3500 mpg's whatcha getting

[BKWelliver]

07 dullie Quad Cab 4x4, LT305/70/17 tires, six speed G56 with 373 gears. I have never seen 18mpg ever. Best I ever did was driving to Vegas solo set the cruise at 70mph and only got 16. 5mpg. my 98 quad cab 24v 4x4 only ever got 18mpg empty. I would love to know how to get more and I have tried coasting etc, and still no better. I think I heard it best on an old thread were a guy said doing the speed limit is the only way to get these claimed high mileages. In the real world here in California just try it and see what happens. your sure to either get rear ended or make a lot of people really mad really fast. everyone is doing 75 or better every day of the week. I did not buy my truck for better gas mileage. I bought it to tow a heavy boat and to take it off road to go hunting and haul all my friends north to go Diving. It's also my daily driver to and from work. I put 20k a year on it easy.

 

[zzman]

By the overhead read-out with just the truck no trailer, I get 24 to 25 mpg with my smarty jr on level 2, as of today. When I first got the truck with 60k miles, it got about 20 to 21 mpg (bone stock). All mpg are highway miles.

I have stock size tires.

I have had a "97" 12 valve and a "01" 24v and now this "04", they all got better mileage after pulling heavy loads for a month or 2. I believe if you never pull heavy loads with the cummins engine, you will never feel its real power.



My IFTA quarter year fuel report states I get 11. 2 mpg. This is an absolute total mpg, loaded, empty, idle time, whatever, all fuel consumed by all miles driven. I put about 75k miles a year on the truck.



Ron

 

[AABEN]

Well I am getting 17 to 16 town and 19 to 21 highway when towing 13. 5 to 14. 5 I tow at 62 MPH most of the time Most interstate. My weight when towing is 23. 000+. I jest got back from TX 14. 5 going down 14. 1 coming back home. I run Howes Treat summer mix and 1oz of out board motor oil per gal.

 

[rbattelle]

When a CTD owner posts such "outstanding" fuel economy numbers, ask them if that is by the overhead or hand calculated... ... then watch their reactions.

I usually ask to see the fuel log.

Mileage numbers seem to be getting like fish stories.

I've long said that the average person decides on a mileage number with which he's happy, and reports that as fact. He isn't lying, per se, because he genuinely believes the number.

I think we can say with some confidence that a 2003-2004. 5 3500 SRW truck should be expected to average somewhere between 17 and 21 mpg without significant modifications. Figure that later model trucks get less, maybe 14-18 mpg on average? Empty, of course.

My lifetime average is 19. 1.

Ryan

 

[DocDetonancour]

I get low 20's with stock tires. 33 Toyo's are good for 2 mpg less. Doc

 

[ENafziger]

Here's a few quick numbers...

My best ever with the truck in "stock" configuration was 18. 7 mpg.

After changing to 37" tires, SPS 66 turbo, adding 1,800 pounds of toolboxes, etc, and large bumpers, mileage dropped to an average of 14. 6 mpg.

I recently did the Dynatrac manual hub lockout, and mileage is 15. 7 around town. On the interstate, mileage is 16. 7 mpg at 65 - 70 mph, and 14. 5 at 75 -80.

Just picked up a 31' travel trailer, and got 9. 8 mpg towing through the hills at 65 - 75.

I'll hopefully be installing some Garrett BB twins soon, and will report back with the mileage difference.


--Eric

 

[butchb]

o4 3500 srw smarty jr on tow mode 18. 5 to 20. 5 empty hwy 9 to 11 towing 14000 fifth wheel at 62 to 65 mph

 

[EricBu12]

My new 09 with the 68RFE auto has gotten around 14-16 mpg solo. . drive 13 miles freeway everyday to work. . usually has gotten up to 15-16 on a fluke where more weekend freeway miles are done. .

Did a 300 mile run with a utility trailer with a Yamaha Rhino on it. . it did about 13-14 mpg with pulling a grade both directions.

Just did a 500 mile run towing my heavy 36' 3 axle trailer. I had headwinds and croddwinds and averaged 7-9 mpg. believe the mpg would have been up to 10 or 11 if the winds were different.

all these are hand calc and I can show a pic of my mileage log as I write everything down... date, place and everything even the cost per gallon. !

 

[Turbo_Bob]

I get a consistent 23 MPG at 65 mph solo. Pulling trailers at 55-62 mph the MPG's vary from 11. 9 to 14. 2