Maximum MPG ideas

[Tom W]

I was daydreaming and wondering what could be done to get maximum MPG.

Some of my ideas.

Start with a 12V 4 speed and maximize weight reductions, throw out anything unnecessary, passenger & rear seats, spare tire, bed, one battery, A/C.

These trucks at 6000 lbs can get over 20mpg. Suppose you could get the weight down to 3000 lbs and drove easy, maybe 40 mpg?

Do you think 3000 lbs is attainable and still have a drivable vehicle?

Could be a fun project. Any ideas?

 

[BGarofalo]

What would be the fun of driving that monster?? Max MPG = Buy a Car!!

Seriously though could you contuinue to gain mpg buy decreasing weight?. I would think that there is a limit to how much can be gained by the size of the engine and truck. meaning it is still injecting so much fuel to make so much horsepower. ??



How about chop the roof 6 inches and lower the truck about a foot... that should reduce drag.

Solid rubber tires... less rolling resistance

:-laf:-laf:-laf

 

[p-Bar]

What would be the fun of driving that monster?? Max MPG = Buy a Car!!

Seriously though could you contuinue to gain mpg buy decreasing weight?. I would think that there is a limit to how much can be gained by the size of the engine and truck. meaning it is still injecting so much fuel to make so much horsepower. ??



How about chop the roof 6 inches and lower the truck about a foot... that should reduce drag.

Solid rubber tires... less rolling resistance

:-laf:-laf:-laf

... ... and make a rat rod out of it

 

[mhenon]

Tonneau cover! Instant 10% mileage gain. My '02 went from 22mpg to over 24 with the bed cover.

Mike

 

[SHobbs]

What I have done is

1) Maintain proper tire pressure

2) Keep my speed at 62

3) Smooth gradual acceleration from stops at red lights and stop signs

4) I do not get into stop and go traffic, I find a speed that allows me to keep moving without runnin up on the car infront of me



Now #2 will vary from truck to truck. Doing these things have allowed me to get very close to 20 mpg's. I plan on injector upgrades soon and hope I might get a bump from them and get to 20 or better.

 

[MamthTorq]

I have changed to a narrower tire which was good for about 2 mpg. I need mud or all terrian tires often, but also drive 140 miles everyday, so it lead me to have two sets of wheels, on my stock alloys I have 285/75 TOYO MT. For the other set I found some old steel ford 16x6 wheels painted them black, and bought 4 used 235/85s for $150, they still had about 25000-30000 depending how bald you run them. Because I bought the tires cheap, I run all four at full pressure 80 psi (no they don't wear perfectly). I am now getting more then 20mpg at 75, some times even 22 around 70. She does not look very good with smaller tires, but oh well.

I hate fuel prices, #@$%! it has slowed me down, I have always sped and driven my truck like I stole it, every on ramp was a drag race, every long grade was a chance to let the cummins run. Oo. Not anymore, and it is only going to get worse, I have not even paid $4. 00 a gallon yet. anyway long story short, if you can change to a narrower cheaper tire you should see results.

 

[wlowe]

I was daydreaming and wondering what could be done to get maximum MPG.

Some of my ideas.

Start with a 12V 4 speed and maximize weight reductions, throw out anything unnecessary, passenger & rear seats, spare tire, bed, one battery, A/C.

These trucks at 6000 lbs can get over 20mpg. Suppose you could get the weight down to 3000 lbs and drove easy, maybe 40 mpg?

Do you think 3000 lbs is attainable and still have a drivable vehicle?

Could be a fun project. Any ideas?

I have no doubt that decreasing the weight of a vehicle would increase its fuel mileage. I would like to see one of these aftermarket body parts retailers start offering body panels made of aluminum. Todays fuel prices would make it much more feasable. The extra cost of the aluminum would be partially offset by mileage gained from the reduction in weight. Plus you wouldn't have to worry about your doors rusting out. I guess it just boils down to cost versus savings.

 

[WDixon27]

i had a diesel magazine a while back with a story on a guy that did like 30-40k a year unloaded in a 7. 3 stroke, did a ton of stuff for mpg and got into the upper 20s, ill see if i can find the mag and post some scans

 

[PPettit]

The Red Baron



I think this is the truck you are referring to. Neat ideas but IMO his truck is no longer able to do the things we buy diesel trucks for. He could just as well drive a Honda to accomplish all he uses his truck for! Also, mention Cummins to him and watch his emotional response.



Phil

 

[PPettit]

Here is Big Daves reply when I suggested a 12V Cummins truck for fuel efficiency:





" Cummins engines - particular the 12-valve - are great fovorites for hot-rodding becuase that lawn-sprikler injection system can easily be made to pass enough fuel for lots of HP. That and they are very compact and easy on the mechanic.



As for being more efficient - t'ain't so. "



The more I have read of his post's the more I find him to be an idiot.....



Phil

 

[trucknut]

12 valve timing

Advancing the timing on the 12v makes a huge difference on fuel milage - this is the case on my 98 12v. Advancing the timing to 16 degress brought up the fuel milegage by 3 miles per gal(I don't know where it was set from the factory) I knew a 12v owner who advanced timing 19 - 20 degress advance and have had no problems even towing alot. I just don't have the heart to advance my 12v that far, maybe if towing was always light it would be OK.

Both these 12v had their fuel turned up SLIGHTLY --- where alot of fuel and timing advance together may cause cyl. pressure to overload the engine. Keeping the fuel amounts closer to stock and advancing the timing will increase mileage.

 

[EKlem]

The biggest single factor in highway mileage on our trucks is wind resistance. If you want to get better mileage, you need to decrease your windage. You can do this by lowering your truck, running smaller tires, blocking the grill, taping body seams, and making a huge air dam. Also, a custom cap that is sloped would help. The other way to decrease air resistance is simply to drive a lot slower since it is approximately proportional to the square of the velocity.

Weight is a much bigger factor in stop and go traffic. Because of F=ma, the heavier a vehicle is, the more energy it takes to accelerate it. However, for maintaining speed, the only difference it makes is by providing marginally lower rolling resistance(it does help on hills too).

If you want to go for maximum mileage, I would put most of your energy into aerodynamic improvements, then try to strip some weight, bump your timing, maybe try ddp injectors, and regear so that you can run small diameter narrow tires.

 

[MEby]

1. drive as fast as your great, great, grandpa did. :-laf

2. Lower the truck so that its only 4 or 5 in. off of the ground. I have a little research on aerodynamics and the height of trucks is part of what kills fuel economy.

3. remove all exterior accessories including bug guards, mud flaps, mirrors, truck nutz etc.

4. make wheel skins to cover the wheel wells. Like in a previous post stated, chop the top to lower resistance. Get rid of those mud tires and get stock size street rubber.

5. Buy a d*mn prius, you resemble one now. just kidding.

 

[Headshot zod]

yeah but it would be one big bad prius though... .....

 

[Headshot zod]

#6 fabricate a belly pan.

 

[PJay9]

Any pics on a belly pan? What material should be used for an air dam... race cars have some flexible stuff. . where do they get it? THX PJ