I am new to diesel stop and am looking for some proven experience anyone has with Excursion 7.3 and getting them to improve milage. I have owned mine since it was new and have 239,000 miles on it. It got about 16.5 mpg when I first bought it and it is still about the same. Have a Superchip and doesn't change milage on any setting. 1 time I got 18.5 mpg on 1 tank full going from Texas to Colorado driving about 70-75 mph. I check the milage by comparing miles driven and gallons put in the tank, not the digital readout overhead.
Do you know what gears you have in the truck? Also, what year is it? You may want to fill out a signature in your profile to let folks know what you are driving.
In my experience driving habits have a lot to do with mileage. 70-75 MPH is not in a fuel sipping mode for most of these trucks.
I drive like an old man. Never use more than 1/4 throttle, shift at 12-1300 RPM, set cruise at 57 on the interstate (@1600 rpm), drive like I have a full glass of concord grape juice sitting on a piece of carpet in the bed that cost $175,000. As a driving for economy philosophy, brakes are the enemy. Any time you use your brakes you are spending brake money to scrub off speed you spent fuel money to build up. Plan your stops, turns, etc. to avoid wasted fuel. This kind of philosophy took me from 17.5-19 to ranging from 21-23 mix of interstate and surface roads (personal best is 24.5 all interstate, cruise set at 57 mph). Since I had this particular increase I have added 500 lbs of tools and a 300 lb 3 foot tall contractor cap, spending 3/4 of my time for the last three months pulling a trailer weighing from 3000 - 5500 lbs. working a handyman business I have opened. I am still getting 18-19 mpg on 100% surface roads. My truck is wondering if all the interstates have been closed.
Also how wide are your tires? I went from 255/85x16 to 285/75x16 (within 1/10 of an inch in diameter of each other but the 285 is significantly wider) and lost 1.5 MPG - I am going back to 235/85x16 as tires wear out.
__________________ THANK YOU to all the heroes in our military and all the heroes at home who wait for their safe return. I am humbled by and grateful for your service and sacrifice.
'95 F250 ext cab long bed, PSD, 5 speed, 2 wheel drive, 3.55 gears, 286,000 miles, Edge Evolution CTS (LINK TO MY REVIEW), LUK clutch, homemade REAR BUMPER, open element AIR FILTER, 36" ARE contractor cap. With tools, full of fuel and me on board (300 lbs) steer 3620, drive 3860 total 7480.
57 on the interstate???? Make sure your in the right lane if I come up on you.... Your mileage sounds about right, keeping it under 2000 rpms is the sweet spot. 57??? I guess it could be worse, the min is 45
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2003 7.3 Excursion Limited Ultimate, Mineral Grey Metalic. DVD, Limited Slip, Badged, Cab Lights, Magnaflow, Thule Rack, Top Gun Bumper, 3" Lift, T Prodigy, Air Bags, Edge Programer, XM Radio, Extreme sound system. PIAA Lights, Toyo 325/60/18s on Chrome Alum rims.http://community.webshots.com/user/stellinm
Weird. The X got combined about 16.5 when we first got it. I added an intake and DP tuner and it bumped it to 24/28. Now its down to 21/23 though, but its put on roughly 120k since we chipped it. I think it needs new injectors soon.
I have a stock 3.73 rear end. I have tried lowering the mph to 65, 60 and still get similar milage. I have only been checking it on long trips where I will fill the tank a few times and drive for hours before stopping. Usually has been between Texas and Minnesota on I 35 during the summer. I know it won't be good on short trips. I have read where larger exhausts and different intakes make a difference on pickup trucks but I haven't heard from anyones personal experience yet on Excursions. What is a DP tuner and how much are they for the Excursion? Is it better then a Superchip?
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01 Excursion, 4 x 4 Limited, 265/75/16 Firestone Transforce HT maintain 72 psi front- 70 psi in rear, Superchip, 3.73 rear end, Airbags front and back (10-15 psi) 275,000 miles.
01 F-350 dually, 4 x 4 Lariat, Hypertech chip, AFE air intake, 4 inch MBR Exhaust, rear air bags (25-50 psi) 110,000 miles.
Last edited by 01 Excursion; 08-30-2009 at 09:34 AM.
I am new to diesel stop and am looking for some proven experience anyone has with Excursion 7.3 and getting them to improve milage. I have owned mine since it was new and have 239,000 miles on it. It got about 16.5 mpg when I first bought it and it is still about the same. Have a Superchip and doesn't change milage on any setting. 1 time I got 18.5 mpg on 1 tank full going from Texas to Colorado driving about 70-75 mph. I check the milage by comparing miles driven and gallons put in the tank, not the digital readout overhead.
You should be able to do a good bit better by backing down to 68-70. 2,000 rpm or lower will show substantial gains in mileage. I set my cruise control on 2,000rpm (which if memory serves is about 68 mph), and I can usually knock down 20mpg on long drives in "flat" states.
My mileage drops off into the 16-17 range if I keep it up near 75mph.
__________________ TurboDave, EWCS(SW)USN Ret H&N Turbo 6 Racing
Seviervile TN A MAN AND HIS TRUCK, IT'S A BEATUFUL THING 01 Excursion LTD (EBM3) 7.3L, PSD, Turbo, 4X2, TTS Race Magnum chip (original owner) 86 GN (original owner) 87 GN (second owner) 08 Honda Accord EX-L
Weird. The X got combined about 16.5 when we first got it. I added an intake and DP tuner and it bumped it to 24/28. Now its down to 21/23 though, but its put on roughly 120k since we chipped it. I think it needs new injectors soon.
With those type of numbers you must be driving down hill with a tail wind ALL the time. Now you just lost your tail wind
1973 K5 Blazer 383stroker,TrickFlow alum.heads,Crower forged rods-roller lifter cam-roller rockers,Keith Black10.5:1,Doug Thorley tri-y,MSD,ARP,Q-jet,on 1 ton axles,1991 front clip,3K miles on FULL body off rebuild
yep, you gotta slow down. I set mine at 2000 rpm's (68-70mph) also and average 20 mpg. Bump it up to 75 mph and it drops to 18 - 18.5 mpg, drop down to 55 mph and I can get 24 +/-, but it feels like I'm standing still, and not making any friends on the highway.
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'96 F350,Dually,CC,5 spd.,stock.
'02 Excursion Limited, stock
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I added an intake and DP tuner and it bumped it to 24/28. .
Were those figures what your fuel calc. computer was telling you? Because it gets totally whacked out when adding chips or tuners to the truck's original PCM.
Hand calculations are the ONLY way to calculate fuel mileage.
__________________ TurboDave, EWCS(SW)USN Ret H&N Turbo 6 Racing
Seviervile TN A MAN AND HIS TRUCK, IT'S A BEATUFUL THING 01 Excursion LTD (EBM3) 7.3L, PSD, Turbo, 4X2, TTS Race Magnum chip (original owner) 86 GN (original owner) 87 GN (second owner) 08 Honda Accord EX-L
All my calculations are based on miles driven and gallons put in too completely fill the tank. I would only due the mpg checks when I was on 500 plus mile trips. My computer is now indicating 23-24 mpg but that has been that way ever since I added the Superchip. I knew that wasn't acurate at all and have never relied on that reading. Prior to the chip the readings were within a mile or 2 of actually what I got, 16.5 mpg.
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01 Excursion, 4 x 4 Limited, 265/75/16 Firestone Transforce HT maintain 72 psi front- 70 psi in rear, Superchip, 3.73 rear end, Airbags front and back (10-15 psi) 275,000 miles.
01 F-350 dually, 4 x 4 Lariat, Hypertech chip, AFE air intake, 4 inch MBR Exhaust, rear air bags (25-50 psi) 110,000 miles.
Heres what I got with the mods listed.
Edge turner = 2-4 MPG increase
AFE Intake = 1 MPG increase .....more for lowering EGT's
Exhaust = 1 MPG ...........more for lowering EGT's
With turner I get 12-14 MPG around town
With turner I get 14-17 mpg on highway driving 70 mpg
If I run Oregon or Navada fuel, I get 18-20 MPG on the highway
To boost my MPG in California I run fuel additives. They help my MPG by 1-2 MPG's
All MPG's are hand calc'd... Once you add a tuner the MPG meter lies..... On the meter I've seen 35 MPG!!!! And it was lying!!!!!!
Jim
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2003 EXCURSION EDDIE B, 7.3 PS, 4" Magnaflow Turbo Back exhaust with International up-pipes. BD-Power X Monitor, AFE Stage 2 and Edge Evolution. 6.0L Trans Cooler. JVC DVD head unit with 6 Boston Pro series speakers, Rockford Fosgate 12" sub and amps. Oh ya, AC power for the Blender.
Boomboom What are you seeing with your X? Did the 4" exhaust and DP tuner increase your milage at all?
For the longest time I put off doing the tuner. I was having tranny issues and didn't want to chance loosing my warranty. But with the exhaust alone not really I avg. 12-13 on mixed driving and 15-16 freeway @2100 70mph. After I put the tuner in about 3 yrs ago each avg. rose 3 mpg but the power differance with the tuner is AWSOME and im sure the Exhaust gains are much better with the tuner installed. So YES I saw an increase in milage.
1973 K5 Blazer 383stroker,TrickFlow alum.heads,Crower forged rods-roller lifter cam-roller rockers,Keith Black10.5:1,Doug Thorley tri-y,MSD,ARP,Q-jet,on 1 ton axles,1991 front clip,3K miles on FULL body off rebuild
I leave my DP Tuner on '80 economy' 90 pct. of the time. I could sqeeze alittle better milage if its wasn't so much fun smokin these damn kids that insist on leaving their RAP style music cranked up with windows down next to you at stop lights. Their REGRETS when the light turns green I have Stock, 80 Eco, 80 Tow, 100 HP performance. I have the EX remote switch also.
1973 K5 Blazer 383stroker,TrickFlow alum.heads,Crower forged rods-roller lifter cam-roller rockers,Keith Black10.5:1,Doug Thorley tri-y,MSD,ARP,Q-jet,on 1 ton axles,1991 front clip,3K miles on FULL body off rebuild
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Your mileage sounds about right, keeping it under 2000 rpms is the sweet spot. 57??? 
I guess it could be worse, the min is 45
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