MPG Improvements
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,093
Likes: 147
From: San Diego, CA
The winter blend of diesel also nets lower mpg's too...
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Vashon, WA
....... I'm living on Mars and that they are amazed that I even remember to breathe since my logic is all jacked up 
. It's okay, I can take it. I've been married for 14 years and there isn't a new way you can tell me I'm wrong that I haven't heard before...
I'm ready, let me have it...
. It's okay, I can take it. I've been married for 14 years and there isn't a new way you can tell me I'm wrong that I haven't heard before...I'm ready, let me have it...
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 199
Likes: 1
From: Uniontown KY
The tailgate up/down rivalry has been going forever. I think Mythbusters solved it by doing a test and that you got slightly better mpg's with the tailgate up. The theory is that with the gate up, you create a vortex of air swirling in the bed. That vortex then pushes up against the airflow preventing more air from entering the bed, thereby reducing the drag. With the tailgate down the vortex is closer to the rear of the cab and not reducing drag as much. Hence the lower mpg's with the gate down. Most people come at it from the obvious approach: gate up/wind hits it/acts like a sail, gate down/wind goes by/no drag.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
Yea, excuse me for me keep referring to my race car. But that is were all my aero experience comes from. Lots of testing. porsche 914 also has a square vertical behind the passenger compartment. Yup Brian 42 explained the funky way air is dragging at the truck.
Anyway air flow is the same and when the vehicle is bigger the drag is exponential.
Oh yea that's why I got rid of my 4.6L F-150. It would tow but it wasn't pretty. I am looking for MPG towing with my PSD to be higher than the F150 empty.
500 miles one way to the racetrack is going to be big savings on fuel.
Anyway air flow is the same and when the vehicle is bigger the drag is exponential.
Oh yea that's why I got rid of my 4.6L F-150. It would tow but it wasn't pretty. I am looking for MPG towing with my PSD to be higher than the F150 empty.
500 miles one way to the racetrack is going to be big savings on fuel.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster, Pa.
I can see Ernesteugene popping on here any minute, no pun intended
. I can't say I seen any improvements, any more than 3 MPG's with the mods I have, just easy exceleration and keeping it under 2000 RPM's seems to do it for me. Yes, winter fuel kills my mileage, bigtime. I,m lucky if I see 14-15 with an easy foot. The inital cost of a cap is expensive but I chose to go that route, plus everything keeps dry back there. Cost to savings will take many many years but I wanted it for traveling, nothing really more. A tonnoue cover would be sufficiant I would think..
. I can't say I seen any improvements, any more than 3 MPG's with the mods I have, just easy exceleration and keeping it under 2000 RPM's seems to do it for me. Yes, winter fuel kills my mileage, bigtime. I,m lucky if I see 14-15 with an easy foot. The inital cost of a cap is expensive but I chose to go that route, plus everything keeps dry back there. Cost to savings will take many many years but I wanted it for traveling, nothing really more. A tonnoue cover would be sufficiant I would think..
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