What is your best (repeatable) MPG with a 2003/2004 (non 600)?

[klenger]

Please note, this poll is for 2003/2004 non-600 trucks.



Now that the 600's are getting a few miles on them, I think it's time for a poll of the non-600 3rd gens for comparisoin.



Enter your best milage that you calculated under normal conditions, rounded up or down to the nearest 1 MPG. Let's not use numbers like 26 MPG coasting down I-70 into Denver for 40 miles or readings from the overhead computer, but stick to realistic numbers that are repeatable. "Be honest, this is for posterity" (from "The Princess Bride). The results of the poll will be a bit misleading since there are so many truck configurations that affect milage, but it should help see the range of numbers. Feel free to make any comments.



Here is a link to the poll for the 04. 5 600 model trucks. https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=103763

 

[Jengle]

All my numbers are calculated. I average 19 on short trips to get coffee at 7-11 or paper in the morning and around town. Long trips at 70 will get me a consistent 20. I got an average of 18. 8 on a run to Muncie, running 80s and some triple digits. Trying to catch a group, 45 min ahead of me running in the 70-80 range. In the mountains of KY, where the speed limit is 55, I consistently got 22 avg. Been happy with it at this rate.

 

[MCornwell]

I always Avg. 20-22 MPG on every tank, always have since



new. This is with NO towing at all. City drivin to a min. but there





For the long trips with speeds over 80 I have averaged around



18 MPG... needless to say I'm a happy camper. 24,000 Miles



Very similar to Jengle.





-Mitch

 

[bpenrod]

Sounds like my numbers, always average 20 or 21 hand calculated. That drops to around 18 if I'm towing the car trailer around. I did get an honest 25. 6 (26?) hand calculated on strectch with the cruise set to 58 and not many stops along US23 but that was a rarity, 20 or 21 is the repeatable number.

 

[RankRam]

70=21. 5



75=19. 5



80=18. 1



55=??



I usually run at 70.

 

[RedDieselDawg]

I can get 20-21 empty on the highway at 60 to 65 max, anymore and it drops. I avg 17-18 driving 40% city, 60%highway at 70, always empty. You see my rig in my sig. I wish a 3;55 would have been an option.

 

[Tony T.]

I choose the 16 MPG for my truck. The type of driving I do consist of a lot of stop an starts an short trips. My work place is exactly 10 miles from my driveway with two stop signs and four signal lights that you may luck out an catch green, or you may not. Usually drive 62 to 65 in a posted 60 MPH highway. On occasion we take a 54 mile round trip to a certain restaurant to eat every couple of weeks an I do see a little better mileage showing when we do the eat out thing. The best I have ever recorded was a Sunday drive where I filled the tank an returned to same location same pump an hand calculated 18. 8 MPG, this was when the truck had around 8,000 miles on the clock. I have not been able to tow lately at all. Truck now has 18,500+ miles on it to date an mileage is about the same now as when it had the 8,000. You can see signature below having the SO/250HP an the 47RE/Auto/4x4 & being a 3500. Hopefully it will be a late bloomer an start seeing the 18&19 MPG just running around town, but I want hold my breath. All things considering it still gets alot better mileage than my 2000 Chevy 2500 Crewcab 4x4 gasser/auto did. It,s best was 13. 2 MPG on the highway an around 11 city/highway unloaded.

 

[blake underwood]

21. 2 mpg was my best - 600 miles/65 mph



20 mpg consistently



These were hand calc. BUT I forgot to add in the 315 tires

 

[klenger]

TTT for more votes

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Should have made the poll go higher. Usually 21 mpg highway for me if I don't go too fast. Best so far low 23.



Vaughn

 

[Carlsummers]

My driving is about 60/40 highway/city. Over the last 5000 miles, I've averaged 19. 3. If I drive highway only then I average 22. 5@70mph.....

 

[stevenknapp]

Aren't there more non-600 owners than this?

 

[SRadke]

20. 25 mpg over a 7000 mile round trip to Muncie. Mostly empty running 70 on the freeway but I had a rather large box in the back (about 1000 pounds) on the way home. This is also a 250 horse SO with TST box. The boxes helps mileage.



-Scott

 

[Eric_77]

I get 20. 5 to 22 wife gets 17. 5 I could't figure it out for the longest time then I watched her driving she never uses cruise and her foot is constantly on/off throttle whereas I always use cruise (otherwise I would be speeding all the time)

 

[JohnCooper]

I drive mostly around town in short trips. I get approximately 11. 5-12. 0 if I don't get on the freeway. If I reset my computer when I am up to speed, I get about 19-20. The best I did was a drive from Prescott AZ to Phoenix (all down hill), I got 21. 5 for the trip.



My numbers have never been anywhere near what others say they are getting with there 03 4X4 48RE equiped trucks. It is still alot better than what friends are getting with there gassers, but I would sure like to get some of those claimed numbers others are getting. I also get about 12 towing my 5ver (sure beats the 7 I got with my motor home.

 

[SRadke]

I picked up about 3 mpg when I added an intake, exhaust and fueling box with timing. Before that I averaged 16 and could barely get 18 on the highway.



-Scott

 

[Johnstra]

Best tank was 722 miles on 33. 9 gallons == 21. 30 MPG. This was mostly hilly highway driving at 65-70 MPH. I regularly get 19. 5 - 20. 5 MPG.

-john

 

[Badunit]

Most of my driving is mixed, heavier on the traffic driving than highway cruising. Over the first 20K miles I calculated each tankful. They averaged 17. 5 and didn't vary much from there. With the Van Aaken C3. 2 it stayed close to the same, maybe a little less. With the addition of a Banks Monster Exhaust (with the downpipe), it looked like it was going to go up at least 1. 3 mpg and maybe as much as 2. 0 mpg based on the readings on my overhead computer (which has been surprisingly accurate). It was reading 18. 8 after the hundred miles (all traffic miles with a lot more stop and go than usual) then I rode around with my wife and she insisted on AC vs windows. The overhead quickly dropped down to 17. 7. So, basically, I have no idea what my mpg is now.



Has anyone else noticed a 1mpg effect from running the AC? I have also determined that my EGTs will never get to 300 if the AC is running. 325 is about the lowest it will go.

 

[ttreibel]

No impact with AC on for me I seem to get 19. 0 -19. 7 most tanks and when towing 13-15. Worse tank 10. 7 best 21. 3. I never run completely empty and I am a 1 ton 4x4 with a lumber rack (sail) on top if I emptied the truck and took the rack off and kept my foot out of it I bet I could get 22+ on the HWY.

 

[SRadke]

AC costs about 1 mpg depending on driving. Those compressors require a lot of power. Not only increased load on the engine but the heat in the coil will heat your aftercooler causing warmer charge air. I don't use it unless it's really unconfortable without.



-Scott