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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 01:27 AM
  #1  
884x4broncoII's Avatar
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fuel millage

i recently aquired an 1996 ford f250 7.3 psd 5 speed long box extended cab 4x4. i just took an 500 mile trip in it and only got 16.5mpg empty i used to have a pre powerstroke 92 7.3L 2wd that got 23mpg empty so it seems a little low to me. this was stright highway miles crusecontrol set between 70-75 the previous owner is a good freind of mine was always bosting about getting 19-20mpg out of that truck. and i have used it on meany occasions in the past towing heavy loads and gotten 12-14 while towing 10,000+. it was below 0*f outside and i was running #2 with and howes anti gel. i was wondering if maby the cold was the reason for my fuel millage. also somtimes on down hills i would hear a hissing sound probably the BOV and seemed to loose power when making this sound. probably normal i dont know my previous 7.3 was a non turbo
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 06:01 AM
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Theirs a couple key items to look at first when compairing mpg, what are the rear end ratios? Was the 92 an auto? 2wd vs 4wd
On my 97 I can adverage around 20 on the highway empty, hook up the goose and it drops to 16 or so w/3.55's With 4.10's/auto in the crew cab I never saw 20mpg empty
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 08:10 AM
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Winter blend fuel is always lower mpgs. Also as already stated your ratios will make a difference. And there is always a difference between the weight of your foot and the previous owners.
If you only drive down hill with the wind at your back you will do better.
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 09:39 AM
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I get 14 -16 in the winter even with an open exhaust last summer i was getting 19 -22 mpg Truck hasn ' t seen much of a load exept plowing go figure I get better mileage in 4wd in the snow than on a dry day in 2wd. I was told it was my heavy foot LOL!
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 10:25 AM
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I have found with mine if i keep it under 70mph i can get 19to20 miles per, if i do 70 plus my milage drops to 16to17 miles per.
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 10:26 AM
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But all and all i average right at 18 miles per with daily driving.
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 11:14 AM
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The key is the RPMs.

Try to keep RPM's below 2000, 1700-1800 is best, unfortunately that means traveling at 60-65 mph.

Notice the difference in top speed from 1500 rpm-1700 rpm, it's a nice spread, but then the ratio thins out speed/rpm the higher you go, you end up spending 100 revolutions to get a 2-5mph increase in speed. So you need to ask yourself what is more important to you. Speed, or MPG.

Choose... but choose wisely.
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 12:28 PM
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well i think we can take a heavy foot out of the equasion cause it was stright highway miles with the cruse controll set. for about 200 miles of the 500 i had it set at 70mph for the other 300 i had it set at 75. although i agree that a few hundrid rpms would have a differance on fuel millage i dont immagin a 4mpg differance out of a couple hundrid rpms's also a few weeks ago i was getting better fuel millage i dident check the acual numbers but my gas gauge was dropping alot slower. it was quite a bit warmer and i was running #2 with no howes. yesterday i was running the howes. also do you think mu truck would benifit from adding an intercooler on an otherwise stock truck
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 12:33 PM
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in my truck i can get 19 mpg while driving 55-60 mph. thats 1500 rpm at 55 and 1650-1700 at 60 mph.

just by bumping up to 70-75 mph i drop to 15 mpg. 70 mph is 2000 on the nose and 75 is about 2100.

this is all unloaded running 4.10's on 315\75\16 tires
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 12:34 PM
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an intercooler on any non-cooled truck is a benefit. you wont see any performance gains on a stock truck but you will see a very significant drop in exhaust temps. also get rid of the stock downpipe and get a good intake to really boost power and economy
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 12:45 PM
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My truck gets 20 mpg at 1700 and 63ish mph. If I bump up to 70 mph, rpm shoots 2000-2100 rpm, and I drop to 15 mpg. It is a 5 mpg drop for 5-7 mph.

I agree if your mileage droped 4mpg with the same driving habits there is a problem, but highway driving with cruise control set does not eliminate "heavy foot syndrome" per se, as RPM still affects it. So I would still say, your culprit is the cruise being set to 70/75mph. Try it on whatever speed is at 1700rpm for your truck, and try it again.

It's your truck though, do what you want, just trying to help.

-Iasrap
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 12:46 PM
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i have found that cruise set at 1500 is the best mileage i have ever gotton but that limits me to 55 mph and thats a bit too slow
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 01:06 PM
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Hey Coonhunter,

What do you get at 1500rpm as opposed to 1700 RPM for your mpg?

I'd like to know for my patience/mpg trade off.

Thanks,
-Iasrap
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted by 884x4broncoII
i recently aquired an 1996 ford f250 7.3 psd 5 speed long box extended cab 4x4. i just took an 500 mile trip in it and only got 16.5mpg empty
consider yourself lucky, i get 12 mpg empty, no matter what i do
 
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 01:46 PM
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well i just took it for a run down the freeway and i get 2000 at 60mph im wondering if my speedo or my tach what are the door coads to check axel ratio's 75 is right around 2500 rpms
 

Last edited by 884x4broncoII; Jan 20, 2008 at 01:54 PM.
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