Real World MPG
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Pollock Pines, California
Real World MPG
I live near Lake Tahoe and took a trip to Montana, then to Colorado and back home. My truck is a '91 F350 4X4, 5 sp, 3:55, Banks Sidewinder. I'm carrying a Palomino pop up over the cab camper filled with food, gear, propane, etc. Weighs about 1800 lbs. Plus my wife and I. I tried to keep the truck, with help of the cruise control, at no faster than 62 mph. I constantly averaged around 16 mpg. I also put a fuel conditioner in each tank full. Yes there were a couple of times in the mountains, climbing passes, while bucking a head wind when the mpg were not as good. But if I let the truck work in the proper gear with a casual foot it still did ok.
I have the same set up but add a 16' flatbed trailer carrying a trail ready Toyota FJ40, about 7,500 lbs. I'll average 11-12 mpg.
I have the same set up but add a 16' flatbed trailer carrying a trail ready Toyota FJ40, about 7,500 lbs. I'll average 11-12 mpg.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,175
Likes: 0
From: Kent WA
That second number sounds familiar. I have a 10 foot Western Wilderness that weighs 2300 empty. Loaded with gear, food, and a 30 gallon tank of water it weighs closer to 3k. My Jeep and tow dolly weigh right around 4500, throw in me, my wife, & 2 kids, and I figure we're rolling 7500-8000 pounds (over and above the nearly 7000 pounds of the truck's empty weight).
Rolling with that load I get 10-12 mpg, depending on the terrain...
I never get 16 with the camper alone though. More like 12-13+. I only get right around 15 running dead empty though...
Rolling with that load I get 10-12 mpg, depending on the terrain...
I never get 16 with the camper alone though. More like 12-13+. I only get right around 15 running dead empty though...
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,724
Likes: 0
From: Clarksburg WV
I've been getting right about 15 mpg driving mine back and forth to work and running around town.
That seems bad, but then I think to myself...hey, if I was driving a V6 Ranger I'd probably be getting worse city mileage.
That seems bad, but then I think to myself...hey, if I was driving a V6 Ranger I'd probably be getting worse city mileage.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
i have a 4 mile round trip to work. it's half city streets, half highway. i pull out of the appartment, jump on the highway for about a half mile and get off at the next exit and i'm at work. i don't even bother getting up to 65 on the highway. i do that 5 days a week. weekend job's a bit further. if i do nothing else (which is almost impossible) i can make an 18 gallon tank last 2 weeks and i get 12-14mpg. maybe hit 14 once in the last 8 months. it's very rare. the guy i bought it from said "it gets 18 all day in the city"... i'm thinking he was just trying to sell a truck. on the highway, if i keep it around 65 i've gotten as much as 23mpg.
'92 regular cab 7.3idi 4x4 with 4.10's and a 5 speed.
'92 regular cab 7.3idi 4x4 with 4.10's and a 5 speed.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 3
From: Campbell River, B.C.
Short trips around town and tromping on it all the time, 12 MPG is not impossible either. Warm up time on the road can really kill MPGs with diesels I've found. 12.6 was my worst so far with the current setup.
Trending Topics
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: denver
The worst I get is about 12-13 (towing or winter). Usually its around 14-16. Every once in awhile (rarely) I've gotten 19-21 on the highway (probably with wicked tail winds). Most of my driving is around town short trips or short highway trips in traffic. I've got my pump turned down until it just smokes on hills but has no loss in power. I went back to stock 235/85 -16 tires with a more mellow tread (toyo's) so I can run higher tire pressure without getting too much center wear. Oil changes, driveline/chassis lube every 3-5k. The gear vendors didn't seem to increase the mpg much, maybe 1-2 max, but did cut the rpms down quite a bit. On the highway on long trips I go as fast as I can without getting a ticket (74-84). Thinking about putting a turbo on it.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,545
Likes: 4
From: Coal Region
i get roughly 16-16.5 with my truck. the PO said he consistanly got 15 with it bone stock and with the mods i have and 35" tires i get better then he did...and i drive it like i stole it, i swear the tach sees redline in the first three gears reguarly LOL
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Sweet Home, OR
I get 14-16 in mixed driving and I drive it fairly hard, it sounds to good with straight pipes.
I still only get 16-17 max on trips..
I'm not complaining it wieghs close to 4 tons as I drive it, it's aCrewCab and it's 4wd. That doesn't all add up to stellar fuel mileage. My gasser only gets 12 on it's best day and it's a 351.
I still only get 16-17 max on trips..
I'm not complaining it wieghs close to 4 tons as I drive it, it's aCrewCab and it's 4wd. That doesn't all add up to stellar fuel mileage. My gasser only gets 12 on it's best day and it's a 351.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,802
Likes: 1
Mine's a weird one:
a) pump fuel screw turned up 60 degrees from how I got it - no freight and cruising at 55 mph or less on a good day I can get 20 mpg. Towing an empty 30-foot car hauler at same speed I get about 15 mpg. City mileage is about 12 mpg, running cold for the most part on a 5-mile daily commute
b) pump turned down 30 degrees from how I got it - no freight and cruising at 55-60 mph on a good day I can get 22 mpg. However, towing the 30-footer sends me down to 12 mpg and it don't matter much if I'm driving it nice or I have it bouncing off the limiter, fuel economy sucks either way. City mileage was about 14-15 mpg in the summer on that 5-mile daily commute.
I now live at a different place, it's 5 miles to work now, so 10 total for the day, and with the pump turned down and weather getting cooler I get like 10-12 mpg. So I just turned my pump up again, I can live with slightly less freeway fuel economy if I make up for it in the city, which is where I drive most anyways. That, and having the truck pretty much gutless is pretty darn annoying, as to get decent acceleration I have to push the throttle more, which also moves the shift points up, and I like sifting at 1600 much more than winding up to 2200.
a) pump fuel screw turned up 60 degrees from how I got it - no freight and cruising at 55 mph or less on a good day I can get 20 mpg. Towing an empty 30-foot car hauler at same speed I get about 15 mpg. City mileage is about 12 mpg, running cold for the most part on a 5-mile daily commute
b) pump turned down 30 degrees from how I got it - no freight and cruising at 55-60 mph on a good day I can get 22 mpg. However, towing the 30-footer sends me down to 12 mpg and it don't matter much if I'm driving it nice or I have it bouncing off the limiter, fuel economy sucks either way. City mileage was about 14-15 mpg in the summer on that 5-mile daily commute.
I now live at a different place, it's 5 miles to work now, so 10 total for the day, and with the pump turned down and weather getting cooler I get like 10-12 mpg. So I just turned my pump up again, I can live with slightly less freeway fuel economy if I make up for it in the city, which is where I drive most anyways. That, and having the truck pretty much gutless is pretty darn annoying, as to get decent acceleration I have to push the throttle more, which also moves the shift points up, and I like sifting at 1600 much more than winding up to 2200.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 60
Likes: 1
I have 2 94 turbos 1 a 4x4 auto 3.55 I get 18 highway and the other a CC dually 5-speed 4.10 I get 14 highway thats both around 60- 65 mph. Now I just replaced the waterpump on the dually and left the clutch fan off and just finished to tanks and got both 16 mpg. So I gained 2 mpg with no fan with no cooling problems. Wish I did it long ago
