On a recent excursion with my fully optioned out 1998 Alpenlite Pendelton 11’10” camper loaded on my 2000 F350 CC 4x4 V10 Lariat 4R100 4.30gear dually pickup, I decided to do a little fuel mileage test. This camper is almost 12 feet from the ground to the top of the air conditioner on the roof when loaded on my truck. Picture a large brick moving down the road. I have the fuel economy readout on the computer that usually reads 0.5 mpg high.
I filled up the 38 gallon gas tank and headed out at 55 mph on a mostly level curvey road. After driving for 30 minutes, the computer was showing 12.2 mpg. Then I hit some hills and so by the time I filled up again and hour and a half later, the computer showed 10.6 mpg. After that fillup, I sped up to 70 mph and proceeded across some mountain passes. At the next fillup, the computer was showing 9.0 mpg. I did the manual calculation of my mileage and came up with 8.5 mpg, which is consistent with the computer error I’ve seen in the past.
So it looks like speed really has a big effect of fuel mileage. And so does the hills. I can’t control the hills here in Washington state, but I can pick my speed. Do I want to save time or save money?
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Y2K F350 CC DRW LWB 4x4 Lariat 4R100 V10 4.30ls.
98 Alpenlite Pendelton 11'10 slide-in camper.
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Is the computer read out for fuel milage an accessory that you added to the truck? I have a 2000 gasser and don't remember this being a factory option.
If so, where did you get it, and how much did it cost if you don't mind my asking.
Andy
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2000 F250 SC,5.4, 4.10LS,SILVER (AKA: SILVER BULLET), RHINOLINER, Lakeland COVER,MAAP SS NERF BARS, TINTED GLASS, LUVERNE CUSHIONING RECIEVER, RANGER 6900 FHP, TURNER RK56B, WILSON 1000, Boss 8'-2" Power V
Harald,
Those are similar numbers to what I get with my camper. Average is 10.5 true mpg at around 62 +/- mph. I have the 3.73 gearing and auto. The worst I ever got was 8.8 into a HEAVY head wind.
P.S. I've got the Lance 1121 w/ a slide out.
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Y2k F350, white with harvest gold trim,V10,4x4,Lariat,SC,Auto,Tow pkg,camper pkg,ESOF, so-called limited slip, off road,3.73,Rancho 9000 w/ in cab control, Ride Rite Air Bags,Long bed,Rickson 19.5" wheels, Michelin XDE-MS,Lance Camper, BugDeflector2, Stull Grill, KN., Flowmaster 50
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by NoMo:
Have you made this trip "empty"? If so, what kind of mpg did you get?[/QB]<hr></blockquote>
The only unloaded trip I've made was over the same mountain passes at an average of 60 mph where the computer showed 14 mpg. This would translate to mid to low 13 mpg if I had calculated the actual mileage. I don't think I can get any better than that.
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Y2K F350 CC DRW LWB 4x4 Lariat 4R100 V10 4.30ls.
98 Alpenlite Pendelton 11'10 slide-in camper.
Remove I_HATE_SPAM_ from email address to email me.
I've posted these numbers a few times lately, but they also demonstrate the mileage vs. speed issue.
I recently took a trip that was about 350 miles each way. On the way there, we left about an hour late, and I was trying to make up time, so I drove pretty hard (for me, anyway). I ran about 85 mph and got ~14.5 mpg. On the way back, I ran 70-72 and got 16.5 mpg.
This is nearly empty. There were about 475lbs of people in the cab, and about 300lbs of small gear in the back (although the trip there was about 200lbs lighter than the return trip).
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2002 F-250 CC 2WD Lariat V-10 SWB, Auto, 3.73LS. Red/parchment, captain's chairs, clearance lights, telescoping power mirrors, chrome tubular steps.
K&N, Line-X (gray, colormatched to railcaps)
Delivered 29 September 2001
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