Best Mileage with 7.3 PSD Excursion

[reddgz]

I am running around 22 on the highway and 16 pulling a 2800 lb boat.
I really seen a difference when I put the 4 " Turbo back MBRP system
on.I have a early 99 and it come with a cat. That is gone now and my turbo
really sings when I put the pedal to it. I also have a 60 tow tune burnt by
Cale at BTS when I got my tranny bullet proofed in Lead Hill. I am also running a K&N FIPK intake. I have 3.73 gears and stock tires also. I try to keep the rpm's under 2K to get the most milage.I think I will send my box back to Cale
to get 5 more tunes and a sw just for a little more power when I need it.

[06Clone]

Originally Posted by clamgulch

...I'm seriously thinking of dropping the height WAY down and going back to stock tires.

You'd have to grow up first.

All kidding aside, as aerospace engineers, Clam and I both know that the thermal efficiency available out of a gallon of diesel is only realized to the extent of about 25% and most of that is wasted in heat transfer. I regularly get 22-23 again on sea level interstate since I went from the dumbo 325/50/20s to the OEM 265-65/20s back in 05. With all my mods and the OEM 265/16s steel wheels last summer I made south side Atlanta from DC on 29 gallons (all I95 & I85). That’s 21 MPG average and up and over the southern Smoky Mountains. With the air dam on I ripped off in the woods and without the mud flaps it gets a highway average of 24 and at a steady 55 it got 26 one time so 28 is not an impossibility. If fact, I would say that with a 3.00 rear instead of the 3.73 it would get 30 mpg.

[jrbauerjr]

We just picked up a 2000 Excursion Limited 7.3 Powerstroke with 116,000 miles, auto & 4WD. The vehicle seems to be totally stock and in very good condition.

I don't know about all these mileage claims. We took a short trip this summer towing a 20 ft box utility trailer about 4 to 5k total weight. San Francisco to LA, then a detour to New Orleans and then to Daytona Beach. Made a side trip Daytona to Philly and then back to Daytona. Left there and returned via I20 to I5 and back to SF Bay.

According to my Excel spreadsheet we covered 8585 miles, burned 760 gallons of diesel at a cost of $3450 and averaged 11.3 MPG on this 6 week trip. The trailer was off the vehicle for only about 200 miles and I kept the speed between 60 and 70 the entire trip and got 80MPG coasting down Grapevine Hill.

I seem to be getting around 14 in mixed city freeway commuting and haven't done any all freeway no trailer trips yet. I have to think that 14 around town is pretty good for a vehicle the size of an Excursion. I had a Diesel Blazer back in the 80's and got no better mileage with it.

Jim Bauer

[Ragdude]

We have gotten as good as 24 with ours, '02 7.3, stock, running flat hwy, set at 65 which is actually 63 according to gps., normal hwy driving gets 21. But thats running 100% bio, I would guess dino-diesel might get a little better.

[MT56POWERSTROKE]

I started this thread and have taken only one mileage reading since I got a tuner. I got the edge evolution with the BD tunes. It 40 60 and 100hp. Running on performance mode I got 20 mpg on a 600 mile trip. That is with a intake and programmer, and stock exhaust. I finally got a BD 4 inch and I am in the process of installing this weekend so I will be looking for more gains. This said, I am also running 33 inch BFG's , so I know I could gain alot by going back to stock tires. I think I will look for a set that I can run when I go on trips and keep the 33's on for around town and the winter here.

[06Clone]

Originally Posted by jrbauerjr

We just picked up a 2000 Excursion Limited 7.3 Powerstroke with 116,000 miles... I seem to be getting around 14 in mixed city freeway commuting and haven't done any all freeway no trailer trips yet... Jim Bauer

That is about par for a stock 100k daily driver. 12mpg towing a box at 70 is actually pretty good. Mods$$$$Mods$$ and more Mods$$ w/oil air & filters might get you 17 but driving methods can gain you 15-20% across the board.

[MT56POWERSTROKE]

I finally have my 4 inch exhaust installed. So, I have my intake, exhaust, and edge evolution with BD tunes. I have gotten 20mpg without the exhaust and I took two mileage test yesterday, both 90 miles, and I got 16 one way and 17 on the way back. It was very, very windy and with a big X I am thinking that might of hurt it a little, but I am still hoping for better. I am going to do a oil change switching from amsoil 15-40 to schaeffers 5-40 and a amsoil bypass filter and will do another test after that is installed. I know she can do better. I am running 33 inch bfg though too and I know I could pick up some mileage with a set of stock rubber.

[psdpower]

2002 Excursion w/ mods listed below in town driving 16.5-17.5. Highway at 70=18.00. If I keep it around 60-65 I can see 19 mpg. Not bad for a rolling brick. Wish the new trucks (diesels) would be that good.

[turbodave]

Just an update. Now have just over 150,000 on my 01. Just got back from a trip up to WI and back. 818 miles each way, 4 adults and all the luggage and other junk to support us for a week.
Still knocked down 19.9mpg with cruise control on 69mph (2,000rpm).
Anything above 2,000 rpm and your mileage will plummet.

[ramblemutt]

The best thing to happen when I had the Juice installed was that it put my Lie-O-Meter out of action...it's stuck on 11.5.

Hand calced, I got 20 mpg @ 70 mph of freeway cruise control driving ....300 miles. Haven't taken a freeway trip since. Last time I checked, I got 11.5 mixed towing 8K lbs..all in the mountains, including 10,750 and 9500 ft. passes...mostly in "tow" setting with the Juice.

Since I use this rig almost exclusively for towing, I don't really concern myself that much with mileage. I do know it's 50-60% better than the 454 Jimmy gasser I swapped for the Ex. That works for me.

[a94cobra]

02 2x4 - K&N replacement filter and superchip on low setting. 24mpg at 65mph done by hand. Overhead was reading 28. Have had the overhead read as high as 34. But you can't believe that.

Now I want to add some propane.

[mike650]

Originally Posted by 06Clone

You'd have to grow up first.

All kidding aside, as aerospace engineers, Clam and I both know that the thermal efficiency available out of a gallon of diesel is only realized to the extent of about 25% and most of that is wasted in heat transfer. I regularly get 22-23 again on sea level interstate since I went from the dumbo 325/50/20s to the OEM 265-65/20s back in 05. With all my mods and the OEM 265/16s steel wheels last summer I made south side Atlanta from DC on 29 gallons (all I95 & I85). That’s 21 MPG average and up and over the southern Smoky Mountains. With the air dam on I ripped off in the woods and without the mud flaps it gets a highway average of 24 and at a steady 55 it got 26 one time so 28 is not an impossibility. If fact, I would say that with a 3.00 rear instead of the 3.73 it would get 30 mpg.

I'm betting your using the overhead computer for you MPG numbers because that's the only way anyone's going to average 24mpg on the highway in one of these rigs.

[MT56POWERSTROKE]

I have taken a bunch of readings and today I pulled 18mpg at 65mph set in the race mode which is 60hp. I tried all three settings and on tow it gets the best mileage around town. On extreme I get terrible mileage in town. I cant wait until I have the money to get the f6 I think it is from DP. I think that will make alot of difference over what I have. I just installed my Amsoil bypass filter yesterday too. Amsoil makes a sweet oil cap that is threaded for a fitting so you can run your oil return line to it when you install you bypass filter. Its blue billet aluminum and it looks great. I just did a oil change with schaeffers 9000 5w-40 too and with the bypass its staying nice and clear. I would usually get black residue on the paper towel when checking the oil even when the oil look clean. Now, I just checked it today and now black at all on the towel. This is the new oil and it already had the residue right after I changed it but after the bypass, its gone. Just something that really shows how good it is at removing soot. Anyone with a 7.3 or 6.0 should take a look at that cap, I have been looking for a long time and stumbled across it on the amsoil website. Its part of a bypass kit for the 6.0 but you can order it seperate. I think its a bk1102 if I remember right.

If anyone has any first had

[06Clone]

Originally Posted by ramblemutt

The best thing to happen when I had the Juice installed was that it put my Lie-O-Meter out of action...it's stuck on 11.5.

Hand calced, I got 20 mpg @ 70 mph of freeway cruise control driving ....300 miles. Haven't taken a freeway trip since. Last time I checked, I got 11.5 mixed towing 8K lbs..all in the mountains, including 10,750 and 9500 ft. passes...mostly in "tow" setting with the Juice.

Since I use this rig almost exclusively for towing, I don't really concern myself that much with mileage. I do know it's 50-60% better than the 454 Jimmy gasser I swapped for the Ex. That works for me.

20 @ 70 is amazing in a 4x4 X. You sure your speedo is correct? I met a parts truck driver that said his bone stock 2001 2WD X gets an average of 19 between Baltimore and DC. He has no overhead and has to pay for his own fuel. He said he saved about 40% over his old Chevy V6 pickup and his pure highway has always been 23.

[MotionMan]

One time..at Band Camp....well once when I was going down hill I reset the overhead and got like 60mpg....while coasting for the most part....and it went to 10 up the hill. I see an average of 16 all around but at 65 I can squeeze 18-20 on flat ground and empty.