Fuel consumption
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 153
On my 5th Superduty:
Heavy Tow/Payload 5th wheel/Truck Camper: 8.9 - 11.7 mpg. Headwind, driving into a frontal system, tailwind, rain, traffic etcm 12k 5th whell, 5500 payload;
Empty: 14.1 - 21.1 . Uphill, downhill, 60 mph-85 mph, very light traffic to rush hour.
Day in day out: 14.7-15.3
NOTES: Anything above about 16 mpg will plummet soon as you exit to the streets, anything above 17 mpg is no to light traffic, 75-85 MPH MARKED roads, have always noticed that at 75 I can get some good mpg, got a few roads I travel that are long 30 mi stretch of downhill travel, can see 21 mpg, but take my exit and within a few blocks its down into the 15's.
This reflects about 150k mi over almost 10 years,
This is ALL based upon dashboard mpg, no phony handjobs that give magic numbers, like 25 mpg...in your dreams sunshine!
Heavy Tow/Payload 5th wheel/Truck Camper: 8.9 - 11.7 mpg. Headwind, driving into a frontal system, tailwind, rain, traffic etcm 12k 5th whell, 5500 payload;
Empty: 14.1 - 21.1 . Uphill, downhill, 60 mph-85 mph, very light traffic to rush hour.
Day in day out: 14.7-15.3
NOTES: Anything above about 16 mpg will plummet soon as you exit to the streets, anything above 17 mpg is no to light traffic, 75-85 MPH MARKED roads, have always noticed that at 75 I can get some good mpg, got a few roads I travel that are long 30 mi stretch of downhill travel, can see 21 mpg, but take my exit and within a few blocks its down into the 15's.
This reflects about 150k mi over almost 10 years,
This is ALL based upon dashboard mpg, no phony handjobs that give magic numbers, like 25 mpg...in your dreams sunshine!
More Turbo
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 643
Likes: 154
From: Poway, CA
On my 5th Superduty:
Heavy Tow/Payload 5th wheel/Truck Camper: 8.9 - 11.7 mpg. Headwind, driving into a frontal system, tailwind, rain, traffic etcm 12k 5th whell, 5500 payload;
Empty: 14.1 - 21.1 . Uphill, downhill, 60 mph-85 mph, very light traffic to rush hour.
Day in day out: 14.7-15.3
NOTES: Anything above about 16 mpg will plummet soon as you exit to the streets, anything above 17 mpg is no to light traffic, 75-85 MPH MARKED roads, have always noticed that at 75 I can get some good mpg, got a few roads I travel that are long 30 mi stretch of downhill travel, can see 21 mpg, but take my exit and within a few blocks its down into the 15's.
This reflects about 150k mi over almost 10 years,
This is ALL based upon dashboard mpg, no phony handjobs that give magic numbers, like 25 mpg...in your dreams sunshine!
Heavy Tow/Payload 5th wheel/Truck Camper: 8.9 - 11.7 mpg. Headwind, driving into a frontal system, tailwind, rain, traffic etcm 12k 5th whell, 5500 payload;
Empty: 14.1 - 21.1 . Uphill, downhill, 60 mph-85 mph, very light traffic to rush hour.
Day in day out: 14.7-15.3
NOTES: Anything above about 16 mpg will plummet soon as you exit to the streets, anything above 17 mpg is no to light traffic, 75-85 MPH MARKED roads, have always noticed that at 75 I can get some good mpg, got a few roads I travel that are long 30 mi stretch of downhill travel, can see 21 mpg, but take my exit and within a few blocks its down into the 15's.
This reflects about 150k mi over almost 10 years,
This is ALL based upon dashboard mpg, no phony handjobs that give magic numbers, like 25 mpg...in your dreams sunshine!
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 153
17 Oaks, I have only had my truck a year and only put 12,000 miles on it (maybe half towing) but I can't imagine ever achieving those kinds of numbers...not even close. I rarely drive in traffic (live in San Diego but avoid rush hour like the plague) and I'm far from being a lead foot. Granted, you live in a fairly flat part of the country (I drove from Carlsbad, NM to San Antonio and then up to Lawton, OK just a couple weeks ago) and from my house, I can take a 50 mile drive to the east and climb 5600 feet in elevation. A fair amount of my towing has been at elevation but certainly not most of it. Is California fuel to blame? Probably 70% of those 12000 miles have been in CA. Who knows. I love my truck completely but would like to figure out how to improve my fuel economy. Heck, at this point, I don't even pay for my own diesel (I have a company fuel card) but I will start when I retire in five years. I will probably care a lot more then!
I can hit 20+ on my drive to San Antonio, BUT from my place at 1720 El to San Antonio 650 El, I see some high numbers but exit off I 10 and in a few blocks of stop n go I am down to the 15's.
Today I am running 15.3 on a 100 mi rd trip, all I 10, light traffic.
The day in day out numbers are empty and NOT in rush hr traffic, I work out of the house.
Point being these are real numbers over time and the highs and lows reflect the good and the bad.
7th Gear
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
2011F250 crew cab long box versus 2017 F350 ext.cab DRW
In a 2400 mile run the 2011 6.7 averaged 17.30 miles per gallon. On the same run with a 2017 6.7 the average was 14.08 mpg. Both trucks were the same rear gear ratio, one a srw the other a drw. Was not a happy camper but after reading this blog it is in line with most other units.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 412
Likes: 16
I have a 4.1 DRW as well. Highway I'm lucky to get 12 or 13. Towing my 5th wheel which weighs about 15k I get 8-10 depending on the terrain, and that is doing over 70. This has been constant over the 30,000 miles I have on the truck.
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 400
Likes: 25
From: Queen Creek
Crazy, Just makes my decision to get a gasser much more satisfying to me. 10mpg towing 8000lbs and 13ish highway. Other factors i considered: I only put about 4000 miles a year on the truck (currently at 4250 at 13 months now) and it's primarily for towing my airstream and a little local stop and go. I just don't work the diesel the way they are intended to be worked. No doubt diesels are great towing heavy or racking up the miles but, the cost per mile to operate still favors the gasser in most situations as well as the initial cost of purchase.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Got a 2018 F250 - 6.7L and 3.55 gears, CCLB. Pulled a 36 foot race trailer a little over 700 miles and averaged about 12 mpg. Going to get it, in the opposite direction, made it up to 22 mpg
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 233
Likes: 2
Short answer is yes, it should get better after breakin...which takes much longer for a diesel. But, driving habits also contribute a lot. I haven't yet manually calculated my mileage. But the system average on my 2019 F250 6'5" bed is showing 18.3 mpg. My experience with my F150 is that the actual mileage was about 1/2 mpg lower than the display showed. I usually drive the speed limit and try to avoid hard accels. I have not yet towed my TT with the truck, and I don't sit idling for extended periods of time.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,210
Likes: 11
From: California Mountains
my 19 at highway speed 80 which it about 16.2 3.55 gears the 17 only got 13.9 on hilly windy road I get 13.2 the 17 about 11.2 thats after 3 tanks of fuel but it seems to be drinking a lot more def than my 17 the 19 has used more than a quarter tank with only 1,339 miles
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,366
Likes: 185
From: Frederick, CO
Where do I get one of these "phony handjobs"? Was that part of the Lariat trim level? Can I turn this feature on with ForSCAN? Oh, please let the answer be, "Yes."
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 803
Likes: 103
18 350 DRW 4x4 3.55s.
stock it would get 7.4mpg towing my 13,000lb 5th wheel at 70mph.
stock unloaded at 70mph = 16mpg
Fully deleted, 75hp tune, & CAI now and get 9.8mpg towing the same 5th wheel at 70mph
Deleted unloaded and get 19mpg at 70mph
ive walked RV parks and talked to dozens and dozens of 17+ SD PS about their fuel mileage while towing their 5th wheels. everyones mpg is all over the map. Guys with much heavier trailers then i have claiming 11,12,13mpg while towing. Others with lighter trailers getting worse then i do.
I think it has a lot to do with the aero drag of the trailer and not so much the weight of the trailer.
stock it would get 7.4mpg towing my 13,000lb 5th wheel at 70mph.
stock unloaded at 70mph = 16mpg
Fully deleted, 75hp tune, & CAI now and get 9.8mpg towing the same 5th wheel at 70mph
Deleted unloaded and get 19mpg at 70mph
ive walked RV parks and talked to dozens and dozens of 17+ SD PS about their fuel mileage while towing their 5th wheels. everyones mpg is all over the map. Guys with much heavier trailers then i have claiming 11,12,13mpg while towing. Others with lighter trailers getting worse then i do.
I think it has a lot to do with the aero drag of the trailer and not so much the weight of the trailer.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 412
Likes: 16
Fuel mileage is almost 100% the way you drive given similar gear ratio and trailer weight. 100 owners will have 100 different mpg. If you take 15 seconds to get to 60 towing a trailer versus grandpa taking 60 seconds...he's gonna get x amount and you will get something less. So many variables. You're gas mileage is gonna suck regardless. I'd still drive these trucks if I got 2mpg i love them so much.
Also for some reason, I think you are more likely to get an honest answer from a used car salesman than asking someone what their gas mileage is.
Also for some reason, I think you are more likely to get an honest answer from a used car salesman than asking someone what their gas mileage is.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,762
Likes: 401
From: Logan, Utah
I have a 450 with 4.30s and oversize tires. 7-8 towing the fifth wheel. 13mpg running empty under 70.
That's really about as good as as you'll see. Surprising how little enclosed trailers still suck the fuel. The drag is substantial.
That's really about as good as as you'll see. Surprising how little enclosed trailers still suck the fuel. The drag is substantial.