2003 Owners: Mileage Reports

[kumminskowboy]

MY 03 SWB HO 6SPEED 3500 GOT 18. 9MPG THE FIRST TANK. IT HAS A 3. 73 REAR END AND HAD 50 PSI IN ALL TIRES. ALITTLE MORE AIR PSI WOULD HELP SOME. QUITE AS A MOUSE BUT QUICK AS A CAT. BUY ONE,THE SAVINGS ON GREASE SHOULD OFFSET THE COST OF THE TRUCK,IT ONLY HAS 2 GREASE FITTINGS. WILL STRAIGHT EXHAUST AND K&N HELP THIS TRUCK?FYI;WINDOW STICKER$38675 PAID $35050

 

[Posm]

KumminsKowboy

Give your truck some time. My obsolete 2nd Gen gained mileage until about 20K. After a couple thousand miles, change the oil and get the big chunks of steel out of it, then hook it to a "good" load. That will do more to raise your mileage than any breathing apparatus, ie filter or exhaust. I would say that the stock 4" will breath just fine. On a side note, go with the AFE filter instead of the K&N. I bought both and the AFE is a much better constructed filter.

 

[Jeremiah]

Mileage helped by loading?

I've heard this before (break 'em in hard), but never understood it. So one more time, from a scientific standpoint how does hookin' up to a good load help mileage numbers otherwise?

 

[David Muench]

Re: Mileage helped by loading?

Originally posted by Jeremiah

I've heard this before (break 'em in hard), but never understood it. So one more time, from a scientific standpoint how does hookin' up to a good load help mileage numbers otherwise?

I've read somewhere that the heavy loads on the engine helps the valves to seat properly, since the metal is so hardened.

 

[Posm]

If you can image how the inside of a motor looks after all of the milling and honing are done and it is put in service. There is still polishing that needs to be completed, especially by the rings on the cylinder walls. As long as it is "rough" it will not create as good as a seal as when it is polished. The motor is designed to put a thin film of oil between all of the wear surfaces. Until the motor strains enough to push through that layer and complete the polishing it will continue to ride on that layer of oil. A Honda is using a greater amount of its potential power to just get around, so you are working it near max just by evveryday driving. The Cummins is just toying around when it pushes your empty truck around and thus it does not thin the oil layer down and complete the break in unless it is put under load.

 

[Jeremiah]

Breakin' 'em in

OK, I got it. I'm a hauler, not a puller. My max load will be 450 gallons of water in the bed, which will overload the truck by 1,000 pounds (payload is 2,700 pounds and 450 gallons of water weighs 3,000 pounds).



Think keeping the truck bed loaded to 2,700 pounds for a few thousand miles will do it?

 

[JWerkheiser]

19. 3 @ 70mph. Going to do a full tank check next.

 

[DIESELMAN]

Werkheiser -



How many miles you done so far???



What do ya think so far?? Does your Big Blue attract dirt like Mine!!



I'm at 2600, tons of 4X miles, no complaints yet!

 

[JWerkheiser]

I only have 400 miles. I got to drive it 6 days before I had to leave on a trip for 10 days. Just got back yesterday and am able to drive the beast again. This is without question the best truck I have ever ridden in, seen, or driven before. And, yes, the blue likes dust. I had a patriot blue Dakota Quad Cab a couple years ago and it was the same way. Same with my garnet red 2001. 5 diesel. I guess any of the darker colors are going to have that problem. It's such an awesome color, though, that I will gladly put up with the hassle.

 

[Big MAK]

First fill up; at 408 miles and topped off by dealer when purchased with 53 miles on the odo; for 355 miles with 20 gallons on that fill. That makes for:



<b>17. 75 mpg</b>



100 on interstate at 75mph

120 on highway at 60mph

rest city mix

 

[DIESELMAN]

Werkheiser -



That poor lonely truck... ... .



Look, I understand, if you don't have time enough to drive it, let me know. I know how to drive your truck, I know where all the switches are, I can put some miles on for you. Wouldn't mind a bit.



I've had Black, just don't remember it getting finger prints with such photographic quality! I Had White ( but it always looked grey, and I had Blue-Grey (The Silver Bullit' - Driftwood Tan) when I wished I had white!



This is my first truck with a color!



But when I saw the crystal Mettalic Blue in the Setting Sun with the green cast to it, I had to have it, Its awesome, when it's clean!!

 

[DIESELMAN]

Latest Mileage Update ***



22. 86 Gallons at 2365 = 419 Miles = 18. 32MPG



145. 75 Gallons Total = 16. 23 MPG Average



$202. 59 Fuel Expense



My V10 would have cost $444. 09 Already!!! Yes Dear! math means I can buy $241. 00 in toysOo.



Next Fillup is Friday, More Deer Hunt Scouting to do!

 

[Jeremiah]

MPGs and color stuff

I too chose garnet red w/2-tone treatment for my ordered truck. Keep those MPGs coming. That's one of the biggies many of us who drive lots of highway miles are interested in. It gives us a baseline in case our mpgs aren't so good.



On order: '03 3500 LB Quad Cummins 6-spd HO Laramie pkg w/3. 73. Can't wait! Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[kumminskowboy]

I noticed the front tires on my 03 HO looked a little mushey when I picked up my new truck,26570R17. After driving the beast for 3 days I checked the tire psi and found all tires had 50 psi. I Inflated all tires to 60 psi and increased my mpg by at least 1 mpg. The motto of this story is "IF YOU ARE WILLING TO SACRAFICE A LITTLE RIDE IT WILL SHOW UP IN YOUR BILLFOLD;... ... ... ... ... ... Im afraid to add more air remember max. psi is 80..... so much air so little time

 

[Jeremiah]

Hot air

80 PSI all the way!

 

[Dsl_Duo]

Jeremiah,

Do you mean Steve St Laurent's page:

http://my.voyager.net/~stevest/cumminsdiesel.htm



His engine starts when you mouse over it.

 

[Jeremiah]

Clatter, clatter!

Yup, that's it! Thanks a bunch. Is that a cool web site or what? I really appreciate the response. Now I can go to bed happy!

 

[Jeremiah]

Im afraid to add more air remember max. psi is 80..... so much air so little time [/B]

You can safely add air up to the max. However, don't forget that tires increase air pressure as they get hot. Check the pressure occasionally to make sure they don't go beyond 80 psi, especially if you're hauling a heavy load.

 

[kchristopher]

Originally posted by Jeremiah

You can safely add air up to the max. However, don't forget that tires increase air pressure as they get hot. Check the pressure occasionally to make sure they don't go beyond 80 psi, especially if you're hauling a heavy load.

The cold max pressure listed on the sidewall takes into account the increase in hot pressure. If you check your tires when cold you should be okay.

 

[Posm]

I don't know if I agree with you on the max pressure equals more MPG argument. I drive over a thousand miles a week and tried the same thing when my truck was newer. What I learned:

80 PSI empty will shake the crap out of you!!

80 PSI empty will wear the center on the tires faster than the edges. The inverse is true for under-inflation.

I check almost every tank and could not tell even a . 1 of a mile MPG difference. I can see a bigger change if I drive at night when it is cooler and the air is more dense.



I now use the formula that I learned from Michelin to figure proper pressure for a given load. Use the percent of load you are putting on each tire as compared to its rating times its max pressure.

Example 2500 235/85/16 E tires are rated at 3042 I think. Back axle weights 4500 lbs divide by 2 tires and max pressure is 80 psi the formula recomends 59Lbs. I am getting about 70 K on a set of tires using this formula to vary the pressure. And, my kidneys stay in place.