Fuel Economy

[More Power]

What are you doing to improve fuel economy? Truck mods and changes in driving style are the two primary ways of improving fuel economy. I'd like to know what mods you've added that actually helped produce a fuel economy increase. Other than driving less, I'd also like to know what, if any, changes to your driving style you're using to improve fuel economy. And, would you buy/install product(s) that required a 20,000, 30,000 or 40,000 mile payback?

During a 1200 mile road trip earlier this month I noticed people were driving slower on the Interstate, and there seems to be a few less people on the road. I normally run at the posted speed, and I normally get passed a lot. This trip was different. I still ran at the posted speed, but almost no one passed us. The 2001 LB7 produced just under 20-mpg for that trip.

Jim

[EdHale]

Good evening Jim. I have always been light on acceleration and drive very conservatively. I always start to slow down way before a stop and try to always time my slow down so that I use very little brake. On the highway I have slowed from my usual 75 to 65 and my highway mileage has increased from 19 ish to 21 ish. This past weekend I drove 400 miles to the lake and back and averaged 21.2 for the entire trip. $4.00 diesel does that to a body. Ed

My truck is bone stock.

[maverick_935]

I have decreased my speed to 2000 rpm which is about 63 on my speedo. I have a cold air intake and a tonneau cover. I use cruise control and my last trip of 300 kms I was getting a little bit above 23 mpg can.

I'm sure that if I dropped to a little bit slower I could do better but I also don't want to be a danger on the highways.

I too have also noticed that the average person on the highway has also slowed down.

I paid $1.40/ litre last week. x 4.5=$6.30/gallon

The truck is stock and any other suggestions for increasing mpg are more than welcome.

[JohnC]

I paid $1.40/ litre last week. x 4.5=$6.30/gallon

Come on, now, it's not that bad. There are only 3.785 liters in a US gallon...

$5.30/gallon, still worse than here.

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Most recently I have changed my driving style. I try to combine trips and on my recent 3 hour trip to Nashville I slowed down to 60 mph...that was hard! I have also upped my tire pressure to 72 psi front, 68 psi rear. This last trip netted 19.5 mpg, not bad for a dually. You can see by my sig what mods I'm running and I believe that my truck stays in overdrive more often on the highway. There are some purty good hills between here and Nashville, and the tranny never downshifted once even though I had less momentum from driving at lower speeds. I think this may be due to my Banks kit mods. I also just had an oil change, but I contemplating going all syn for truck fluids.
JP

[maverick_935]

sorry; I live in Canada and i was taught imperial gallon;

1 us gallon=3.79
1 imperial gallon=4.55

[mr. monte]

I have found that if I slow to 60 mph or less that I can squeak 21-22 mpg out of it, but my right foot can't stand it

[DickWells]

Hi Jim & All: We tow most of the time we're on the road. The Montana weighs just north of 10K most of the time, plus about 1800 on the truck, what with 900lbs of ATV, tools, us, etc. Thought my mileage had gone to pot, until I realized that I had put in a too small diameter for the 265 tires into the ecu by way of the Hypertek tuner. Been getting around 12 when you factor that 10% error in.
Left close to a ton in OR last summer to go to AK and back. Averaged 13.2 for the 8 weeks we were out of OR. Felt good about that. Had the Edge W/Attitude in for that trip. Sent it back in a while ago, and lost some fuel mileage for my pains. About 1.5mpg, I think.
Other mods are S&B intake and MBRP 4" Xst. Never saw any direct effect of those 2 mods.
Going home for X-Mas, solo, we got 19+. Had the whole 1800 - 2000 on the truck at the time, as I wanted the ATV in VT for riding and mechanical work.
Try to stay moderate for speed, but swear that keeping it up around 60 keeps it from down-shifting and going to 24-2600 rpm. I know that another 5-10 will get you a real noticeable drop, solo, or towing.
Broke the record day-before-yesterday. One-twenty-seven $ for a fill-up!
Where will it ever end?
Happy trails, Dick Wells
Hey, I was right! that smile came from a different place than my last post!

[carco]

Trip to Florida early April. Cincinnati to Destin 19.6, on to Panama City Beach for a beach wedding then to Orlando for a towing show then back to Cin., 18.6 overall mileage. Stayed under 73 to Destin, reached 88 to Orlando and 84 @ times back to Cin. but mainly around 70-74, loaded to about 8000#, luggage, 2 people, 75 gal bed fuel tank full.

Best mileage increaser was when the cat fell off and was not replaced, still testing, but 0.9mpg increase over past 21000 mile, of 50000 miles, test period. When loaded to 21000 gvw mileage appears to be near .5 to .7 better, will know more in August. Trip to Colorado should be loaded near 21800# (2 years ago 10.6mpg). By then will have LMM turbo intake grafted into position, additional trans cooling and 265 tires.
Edge attitude level 1, w/ boost stick, 4" exh from down pipe, Cat pre-fuel filter w/ lift pump. bob...............

[Kennedy]

My last tank full on the 07 yielded 21.3mpg hand calculated. It was headed upwards yet (DIC is dead accurate) but I ran into winds. This was also with at least 3 trips and some city driving. Warm up cycles definitely have a negative impact on MPG.

My best stock mpg was just into the 19's when I started tuning. At present, the truck runs my Kennedy Custom tuning and an EGR blocker plate (unnecessary with the tuning) and is otherwise stock.