Here is the first gas mileage info for my new F250, 4x4, supercab, V10 & a 5 speed.
The dealer filled the tank full when I bought the truck.
I order the truck with the 265/75 OWL ATs and switched them to 265/85R16 Buckshot radial mudders at 32 miles. I drove about 100 highway miles and 160 city miles and filled the tank back up to check the mileage.
It took 22 gallons to go 260 miles = 11.8 mpg. This is better than my old V8 302 which only got 10 mpg. The interstates here in WV are hilly, so I would expect slightly better mileage on flat interstate driving and if you keep the factory ATs on the truck, this may also help.
I have been trying different grades of fuel in my vehicles and have been getting 2-3 miles per gallon better MPG when using 92 octane over the 87. I see about 1-2 MPG better when going from 87 to 89 octane. I use Union 76 gas exclusively. I am seeing these numbers on my Toyota minivan and Ford Taurus. I do not get better mileage when I change grades in my 1978 Dodge 440 Class C RV Motorhome. I get 5-7 MPG in the motorhome no matter what gas I use.
When posting MPG figures, include what grade of fuel is used. I have not asked this of the people I have talked to with gas engines but I will start. This could make a difference in the numbers which are being reported.
kirkpama, Thanks for the fuel info on the V10. I hope other guys will do the same when they get theirs. Why did you order the bigger tires and spend the extra dough just to take them off to put on your mudders? By the way I bet that looks sweet. Did they say anything about the GEM module getting screwed up from bigger tires? I know yours are wider and I dont see how that could be a problem, they are the same size as what they offer from FORD. But I heard something about bigger tires being a problem with software somewhere on the 99's. Heard anything?
When I ordered my truck, I was leaning towards keeping the ATs, but at the last minute, I changed my mind. I travel through a lot of red clay to get to my camp and when it gets wet, it will plug up ATs in a heartbeat and they will act like slicks. A good mudder is the only thing that will work in a lot of wet red clay. It does look awesome with the more aggressive tread. I had on guy, who had never seen a Superduty before, just couldn't stop looking at my truck. He said that he was a car man, but my truck made him want to switch to a truck. My mudders are the same width, and are 1 inch taller than factory. I went through 3 sets of them on my 90 F250 and never did have any problem. Some of my friends have gone up as much as 6 or 8 inches in tire height and have not had any problems.
You will get around 50% better fuel mileage with the diesel over the gas engine. So if you are getting 10 mpg with gas around town, you should get about 15 mpg with the diesel. 14 mpg gas on the hwy, 20-21 mpg with the diesel. I have 6000 miles on my 24V cummins, 3.55 rear end.(3000 mi of that towing 6500 lb 5th wheel)I am getting 15 mpg in town, 21 mpg hwy(70 mph), 14 mpg towing 65 mph, and 13 mpg towing 70 mph. I was getting 10 in town, 14 hwy, and 9 towing the same trailer with F150/351ci/3.55
your trucks software doesn't know you have bigger tires on it. therefore, when your engine is turning 2000 rpms, and it went 70 mph (whatever), the truck thinks it is always going 70 when it is at 2000 rpm, when actually a bigger tire is making you go faster. it could also affect the operation of you ABS, if you have it. point is, your computer has the wrong information about wheel speed when you change tire size. check with your service manager to find how bad it will affect you, and if you need to do anything. the reason tire size didn't affect your other vehicles is because they weren't tightly computer controlled like today's new ones are.
I am getting around 10-11 MPG around town with a 1999 F250 SD, V10, AT, 4:30 rear end and running on 87 octane. getting my trailer hitch soon and will be towing around 8500#. Will let you know how it goes. Did see at another site some guy with the F250 4X4, V10 AT, 3:73 rear end getting 13.8 MPG on the road (45-60MPH) and almost 11 MPG towing 7500#. Also Trailer Life magazine did an evaluation of a truck very much like mine and reported 9.3 MPG towing 7000# and 13 MPG solo at highway speeds.
Has anyone heard anything about "chip tuning" being applied to US pickups as a means of increasing fuel economy and available HP and torque? I'm not sure I'd want to remove the ECU from my vehicle and send it somewhere for modification, but if the results are as spectacular as some of the hype I've heard, perhaps some of you who seem very concerned about fuel economy and performance might consider this as a practical resolution of such problems.
Mharde included an article from another website that discussed a chip that gave enhanced performance to the diesel. It sounded pretty impressive. I think the cost was about $600. I'm not sure if it helped mpg. I'm not sure what topic area he posted it in. He might have some useful info.
In California, I am told that we now have oxygenated gas year round. Used to only have it in the winter. Would like to hear from California gas station owners if this is true.
My friend has a 1996 Dodge 3500, dually, flatbed, with V10 and 5spd. He used to get up to 10 MPG but now can do no better than 7 MPG and he blames it on the oxygenated fuel. He is a farmer and primarily takes short trips and never goes farther than 10 miles without turning off the engine. Any similar experiences with those of you who live in California and have had the Dodge V10 for several years?
Thanks. I tried it but couldn't get in. Maybe you'll want to check that internet address you provided one more time.
But the chip tuning for fuel economy was just a suggestion for others. Like everyone else, I'd like to get a few more mpgs, but I don't have one of the real big engines that have been discussed above and I'm not unhappy about my pickup's fuel economy. I think your discussion was about increasing torque and HP, but I've read elsewhere about using a modified chip in conjuction with a sensor in the exhaust system that sniffed the combustion products to determine if the air-fuel ratio was different from the theoretical optimum of 14.7 (I had previously always thought it was an even 15) and then make compensating adjustments on the fly. It seemed to be applicable to both gasoline and diesel engines.
As I indicated, I'm not interested in pursuing it for myself right now, but I thought others might want to explore it or tell us if they already have. If this technology represents a quantum leap in achieving better fuel economy, I guess we'll all want to know about it. But, probably, like so many other "breakthroughs" we hear about, this may be just another maybe-but-not-yet.
the only way to increase horsepower AND fuel mileage is to design a better engine. I've never heard of any chip or tuning of an engine that could do both.
cdean, I will try to set up a link to the deisel injection service site so you can see the Banks powerpack testing data. I was very impressed with the claimed increases in both hp and tourque as well as mpg. The Banks kits are for both deisel and gas and for all the big three. They are a combination of software and hardware. I get to the page through the links feature at the Ford Deisel Website www.abol.com/users/jlester
Having owned a 1992 F-250HD 4x4 with the Pre-Powerstroke Diesel I was used to 12mpg. I am wondering if the `99 Powerstroke offers any better milage in the F350 CC DRW 4x4 configuration?
Markus, My '92 7.3L wasn't a 4x4 but I averaged over 17 MPG for about 130,000 miles. (That is the sum of the total fuel divided by almost 130,000 miles.) My rear axle ratio was 3.73. Rich
richflynn, The axle ratio on the '92 was 4.10. I was running auto-lock 4x4 (shift on the fly). While I had it I had the front end rebuilt and had the upper half of the engine completely gone through. Without any change in the mileage. The mileage was the same loaded or unloaded. I pulled a 28 foot boat and still got 12mpg. I'm told I can expect 18 - 20mpg unloaded and 14 -16 loaded. I am sure hoping for better mileage out of the '99. Do you know of a site with reliable mpg stat's for the '99 PowerStroke 7.3 diesels?
Can anyone help me? I have a 89 f250 with a 302 V-8 with a four speed overdrive manuel. I'm getting less than ten mpg. I've already done a full tune up and it didn't help. I'm thinking about putting in a 351 but can't afford it right now. Please help me!!!
if the tuneup didn't help, you need to check the manifolds and exhaust system to make sure there's no damaga or blockage to the intake or exhaust airflow. If you're getting too much air, the fuel flow will increase to match it. You can also check your clutch, your drive belts, and the driveline for possible power waste.
If you aren't noticing any power loss with this mpg loss, then it's probably not engine related. You then might want to check the fuel tank, lines and filters.
I've heard numerous stories about the 302 not getting any better mpg over time than the 351. I've also heard that the current 5.4L V-8 isn't getting a heck of lot better mpg than the new 6.8L V-10. I would just recommend that everyone make sure that the power you give up is adequately offset by the mpg you gain.
I'm debating on whether to purchase a new '99 F250 4X4 SC with the V10 or just the V8.
I have driven the V8 and it didn't impress me...I think it's too small for a truck that size.
Is there anyone out here that has a real feel on the type of mileage that one will get with the V10. I have heard the 13/15 stories...are they true??? Does anyone have real numbers
Brutus, a lot of people forget that the smallest engine is not always the most efficient for the job. If you have to keep your foot in it, then that smaller engine will use too much fuel to keep up. Dodge only releases the V6 in a Ram to a 2 wheel drive regular cab 1500, because everything else would struggle to move.
GM may have the right idea with the new V8 lineup - instead of the 5.7, there's the 5.3 for half tons, and the 6.0 for the heavy trucks. Maybe Ford should look into a stroked 5.4 for the Super Duty Fs and the heavier E vans.
First reports from my new F-150 w/ 4.6 L, 4x2, auto 4 spd trans w/ 3.55 limited slip rear.....mostly driving around west coast of Fla.... no real sustained hiway mileage..... ave 16.45 MPG.... I am happy. (1st 1250 miles) Bogieman
Having been an owner of a 5.8 liter powered F-150 4x4 (that tows like a demon) I can offer the following tips for those of you needing to wring another mpg or two out of that motor. 1) Keep the vehicle tuned up and on it's maintenance schedule 2) Get the SplitFire sparkplugs and wire set (I've heard the controversy, but they helped get me another 1.5 mpg) 3) Get the K&N Filtercharger. It helps the engine breath better & squeezed another 1/2 mpg out of the motor on the highway. 4) Go with Synthetic Oil 5)Get a transmission oil cooling system installed if it's not already equipped with one.
Doing these things have managed to help me get 18 mpg on the highway. In town about 14mpg. Both of these figures are unloaded. Living in an area where engine modifications are forbidden by emissions laws, these are some legal ways to help unlock a little of the potential of that motor . . .
Those are pretty incredible numbers. My 5.8L F-250HD 4x4 gets about 14 on the hwy and 10-12 in town. If I wasn't selling it, I'd probably consider those recommendations.
My 5.8L EFI Bronco (3.55 rear) gets about 11 mpg, highway, city, unloaded, and towing a 3500 lb boat on the highway. Got 1 mpg extra with a K&N filter and noticable acceleration increase. With 93 octane gas i can get about 12-14 on the highway empty on a good day.
I also should add . . . keep your foot off of the floor. I tend to feather the gas. Living in Katy/Houston, Texas helps too. No hills. I couldn't get those highway numbers living in Alaska.
I hated the first 2000 miles of 12 - 15 mpg so much I talked to every mechanic I knew about the subject. Those were the things suggested to me that you can do without too much cost. You can also spring for skinny tires & rims, taller gears, and major engine mod's. But I don't keep a truck long enough to see the return on those type of investments.
hell guys, i've had my truck 4 years and only changed my air filter once. if this K&N really does help performance, i'd like to try one. do yall get them in parts stores, or special order. someone let me know, please. i have a chevy 350, and i get 16 mpg with an even mix of stop and go town driving, and open road 75 mph. i usually use 89 octane. cooler weather ups my mileage by 1 or 2 mpg. has anyone out there with a chevy seen any increase in performance using 92 or 93. i've never tried several tanks in a row to get a good read on it. i use the 89 octane mainly because it is a cleaner fuel and has some helpful additives that most 87 octanes don't. thanks for anyones help!
Does high octane fuel improve mpg? If so how? From everything I've read (years ago), high octane fuel is actually bad for an engine unless you need it because it is more corrosive to fuel lines. I can understand it's cleaning benefits for fuel injection, because most high octane fuel has detergent addititives. Again, I'm not saying anyone is wrong I just asking how it can help.
Back to the issue, my 1985 F150 4x4 with an automatic transmission (no overdrive) and 3.50 gears gets 11mpg in the city, and 14 on the open highway. I have a carbureted 302 with 96,000 miles. I usually have a heavy right foot too.
I'm going to be putting in a rebuilt 302 using all Edelbrock parts, including either a 500 or a 650 cfm four barrel carb. Supposedly it will be putting out near 350hp. I'll also be going to 16 inch wheels, probably 33" tires (used to have 15 inch wheels with 235/75 tires). I have no idea what kind of mileage I'll be getting after that, but I have to something to keep up with the new trucks :-)
Hello, I am inquiring if any can tell me if those high perf ignition work in getting better mpg. I have a 98 dodge Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4 360 engine and 3.55 gears.I am getting about 12mpg combine city/highway,in northern Calif. area. the ignitions I am talking about is the Nology system,Jacobs,and Crane hi-6..or if you know of any other brands and by the way I thought Nology only makes ignitions for imports, thanks to all..
I just got back from a trip from Texas to Indiana. Diesel prices where running from .95 to .81 per gal. Sometimes as much as .12 less than regular unledded. I have 8400 miles on my Cummins 24V automatic 3.55 and I am still getting 20-21 hwy (70+) 15 in town and 13 towing 6500lb 5th wheel. I am happy with that...
My neighbor owns a 1980 Ford Bronco with the extinct 300 CID inline six engine. It has a 3.08 rear axle and he gets 20+ mpg in average everyday driving. And they do drive it regularly. I've ridden in it once and aside from a little body rust it is a great vehicle. They also owned a late 80's model Thunderbird with a 302 V8. The Bronco always beat the T-Bird on gas mileage. Bronco's have a rap as gas hogs and rightfully so on V8's with the towing rear axle set-ups. But it goes to show what a highway rear set-up can do. They recently traded the T-Bird for a Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer with a 4.1 rear axle. They're getting 14 mpg with the Explorer. My Explorer XLT with a 3.55 averages 18.
Does anyone have any gas mileage info on the new Ford F250 SD 4x4 with a 5 speed tranny and either the V8 or V10 engines. I am planning on buying with the 3.73 axle ratio. Any mileage data would be appreciated.
I posted this in one other topic, but here it is again. I have a 250 4x4 supercab V10 LB, 3.73 axle, 5 speed, and have put 265/85 buckshot mudders on the truck. I get 11 city and 13.4 highway.
Comments
The dealer filled the tank full when I bought the truck.
I order the truck with the 265/75 OWL ATs and switched them to 265/85R16 Buckshot radial mudders at 32 miles. I drove about 100 highway miles and 160 city miles and filled the tank back up to check the mileage.
It took 22 gallons to go 260 miles = 11.8 mpg. This is better than my old V8 302 which only got 10 mpg. The interstates here in WV are hilly, so I would expect slightly better mileage on flat interstate driving and if you keep the factory ATs on the truck, this may also help.
When posting MPG figures, include what grade of fuel is used. I have not asked this of the people I have talked to with gas engines but I will start. This could make a difference in the numbers which are being reported.
I used 87 octane. I also have a 3.73 axle.
When I ordered my truck, I was leaning towards keeping the ATs, but at the last minute, I changed my mind. I travel through a lot of red clay to get to my camp and when it gets wet, it will plug up ATs in a heartbeat and they will act like slicks. A good mudder is the only thing that will work in a lot of wet red clay.
It does look awesome with the more aggressive tread. I had on guy, who had never seen a Superduty before, just couldn't stop looking at my truck. He said that he was a car man, but my truck made him want to switch to a truck.
My mudders are the same width, and are 1 inch taller than factory. I went through 3 sets of them on my 90 F250 and never did have any problem. Some of my friends have gone up as much as 6 or 8 inches in tire height and have not had any problems.
I have 6000 miles on my 24V cummins, 3.55 rear end.(3000 mi of that towing 6500 lb 5th wheel)I am getting 15 mpg in town, 21 mpg hwy(70 mph), 14 mpg towing 65 mph, and 13 mpg towing 70 mph.
I was getting 10 in town, 14 hwy, and 9 towing the same trailer with F150/351ci/3.55
My friend has a 1996 Dodge 3500, dually, flatbed, with V10 and 5spd. He used to get up to 10 MPG but now can do no better than 7 MPG and he blames it on the oxygenated fuel. He is a farmer and primarily takes short trips and never goes farther than 10 miles without turning off the engine. Any similar experiences with those of you who live in California and have had the Dodge V10 for several years?
Thanks. I tried it but couldn't get in. Maybe you'll want to check that internet address you provided one more time.
But the chip tuning for fuel economy was just a suggestion for others. Like everyone else, I'd like to get a few more mpgs, but I don't have one of the real big engines that have been discussed above and I'm not unhappy about my pickup's fuel economy. I think your discussion was about increasing torque and HP, but I've read elsewhere about using a modified chip in conjuction with a sensor in the exhaust system that sniffed the combustion products to determine if the air-fuel ratio was different from the theoretical optimum of 14.7 (I had previously always thought it was an even 15) and then make compensating adjustments on the fly. It seemed to be applicable to both gasoline and diesel engines.
As I indicated, I'm not interested in pursuing it for myself right now, but I thought others might want to explore it or tell us if they already have. If this technology represents a quantum leap in achieving better fuel economy, I guess we'll all want to know about it. But, probably, like so many other "breakthroughs" we hear about, this may be just another maybe-but-not-yet.
Having owned a 1992 F-250HD 4x4 with the Pre-Powerstroke Diesel I was used to 12mpg. I am wondering if the `99 Powerstroke offers any better milage in the F350 CC DRW 4x4 configuration?
My '92 7.3L wasn't a 4x4 but I averaged over 17 MPG for about 130,000 miles. (That is the sum of the total fuel divided by almost 130,000 miles.)
My rear axle ratio was 3.73.
Rich
The axle ratio on the '92 was 4.10. I was running auto-lock 4x4 (shift on the fly). While I had it I had the front end rebuilt and had the upper half of the engine completely gone through. Without any change in the mileage. The mileage was the same loaded or unloaded. I pulled a 28 foot boat and still got 12mpg. I'm told I can expect 18 - 20mpg unloaded and 14 -16 loaded. I am sure hoping for better mileage out of the '99. Do you know of a site with reliable mpg stat's for the '99 PowerStroke 7.3 diesels?
if the tuneup didn't help, you need to check the manifolds and exhaust system to make sure there's no damaga or blockage to the intake or exhaust airflow. If you're getting too much air, the fuel flow will increase to match it. You can also check your clutch, your drive belts, and the driveline for possible power waste.
If you aren't noticing any power loss with this mpg loss, then it's probably not engine related. You then might want to check the fuel tank, lines and filters.
Thanks for the advice I'll have to try that as soon as i get a chance. And no i haven't had any power lose.
As I said in another post, 17 MPG on the first tank. ALL city stop and go with (maybe) 30% freeway slow and go driving. No complaints!
Rich
I have driven the V8 and it didn't impress me...I think it's too small for a truck that size.
Is there anyone out here that has a real feel on the type of mileage that one will get with the V10. I have heard the 13/15 stories...are they true??? Does anyone have real numbers
GM may have the right idea with the new V8 lineup - instead of the 5.7, there's the 5.3 for half tons, and the 6.0 for the heavy trucks. Maybe Ford should look into a stroked 5.4 for the Super Duty Fs and the heavier E vans.
Bogieman
1) Keep the vehicle tuned up and on it's maintenance schedule
2) Get the SplitFire sparkplugs and wire set (I've heard the controversy, but they helped get me another 1.5 mpg)
3) Get the K&N Filtercharger. It helps the engine breath better & squeezed another 1/2 mpg out of the motor on the highway.
4) Go with Synthetic Oil
5)Get a transmission oil cooling system installed if it's not already equipped with one.
Doing these things have managed to help me get 18 mpg on the highway. In town about 14mpg. Both of these figures are unloaded. Living in an area where engine modifications are forbidden by emissions laws, these are some legal ways to help unlock a little of the potential of that motor . . .
I also should add . . . keep your foot off of the floor. I tend to feather the gas. Living in Katy/Houston, Texas helps too. No hills. I couldn't get those highway numbers living in Alaska.
I hated the first 2000 miles of 12 - 15 mpg so much I talked to every mechanic I knew about the subject. Those were the things suggested to me that you can do without too much cost. You can also spring for skinny tires & rims, taller gears, and major engine mod's. But I don't keep a truck long enough to see the return on those type of investments.
cdean
Back to the issue, my 1985 F150 4x4 with an automatic transmission (no overdrive) and 3.50 gears gets 11mpg in the city, and 14 on the open highway. I have a carbureted 302 with 96,000 miles. I usually have a heavy right foot too.
I'm going to be putting in a rebuilt 302 using all Edelbrock parts, including either a 500 or a 650 cfm four barrel carb. Supposedly it will be putting out near 350hp. I'll also be going to 16 inch wheels, probably 33" tires (used to have 15 inch wheels with 235/75 tires). I have no idea what kind of mileage I'll be getting after that, but I have to something to keep up with the new trucks :-)
If so what are your mileage numbers?
Also what gear ratio are you running?
you may be beeter to ask that ? in 159, it is more directed to new super duties.
Tom
I posted this in one other topic, but here it is again. I have a 250 4x4 supercab V10 LB, 3.73 axle, 5 speed, and have put 265/85 buckshot mudders on the truck. I get 11 city and 13.4 highway.