Mileage question

[Mtngoat]

I have been reading a lot about gas mileage, and I am jealous of the guys getting 18-19-20 + mpg. I have run 2 tankfuls thru my "new" truck, and the first tank I got 15. 2, the 2nd tank with an Amsoil high flow filter, and Stanadyne fuel additive, I got 15. 6. The first tank was 1/2 town, 1/2 highway. The 2nd tank was 1/4 in town and 3/4 highway.

Could you guys with stock 4x4 3500's with an auto tell me if thats about right?



Robin

 

[Sticks]

Do you have the 4:10 or 3:54 rear end?

 

[pwr2tow]

15-16 MPG on winter blend fuel is about right for my truck. Even summer with straight #2 only gets a little better fuel mileage. The best was 18 MPG, but that was a rare occasion



Ron

 

[Mtngoat]

gears

ooops. . I have the 3. 54 gears. .

 

[KL]

Mtngoat, how fast do you drive on the highway? These trucks are about as aerodynamic as a brick. So once you go over 60 or 65 your mileage starts dropping. In a 3500 you also loose a little

more highway mileage because of even poorer aerodynamics and more rolling resistance. But 15 doesn't sound to bad for winter fuel. KL

 

[Big White Beast]

Sounds about right.....

As the truck breaks in you may see a slight gain. That and summer fuel will help. Adding an EZ helped mine tremendously. But with the utility bed my truck is 11K lbs. and I think that's why I saw so big of a gain.



Garrett

 

[Mtngoat]

About 70

I usually set the cruise at 70 and just let er eat!!!



Robin

 

[me4osu]

You're in the right ballpark

I usually range between 15 - 16 with the EZ on 3, 2 or 1.

 

[Gray Ghost]

I am one of them that get 21 - 22 mpg. I am a cranky old man with a 4x2 6 sp and 354 rear. I don't punch it taking off and shift before 2K. I drive 60 miles to work. I get on the freeway and set cruise on 1750 (62 mph) and stay in the right lane. No big hurry to get to work. lots of idiots! So it depends on how you drive.

 

[Hutchew]

HMMMMmmmm.....Check this out......

I too get pretty awesome mileage. Maybe this is why... .....

I learned how to drive a truck, big rig, when I was 16 years old, over 20 years ago (Now THAT makes me feel OLD). Back then, Cummins for the most part, 855 CU. in. Small cam motors were governed at 2100 rpm. Didn't really make power above 1850-1900, sweet spot was around 1700-1800, if I recall correctly. Todays motors rev way higher than that, but that sweet spot for max torque is still under 2000 rpm's. I get over 22-2300 rpm's and it just seems like the motor is screaming. Must be cause of the way I learned how to drive. Those of you who have never driven an old truck probably wouldn't feel that way, though. I would speculate that most people on this board never drove a diesel untill they bought a Dodge, Ford, or Chev with one in it. Not flaming anyone for it, just speculating... ... ... 25-26-2700 rpms is just more noisy for most, doesn't make you feel like the motors about to explode, like it does to me... ... .....

So anyway, I drive my old brick pretty conservatively compared to most. Shift under 2000, keep pre-turbo EGT's under 650-700 for the most part. Takes a long time to burn out 32 gallons of diesel... ... ...

Maybe somebody who is getting 15-16 mpg's could try it, post back to us the results. I could very possible be full of puckey... ... .

 

[Big White Beast]

Hutchew..........

I would have to disagree on a few points you made. Not neccessarily about mileage but the torque curve. From what I've read the 12 valves had better low end torque than the 24's.



I know that with my heavy truck the best range to run in is 2000 - 2200 RPM. I'll agree it's probably not the most fuel efficient at that range but it's where the available power is for me.



I will agree about the engines screaming though. From the factory I had 4:10 gears and always felt like I was red lining on the freeway. I swapped for 3:54's but this made me lug way too much. I now have 3:73's and it's right where it needs to be for my weight and tire size.



Between all three gears there was 0 mileage change. I drive a mix of town and freeway so if I gained on one end I lost on the other.



Irregardless of power the go pedal is the biggest factor contolling mileage, the less you push it the less fuel you burn. I myself am happy getting 12 MPG and racing for pole position at every light.



Garrett

 

[Prairie Dog]

All I know is the overhead console LIES . It claims 19. 8 but reality is 17. 8! I guess I cant complain - pretty good for something this heavy.

 

[Gifford]

mileage improvement

over the long run, reducing velocity from 70 mph to 55 mph will net you a 20% decrease in fuel consumption per the California Air resources Board. (ie; while the speed racer types are stopped for fuel, you will cruise by at 55 mph, just like the tortoise... )

 

[Jeremiah]

Originally posted by Prairie Dog

All I know is the overhead console LIES . It claims 19. 8 but reality is 17. 8! I guess I cant complain - pretty good for something this heavy.

My similarly equipped '03 3500 6-speed at 8,000 miles on the ODO gets anywhere from 19. 8 to 20. 5 calculated mpgs on winter blend.

 

[Lsfarm]

New Fuel Milage Product!!

Hey Guys 'n Gals, I've just decided to start offering a new fuel milage increasing product.



It will be in pill form at first, possibly in liquid form later on. It will be a mixture of Valium and Prozac. I'm not sure of the proportions yet and I'm sure that the FDA will have to approve it too.



But it sure will make that 55-60 mph cruising much less frustrating. And if you take a double dose, heck you might just decide to stay home and not go anywhere at all !!



OK, all in jest, no flaming please.



I 'bombed' my truck so I could have the unbelievable acceleration that the cummins provides at freeway speeds. This is so I'm not trapped behind the inconsiderate left lane blockers. I don't suffer the left lane hoggs gladly. The Cummins allows me to get around them through gaps that they didn't know they opened up. Then I'm gone and they are eating smoke.



My truck will still get 18-19 mpg, but somone else has to drive it to get milage that good. I get 15. 5-17. 5 the way I drive.



If you want milage, drive a VW TDI = 40 mpg+ [comes with free valium I think ]



Greg L. The Noise Nazi

 

[AKDrifter]

4:10 ratio

winter fuel

camper on towing 4k up and down hills 70%

10*- 35*F

being good on the right foot I'm getting 13 MPG with paper and pencil.



This feels like good MPG, unloaded in summer is 20-21 MPG.

 

[Jeremiah]

Re: New Fuel Milage Product!!

Originally posted by Lsfarm

Hey Guys 'n Gals, I've just decided to start offering a new fuel milage increasing product.



It will be in pill form at first, possibly in liquid form later on. It will be a mixture of Valium and Prozac. I'm not sure of the proportions yet and I'm sure that the FDA will have to approve it too.



But it sure will make that 55-60 mph cruising much less frustrating. And if you take a double dose, heck you might just decide to stay home and not go anywhere at all !!



OK, all in jest, no flaming please.



I 'bombed' my truck so I could have the unbelievable acceleration that the cummins provides at freeway speeds. This is so I'm not trapped behind the inconsiderate left lane blockers. I don't suffer the left lane hoggs gladly. The Cummins allows me to get around them through gaps that they didn't know they opened up. Then I'm gone and they are eating smoke.



My truck will still get 18-19 mpg, but somone else has to drive it to get milage that good. I get 15. 5-17. 5 the way I drive.



If you want milage, drive a VW TDI = 40 mpg+ [comes with free valium I think ]



Greg L. The Noise Nazi

Hey, Greg, funny! But in Colorado, where you can see 100 miles, we travel great distances just to get a cup of coffee. It's not unusual to go 100 miles just to get your truck serviced.



But we don't poke around either. We move on down the road and if the turkeys in the left lane won't move we just salute 'em with a set of brights and pass on the right. Most of 'em seem embarrassed and move over after we've blown their doors off.