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My Mileage Experiment - Real World

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OK - this is what I did this past week to try and get max mileage. Now this mileage is mostly in town and some freeway. Now I drove with an eggshell under my foot and never got above 62 MPH. I tried my best to use the 600 degree EGT and 10 Lbs of boost formula mentioned in the latest TDR mag. Now I never had the boost even close to that level. I haven't driven like this since I bought the truck. Oh also - BOX OFF! So essentially I don't think I could have driven much better for mileage than I did.



The key was patience - and it did pay off. Previously my fuel light would come on at around 375 miles - this time it waited until 496 miles!



This resulted in an average of 18. 4 MPG (526 miles and 28. 5 gallons).



This tank I'll put the box on level 1 sublevel 1 (the blinking one). I'm told it fuels less than stock - I'll see... ...
 
I am curious to see how that turns out.



The best milage I ever achieved was driving across OHIO going east. I got 17. 6mpg, but only went 59mph. I think it was the wind that helped push me across the state (I was towing a car carrier, GVCW ~= 18,000).



BTW, I have 4:10s and a 6-speed.
 
I did some statisical analysis on my fuel ecomony a couple of months ago (it is posted on here somewhere). In general SPEED is the determining factor in fuel economy.



I tend to drive conservitively and have towed about 7500 miles of the 119,000 on the truck. I've tracked every drop of fuel and every mile. I have a lifetime average of 17. 1 mpg. My all time single tank high was 20. 37 (twice) and all time low was 10. 12 (towing 7000# at 85mph in 104deg heat on I75 in Florida).



Keep the foot off the pedal and you will SAVE!!!!
 
The only mod that significantly affected my mileage was bumping the timing. I used to get 20. something. every tank (except towing). I drive 700 miles a week, almost all 65mph flat hwy. After bumping the timing to 16 I have not gotten below 21. 1 (not towing). I just added an Advance toneau cover & have not noticed a significant gain yet. I did tow my car hauler with a 3000# car one way, empty trailer back 360 miles & got 19 for the trip driving 70-75 mph (you'll get run over on I45 if you go any slower)
 
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I regularly get 18mpg driving like an idiot out of my '02 2wd QC loaded auto. If I drive 70-75 and don't mash on it at every stoplight I get 20-21 occasionally 22.



This truck has stage 2 (80hp) injectors, a rebadged EZ, ATS stage IV and twins :cool:



I run 265-75-16's on alcoa aluminum wheels
 
I saw a big jump (10%) in mileage when I had a tonneau cover installed. Mileage also increased a little after the following changes:

1. Switching to a synthetic oil... 1 or 2 %

2. AFE air filter

3. TAG

Keeping your foot out of it is probably the easiest thing to do however.

Mike
 
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