MPG's??? I'm confused...
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Georgetown, TX
MPG's??? I'm confused...
This is my first diesel pick up, so please have patience. I have 4500 miles on my 2005 F-250. I've hand calculated my fuel mileage on every fill-up, and recorded it. During normal city driving, and just a little highway time (commuting to work), I average 15.4 MPG's. I took my first "highway" trip yesterday. The trip was 630 miles, and I only averaged 14.8 MPG's. The trip did involve some "stop and go" when I went through some small towns, but for the most part, it was cruise control conditions. I do have a Diablo tuner, which is set on "economy 65".
Is this highway consumption normal for my truck? I know driving habits, and the way one calculates their MPG's (some rely on the computer readout in the truck, which I don't have) can make for some differences.......and yes, if I was really concerned about getting good gas mileage, I should have bought a Geo
Is this highway consumption normal for my truck? I know driving habits, and the way one calculates their MPG's (some rely on the computer readout in the truck, which I don't have) can make for some differences.......and yes, if I was really concerned about getting good gas mileage, I should have bought a Geo
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
We 6.0 owners seem to have mileage that flucuates all over the place.
One trip is really not an indicator of your mileage. That being said, your highway mileage should be significantly higher than your around town mileage. My mileage is around 14.5 in town and around 18 on the road. My truck will get 20 MPG if I could find a way to drive 55 mph. NOT going to happen. Best of luck with your new rig and welcome to the Forum.
Others with more knowledge will chime in soon. Don't worry. Your rig is OK. You still have many miles 'til your good and broken in...
One trip is really not an indicator of your mileage. That being said, your highway mileage should be significantly higher than your around town mileage. My mileage is around 14.5 in town and around 18 on the road. My truck will get 20 MPG if I could find a way to drive 55 mph. NOT going to happen. Best of luck with your new rig and welcome to the Forum.
Others with more knowledge will chime in soon. Don't worry. Your rig is OK. You still have many miles 'til your good and broken in...
Mountain Pass
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 226
Likes: 6
obxtuna,
I,m getting about the same as you and I have 7k miles on my 6.0. This does bring up a question I have had about mileage. At what point should I consider this engine "broke in" and start seeing the best mileage it will get?
I,m getting about the same as you and I have 7k miles on my 6.0. This does bring up a question I have had about mileage. At what point should I consider this engine "broke in" and start seeing the best mileage it will get?
Last edited by 99FordGuy; Aug 1, 2005 at 08:44 AM.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: TEXAS
I had these same questions and concerns when I had such few miles on my truck. Good and broke in just depends on how you use the vehicle, but you can probably say somewhere between 20 and 30k. I have almost 17k and I am finally seeing a little better fuel economy. I have also done some towing (10,000lb trailer over 2k miles) and this helped quite a bit. I am still getting around 14.5 mpg in town and 18-20 on the highway. This will also very from driver to driver and vehicle to vehicle. Just be patient, the numbers will come around. Hope this helps.
2005 fx4 cc lariat
2005 fx4 cc lariat
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,654
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From: Bossier City, LA
My 03 F250 2WD CC didn't start getting great mileage til about 35,000 miles. I also changed to synthetic, at the time of the 2000 mile trip, so hard to say which happened. Later on I could not find synthetic and needed to change oil ( approx 50,000) mileage went down 1-1.5 consistantly. Have not made the switch in my 05 yet, waiting til 10,000 miles for the bearings/chamshaft to run in.
Ryan
Ryan
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 3
I have to agree with Obxtuna about the mileage changing all the time. Near as I can tell, my best mileage is with the engine going 2000 to 2200 RPM ( 70 mph or so) on the flat highway, dry day, not a lot of humidity, not towing, 70 to 80 degrees out and with a good tank of fuel. Under these conditions it gets 17 to 18+. I suspose that there isn't a truck in the world that would not get max mileage under similar conditions. I think the mileage maxed out when the truck had 20K on it. I guess that is when they finally break in. Funny thing about the damp weather, my truck does not like it.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,366
Likes: 2
From: Northern Utah
I find that after I do a decent pull of 300 or more miles, my mpg's seem to really increase. For example, I did a 1,200 mile pull with a 7,400 lb load: When I got home, my first tank was 18.5 mpg average... Then the next tank dropped to 17.4 which is still excellent mileage. I experienced the same as mrxlh when I switched to synthetic M1, my mileage increased about 1 mpg.
The hot weather also helps increase the mpg- My best mileage was in 110 outside temp in the desert driving 85 mph yielded 20.2 mpg.
The hot weather also helps increase the mpg- My best mileage was in 110 outside temp in the desert driving 85 mph yielded 20.2 mpg.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,203
Likes: 0
From: Carlsbad, California
My truck when new would get around 17 to 18 MPG on the highway. Now that it has around 30,000 miles on it the mileage has increased to 19 to 20 on the same route. Some of that seems to be due to the SCMT tuner but even when it is set back to stock I'm still in the 18 to 19 range.
It just seems that some trucks aren't getting the economy that others are and why that is no one seems to know. It's very strange, a MPG or two would be understandable and could be attributed to driving habits or terrain, but 4 to 5 MPG is a lot and I can't see that being passed off as driving habits or environment.
It just seems that some trucks aren't getting the economy that others are and why that is no one seems to know. It's very strange, a MPG or two would be understandable and could be attributed to driving habits or terrain, but 4 to 5 MPG is a lot and I can't see that being passed off as driving habits or environment.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 107
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My truck is right at 29k miles. My mileage really leveled off at around 20k. I reckon "good and broken in" is between 20 and 30k....probably has alot to do with the way you drive and the load you put on your engine. Mileage on these trucks will always be all over the map. Because of the unreal towing capacity of these trucks, some tow 15K#'s every day while others never hook up a pop-up trailer to their rigs. My thought is drive it hard, change the oil and filters when you're 'posed to and add a fuel additive every tank in case you get some less than perfect fuel. I'm a big advocate of Diesel Kleen. I think it pays for itself with the extra 1.5 or so MPG. Of course, no one buys a 6K# rig for mileage but we always seem to get caught up on the subject.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,654
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From: Bossier City, LA
Originally Posted by 79fordcrush
I get 11 mpg, empty, trailer, city highway...........WTF???? 10.6 - 11.7 hand calculated...04 4x4 f250 automatic ext cab longbox.
Same stock or with diablo towing.....
Same stock or with diablo towing.....
Ryan
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,654
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From: Bossier City, LA
Originally Posted by FleetFilterBrian
The reality is that some trucks are good and others are not so good. But on the other hand, you truck really need to be broken in a bit before you need to concern yourself.
Ryan
