A year ago i had a 2000 7.3 powerstorke and its in the graveyard now. So i bought a ford with a 460 in it and am disappointed with the mileage. The best on to and from college (100 mile round trip) is 13 mpg at 55.

So i'm now back looking at another diesel..My question is will i get the mileage out of it at 13 miles to the gallon i put 28 bucks in her at 3.60 a gallon and if i got 18 mpg just saying at 4.00 a gallon its only 22 bucks.

Should i be able to get 18 mpg with the new fuel???

Also can i make enough power to compete with the new 6.4 chipped??

Thanks Brad

 

I can never get that on the new fuel! But I am 20 and I love the throttle.

 

You get a 2 wheel drive 7.3 PSD and drive like me you'll be pushing 24 mpg on the highway. Chipped 6.4 or chipped 7.3? Don't matter which, the 6.4 will blow your doors off, but will have to stop and get fuel 3 times as often as you doing it.

 

You can get over 18mpg if you keep it below 70mph/2000rpm. I don't either, so I get about 15-16.

The 6.4 has been making close to 500/900 on just SW. You can get there with the 7.3, but it is BIG $$$ to do it.

EDIT: Not to be argumentative, but I've NEVER seen over 20, hand calculated, from anyone. 24 seems like a stretch to me.

 

I have gotten 24. It is just difficult to do grandpa take offs and keep it @ 55 all the time.

Since I have started making bio, I have been driving a little faster than 55 these days. The bio has been a really good deterrent of excessive throttle!!! I can mash it as hard as I want, and there is little to no smoke..... So what's the point???

 

I know that is my problem, under 2000rpm. Love the exhaust sound in the downtown where it echos like crazy. Torque converter lock sounds bad a$$ too.

 

Yes you can see 18 with the new fuel, but if you want the power to go fast, and you use that power, your mileage will sink quickly.

Try setting the cruise at 55 Joe. And don't go over 2k even while accelerating for an entire tank and I bet you'll break 20. Of course I bet I also know why it is you've never seen 20.

I can get 22.xx if I keep it around 60 - 62 mph. If I jump up to around 68 - 70 mph range I'm in the 19's, but I'm slow.

 

I can get over 18mpg with my 02 on trips running 70 to 75 mph. A 2 wheel drive with a manual tranny, and some mods should get over 20. When I say mods, I'm talking about an intake,(6637) 4" exhaust, and a chip, DP or TW. Those seem to be the best found on this site.

 

Best I got was like 18.6, on an all highway drive running 65ish. No hotshot starts, and I know I have no boost leaks. I went 520 miles on 28 gallons, which I thought was pretty darned good. As much as I'd love to get 20+, I have no patients to go 55 and grandpa starts. I don't think I could do it for a whole tank -- I tried the best I could, and got about 18.5 again. I honestly don't see how I could've done it any better to get 4-6 more mpg!

 

My rig has 167K and I drive in SoCal so highway driving is like city driving with fewer lights. If I save the fun pedal for the on-ramp, keep it under 2000 RPM and set the cruise at 65mph on the highway then I'll get 17.5 overall for my tank (it's Harpooned so she holds upwards of 35 gallons). My personal best has been 590 miles on 1 tank.

The catch is that, with exception of the mild mods in my signature, my truck is bone stock down to the tire size. At $4/gallon I'll take mpg's and groceries over black smoke.

 

Joe, I do have the proper mods. I do have the patience and can do 23.7 with very little problem. So I will admit to rounding it off to 24. 23.7 is the best I've ever done and it was in the summer time and at about 61 mph. I have been hand calculating from the day I bought my truck. I do not have a lieometer and would not believe it if I did.

 

The best I've seen is 15.5mpg, this was a combo of 78 mph freeway (2200 rpm) and 68 mph highway (1800-1900 rpm) with quite a few hills, and probably a few high rpm runs to pass someone. I had around 500 lbs in the bed of the truck, 2 adults and 2 kids (3 and 6 mos.) in the cab. 99 F250, crew cab shorty, auto trans, 4x4, 3.73 posi rolling on 285/75/16 BFG AT's.

 

it is one thing I have noticed since I got my truck, not all are the same. A friend has one same as mine except it is a 2001. He said he averages about 16.

People's driving styles and maintenance habits differ too much and not all trucks are created equal to be able to say with certainty that a 7.3 will yield (insert whatever you want here)mpg.

the only thing I will say with certainty is it will yield better mileage than an F150.

 

If I could actually bring myself to go 55mph (which my right foot just won't do) then I'd actually get better mileage, since that's around 1600rpm for me (max torque). My 7.3 seems to be happiest (balance of economy and power) at 1800rpm (65mph on my rig). Anything over 2000rpm, though and my mileage drops off exponentially.

I hear that. I sold my '97 F-150 5.4L 2wd for my PSD and went from 12mpg to 17-18mpg (and the PSD is a 4x4).

 

I guess I just have a hard time with even SLOWER starts than I did and a max of 55 netting me 5 more MPG. I was already driving like gramps. LMAO!! I'm certainly NOT calling you a liar by any means!! But it's making me want to start looking at why I'm not getting better. I have stock 265-75-16s, 3.73 gears, and a 2WD.

Maybe it's time I look at my up-pipes and EBPS tube...