my mileage sucks - Diesel Forum

tydaddy003 · 05-19-2005, 09:10 AM

why am i only getting 9-10 miles a gallon pulling a landscape trailer with 2 mowers...only about 4000 total including trailer. and empty i still barely get 13

OMCUSNR · 05-19-2005, 10:43 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Edge/attitude, MAC Intake, 16x8 Pro Comp 1079's with 295 BFG AT K/O'

[/ QUOTE ] There's part of your problem right there. You're mods may have given you more ooomph, but they certainly didn't help economy.

The other part is your driving style. A lawn care business is not the best way to eek mpg out of these trucks, sad to say. They like an open road & a bit of weight for best economy. Stop/go, city traffic w/ the torqueshift in not the best. Too much idle time.

I wish there was a better way to go, but you may have been better w/ an F150 w/ the 5.4 triton V-8 for economy. Unless you're hauling a lot of landscape rock & dirt, a diesel isn't getting used like it should.

PoppaSmurf · 05-19-2005, 10:49 AM

When's the last time you changed your fuel filters? If its been a while, start there. Perhaps a reflash to the currently latest version might help. (Yeah, I know.... but it *might* help)

Good luck buddy,
Brian.

05superdutyTJ · 05-19-2005, 12:13 PM

I'm getting about 14.5 to 15.5 City/highway combined (actual)

Straight highway at 65, I can probably squeeze out 19 or 20. But, it better be FLAT!

I'm sure if I didn't drive so nicely, I'd get about 12 city, 15 higway (for 13 combined, unloaded)

If you drive over 65, you're wasting fuel. The faster you go, the more fuel you use. (like a brick in a wind tunnel)

tydaddy003 · 05-19-2005, 01:19 PM

forgot to change the signature...the edge is gone...yeah i tried the f150 and f250 gas thing...i needed more power. I pull skid steers, tractors, and other various things including horse trailers and hay and all that kind of thing...my truck gets used like a truck shoudl...hard!!! i dunno i don't really mind the poor milage i just dont understand how guys say they can get 15 and 19 i just don't get it...

wpetko · 05-19-2005, 01:31 PM

You may very well have a mileage issue, but you won't know for sure until you get some base line fuel economy figures. Take a trip on the highway with not too many hills and try to keep engine speed under 2,000 rpm's. Don't pull a trailer or have the truck too loaded down. Drive enough miles to get a good representation and you should get at least 16 - 17 mpg. Do this a couple of times to be sure. The point is to see what the truck by itsself will do.

MoeB · 05-19-2005, 01:45 PM

Lots of things affect mileage on these trucks: tire size, trailer aerodynamics, flat vs hilly terrain, 4x4 vs 4x2, head vs tail wind, crew cab vs standard cab, highway vs city driving, etc, etc. It's hard to compare mileage between diff trucks, apples to apples.

tincan · 05-19-2005, 02:31 PM

My truck is stock except for the cat back exhaust. I get nearly
13 mpg towing my 32 ft TT that weighs about 8000 lbs. I get an average combined city/hwy well over 18 mpg. I am all [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]'s
with my stock 03.
Tincan

firesoutmatt · 05-19-2005, 03:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
forgot to change the signature...the edge is gone...yeah i tried the f150 and f250 gas thing...i needed more power. I pull skid steers, tractors, and other various things including horse trailers and hay and all that kind of thing...my truck gets used like a truck shoudl...hard!!! i dunno i don't really mind the poor milage i just dont understand how guys say they can get 15 and 19 i just don't get it...

[/ QUOTE ]

Those guys may not be driving their trucks like you use yours.If you tried the gas thing and went for more power its because you need more power for what your doing with your truck.More power= More Fuel Pretty simple. Forget the mileage untill your on a long trip with no stops and your mileage will be better.If your like some of us PSD owners we didn't buy them for mileage We bought them to be used like they are supposed to be . You would look kinda funny towing that trailer with a Ranger but you will get better mileage than the PSD. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

one2win · 05-19-2005, 03:49 PM

From looking at your post I see you are running 295 BFG's the 295 are 33.3in overall diameter and that you stock tires are 31.8 overall diameter. my first question did you have your speed recalibrated for the larger tire?

Also keep in mind that the larger tire will require more power to turn reducing fuel mileage.

I have seen in most landscaping companys that you are making alot of start and stops this will not help your MPG

I think bottom line you should not plan on getting any better MPG under the condition you are running.
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

zeroo · 05-19-2005, 06:20 PM

I play with the overhead thing quite a bit.If I was to go 400 miles down a highway at 55mph I could average about 15-16 for that tank,but in the real world pulling my trailer in town with all the traffic,stop light and crap I average 11mpg with a trailer and 14 highway/interstate.Its my opinion these guys that state these high numbers are the ones you dont want to be behind with no way to pass.I do think it is possible to caress these trucks to where you get the 16-19mpg's,ya just dont get from a 2 b quickly.Speed and taking off quickly kills the mpg's.

tydaddy003 · 05-23-2005, 01:59 PM

first off....thanks for all the replies and secondly...the milage doesn't bother me that bad otherwise i'd already have bought a different truck or a honda if i really wanted good gas milage i was just curious as ot what others are getting b/c i guess it seems like everyone was getting better than i was and i was just wondering...well now that i know i'm getting what others are then i know that big red is OK and i can go on and fill up every morning like i have been since september of last year!!!