Poor fuel milage while towing normal??
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Poor fuel milage while towing normal??
Just got back from a round trip to Bryce Canyon UT from So Cal, 1200 mile trip, pretty good elevation increase from below sea level to 8000', towing a 19' Superlight (not so light) Weekend Warrior with a Arctic Cat Prowler, so at most 8K load at 65-70 mph. Truck is a 6.0 crew F-250 KR 4x4 shortbed. Average of 10.0 mpg!?!?! That seems very poor to me, truck only has 8k miles on it, should I have just went with a V10? My old F-150 with 5.4 would get 9 towing the same trailer, albeit at 55-60mph. I love the way the truck pulls and stops and decends stepp grades, but man i spent a lot of money for so far terrible fual milage. Might have to look at the programmers for some milage increase? Asking for what others milage has been stock??? Thanks
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Arizona
TremecGT,
Fuel mileage is correct for that speed and load. Slow down to 55-60MPH and the mileage will increase substantially. With and 8K trailer and 8K truck you are at 16K lbs gross load, 65-70MPH takes alot of power to pull so fuel mileage goes down.
Fuel mileage is correct for that speed and load. Slow down to 55-60MPH and the mileage will increase substantially. With and 8K trailer and 8K truck you are at 16K lbs gross load, 65-70MPH takes alot of power to pull so fuel mileage goes down.
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I'm getting about 9.5-10 MPG towing about 6K at 70-75, so it sounds about right. Got the same with my 7.3, just more power now and a better tranny for towing. I wish it were better, but I just can't seem to keep my right foot out of it.
60-62? I'd never get to my destination.
PS I just did 4700 miles at that rate. Fortunately it wasn't all towing.
60-62? I'd never get to my destination.
PS I just did 4700 miles at that rate. Fortunately it wasn't all towing.
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As a point of referance we have a 2004 E450 6.0 cutaway with a 30 passenger school bus body that never tows anything and about the best it ever gets is 11 mpg. We're pleased because in comparison a 60 passenger bus will average 7-8 mpg and a E-150 8 passenger van with 4.6 gasser will only get us 13-15mpg.
Remember, unless your trailer is no taller than your truck, there is more to pulling it than the weight involved, you are then getting into increased frontal area pushing the wind which factors heavily, especially when you crank up the speed..
Remember, unless your trailer is no taller than your truck, there is more to pulling it than the weight involved, you are then getting into increased frontal area pushing the wind which factors heavily, especially when you crank up the speed..
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From: Las Vega$
[QUOTE=scottman70]10 is awesome! I have been as low as 6.8 mpg in my 6.0 with a headwind!
I usually average around 9.5 towing a 10k toy hauler or so....[/
hahaha... ive spent the last year getting 10 mpg EMPTY... you're doing fine, what can you ask for ? you're getting better fuel economy at a higher speed than your old rig, and you're still complaining ???
I usually average around 9.5 towing a 10k toy hauler or so....[/
hahaha... ive spent the last year getting 10 mpg EMPTY... you're doing fine, what can you ask for ? you're getting better fuel economy at a higher speed than your old rig, and you're still complaining ???
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From: Las Vega$
Originally Posted by origcharger
As a point of referance we have a 2004 E450 6.0 cutaway with a 30 passenger school bus body that never tows anything and about the best it ever gets is 11 mpg. We're pleased because in comparison a 60 passenger bus will average 7-8 mpg and a E-150 8 passenger van with 4.6 gasser will only get us 13-15mpg.
Remember, unless your trailer is no taller than your truck, there is more to pulling it than the weight involved, you are then getting into increased frontal area pushing the wind which factors heavily, especially when you crank up the speed..
Remember, unless your trailer is no taller than your truck, there is more to pulling it than the weight involved, you are then getting into increased frontal area pushing the wind which factors heavily, especially when you crank up the speed..
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I was hoping for low teens, and I realize that slowing down will be the biggest increase. Im off to Big Pine, so another 450 or so miles each way next month, and since Ill be in CA most of the time, ill keep it at 60, also no arctic cat this trip, so dropping 1K in weight might help! Any other suggestions, beyond tire inflation and 60mph?
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From: bellevue, washington
remember its a desiel is not hardly broken in yet, i have afrind that was gettting around 12mpg at 20k then at 40K it went up to 14mpg then at 80K it went to 18mpg now hw has around 120K and he is getting 22mpg around 800-850miles to a tank, the more miles the better mileage you get, and yes slowing down speed will help, you should'nt be towing a boat at 70mph anyways you will burn your trailer bearings up, thats why its better to buy a desiel with a few miles on them so you dont have to wast money on getting poor mileage, a guy that deliverd a truck camper to my house(it was a friends camper) he was haling it with a dodge 1500 with a hemi and he was pulling around 10,000 he had other motorcycles on it(he delvers items bought on-line) and he was getting 2mpg the whole way from minisota to washington he said once i hit a pass it droped to 1mpg and coasting it went back up to 10mpg he was doubled his trailer towing weight, he was a real nut job