Poor towing MPG
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 343
Likes: 7
From: Arizona
Poor towing MPG
My 2000 7.3 easily goes 650-700 miles between fillups when it's empty. I just finished a trip pulling a 26-ft travel trailer from Arizona to Washington and got 11 MPG doing 55 to 65. I really can't believe this is how many MPG it should get. My old 7.3 IDI did better than that without a turbo. Even my 351 would occasionally match it on a really good day (same trailer).
I also noticed the mileage declined through the trip. The first leg, I went 451 miles before I filled up. Then, 421. By the end it was barely over 400 miles before the needle was on the red mark.
The service engine light came on twice for a minute or 2, while going up big hills at 65. I stopped at Autozone at the end of the trip and they found no stored codes.
I also noticed the mileage declined through the trip. The first leg, I went 451 miles before I filled up. Then, 421. By the end it was barely over 400 miles before the needle was on the red mark.
The service engine light came on twice for a minute or 2, while going up big hills at 65. I stopped at Autozone at the end of the trip and they found no stored codes.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 236
Likes: 1
My 01 goes 500+ when I am not towing. I can easily making it from MD to MI on a tank which stops me from over spending at the PA turnpike fuel stops and from stopping in Ohio (as everyone knows Ohio is just a horrible place, Go Blue). When towing our old TT we would get 12 ish mpg now with the 5th wheel we get 10-12 but usually closer to the 10 in the hilly portions. It seems a bit high that you get 20+ mpg when not towing and 11.5 or less when towing but that’s just me. Also I doubt the cheap autozone scanner will read any codes from a 7.3
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 4,667
Likes: 1,455
From: Muskogee, Ok
Empty highway i see 19.6mpg, towing our 12,500# 38' 5th wheel i see 10-11. Not sure what I'd get with a travel trailer, would expect it to be a little better without the high frontal sail like the 5th wheel.
Build a boost leak detector, look for soot. Or it could just be your gearing, elevation, headwind, that tank's fuel cetene, ambient air temp....
Build a boost leak detector, look for soot. Or it could just be your gearing, elevation, headwind, that tank's fuel cetene, ambient air temp....
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 27,355
Likes: 5,950
From: Lake Hartwell, GA
18.5 MPG unloaded
13.5 MPG towing 12,000 lbs 5th wheel
Auxiliary tank in bed and OEM tank at 75 gallons...
Plenty of range and I consider the MPG good as it is better than most of the 6.7 guys are getting and the truck cost me $60,000 less...
13.5 MPG towing 12,000 lbs 5th wheel
Auxiliary tank in bed and OEM tank at 75 gallons...
Plenty of range and I consider the MPG good as it is better than most of the 6.7 guys are getting and the truck cost me $60,000 less...
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: DFW
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Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,278
Likes: 1,658
From: Las Cruces New Mexico
Thats what happened to me 3 weeks ago going to Cali in my OBS towing a 2500lb empty open car trailer, going I got a pathetic 9mpg headwinds from and to our destination, coming back with a Cadillac CTS I got 12.xxx MPG with no winds.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,079
Likes: 63
From: Florida and Tennessee
@ 70 mph on flat ground my best is 21.3. I tow three different trailers regularly and rarely go over 70mph ... mostly around 65-70 mph.
Car haul trailer 15.7 (7K)
Boat 15.1 (7.5K)
Travel trailer 12.7 (9-10K)
These are best numbers, not averages. The boat is probably the lowest mpg, because I rarely go over 45, while driving on local roads to the ramp.
Car haul trailer 15.7 (7K)
Boat 15.1 (7.5K)
Travel trailer 12.7 (9-10K)
These are best numbers, not averages. The boat is probably the lowest mpg, because I rarely go over 45, while driving on local roads to the ramp.
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 465
Likes: 53
From: Connecticut
Ditto. '01 Excursion, 17-18 unloaded on the highway, 10.5 solid (almost all the time) pulling a 28' enclosed 10,000 pound GVW car trailer.
I, too, pulled with an old non-turbo. But it didn't make near the torque of the PSD so I was a lot slower, and didn't climb the hills as well. Drive your PSD like you drove the IDI (i.e., crawling up hills) and you'll probasbly get better fuel economy.
I, too, pulled with an old non-turbo. But it didn't make near the torque of the PSD so I was a lot slower, and didn't climb the hills as well. Drive your PSD like you drove the IDI (i.e., crawling up hills) and you'll probasbly get better fuel economy.
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 731
Likes: 15
From: Arizona
Arizona has a lot of steep and some long grades which can work a truck pretty hard when towing. We also have a pretty stiff breeze most of the time but headwinds can get strong enough to drop the mpg by 2 or more. Combine all this and 11 mpg on such a trip sounds reasonable.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 206
Likes: 5
Mpg depends on the nature of your terrain in the hills of western Pa my truck is averaging around 14 empty but if I make certain trips it can drop to 12.9 and it’s dependant on hills and speed. Even though I have not made the trip to Gettysburg with my SD I know that headwinds and elevation changes will cause me to burn 1/4 of a tank more fuel to get home than to get there with the 2 gassers I have made the trip with.
I cant wait to get out of the hills with the 7.3 sometime to see what I really get for mileage. I have seen 17 in Pa but not near where I live or travel regularly.
I would see guys talking high teens to low twenties and I think there’s something wrong with my truck then I find out that they are running in flat land not in the hills 4x4 and 4.10s doesn’t help either. Watching the boost gauge is a good indicator of which direction the lieOmeter will be moving.
shawn
I cant wait to get out of the hills with the 7.3 sometime to see what I really get for mileage. I have seen 17 in Pa but not near where I live or travel regularly.
I would see guys talking high teens to low twenties and I think there’s something wrong with my truck then I find out that they are running in flat land not in the hills 4x4 and 4.10s doesn’t help either. Watching the boost gauge is a good indicator of which direction the lieOmeter will be moving.
shawn
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,807
Likes: 125
From: Colorado Springs
Everyone can post their mpg but unless they’re also listing their: gearing, elevation, weight towed, towing configurations, truck design, engine/transmission modifications etc none of it is an apple to apple comparison. It gives you an idea of possibilities but you shouldn’t have the same expectations.
I’m at 6500’ elevation, 4:10, CCLB Dually, modified turbo, built transmission (see signature). Since I started DD with PHP 65hp performance tune I’m getting 14.8 mpg unloaded on the highway at highway speeds versus stop and go on the interstate. Towing my Jeep/20’ trailer through the Rockies going through Mountain Passes some of which are at 10,000 ft of elevation, I see anywhere from 11 to 12.5 mpg before the Hydra was installed. If the snow ever melts here I’ll see what MPG I get with the PHP towing tunes.
I will say I saw a significant MPG DROP when I went from 3.73’s to 4.10’s...but the truck is built for towing not DD.
I’m at 6500’ elevation, 4:10, CCLB Dually, modified turbo, built transmission (see signature). Since I started DD with PHP 65hp performance tune I’m getting 14.8 mpg unloaded on the highway at highway speeds versus stop and go on the interstate. Towing my Jeep/20’ trailer through the Rockies going through Mountain Passes some of which are at 10,000 ft of elevation, I see anywhere from 11 to 12.5 mpg before the Hydra was installed. If the snow ever melts here I’ll see what MPG I get with the PHP towing tunes.
I will say I saw a significant MPG DROP when I went from 3.73’s to 4.10’s...but the truck is built for towing not DD.