was averaging 1.4 MPG more with my Montana in tow over 1200 miles. The mountains killed the average quickly coming across them. As far as daily driving. I'm getting around 1.5-1.75 better and that number is also skewed as I can't keep my foot out of it.

 

If you are down to 9 MPG pulling that trailer, you are simply going too fast. Easing up on the pedal costs nothing, is safer and everything will last longer.

 

yeah I have to admit I do go faster. I would just rather get to each job as quickly as possible. I usually set cruise at the posted speed limit so the majority of the time it's set at 80. I've tried to slow down and when I do it gives me 11mpg but if I can still pick up a couple mpg's whether I'm going faster or slower it could still be worth it.

 

Just be aware of the fact that the typical Chinese ST trailer tire has a maximum speed rating of 65 MPH. If you insist on going faster than 65, at least put some decent LT tires on the trailer that have a load range at least 10% higher than required. Also, I have had the cheap Chinese wheel bearings fail from their poor quality, so I installed made in USA Timken bearings.

That will be me you are flying past, so please try to keep the debris field to a minimum.

 

Your 9 MPG is certainly speed. Tuning with a DPF in place will likely cause earlier than normal active regenerations which further adds to your fuel consumption.

 

I can't imagine you'll see 2 mpg with just a tune. I got 1.5 mpg with a tune and delete for unloaded highway and I break even with towing mpg.

 

They haven't been "made in the USA" in a long time...

 

I've been wondering how the towing economy with a tune would be. I know people have been getting 1.5 - 2 mpg better unloaded but wasnt sure about with a tune. Sounds like I may just have to bite the bullet and slow down. I'm just too damn competitive to be letting people fly by me. 😂

 

Wrong, here is what I used:

 

I didn't see any mpg gain after my delete. In fact, my mpg went down (unloaded daily driving). My towing mpg remains the same towing my 14.5k lbs. fifth wheel. I drive the same as before. In fact I now drive trying to maximize mpg but the best I've been able to do is get back to pre-delete numbers (about 18 mpg)

 

Not all delete tunes are created equal thou. That's why I always say do your research and go with a big name delete tuner like tyrant or spartan and you'll be a happy camper. I gained on average 2 l/100k empty when I deleted mine. That's mixed driving and I'm not easy on the throttle in the city. I'm curious who's tuning your running that you got worse mileage once deleted ?

 

I just did a 1000km trip with more aggressive tires than I had stock and averaged 11.5 l/100k with the cruise set at 110km/hr with the 3.55 gears. Stock size tires but an all terrain as opposed to the highway Michelin's that came with it.

 

I got my X4 with tunes from Rudy's. It seemed to smoke a lot and the fuel economy was less than pre-delete. So I then ordered Tyrant tow tune (and a stock tune) which yielded similar fuel economy as whoever wrote Rudy's tunes. I have only run tow or stock tunes. I did try the street tune for 1 tank of fuel and it also was about 1-1/2 mpg less the pre-delete

 

Thanks for the reply, tyrant gets very good reviews for the record, one of the best I would say. I do run mine on stage 4 normally and 5 on a long trip. Always heard you will get the best mileage with the hottest tune and the lightest foot. If I tow however I turn it down to 1. Haven't really done enough heavy towing for a mileage comparison. I am running spartan sotf. Deleted mine at 20000k, now almost at 80000k trouble free k, without a single Regen, would never go back