Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Lovin' that fuel economy

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

HEYBOSS, how are things in NY? I still haven't done running boards or put those cool lights on my truck like you have

I think you idle too much, IMO. I never warm my truck up before I take off, even if it was 10F overnight and I parked outdoors without plugging in. I only idle 1-2 minutes max and take right off. That may be why my mileage in town has been good.



Duallys and 4. 10s always seem to be hard on fuel. What has seemed interesting to me is I can hook up a flatbed trailer and put a 3500lb car on it and go 70 down the freeway with it and still get as good of mileage as a dually. Last time I got 17. 5 hauling a car.



fritzbo29, when I went 65mph for a lot of one tank I turned in 25. 0 mpg

Around here you get on the freeway you'll get run over unless you go at least 70-75. If I could drop down to 68-70 my mileage is 22-23 typical.



Vaughn

 

[wbrown]

I have about 8000 miles on the truck. Made a few trips from Vermont to North Carolina. Average around 70 mph. On those trips mpg was 17. 3. Around town, getting 18. 5-18. 9 mpg.

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

It seems to me that the poorest milage is ein California. Is that because of the Crummy Fuel? HHHmmmmmmm? The Tree Huggers are sending fuel that says, ECD1. Emission Control Diesel 1... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..... Says it on the pump at AM/PM

 

[GDouglas]

I typically get about 18mpg driving mostly 65 with about 10% city driving and the rest open road. I once saw 20, but that was driving really conservative for the whole tankfull. From studying most of the posts concerning fuel mileage, it seems that the majority of those with a 2000 and newer model seem to have the most reports of 20mpg and up. Those with 1999 models and older seem to hang mostly around 17 to 19. I wonder if there has been some subtle change along the way such as some revised camshaft specs for the 2000 and up engines that are different than the 1999 and earlier ones. Heck, it may be something as simple as the tolerance that the cams are degreed within when our engines are built.



It sure is interesting that Diesel Dynamics has devoted enough time and resources to develop a custom camshaft which they claim from real world testing to give at least 2 ot 3 more mpg than stock. It kind of makes me wonder just how accurate our stock camshafts are up against the engineered ideal values that they are supposed to be manufactured to. I have never had an opportunity to actually degree mine in to check for any accuracy, but maybe someone in TDR land might have done so and can share their findings with the rest of us. Inquiring minds like to know!

 

[HEYBOSS]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie

HEYBOSS, how are things in NY? I still haven't done running boards or put those cool lights on my truck like you have

Duallys and 4. 10s always seem to be hard on fuel. What has seemed interesting to me is I can hoOK up a flatbed trailer and put a 3500lb car on it and go 70 down the freeway with it and still get as good of mileage as a dually. Last time I got 17. 5 hauling a car.





Vaughn, I don't know how things are in NY but around here (MA and RI) OK It sure was nice having you over which by the way when's the next trip down here? I guess I'm doing to much idle but I haven't change any of my driving habits and really never seen any improvement in fuel economy since new.



Best I've seen was 17mph doing 70mph empty on a trip to IN for a tank full. I usually get around 9-10 towing my 5er but, that weighs 12k and has a big frontal area, it is 12' high, so a lot of wind resistance.