That's even too slow for me. I am generally not in a hurry at all anymore. But if I am a hold up for anyone I have no problem with driving 75-80 until the traffic allows me to go back to my economical speed. I drive my Vdub 75-80 whenever I am on the interstates. I have zero fear of speed, just a real pain in my wallet when I have to drive my beloved PSD as fast as I would really like to.

 

The correct response would have been "I wouldn't ***** you, you're my favorite turd."
I never thought about the tires throwing the odo off, thanks for pointing that out. I still don't think I could come close to what you are getting though.

 

Okay here's where I'm at: the first time I checked fuel mileage I was running ~80 on the freeway (2300 rpm or so) and ~68 on the highway (1800-1900 rpm) with 2 adults/2 kids in the cab, a 250lb dirt bike, 2 dogs (~220 lbs) and our luggage for a weekend trip, got 15.5mpg without correcting for tire size.
My latest trip I ran ~500 miles holding my speed around 67-68 mph which is 1800-1900 on the tach pulling a 2 place open snowmobile trailer with 2 sleds on it... I'd guess total weight was 1200-1500 lbs but might be wrong there. I also did ~250 miles at the same speed without the trailer. Again, 2 adults/2 kids in the cab, luggage and 2 dogs in the back. Without correcting for tire size I figured 14 mpg, 14.4 if I correct for tire size according to your +3% number. Should I be worried about my economy or not? Maybe the real question is how much does the wind drag from 2 dogs hanging their heads over the side of the truck for 600 miles affect my mpg?

 

Was the 14.4 in cold weather and vice-verse?

 

My guess is you got basically the same MPG pulling the trailer as without, and the trailer cost you 2-3 MPG. My 2002 excursion, 3.73, has averaged 17 in mixed driving (about 60/40 highway to city) in the 3k miles since I have had it. Its got a " cold air intake " that I want to switch to a 6637 now that I have a baseline established, factory exhaust,,, ( wish someone made a 5 inch for an ex), and it does have some type of chip.... its a diablo, thats all I know about it.
how you get to your cruise speed can be as important to mpg as your cruise speed....if you can see black smoke you have $$$$ rolling out the exhaust.

 

Chase,

Get two dogs with smaller heads and re-test. JK. Weight, topography, wind, driving technique and a whole litany of things can effect mileage. It is just strange that there is such a wide range on what kind of mileage comparable 7.3 trucks get. 14 to 23 MPG is quite a gap. Just the luck of the draw I guess.

 

I got 24-25mpg a bunch of times coming home from Florida. All highway.
1800-1900 65mph all the way.

 

14.4 was last week, the 15.5 was late spring/early summer. Lately I've been taking her easy, not going over 2K rpm when accelerating and only occasionally going past 2K when passing or coming up a grade. I haven't been running any DK either. And I live in the PNW... there isn't a flat road anywhere!

 

I just pulled in from a 30 hr. road trip(I drove down to Jacksonville, Fl and picked up the truck I just bought). I averaged 80 mph on the trip down towing a 6k lb. flatbed trailer, I got around 9.5 mpg. No, babying, just hammer down and get there. On the way back with an extended cab, short bed 4X4 F-250 on the trailer at about 70 mph I averaged 9 mpg. Plenty of long hills to pull and lots of construction and traffic.

 

Thank you for all your input. It was very helpfull.

 

Mine's been getting around 14.5 average with a mix of city/freeway driving. With my 35" tires i'm still under 2,000 rpms running 80. I've recently fixed the leaking up-pipe donut gaskets and I've dropped my cruising speed to 70mph max for this fillup and I'm going to see what improvement I get. Next tank i'm dropping cruising speed to 65mph which is only around 1,600rpms with my tires. Mods are in signature.