Driving Style
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: North Carolina
Driving Style
I just bought a 2004 F-350 4X4 CC SRW V10 about a week ago. So far I love this truck. I haven't had a chance to tow with it yet, but I'll get to that this weekend. So far I have avg. 13.5 mpg hand calc. through two tanks of gas.
This brings me to my question. I am driving like a little old lady to squeeze all the mileage possible out of this truck. Do you guys think this will hurt anything ? I know that this motor makes power at higher rpm's and would probably be happier reving a little more. I am sure I will drive it harder when towing or if I go offroad, but I just don't want to mess anything up by driving so conservatively
Any thoughts ?
Chad
P.S. This was never a problem when I was younger. Man it sucks to be a grownup !
This brings me to my question. I am driving like a little old lady to squeeze all the mileage possible out of this truck. Do you guys think this will hurt anything ? I know that this motor makes power at higher rpm's and would probably be happier reving a little more. I am sure I will drive it harder when towing or if I go offroad, but I just don't want to mess anything up by driving so conservatively
Any thoughts ?
Chad
P.S. This was never a problem when I was younger. Man it sucks to be a grownup !
Senior User
Joined: May 2007
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Originally Posted by TARHEEL57
P.S. This was never a problem when I was younger. Man it sucks to be a grownup !
You won't hurt anything driving that way. Just be sure to get on it every now and then to blow the cob webs out.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 227
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From: Wyoming
OK, you drove it like a little old lady for 2 weeks. Now try driving like you normally would for 2 weeks. Then compare your savings VS your BSEG's. My guess is that you will prefer to drive your truck more the 2nd way VS saving the few bucks in gas. Let us know what happens.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,609
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From: Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Had a customer come in, we pulled a cylinder head, suspecting a bad head gasket. It was all black on the piston tops and I remarked that he should blow it out once in a while. He said naw, he just "liked to put it a two thousand and cruise." Shorly thereafter I found that it had 280,000 miles on it and this was the first time it had been touched except for a water pump, belt and alternator.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,394
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From: Southern KS
I have tried couple of times to drive like a little old lady. At best, I will get .5 to .8 mpg better. You know what? It ain't worth it. I drive like I feel like driving and the mileage hit is not that big.
I have a book on Ford fuel injection systems from 1988-1993. It was the basis of everything I learned back in the day on my Mustang. The author was a Ford Service guy and his opinion was to accelerate briskly to speed and then cruise at a level speed. The computer runs richer anytime you are trying to accelerate. His idea was to get that over with quickly and then maintain speed.
My BSEG's are worth every penny of the slight reduction in city mileage.
I have a book on Ford fuel injection systems from 1988-1993. It was the basis of everything I learned back in the day on my Mustang. The author was a Ford Service guy and his opinion was to accelerate briskly to speed and then cruise at a level speed. The computer runs richer anytime you are trying to accelerate. His idea was to get that over with quickly and then maintain speed.
My BSEG's are worth every penny of the slight reduction in city mileage.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,609
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From: Lake Tahoe, Nevada
If you are not in heavy traffic, it helps to keep your eyes focused as far down the road as possible. This helps in two ways. One is that you can make less dramatic speed adjustments which is good for economy. The other is that you make fewer steering adjustments and they take place more smoothly with also give you a slight milage advantage.
Try it, it really works. Look as far down the road as you can. It is hard to establish a new driving habit, but if you just try it you will see what I mean almost right away.
Try it, it really works. Look as far down the road as you can. It is hard to establish a new driving habit, but if you just try it you will see what I mean almost right away.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
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Like what was posted above I drove like a little old man and it only yielded about .5 mpg. I feel it is my duty to go WOT at least once every time I drive it except when towing and truth be told merging onto 94 will sometimes yields a WOT even with the trailer on.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Ohio
And i thought i was seeing things. When i say this, i only saw a .6 mpg from easing on the throttle. People who drive with me always ask why i always floor it and i say cause i dont save much more gas and its funner. Now i have the proof to back it up.
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: North Carolina
OK, you guys have convinced me. I am going to drive my normal driving style on the next tank full and see what I get. I'll let you know how it goes, but if nothing else i am looking forward to the BSEG's!
Also as a side note, I bought my truck in Charlotte a few weeks ago. When we were leaving the city and getting on the interstate, we ended up in the left lane at the last traffic light before the exit. I was in front of my wife and I called her to tell her that we would have to punch it to get around the other cars and get over. She told me later that night that she didn't thing a truck that big could accelerate enough for what we were trying to do, but when the light turned I just left her behind. I have to admit I was also surprised that a truck this heavy coul accelerate so well.
Chad ( loving my V10)
Also as a side note, I bought my truck in Charlotte a few weeks ago. When we were leaving the city and getting on the interstate, we ended up in the left lane at the last traffic light before the exit. I was in front of my wife and I called her to tell her that we would have to punch it to get around the other cars and get over. She told me later that night that she didn't thing a truck that big could accelerate enough for what we were trying to do, but when the light turned I just left her behind. I have to admit I was also surprised that a truck this heavy coul accelerate so well.
Chad ( loving my V10)
Last edited by TARHEEL57; Mar 19, 2008 at 11:38 AM. Reason: because i can't write a gramatically correct sentence
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I have to concur with several previous posts about conservative driving yielding minimal gains. Last summer I made it a point to drive as conservatively as possible for one tankful to see what kind of mpg I could squeeze out of it. The truck rejected this new style like a bad kidney transplant and the gains were trivial at best. The lack of appreciable gain was no match for the neutered feeling that driving that way will give you. I went back to my normal driving style which is far from aggressive, however, when the truck begs me to let it unwind, I generally oblige.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,171
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From: SE Texas
Originally Posted by super 6.8
The computer runs richer anytime you are trying to accelerate.
JL
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,394
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From: Southern KS
The real world numbers I have seen sure don't back this up about the MPG. I have tried it a few times too. When I say I drive it like I want that is not going WOT from every stop.
I find it hard to believe that at WOT or even 3/4 throttle the v10 will be will be anywhere close to 14.64:1. If that is the strategy, what does it take to get got and thus more fuel? About 1 second?
I find it hard to believe that at WOT or even 3/4 throttle the v10 will be will be anywhere close to 14.64:1. If that is the strategy, what does it take to get got and thus more fuel? About 1 second?
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,171
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From: SE Texas
Originally Posted by super 6.8
The real world numbers I have seen sure don't back this up about the MPG. I have tried it a few times too. When I say I drive it like I want that is not going WOT from every stop.
I find it hard to believe that at WOT or even 3/4 throttle the v10 will be will be anywhere close to 14.64:1. If that is the strategy, what does it take to get got and thus more fuel? About 1 second?
I find it hard to believe that at WOT or even 3/4 throttle the v10 will be will be anywhere close to 14.64:1. If that is the strategy, what does it take to get got and thus more fuel? About 1 second?
JL
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 104
From: Southern KS
The question is how long does it take before the a/f mixture gets closer to 12.5:1?
I am not disputing what you say, but it will heat up real quick with any kind of load at 14.7:1.
Even so, it does not save that much fuel by staying out of the throttle. But then again, a small percentage (10%) of a small number (10mpg) is a really small number.
I am not disputing what you say, but it will heat up real quick with any kind of load at 14.7:1.
Even so, it does not save that much fuel by staying out of the throttle. But then again, a small percentage (10%) of a small number (10mpg) is a really small number.