Another new member and owner here. Lurked for a while during the decision making process. Found lots of good advice and warnings that helped me make an informed purchase. Thanks.

I recently procured a 2004 Limited 4x4 6.8 47,000 miles. All stock, no mods.

Main purposes: hauling my boat and utility trailer and family all over North Carolina and the southeast. Very minor offroading (mainly secondary roads, gravel/dirt back roads, and the occasional mudpuddle). Also doing duty as my Daily Driver.

Planned mods/upgrades: Front and rear sway bars. Traction control springs. Traction bars.

So far very pleased with the vehicle. It does wander a bit as many have described but I'm used to driving larger vehicles and doesn't seem to be a major issue. Extremely comfortable and quiet for such a large rig. Have already hauled furniture for my wife and hauled the kids around for various activities. Currently getting 12mpg with a light foot and mostly city driving. Hoping to push it to 14mpg on the highway during long trips. Figuring 10mpg towing boat. I have a fishing trip in three weeks and probably won't get a chance to tow the boat before then.

Prices were all over the board for various trims and years and engine options. I feel like I made a good purchase and paid a fair, current, market price for my rig.

Any suggestions, tips or ideas for improving my ride are always welcome.

Thanks for reading. Looking forward to contributing when I can help out.

James

 

I will never understand this. The best I can get with the 6.8 V-10, a light foot and mostly city driving is 8.3.

And there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with my Excursion whatsoever.

 

Perhaps it is the difference of definition of 'LIGHT' between a Sheriff and a non-Sheriff!

I know that when I look in the mirror and am moving along at 70mph and see an officer quickly closing on me at a 'LIGHT' 90...I'm sure he is thinking heck he is still under triple digits and just 'lightly' cruising!

I'm with you though...I think I have only once seen 13...but I DON'T travel unloaded on the highway much if at all...

ncheavymetal,

WELCOME to the forums!...as you have already learned...this is a great group of folks!...looking forward to sharing info with you in the future. What do you fish for?...I LOVE crappie fishing myself!!!

joe.

 

Thanks for the welcome.

As for the mpg's; I've been using the calulator, dividing odometer miles by gallons consumed. Avg. 11.8mpg so far. The little on-board computer isn't far off my stats but I trust real numbers over projected readouts.

I will say that I have been very light footed with this vehicle so far. Trying to keep it under 2,500 rpm's when possible. Seems to be working. I have yet towed anything with significant weight, so we'll see how that goes in the near future. The rig has enough power though, to keep me rolling without having to put the hammer down.

As far as fishing: I generally fish between the New River Inlet and Morehead City. Mostly the Sound, ICW, and a few tributary rivers (White Oak, etc..) Haven't fished freshwater in many years but used to love to hit the small ponds and have lost many a lure flip casting under low hanging branches.

Hope your mpg's improve, Va.

Tight lines and full coolers, Joe.

 

welcome to the forum. What kind of boat do u have and how heavy is it? Any pics of ur truck?

 

Welcome to FTE you will find so much Info here.
If you have anny questions just hollar,
Nick

 

Larson Escape 204 - powered by a 150 two stroke Yamaha

Need to hit some scales soon to weigh both my truck and boat.

Boat with gas and toys probably hits 3,500-4,000lbs + Aluminum trailer.

Add bikes, family, gear, and misc. in back and I'm loaded.

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin


I'll take some photos and post them when I get the chance.

 

Actually, I am speaking very light acceleration. If I were to even moderately accelerate in my city I would end up climbing up on and running over several cars in front of me. We have extremely bad traffic.... on roads designed and built in the 60's, and now handling 2007 "Northern Virginia" type traffic and congestion.

I don't know what my mileage problem is. Maybe traveling too slow!

 

Vasheriff, u know that the v-10 is a rev happy motor! mayb u need to rev it and she will be happy and give u better mileage hahaha

 

welcome to the forum. your MPG sound right. that's about what I was getting with my 04 V-10. Just bought a 00 7.3 but haven't driven it too much yet.

As for v-10 mods, I recommend air intake. I have a K&N on the V-10, and AFE stage 2 on the diesel. it bumped my MPG up a hair on the gasser, but that may be counter productive as the increase in power and throater noise made my foot a bit heavier! It's just hard to hold back sometimes!

 

Some motors are just less efficient...lifted I get better than 11 in town...recent trip to Disney got me almost 15 there with cruise at 78 most of the way...the way back I got 14.3 with about 40 minutes at 100 mph. I know, I should not go that fast and neither should the truck but 100 is a stated 92 due to odometer diff confirmed with GPS. Funny thing, I was following a 454SS PU and a Jag, and when they decided that I had followed too long they left me and within a minute were out of sight. Total mpg over 1600 miles was 14.5. She is finally broke in I guess.

This truck (as well as all V10s) does very poorly in rush hour traffic at near stand still speeds. Maybe that is your issue.

Congrats on the new purchase, We all enjoy it.

 

The only V10 experience I have was in a 2001 motorhome I had (I could regularly get over 12mpg on the freeway). Go up hill or slow down around town and it VERY quickly went down to about 8mpg.

I know this is a different motor and vehicle but my wifes old 1/2ton Sub used to get about 12-14 with her driving it. It would usually get between 14-16 with me driving it. Same places around town, same traffic, hills etc. I am much heavier on the throttle than her and I think in some vehicles that does help.

Years ago I remember being to told to quickly get up to speed and then let it stay consistent (speed). Something to consider.

Michael

 

Vasheriff,

I think the reason your city mileage is so low is that your 'city' is a lot more cityish than most people's. When I say i get around 11.5 city, I mean like suburbs, not like major congested new york traffic :-)

Just a thought...

Isaac

 

Igotoneforya, is that hand calculated?

 

always hand calculated and logged (OCD) although the overhead is getting closer...it is normally within .3 mpg