Tuner vs gear vendors for mpg

[AH64ID]

Haha yeah well without being able to run EFI Live I have to check out options and I do appreciate everyone’s input. Hey btw do you have a link for the programmer your talking about?

http://mm3power.com/

UDC Pro is better than EFI Live on a Cummins. They are very similar but UDC Pro is only for Cummins, and this has more tuning tables for the programmer to adjust. Peak power or mileage won’t be much different but a UDC Pro tuned truck can have better drive ability, which is where we spend most of our time.

I’ve tuned on both and will take UDC Pro over EFI any time.

You’re not missing out on anything by looking at UDC Pro over EFI Live, in fact your gaining lots.

If you want any additional info on pricing shoot me a PM.

 

[cerberusiam]

I interested in the screen package for monitoring trans temp and a few extras

Rail pressure and boost is about all you really want to monitor thru the OBD port and even those need base lined and adjusted for a specific truck. EGT and trans temp is much better thru the aux ports on any of them. With an auto the fluid temp is read in the pan and by the time it is hot it is too late to do anything about it, towing you want the cooler output temp to adjust driving not the result of heat soak.

MM3 is much more flexible and informative and a custom tune will be way better than the canned ones.

 

[AH64ID]

Is your 03 a 305hp motor?

 

[SnoKing]

Is your 04 a 305hp motor?

03

 

[AH64ID]

Need more coffee...

 

[Mechanic1994]

Is your 03 a 305hp motor?

Yea it’s 305hp

 

[capt fast]

I want better mpg out of my 03 dually. It’s kind of embarrassing but I pulled my camper over the weekend and only got 10mpg highway (although wind speeds were high, 15mph+) Anyway I wish my 48re had one more gear so I think a GEAR VENDORS would help greatly. But guys at work are telling me EFI LIVE will show better results... opinions are welcomed

I have an 03 250Hp five spd man SRW with 3.73 axles. the idea of slowing down is not a bad idea. speed costs fuel hauling a load. reducing revs per mile with gears does works but not as well as slowing down 10mph, I tow a 11K lb. fifth wheel and get 14mpg at 60~62mph on the flats at 5000 feet. driving in the Rockies, all bets on economy are off. there is a direct correlation between fuel consumption and amount of boost needed to do the work required. taller gearing/more overdrive is not going to reduce the amount of work you require from the power plant, it's all about how much torque applied to the drive axle to move the load down the road. if you slow down just a little bit, you will see better MPG even if it takes a few minutes longer to get where your going. time is money but so is fuel sso saying slowing down is free may not be true; it is cheaper than putting in another gear.

 

[Regcabguy]

I would not use a Gear Vendors on a 4x4 truck, if that is what you have. Note how long they are, they can/will break the t-case. There is no support for the Gear Vendors, they just hang there.

View attachment 111931

A friend got one and wouldn't do it again. $4K installed and with low mileage it's leaked a couple of times.

 

[mfurrh55]

Hey guys I appreciate the input. Good to know others get the same mileage. Guy at work has a beautiful early 07 5.9 manual, fu**er gets 17’s mpg pulling his gooseneck. But I love my truck and I’ll stick with her I think

i have an 07 5.9 6 speed manual, pulling 14' flat nose only gets me 14 mpg, empty 18

 

[Mechanic1994]

I have an 03 250Hp five spd man SRW with 3.73 axles. the idea of slowing down is not a bad idea. speed costs fuel hauling a load. reducing revs per mile with gears does works but not as well as slowing down 10mph, I tow a 11K lb. fifth wheel and get 14mpg at 60~62mph on the flats at 5000 feet. driving in the Rockies, all bets on economy are off. there is a direct correlation between fuel consumption and amount of boost needed to do the work required. taller gearing/more overdrive is not going to reduce the amount of work you require from the power plant, it's all about how much torque applied to the drive axle to move the load down the road. if you slow down just a little bit, you will see better MPG even if it takes a few minutes longer to get where your going. time is money but so is fuel sso saying slowing down is free may not be true; it is cheaper than putting in another gear.

I think I’m going to try setting cruise at 65 next time...maybe 68 (I’m inpatient) was doin 73ish when I was getting that mpg hauling camper and hell when I got a wind break I’d look down and be doin almost 85 haha and had to slow down then. Like you said 5-10mph gonna cost me what, 20min so so over a 300mile trip lol.

 

[DavidC]

Last I saw, RV tires are only rated to 65mph unless something has changed. I know I feel like I am crawling when interstate limits are 75-85mph.

 

[AH64ID]

Last I saw, RV tires are only rated to 65mph unless something has changed. I know I feel like I am crawling when interstate limits are 75-85mph.

Lots of current trailer tires are rated for 75, 81, or higher. In the last couple years it seems there has been a big change.

 

[DavidC]

Lots of current trailer tires are rated for 75, 81, or higher. In the last couple years it seems there has been a big change.

Stand corrected, showing my age again.
The Endurance is available in Load Ranges D and E to accommodate larger load capacities, according to Goodyear. It also has a speed rating of N (87 mph), which is considerably higher than the usual trailer tire speed rating of L (75 mph),

 

[SnoKing]

Lot of magic stuff going on there. ST tires got their higher(about 10%) load ratings based on the speed restriction of 65 MPH. Then Carlisle had the bass boy guys wanting to tow faster, so they changed their speed restrict to say "the speed limit". Others got on board and started placing higher numbers on their tires.

Then along come RVIA the RV community group and in 2018 said that trailer tires needed to be rated 10% higher than the GAWR. So the magical higher speed stay, but what was a 10% high weight rating or so got pulled off the table.

The best bet is for a 5200 or 6000 lb axle is to install Michelin XPS Ribs or Bridgestone Duravis R250 all steel ply LT tires. For 7K axles GY G614s or Sailun S637 LRG all steel ply tires. Or go to 225/75R17.5 tires and rims.

Again, lots of mirrors and magic. SnoKing

 

[RVTRKN]

I looked into gear vender for my 04.5 (see sig) and due to cost and reliability issues I just kept it stock. I'm no MAD TUNER and that is the reason I bought EFILive with the Auto Cal for my 07, someone else has to load the tune if I wanted to change one of five of them. I don't know the other tune discussed, but I won't program my own CTD, They just cost too much. That being said, I love my EFILive and won't go back to stock tunes unless the government forces me into it. I would stay away from gear vendor.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I have the same engine and year. I can tell you the Smarty Jr set to timing only still does not make any measurable difference in fuel efficiency.

 

[Mechanic1994]

I have the same engine and year. I can tell you the Smarty Jr set to timing only still does not make any measurable difference in fuel efficiency.

Thanks, kinda what I was getting the feeling of. Mpg is what it is, Im planning on just driving the truck for a few years before I do anything. It’s a Great truck

 

[RVTRKN]

What is your rear diff ratio? 4:10’s with a heavy GVW should help in mpg, easier to turn the wheels equates to better mpg, but that’s loaded with weight, empty it’s opposite issue.

 

[Mechanic1994]

What is your rear diff ratio? 4:10’s with a heavy GVW should help in mpg, easier to turn the wheels equates to better mpg, but that’s loaded with weight, empty it’s opposite issue.

I have 4:10 my buddy has a 3:73 and mine is a dog compared to his. But mine will out pull his 3:73

 

[RVTRKN]

I missed the boat with 4:10’s and ordered my C&C with 3:73’s. In Comifornia, with the 55 mph speed limit for truck and trailer, it’s hard for me to stay at 55, with the 3:73 it causes me to constantly shift between 5th and 6th with the G56. However at 65-70 it’s not an issue at all, and pulls like a freight train.