I should have bought a POWERSTROKE

[csnider]

I almost always check my milage. . I've never got lower than 16. 5mpg never better than 19mpg and I pull a 10ft Well Cargo enclosed trailer full of work tools( or dirt bike + camp gear)...

I did notice a increase in milage, smoother engine and less smoke when I switched to PW185 injectors from stock at around 110K. I figure my stock injectors may have needed cleaned & recalibrating. . The diaphram adjustments can do a lot for around town driving mpgs. I have my spring pretty tight so it doesn't start adding more from the fuel pin till there is a pretty good boost happening. this helps milage but may tame your "out of the hole" power. . you can always experiment in that area of the pump to fine tune for a bit more MPGs in town and at freeway cruising(low boost) speeds. . All pumps seem to react different but it's free to try... ...

 

[cerberusiam]

Slim, you didn't indicate what kind of driving was netting the 14 to 15 mpg. Stop and go? Freeway? Empty or loaded? Terrain? etc, etc. Makes a big difference as well as were you are. Low temps and winter fuel kill mileage. Period. Both of my trucks gain 2 to 3 mpg going south this time of the year.



Suspension lift, big tires, winter, 14 to 15 mpg. Count your blessings and wait for spring. Here is an idea, buy a 3rd gen for $40k, put the same lift and tires on it and get 10 mpg. You won't have time to complain about the mileage, be to busy working to make the payment AND buy the fuel. :-laf



Incidently, any PS I drove would consistenly make 5 mpg less than my Cummins trucks. This time of the year, 9 to 10 mpg towing light loads.

 

[crobertson1]

Greenleaf,



Referring to your signature, there isn't any better news than that is there!

 

[JLEONARD]

i want 15. 6 rwhp too

Top secret tuning

 

[OKish]

a lift hurts mileage really bad... the lower you can get a vehicle, the better the mileage will get

unless you start to drag the rockers.

 

[Nordby]

Nice rig! (from your readers gallery picture). That is a lot of rig - W350, dually, 4x4 (is it lifted?) so I doubt 14 is all that bad relatively.



The only reason I get 20mpg (23mpg if below 65mph) is mine is 2wd, single cab, non-dually, 5spd.



My guess is you would improve mpg, and power, doing a bhaf intake, better flowing muffler, and very minor pump mods or minor injector upgrades (to Power Wagons or some such), and perahps a 14cm2 turbo housing. Basically, do the efficiency mods, vs the power mods.



I'd think of it this way - (pardon the fords, they are what I have experience with) someone with a 1996 F350 Crew 4x4 with a 351EFI will typically get worse mpg than the same truck with a 460EFI. under the same driving conditions. The 460 more efficiently produces the hp/torque needed to move the rig consuming less fuel than the 351 can. I'm guessing mods will help your cause because you'll create the power more efficiently (problem is you might like it, and use more power and get a heavier foot!). In my optinion - In stock form, the cummins in a first gen is severely detuned from it's peak efficiency.



thanks, jon

 

[TKingsbury]

I do compensate for the tire size(37's replaced by 33's as the wife was getting tired) and as far as the pump mods I think all I have left is the gov. spring (this weekend) and no smoke unless I really punch it and light the tires up.

I think 37s are too big to still have 3. 54 gears, is that what's still in it? What boost are you seeing at steady speed at say 65mph? Do you have a tach? Try driving it with the O/D off. Find the sweet spot where you can do like 65 or so with light throttle, low boost, under 2K rpm and see what mileage you get. I stuck my 35s back on last week, and noticed the engine does work quite a bit harder than it had been with the skinnies. My boost is up a few psi (around 8psi from 5psi) at freeway cruising speed. If I drive in 4th gear, my boost drops way down. If your boost is up, your afc cone is moving toward more fuel. I think your gearing may be a problem.

Travis. .

 

[Slim]

Wow there's a lot of questions to answer.

For starters I have a stock turbo (don't know size of housing) ,3. 54 gears, 5-10psi of boost at 65mph with 5,000lbs trailer, 4"exhaust, I fuel at a local station only and am friends with the owner, he goes through a lot of diesel and changes his filters regularly. I live in the mountains and drive to town every day with a trailer and get 14mpg but when I go on trips (B. C. to North Dakota and back) at 65-75mph I get 14mpg. It sounds like my mileage is about average for what I have and the way I drive, I think I will still try a cam and injectors from piers. After that I'll have to do something with my turbo (it's making a lot of noise when I back off the throttle) will I be waisting my time with an hx35? or should I go bigger. I don't think I'll ever go with twins because of the cost but I wouldn't mind seeing 400rwhp.

 

[glhs]

My first Cummins was a 90 reg cab 4x4 3 spd. auto w/3. 07s. I could not get it below 16 mpg. It's highest was 23. Got over 600 miles a couple of times from the 30 gallon tank.

Second Cummins a 93 ext. cab 4x4 4 spd. auto w/3. 54s. Consistently got about 15-17. 5 mpg. Highest was 19.

Current truck 92 ext. cab 4x4 5 spd. w/3. 54s . Same mileage as the last one. But I did get a high of 19. 5 mpg about 2 months ago.

Through all the mods on this last truck from the bone stock rating of 160 hp @ the flywheel to the current 550 at the flywheel, fuel mileage has always remained the same.

I have talked to some Cummins mechanics and they hear the same thing but don't know why they are inconsistent.

Kurt

 

[paccool]

Before I bombed the truck, I got 20-21 empty at 65. After a few mods(see my sig), I still get around 20 at 65 . Around town and stuff, I put my foot into it qyite a bit and then the mileage drops off. (I make sure to test the boost gauge for proper operation at least twice a day) Oo. :-laf



Can pump a lot of fuel through it in a short time now.

 

[Grizzly]

FORD! does not own cummins. Why do so many people think this, anyway my wifes van has it's first problem, It needs ball joints @ 79k not bad for the powerstroke ah. with all the bad things i hear about the powerstroke on this site figured i have alot more problems. I guess the powerstroke site says all that stuff about our cummins too.

They are just jerking your chain. Everyone knows that Cummins owns Cummins.

 

[mysteryman]

mpg drop

Old smokey pin and "tweeking" the pump could very well be the problem... .

I have a 93 that gets 13mpg stock but is fast . . My other 93 gets 22 mpg.....

The only differance between the two is how the ve pump is set...

HAHAHA



I new that would get your attention. :-laf

I've got some isues with my truck in the fact that it's only getting 14mpg :{ any suggestions.

 

[DieselBuzz]

... just watching my. . " HAD TO TWEAK THIS QUOTE AS WELL- Sorry guys but it's a tad over the line-pastor bob-... . (I hope she doesn't read this).

:-laf :-laf

I can't decide if this is mean or funny

 

[bo duke]

some people say to check the injectors that the may be sticking but others say no that they cant be it. i have been thanking that it may be cheaper to stick lucas injectors in.

 

[TMRichardson]

why not powerstoke

you should get kicked of of this site for wanting a powerjoke I think they got more power lol.

 

[91W350]

I just sold a 91 two wheel drive auto that made 22 really regularly, almost always over 16, even in town. It had no muffler and front suspension was what I would call collapsed, it needed new springs badly. I ran 68 most of the time on the highway. Good old truck, wanted an extended cab and four wheel drive. Wound up buying two four wheel drives and one extended cab. Not enough experience with either one yet to brag or complain about fuel. Glen