Add on's for improved fuel economy

[rmrc]

I know that this has been covered before but I would like to get a fresh consensus from our membership.



What after market add on's will help in increasing fuel economy?



I'm really not into increased power,,,,,, although if any of these mods do boost the horse power, all the better!!

 

[illflem]

The biggest factors are a light right foot and steady throttle for increased fuel economy. Most power mods also increase your mpgs, problem then also is keeping your foot out of it. Free flow airfilter, cam plate, larger exhaust and turbo gave me 3 more mpgs on my 12 valves. Jacking the timing up was good for a couple more. Using your foot rather than the cruise control is good for 1-2 mpgs. Smooth narrow tires rather than wide aggressive all terrains will help. Using your truck for trips under 15 miles where it never warms up will kill your economy immensely. I consistently get 22-24 mpg with a high of 28. Don't think a 24 valve will realize much gain in economy with engine mods though.

 

[AlK]

Sure way to improve fuel economy, is purchase a box of thumbtacks and fasten them to the go pedal so that the sharp points face you then take your shoes off and drive barefoot. You will be amazed how the mileage will improve.

 

[Whitmore]

All of my bombs have added to my milage, that is how I justified the purchase to the lil woman as she has all the ***** and all the money

Acording to the claims of what they gain I get over 30 mpg, and of course I still get 20 on a regular basis, sometimes 21 but as illflem says keeping the foot out of it is the trick and I cant do it.

The lil woman tells me every Sunday to go drain out a few gallons so it wont overflow on the ground :-laf :-laf :-laf



I think she is on to me



Cheers , Kevin

 

[Got Smoke?]

Find somebody to bump the timing. The 2nd generations love to run at 16*BTDC.



TDR member Doug Resse drove 2 HOURS! one way to help me bump my timing! We checked where it was set as we adjusted it and it had slipped all the way down to 10 or 11* Factory is 13. 5(?):--)



Definately increase it to 16* I noticed a 1-1. 5mpg increase at the pump!

 

[Deezul1]

How about them magnet thingys on the fuel lines and the little propellers in the air intake for a "Vortex" effect for better combustion. :--)

 

[LoneRam]

Sometimes your just stuck

I have followed along with this topic for almost a year now. I think I pay as much as anyone here, if not more for fuel @ $1. 95/gal. I have the synthetic in both diffs, tried the EZ then the comp and now the UFM, running DD2's which claim an increase, all the DTT stuff they would sell me, IAT cleaned (wasn't dirty). I have driven like I was on a mission#ad
and then I have coasted along in the slow lane and put the truck in N at stops and watched my idle time and so on and so on and here I am#ad
The only thing I can hope for is that I just need some miles under my hood so to speak, currently 11750. BTW Since I drove off the lot new until now my mileage has NOT changed from 15 +/- . 5. Good luck in your quest.



LoneRam#ad

 

[Texas Diesel]

Originally posted by Deezul 1

How about them magnet thingys on the fuel lines and the little propellers in the air intake for a "Vortex" effect for better combustion. :--)

Deezul1, you cant use the magnets on the fuel lines unless you have the upgraded fluxcapacitor in your truck. You can however use the copper wrist bands to improve your health. I wonder if people put the little boat propellor on their hitch to give other traffic the benefit of the "votex effect"

 

[HC]

Settle in folks, this is going to be long. Since the overwhelming majority of posts on the TDR claim that this or that mod will improve mpg, I want to share an alternate viewpoint with the "new" folks. I don't feel that "I'm right, the other guys are wrong", I just want the new guys to take their time, do their own research, and read all the old posts before deciding what mods are right for them based on just one or two threads.



With my 6 speed HO, the only mod that I have done that had a measurable, consistent impact on mpg was adding 275 RV injectors (maybe ~0. 5 mpg?). (I really like the 275's by the way - a little more power, no smoke unless I really put my foot into it, and just a hint of mpg improvement. ) Both the VA and EZ boxes hint or outright claim improvements in mpg; I did not see one in "controlled" trips - 110 mile commute to work, mostly open freeway, setting cruise control and checking for several thousand miles of data back and forth over the same road. Every time I thought there was a difference, it was easy to explain away by looking more closely at my notes and data. Headwinds, tailwinds, outside temperature, other weather factors, tank-to-tank fill up variations (which show higher or lower numbers than expected on the next fill-up) always made more difference than hooking or unhooking a box. It is possible that the experience of ETC's and autos may be different; since extra power has secondary effects like changing transmission shift points. It is also possible that others got a truck that wasn't "tuned" right from the factory and then "fixed" their problems with add-ons. My answer applies to 6 speed HO's, 24 valve engines, and may be very wrong for 12 valve engines or even other variations of the 24 valve engine.



But I also believe that some (please note, I said "some", not "all") of the folks who report big mpg gains with this or that add-on probably made several runs enjoying the increased power, then made one or more runs driving very carefully to check mpg. I also believe it might have been the careful driving that caused them to get really great mpg when they kept their foot out of it.



Again, returning to my experience, before mods, I could get over 20 mpg driving carefully and slowly (<65 mph). After numerous mods, I still get over 20 mpg driving carefully and slowly (on summer fuel). I can slow down even more and consistently get over 21 mpg. Throw in some around town trips, and it's more like 18 to 19+. Throw in a lot of around town trips, or take a long trip where I drive faster on the freeway, and it can drop under 17. If I drove like some of my friends, I'm sure it would be under 16. I also think I could get another 2 mpg if I removed my camper shell with racks, and went back to street tires vs. my 295 BFG AT's, but then it wouldn't be the same truck if I did those things.



Money spent on mods should be spent for fun, or because you want power, or for exhaust brakes and Espar/Webasto heaters, or winches, or whatever tickles your fancy. Money spent on mpg will generally not provide economic payback.



Nobody wants to hear this, but if you want better mpg, think twice about mods that cost mpg like big bumpers, light bars, ladder racks, brush guards, big aggressive tires, etc. , and only get the ones that are really important to you. Then slow down, even if you only slow down 2 to 5 mph it makes a difference on these big trucks.



(soapbox returning to storage location now - breathing deeply... )

 

[dartos]

1 month ago I bought a 2002 HO. I have 3800 miles and have been averaging 17. 5 mpg at 70 mph and 16. 5 at 80 mph bone stock.

LoneRam it sounds like you may have some type of problem.



Jeff

 

[kaptn]

I went from 14. 5 to 16. 5 mpgs with the injectors on paper,and 16. 5 to 18. 5 on the computer (convienance package). transmission upgrade and lead foot I dropped to about 15. 5 to 16 mpg average. I still think this is pretty good.

 

[cmckinney]

I think HC has it right. Mods are for fun and power.



I have charted my MPG from the very first tank to the present and I have noticed a swing from a low of 17. 75 MPG stock to a high of 20. 35 MPG with an BHAF and EZ. Just seems like MPG is all about your speed and variables you can't control (terrain,weather, traffic).



Best way to improve mileage is to slow down. It's just hard to do when you see everyone passing you.



-CM

 

[D6Diesel]

21 mpg in a stock 2wd. Amalgamated or stanadyne fuel additive in every tank.

 

[tazzen]

lets see here,



i average 15 mpg in the city, 20 mile comute to work, then 20 back.



i average 19. 6 on high way @ 65.

with tt (5200 lbs) 14 mpg @ 65 .



truck weight is 9000 lbs all the time.



straight exhaust, no gain.

e-z level 3 , no gain.

e-z level 2 seem to lose . 5

just put on mega cannon last night soon to find out.



but im happy, i think im doing good.

no gain in mpg, but none lost.

but big gain in the FUN pedal.

i do not hammer my truck , but than i dont baby it to much either.





ed

 

[Whitmore]

I would have to agree that the addition of 275's is your best bet for economical gains.



Also a BHAF and a 4" exhaust... ... ... ... . air in / exhaust out



cheers, Kevin

 

[LoneRam]

I found my pot of gold

Okay,

As I stated before, I've never seen any improvement, until now. Best I've ever seen calculating every tank since new by hand, no computer, was 15. 979 mpg. That was trying too, coasting every where, keeping boost below 10psi and really not having much fun driving my truck. Well, about a week ago I switched to synthetic, not going to post brand because some of you can keep your sand on your side of the box. I could tell right away watching my odometer and my fuel gauge that things were looking up, but didn't confirm until today. I drove the truck the way I wanted and didn't think about economy, more than a few runs on 5X5. Todays tank was 16. 8Oo. Oo. Oo. Keep in mind that most of the driving I do is city and the little freeway time I get is 6% grades. Anyways, just thought I would post my findings. If you want the info on the oil, feel free to pm or email.



LoneRam

 

[drifter]

After all the mechanical and mother nature factors are accounted for the best after market items that I can recommend is an EGT and boost gage. If you want as many miles out of a gal as you can get then try to drive by your EGT ( lower EGT = lower fuel ) also lower boost the better the economy. I prefer the EGT gage.

The best economy dosn't go hand in hand with speed and fun.

Don't loose site of you are driveing 6800 - 7500 lbs and will tow all day long within its rateings.

 

[Texas Diesel]

Re: I found my pot of gold

Originally posted by LoneRam

I switched to synthetic, not going to post brand because some of you can keep your sand on your side of the box. LoneRam

Great!

 

[JyRO]

I figgered out the problem...

LoneRam - I know what the problem is, why your fuel mileage is not that good. Its the island. By the time you get into 6th gear, you're at the other side of the island. You have to do a U turn and go back. All those U turns really eat into your fuel economy.



- JyRO

 

[LoneRam]

JyRo~#ad


Man, you nailed that one on the head!!!