I must apologize for my doubts of fuel mileage claims. My wife, four year old, and mother in law (yeah, I know), took a trip to Chattanooga TN from WV with my brother and sister in law and their two kids. They were in a 2003 Dodge Cummins six speed 4X4 with a Banks Six Gun. My truck is a 2003 Lariat CC 7.3 auto with 305's and a SCMT set on Perf Tow. We stopped for fuel just outside of Knoxville. My truck was at 18.5 mpg and the Dodge was 17.9. I was happy to say the least. My truck averages 14-16 at home. The overhead trip computer is wacky due to the tuner and it was registering an ave of 28 mpg. On the stretch of I75 that is nice and flat after the fillup it went up to 31.5. I know 20 + is possible in a smaller truck. I drove the entire trip home (440 miles) on one tank (29 gallon tank) before I seen a low fuel light. I didnt drive easy when I hit WV. The hills were effortless. My last SD with the 5.4 downshifted on the hills easily and returned 14-15 on all interstate trips and 11-12 at home.

 

Another guy on here just reported 24mpg driving his new '02 back to TN from GA.

 

24 mpg is sure hard to believe. I get around 17 - 18 mpg on average but my truck is stock of course.

 

Don't believe the lie-o-meter...
Mine says 20mpg all the time but when I did a manual calculation, it's more 17-18mpg...

 

I just switched my '97 to 3:55's from 4:10's and I just got an 18 in hard city driving. My buddy could get 23-25 with his '97 all empty, highway driving auto 3:55's also. the guy who owns that truck now gets 'round 20 driving to work in city trafific, so 20's are not out of the question.


Diesel Rod

 

I wish I could see these numbers out of mine. It's an '02 F350 s/c 8' bed srw 3:73 auto. The BEST i ever got was 19 on a long trip over interstate, empty of course. I average 13-14 daily driving with 2-3 times towing a week. (8,000 lbs) Truck is stock except for K&N Filter and 285/75 tires. Any ideas?? Does the banks exhaust help much?

 

I won't recomend banks, but I will recomend any exhaust, that is more open then the stocker, or just a straight pipe, with no cat or muffler, to help improve the flow.


Diesel Rod

 

banks is overrated.

can make a better system for less money. im still getting 15mpg with a 400rwhp truck, and i still have the problem with the throttle stickin to the floor.

 

Hey, Folks
I just bought a 2001 F-250 3.73 gears, only performance mods is K&N Filter and 285/75 tires and I got 24 mpg on the way back from GA to east TN, running between 70-75 whole time. I did the calculations manually, so the calculator won't lie, I am in love. Truck runs like a screamin demon and gets this kind of fuel mileage. God bless the 7.3 designers.

 

That was me and it's true, i couldn't believe it either. I would have been tickled with 20-21 mpg.

 

barebackjake:
i say: if you're seeing 15mpg w/400rwhp, maybe the pedal mashed & stuck on the floor 'ain't that bad of a problem!!! hope i can see the same #s someday!!
but for now my right leg is so so HEAVY...........

 

It is funny how fuel mileage is affected by changes. After I switched from stock 235/85 tires to 285/75, my highway mileage dropped by almost 2mpg - but my in town mileage went up almost 1mpg...

Sure wish I could see 24, but with an auto trans and 4x4, not a chance.

 

Keeping the revs under 2K (most of the time) and running Diesel Kleen Gray, I've been averaging 19-20, even hauling a 300 gallon water tank every day (one way, 9 miles). The last 400 mile trip I averaged 23MPG running 70-75 (empty).

I can't wait to see how much it goes up when I add the 3"-4" DP and straight 5" back to stock exit location!

 

A friend of mine had a 99 F350 reg cab 4x4 srw 7.3 6 spd, and he claimed 17-19 average with up to 23 on highway. What's wrong with my truck?? Does the 6 spd make that much difference? I know mine weighs more because of the supercab, but I've never even sniffed 20, and I average 13.5; towing 2-3 times a week. I'm stilll not too upset though. My last truck was an '01 V-10 with 4:30's and a 5 spd, and it got about 7-8 mpg average towing the same trailer I have now.

 

a couple weeks ago, driving to north of houston and back from San antonio, i got 20.3 or so. kept it pegged on 70 to see what it would do. '95 reg cab 2x4 5sp, dollhouse in the bed on the way out (more bad wind resistance than weight), empty comin back.