My fuel milage findings

[13MWZ]

I drive 62 miles one way to work each day and started a little experiment to see what I could do to increase my fuel milage. I started off in my trucks "regular" configuration (see sig, also included bed mounted tool box with about 200 lbs of tools and junk) getting 19. 8mpg indicated on the over head computer.

I yanked the toolbox and moved up to 20. 6mpg.

I lowered the tailgate and got 20. 8mpg

I pumped the tire preassure to 50 and got 21. 4pmg

I removed the front replacement bumper (about 250lbs or more) and got 23. 5mpg

Then I changed the setting on my Edge Attitude from level 3 (drive) to level 1 (milage) and got 25. 4mpg.



These were all averages after a round trip 2 days in a row each, using the same roads, roughly the same weather and times of day. They arent perfect as I said I was using the over head console, reseting it after toping off the fuel tank before each trip.



I just grabed my fuel recipts to double check and got the same numbers for each trip give or take . 2 or so.



My next step will be to replace the cat with a test pipe. Also I'm due for a oil change.



Just thought I'd share with yall

 

[InfernoB]

Are you saying your overhead matched hand calculation of your receipts?

I just found that if I go 62 I see 25 on my overhead. The way I take off from the light still get's me 16 mpg with pen and paper.

 

[13MWZ]

I was suprised too. When I saw the numbers on my overhead I was thinking "ok, so it's probably realy more like 19 or so", but they came extreamly close.

I was thinking last night while the thunderstorm and hail kept me awake and I'm not possitive that the speedo/odo was calibrated to the new tires 100%. I'll look up on mapquest total driving distance from driveway to driveway and I'm going to try it again using that number instead of the indicated 62 miles that my odometer shows.

 

[hearingyourlies]

If you remove your tailgate, versus just lowering it, I think you would see an even more significant increase.

 

[BGlidewell]

I lost 15 lbs last month...

 

[13MWZ]

If you remove your tailgate, versus just lowering it, I think you would see an even more significant increase.

I use to think so too, untill I watched mythbusters test it out. Not that I get all my 'credible info' from tv but they seem to try and do things right. They found that it actually caused more drag removing it than just lowering it. Something about the air bubble that forms behind the cab and the air moving under the truck. The lowerd tailgate helped the two mesh together while goin down the road, removing it sorta made them 'slam' into eachother creating more drag... ... or something like that. I might give it a try though just for giggles.

 

[JEstes]

Seems like I read on here that with the J/A set on level 3 and 3 on the low boost fueling, guys were actually seeing better fuel economy than on the economy setting. Am I imagining things, or does this vary from truck to truck?

 

[JBonpua]

Just made the trip from May Madness from Pahrump to Sacramento with my truck set on cruise @ 60MPH I got 21. 8MPG hand calculated 100% highway miles. Not bad for a truck that weigh over 9,000LBS. I never pay attention to the lie computer as it is never right. With my 21. 8 hand calculated, the lie compuer told me 23. 5. Therefore I don't pay attention to that thing.

 

[CoastyAV8R]

That's great info 13 MWZ. I think the fact you used the computer for your reference each time validates the gains whether or not it's 100% accurate or not. 2 mpg for the front bumper is really amazing but if you look at some of those cattle pushers, they don't exactly design for aerodynamics. I read in a TDR mag about how lowering your tailgate actually makes your truck less aerodynamic because with the tailgate it creates an airpocket in the bed that creates less drag. I think if I had a couple of beers I would actually understand what the hell the point was.

How fast do you drive on your way to work?

 

[JohnsonJim]

The 20 MPG stuff is really interesting. Looking at the ads for the new dodge triucks here in Colorado Springs... the dealer shows the 2008 ram diesel getting 20 mpg. Yeah right...



My 2006 QC LB G56 is LUCKY to get 15 to 16 even on the highway. 23K on the ODO and does not matter if it is stock tires... 35's... etc. I have an AFE and 5" exhaust... still the same.



The overhead is showing 14 and a few tenths... and that is right about where the hand calc comes out.



I can get a full tank and reset the lie computer overhead and hit the freeway... 14. 5 No 20 or 23 as some say. And that 14. 5 is NOT with "jack rabbit starts" or "smoklin out" the ricer next to me.



Hell... I wish I could get 18!

 

[13MWZ]

How fast do you drive on your way to work?

Set the cruise at about 60-62.



My cattle crusher wasnt the most arodynamic around, but not the worst I've seen. I was real suprised to see that much of an increase. I'm thinking it was more of loosing that much weight hanging out on the front than the arodynamics... . but who knows. I'm no scientist, just reporting what I've found.



JohnsonJim, I dont know how much of a factor your altitude plays on mpg, but I've spent some time in your neck of the woods via Uncle Sam. I know the hills and mountains must be workin your truck a bit more than the relativly flat chunk of Texas I live on.

 

[DPalmquist]

try a scangage-2 and you can have some fun playing with it, when you get bored. I tried 3 air filters out and the that got the best milage was just an over the counter one. Amsoil nano, trueflow dropin got worse.

 

[everittak]

I just bought a bone stock 06 mega and went on my first roadtrip totaling just over 500 miles. She's got 24k on her and I changed all filters + synth oil a week ago to ensure she was clean. 1 dog, 2 adults, 3 kids, luggage, and one 600lbs 4wheeler I got 19. 4 hand calc on 235's doing 60mph on cruise. The air was around 10, so I"m sure density has something to do with it. I can't wait for her to get broken in; I'm sure with a new exhaust and better flowing intake + timing box I can eek some better numbers out.

As far as removing the bumper, I'd say that the increase airflow to the intercooler prob had something to do with the gains. Some of those nice bumpers are a real detriment to intercooler airflow.

 

[meanmatt]

I have never thought about the air flow to the intercooler part. Also seems we never hear from any of the 2wd srw owners on their fuel economy . They weigh several hundred pounds lese. then they are lower to the ground with a little cleaner under belly .

My bone stock 06 4x4 is getting 17. 5 -18 hand calculated every fill up. On my daily commute . Weekend trips empty I hit 22 pretty easily . I'm happy it is beating the Dakota it replaced 16 on the commute , never passed 18 no matter how I tried .

We need some light weight parts so we can put these trucks on a diet . My first truck was a 73 and weighed 2000lbs less then my 06 does . both 4x4 and reg cab long bed .

 

[BrianJ]

I use to think so too, untill I watched mythbusters test it out. Not that I get all my 'credible info' from tv but they seem to try and do things right. They found that it actually caused more drag removing it than just lowering it. Something about the air bubble that forms behind the cab and the air moving under the truck. The lowerd tailgate helped the two mesh together while goin down the road, removing it sorta made them 'slam' into eachother creating more drag... ... or something like that. I might give it a try though just for giggles.

The Mythbusters episodes that I have seen are the exact opposite of that. They have done a few shows on this, and in each one tailgate down was the worse for mileage. The latest episode did test with the tailgate off and it was better than tailgate down (opposite of what you are saying above). Best mileage was with tailgate up (creating the air pocket) or hard tonneau cover. What really surprised me is that one of those cargo nets were among the tops in mileage. Seemed that consensus on those was they they created worse mileage with a parachute affect, apparantly that is not the case with the results of the mythbusters testing.



The order from best to worst in the latest episode went like this...

Hard Tonneau

Tailgate "Net"

Tailgate Up

Tailgate OFF

Tailgate Down

 

[mwilson]

What my truck gets for mileage just for your comparison.



My overhead lies, bad. Has since I bought it.



Hand calculated mileage at 75mph shows 17 to 17. 5mpg on a 125 mile round trip commute spring, fall and summer.



In winter time between the cut fuel, increased rolling resistance and increased idling the truck will get me 15 to 16mpg on the same commute.



Secondary roads 55-60mph will get me 19 to 20mpg.



Towing 10,000lb. trailer and behaving myself will get 12 to 13mpg.



Towing 10,000lb trailer and racing the 18 wheelers will drop it to 10 to 11mpg. :-laf



Realistic figures compiled and kept in a notebook from day 1 when I bought it with 70 miles on the odometer. Now has 93,000 miles on it.

 

[odinjunior]

Man don't ever trade to a 6. 7. I love my truck but it wont pass a fuel station. I get consistant 12. 3-12. 7 mostly local. My old 5. 9 always gave me 16-17 doing the same driving. I can't wait untill I start towing this summer. I'll probably need an Aux tank just to get to the next truck stop... LOL

 

[EricBu12]

ODinjunior,

I have the same truck as you 'cept I have a tonneau cover. . do you have the stock tires? My truck has 7000 miles on and I haven't towed yet so it still has to break in. . If I baby it and dont accelerate too fast and do 65 solid on the freeway, On the average, I get upwards of 15. 5. . If I fill it up and jump on the freeway, and stay constant at 65 or just a little under, I see 19-20 on the overhead on flad road. .

I pumped my "E" tires up to 75-80 to help the rolling resistance. . I have some 245/70R 19. 5" "F" tires I use for towing. . They get up to 95 PSI max. . See what that does after next week when I put them on... They are a little bigger radius too...

Anyway, that is what I did. . Look at some things called "Airtabs" What are they?: Airtabs.com

Put them on the top of your snugtop and it will help eliminate the vortex on your back window.

 

[odinjunior]

EricBu12



I'm running the stock 245/70/17 tires that came with the truck. I don't use the overhead, I hand calculate the MPG at every fill up. The best tank This truck ever got was 13. 9. I don't know how that snuck in but towing a 6X10 box trailer with a Gold wing inside at 70/75 MPH got me 11. 9 to 12. 3, that was N. Y. to AZ.



I was thinking about a set of 315's on the stock wheels to get the RPM's down a bit and fill up the wheel wells. I'm just waiting to see what the IRS does to me this year.



I've read about "Air Tabs" I wonder if they really make that much difference?

 

[EricBu12]

The stock size I have is the 265/70-17

I hand calculate as well. My RPM is 1500 at 60 mph and the Odometer is accurate.
I got pretty low at first getting 13-14 or so but I have idled less and drove more conservative,. . I am getting anywhere from 14 to 16 depending on how much freeway I do