Better mpg
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 6
From: Eastern PA
I get around 13-14mpg around town. Road trip from philadelphia to pittsburgh yielded me 20.2mpg at 65-70mph, but only 15-16mpg moving at 85-90mpg, and the occational 97-98mpg.
It's bone stock with 185k on it. Weighs considerably more than the F series too. Diesel kleen every tank, plugged in during the winter, standard driving with the occasional zippyness to blow stuff out. Probably a little more than necessary, but it's fun.
It's bone stock with 185k on it. Weighs considerably more than the F series too. Diesel kleen every tank, plugged in during the winter, standard driving with the occasional zippyness to blow stuff out. Probably a little more than necessary, but it's fun.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
I really hope you meant mph.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton, AB.
Not towing, I usually get 14-16 mpg poking around the city and 17-18 on the highway. I don't really think of the mileage that much in terms of whether or not I can get a little more out of it. For me mileage is an indicator of how well it's running. The way I like at it, I'm driving an 8000 lb truck with a fairly decent amount of power. Occasionally, I can't resist the urge to not let the guy in the Acura pass me before the next light. In other words mileage just isn't that important to me or I wouldn't be driving a truck. I could spend $600.00 on a new exhaust and let her breath a little better. Maybe pick up 1 or 2 mpg. How long do I have to drive it to recover the money I spent on the exhaust. I think his mileage isn't that far off normal. Probably pick up a little bit by adjusting his driving style. But then is that opening the door to some problems down the road. Isn't the 6.0 motto, "drive it like you stole it"
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
I get 15-16 hwy. 10-12 towing 10K 5th wheel. The one thing that gets me is that my truck always seem to be dragging an anchor. Its the first auto trans vehicle I've had that does not gain speed going down grades. Here in CA on the grapevine which has a 5 mile 6 % grade I have to give it throttle to keep going 65 mph. If I don't then it will do about 50 mph down it. I had it checked when new. I've made sure that the hubs and tcase are disengaged, but its like theres a parachute attached to the thing. Now if I put it in N on this same section of road, get out of my way because I will be doing 90. All other auto trans vehicles I've had would be flying down unless you dropped it down a gear. Its obvious that its drive line drag. Maybe coast clutches? Not sure but if I ever figure it out I bet I'll able to 18+ hwy.
New User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 24
Likes: 1
I get 15-16 hwy. 10-12 towing 10K 5th wheel. The one thing that gets me is that my truck always seem to be dragging an anchor. Its the first auto trans vehicle I've had that does not gain speed going down grades. Here in CA on the grapevine which has a 5 mile 6 % grade I have to give it throttle to keep going 65 mph. If I don't then it will do about 50 mph down it. I had it checked when new. I've made sure that the hubs and tcase are disengaged, but its like theres a parachute attached to the thing. Now if I put it in N on this same section of road, get out of my way because I will be doing 90. All other auto trans vehicles I've had would be flying down unless you dropped it down a gear. Its obvious that its drive line drag. Maybe coast clutches? Not sure but if I ever figure it out I bet I'll able to 18+ hwy.
I had a pickup that did the same thing... turns out that it was the 4:10 ratio rear end. That driveshaft spins mighty fast and if you think bout the friction creted by the internal pieces rotating inside the transmission ... there has to be a lot of drag inside there.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
Could be Grampa J. I don't know. Mine is stock tires with 3.73 gearing. I had a Dakota with 4.10 rear gears and V8 and it would fly down. I drive a 2wd gas dually SD at work and the few times it was actually empty it did not seem to have that much drag. Thing is its an 04 and doesn't have the torqshift tranny either. If others noticed their rigs slowing down on steep down grades it would explain a lot of the low mileage, but I have not seen any post to that effect.
Just seems to me that an 8k lb truck in drive and not braking should be going faster than 50mph down a 6% grade. Sure saves on brakes though.
Just seems to me that an 8k lb truck in drive and not braking should be going faster than 50mph down a 6% grade. Sure saves on brakes though.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton, AB.
I get 15-16 hwy. 10-12 towing 10K 5th wheel. The one thing that gets me is that my truck always seem to be dragging an anchor. Its the first auto trans vehicle I've had that does not gain speed going down grades. Here in CA on the grapevine which has a 5 mile 6 % grade I have to give it throttle to keep going 65 mph. If I don't then it will do about 50 mph down it. I had it checked when new. I've made sure that the hubs and tcase are disengaged, but its like theres a parachute attached to the thing. Now if I put it in N on this same section of road, get out of my way because I will be doing 90. All other auto trans vehicles I've had would be flying down unless you dropped it down a gear. Its obvious that its drive line drag. Maybe coast clutches? Not sure but if I ever figure it out I bet I'll able to 18+ hwy.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,154
Likes: 2
I've seen it said on here before, you don't drive a 3/4 or 1 ton truck just to get good mileage.... I've had mine up into the 19-20 range a few times, but I drive to put Grandpa Jones to shame. Since I have a 40 mile commute each way I don't take the truck too much unless I need the bed or the weather is nasty. I just got a new car from the Cash for Clunkers deal, the Crown Vic is gone and now the commuter car is a 2009 Hyundai Sonata with the 3.3 L V-6. I pulled 27.5 MPG on the first tank and I know the engine isn't even close to being broken in yet.
All that aside, the physics of getting better mileage is the same no matter what you're driving. I like to call it the law of "conservation of momentum". Slow steady acceleration, coasting up to stops, timing lights so you hit them green, coasting at the crest of hills and letting gravity help on the back side, etc. Running slightly higher tire pressure, keeping tires balanced and the front end aligned, taking excess weight out of the vehicle, even things like tire size and tread pattern can make a difference in mileage. Then there are things like tuners and custom tunes, power elbows, water/methanol or propane injection and engine work that are usually thought of in terms of power enhancement but may yield mileage gains. Lots out there to consider and play with if you care to....
All that aside, the physics of getting better mileage is the same no matter what you're driving. I like to call it the law of "conservation of momentum". Slow steady acceleration, coasting up to stops, timing lights so you hit them green, coasting at the crest of hills and letting gravity help on the back side, etc. Running slightly higher tire pressure, keeping tires balanced and the front end aligned, taking excess weight out of the vehicle, even things like tire size and tread pattern can make a difference in mileage. Then there are things like tuners and custom tunes, power elbows, water/methanol or propane injection and engine work that are usually thought of in terms of power enhancement but may yield mileage gains. Lots out there to consider and play with if you care to....
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
Likes: 26
From: Middle Tn.
I get 15-16 hwy. 10-12 towing 10K 5th wheel. The one thing that gets me is that my truck always seem to be dragging an anchor. Its the first auto trans vehicle I've had that does not gain speed going down grades. Here in CA on the grapevine which has a 5 mile 6 % grade I have to give it throttle to keep going 65 mph. If I don't then it will do about 50 mph down it. I had it checked when new. I've made sure that the hubs and tcase are disengaged, but its like theres a parachute attached to the thing. Now if I put it in N on this same section of road, get out of my way because I will be doing 90. All other auto trans vehicles I've had would be flying down unless you dropped it down a gear. Its obvious that its drive line drag. Maybe coast clutches? Not sure but if I ever figure it out I bet I'll able to 18+ hwy.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton, AB.
I got to agree with 69cj, I think you've got something binding up somewhere. You should be coasting, tach would be done around 1000 rpms in top gear and you should be picking up speed like a bowling ball rolling down the same hill.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
Conger / 69cj,
In T/H I would expect it to do this, but not in normal state. I have a hauled 12K trailer over this section. In T/H with trailer I think I tapped the brakes twice to keep it around 60 mph on the down slope. I guess that would be 3rd gear from how I understand the trans. works.
I just got my hands on a Torqshift Reference Manual today. While flipping through the pages I came across coast braking operations for both strategies. It mentions 6th gear coast breaking. I need to read it over, but I’m starting to think it’s coast braking all the time.
In T/H I would expect it to do this, but not in normal state. I have a hauled 12K trailer over this section. In T/H with trailer I think I tapped the brakes twice to keep it around 60 mph on the down slope. I guess that would be 3rd gear from how I understand the trans. works.
I just got my hands on a Torqshift Reference Manual today. While flipping through the pages I came across coast braking operations for both strategies. It mentions 6th gear coast breaking. I need to read it over, but I’m starting to think it’s coast braking all the time.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton, AB.
Conger / 69cj,
In T/H I would expect it to do this, but not in normal state. I have a hauled 12K trailer over this section. In T/H with trailer I think I tapped the brakes twice to keep it around 60 mph on the down slope. I guess that would be 3rd gear from how I understand the trans. works.
I just got my hands on a Torqshift Reference Manual today. While flipping through the pages I came across coast braking operations for both strategies. It mentions 6th gear coast breaking. I need to read it over, but I’m starting to think it’s coast braking all the time.
In T/H I would expect it to do this, but not in normal state. I have a hauled 12K trailer over this section. In T/H with trailer I think I tapped the brakes twice to keep it around 60 mph on the down slope. I guess that would be 3rd gear from how I understand the trans. works.
I just got my hands on a Torqshift Reference Manual today. While flipping through the pages I came across coast braking operations for both strategies. It mentions 6th gear coast breaking. I need to read it over, but I’m starting to think it’s coast braking all the time.
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jcbx
1968-Present E-Series Van/Cutaway/Chassis
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Mar 23, 2008 07:18 PM
