Why poor gas mileage
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,231
Likes: 1
From: Near Fresno, California
Why poor gas mileage
Someone here provided a link to a website (http://www.bgsoflex.com/auto.html) that provides automotive calculations - Playing with those numbers easily shows why our mileage is so poor.
For instance, the big mirrors I like take 3 horses to push at 70 MPH, the entire truck takes 119 horses at 70 just due to aerodynamics.
Push that up to 80 MPH and the aerodynamic loss jumps to 178 horses - which any farm boy knows is a lot of horses to feed.
Weight is a whole lot less important - a 5000 pound truck only needs 19 horses to overcome rolling resistance at 70.
The moral of the story is that if you want good gas mileage out of our trucks you had better be prepared to do a lot of chopping and channeling.
For instance, the big mirrors I like take 3 horses to push at 70 MPH, the entire truck takes 119 horses at 70 just due to aerodynamics.
Push that up to 80 MPH and the aerodynamic loss jumps to 178 horses - which any farm boy knows is a lot of horses to feed.
Weight is a whole lot less important - a 5000 pound truck only needs 19 horses to overcome rolling resistance at 70.
The moral of the story is that if you want good gas mileage out of our trucks you had better be prepared to do a lot of chopping and channeling.
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,231
Likes: 1
From: Near Fresno, California
Some horse eat more than others.
All the math shows is that a 13% increase in speed requires 33% more power - at 70 MPH. Is a good argument for running 70 instead of 80 - but not much fun in that.
All the math shows is that a 13% increase in speed requires 33% more power - at 70 MPH. Is a good argument for running 70 instead of 80 - but not much fun in that.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Guys, Let us not forget we are in 2005 looking back 40 years. Trucks didn't have radios much less stereos, gas was $0.25 a gallon, and no one that I knew used their truck for anything but work. My father would not drive his truck to church, unless there was a work day and he had to haul something in or away.
We used the our trucks like our tractors, for work only.
John
We used the our trucks like our tractors, for work only.
John
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 4
From: "Islander"
WillyB, thanks for the reply about Bowling & Grippo, I built their Injector Pulser,
that thing has saved me about a grand on injectors. I have cleaned and balance checked friends injectors also as with Rovers as they are a PITA and dealers want $189 per injector.
.....=o&o>.....
that thing has saved me about a grand on injectors. I have cleaned and balance checked friends injectors also as with Rovers as they are a PITA and dealers want $189 per injector.
.....=o&o>.....
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,231
Likes: 1
From: Near Fresno, California
Carl, I knew there was a reason I liked you - what do you think of their megaSquart vs a stock ford controler? I am looking to use an EFI engine out of a 87 Ford pickup.
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 0
Likes: 24
If I might chime in 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is my take on Fuel mileage.
By the time you are finished reading this you will be able to answer this question
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Considering the FACT there are so many variables regarding fuel economy it would be hard to get a specific answer.
Things to consider:
1)Quality of Fuel
2)Additives
3)Tune & Efficiency of Engine
4)Altitude
5)Driving technique
6)Topography where you are driving
7)How much city/how much highway driving
8)Gear ratio & size of tires
9)Weight of the vehicle
10)Tire inflation
11)Vehicle design (drag)
12)Clean air filter
Just to name a few.
I drive a 78 pickup with a well tuned 429 engine,at an altitude of 3400 ft above sea level,with normal weight on the truck with a canopy,tires inflated to spec,using premium fuel,2.75 rear,C6 Trans, With my foot on the pedal like there was a egg under it, in Canada in a city that the downtown is located in a valley.
I get 14 city & 18-19 hwy.
Does this help ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is my take on Fuel mileage.
By the time you are finished reading this you will be able to answer this question
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Considering the FACT there are so many variables regarding fuel economy it would be hard to get a specific answer.
Things to consider:
1)Quality of Fuel
2)Additives
3)Tune & Efficiency of Engine
4)Altitude
5)Driving technique
6)Topography where you are driving
7)How much city/how much highway driving
8)Gear ratio & size of tires
9)Weight of the vehicle
10)Tire inflation
11)Vehicle design (drag)
12)Clean air filter
Just to name a few.
I drive a 78 pickup with a well tuned 429 engine,at an altitude of 3400 ft above sea level,with normal weight on the truck with a canopy,tires inflated to spec,using premium fuel,2.75 rear,C6 Trans, With my foot on the pedal like there was a egg under it, in Canada in a city that the downtown is located in a valley.
I get 14 city & 18-19 hwy.
Does this help ?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 4
From: "Islander"
WillyB, the only injection vehicles I have are the Rover's MPI system and a Delorean with MPI. What I like so far for a future build (482" FE) is Force MPI throttle body on my own welded injector bung intake controlled by a Mega-Squirt 2 system. Besides that i'm not too familar with Ford's or other MPI systems. Sorry to disappoint. At this time and budget the Holley must due.
.....=o&o>.....
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
Likes: 22
From: The Big, Oregon
I'm using a stock 352 4BBL intake, and I will be drilling it right at the base of the valve cover mount. I am using a 460 throttle body and inlet neck, and a DUI distributor. Should be a pretty good setup, no more choke worries!
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 4
From: "Islander"
So you'll keep the dizzy which can be matched to your truck / motor gear ratio combo but tune for fuel. Sounds simple and alot cheaper than a Force MPI system, they quoted me $3,800. I got cold feet real fast and installed a 670 SA as the 1850 had over 800,000 miles. The Mega-Squirt II which will come out around August this year will have a lap top timing curve. Price?
Did you buy or machine your own injector bungs? What intake are you going to use?
.....=o&o>.....
Did you buy or machine your own injector bungs? What intake are you going to use?
.....=o&o>.....
New User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by WillyB
FordSix, is the megaSquart II out yet? Do you have one in your hands? Seems like we have been waiting for a long time for them to release it to production.
Also I have finished up final torture testing of the new MegaSquirt mainboard (known as the V3 board) and it will also be released in about 3 weeks. Monitor the www.msefi.com site for release info, and info on MSII is at http://www.megasquirt.info/ms2/
Bruce Bowling
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,231
Likes: 1
From: Near Fresno, California
Sir, that is good news, and straight from the founder's mouth.
There are several people on this board who want to add EFI to their FE engine (including me), but are held back because of the questions and expense of adding the injectors to the intake. Perhaps now with the electronics available someone will offer a mechanical kit.
As it is, I spent less on a good running EFI 300 six with a good C6 than it was going to cost me to have the injecters and fuel rail added to the intake of my 390.
This is welcome news indeed!
Clint Wilcox
For FTE Members - While Mr. Bowling is more GM orientated, he is one of the founders of Mega-Squirt which is a viable replacement for the ECU on any EFI system. If you are considering EFI you owe it to yourself to look over the Mega-Squirt website. Not only can you save major bucks, but the code is available should you want to modify the way the system works.
The links he posted did not work for me, but cutting and pasting them did.
There are several people on this board who want to add EFI to their FE engine (including me), but are held back because of the questions and expense of adding the injectors to the intake. Perhaps now with the electronics available someone will offer a mechanical kit.
As it is, I spent less on a good running EFI 300 six with a good C6 than it was going to cost me to have the injecters and fuel rail added to the intake of my 390.
This is welcome news indeed!
Clint Wilcox
For FTE Members - While Mr. Bowling is more GM orientated, he is one of the founders of Mega-Squirt which is a viable replacement for the ECU on any EFI system. If you are considering EFI you owe it to yourself to look over the Mega-Squirt website. Not only can you save major bucks, but the code is available should you want to modify the way the system works.
The links he posted did not work for me, but cutting and pasting them did.
Last edited by WillyB; Jun 18, 2005 at 07:22 PM.