Ford V-6 beats v-8's in towing competition

[Dmace]

You are aware that EPA changed the entire mileage rating system a couple years back?

Yup, and under the new EPA system my 2003 RAM is only rated at 11 city / 15 hwy which makes the new RAM rated at 14 city / 20 hwy even more impressive. That means it's actually about a 33% increase in mpg's with just the addition of MDS and VCT...

At this point in the development of the internal combustion engine, a 10% mileage gain is enormous. Facts are stubborn things

Once again, NO IT'S NOT!
Now for real world data vs your "paper physics", my truck that used to average 15 mpg with my mixed driving now averages 16.5 mpg with just the addition of a $300 tonneau cover. There's a 10% gain. I have yet to test one but many other users have shown gains of 10-15% in fuel mileage with a programmer like Superchips. Normally aspirated gas engines are still far from efficient so it's very easy to squeeze more mpg's with minor changes. This V6 turbo DI engine is a MAJOR change in technology vs the old V8's it's against yet I bet a new comparable V8 truck with a bed cover and programmer (<$700) would match or beat it's fuel mileage. That's the FACTS, something your engineering and physics can't prove in the real world...

 

[turbo36]

Yup, and under the new EPA system my 2003 RAM is only rated at 11 city / 15 hwy which makes the new RAM rated at 14 city / 20 hwy even more impressive. That means it's actually about a 33% increase in mpg's with just the addition of MDS and VCT...

Once again, NO IT'S NOT!
Now for real world data vs your "paper physics", my truck that used to average 15 mpg with my mixed driving now averages 16.5 mpg with just the addition of a $300 tonneau cover. There's a 10% gain. I have yet to test one but many other users have shown gains of 10-15% in fuel mileage with a programmer like Superchips. Normally aspirated gas engines are still far from efficient so it's very easy to squeeze more mpg's with minor changes. This V6 turbo DI engine is a MAJOR change in technology vs the old V8's it's against yet I bet a new comparable V8 truck with a bed cover and programmer (<$700) would match or beat it's fuel mileage. That's the FACTS, something your engineering and physics can't prove in the real world...

Again; if it had a Dodge emblem on it then it would be impressive. Thank you once again for pointing out "all things not Dodge are no good".:laughing:

 

[Dmace]

Again; if it had a Dodge emblem on it then it would be impressive. Thank you once again for pointing out "all things not Dodge are no good".:laughing:

Give me a break! I only use my truck as an example since I have real world numbers. Any of the manufacturers' V8's put out about the same mpg so it's just as unimpressive putting that V6 vs any other truck V8. You could put a Ferrari emblem on it and I still wouldn't be impressed.
Also, Thank you once again for not adding anything useful to the conversation...

 

[turbo36]

pThank you once again for not adding anything useful to the conversation...

Useful like "10%? they should be able to get more so therefore the Ford engineers must not be very smart. My Dodge is so great blah, blah blah etc. etc." Usually I just sit back with pop corn and watch you and the usual suspects go at it but today I couldn't resist. Sort of like trying to pass a car wreck without looking.

Bottom line is this is a heavy truck and it takes a lot of energy to move it. If you want a quick fix to increase your milage you need to make the trucks smaller and decrease the power output. there is just so much energy that can be squeezed from gasoline without exotic measures.

If you know so much about engine design and know more then the thousands of engineers that work on these engines every day perhaps you should change careers.

 

[sld]

There is a fixed amount of energy in gasoline. It takes a constant amount of energy to propel a vehicle down the highway at say 65 mph. Those are constants (we're just talking about engine efficiency here).

You are not going to see major jumps in mpg without major changes in technology. Going to direct injection is a major change and only yields a 10 percent gain. I wish it was more but it is what it is. If Dodge was able to get 30 percent with a minor change, that just shows you how ancient the previous technology was and they were leaving a lot on the table.

There could be some smaller gains to be had if trucks were lighter, have less rolling resistance, and less power loss thru the drivetrain. Aerodynamics plays a small roll below 70 mph. Above that, aero factors get bigger exponentially.

There is no magic bullet. That is why the Big 3 are all fairly close in mpg. I would like to see what a diesel would do in a half ton though. That would be a major technology change.

 

[turbo36]

There is a fixed amount of energy in gasoline. It takes a constant amount of energy to propel a vehicle down the highway at say 65 mph. Those are constants (we're just talking about engine efficiency here).

You are not going to see major jumps in mpg without major changes in technology. Going to direct injection is a major change and only yields a 10 percent gain. I wish it was more but it is what it is. If Dodge was able to get 30 percent with a minor change, that just shows you how ancient the previous technology was and they were leaving a lot on the table.

There could be some smaller gains to be had if trucks were lighter, have less rolling resistance, and less power loss thru the drivetrain. Aerodynamics plays a small roll below 70 mph. Above that, aero factors get bigger exponentially.

There is no magic bullet. That is why the Big 3 are all fairly close in mpg. I would like to see what a diesel would do in a half ton though. That would be a major technology change.

Exactly!~ personally I would like to see ford downsize the current truck to the size it was before the 2004 redesign. I think they could drop a 1,000 pounds out and maybe with the new v-6 engine get 25-26 highway.

 

[dodge man]

I hate to break the news to you Dmace, but bed covers hurt the gas mileage. It's hard to believe but it's been proven. It's kind of like having the tailgate down, they do worse that way also.

 

[Ford850]

I hate to break the news to you Dmace, but bed covers hurt the gas mileage. It's hard to believe but it's been proven. It's kind of like having the tailgate down, they do worse that way also.

Yep, all modern trucks are designed to get the best milage with the tailgates up and the beds empty. Proven fact over and over. I can't believe people are still spreading the myth that covers improve milage. Don't you think, if a manufacturer could improve milage by a couple percent, let alone the 10-15% claimed here, they would include the covers to boost their EPA averages? Now having said that, I have a cover on my truck, but not to improve milage.
And the Ecoboost that has at least a 10% improvement over the old ford engines, I think that is great. I would love to have a "10% off" coupon every time I filled my tank and I don't even use my truck for business. Think about a small business owner who can save 10% on his fuel bills. That is huge!

 

[MESSMAKER]

I hate to break the news to you Dmace, but bed covers hurt the gas mileage. It's hard to believe but it's been proven. It's kind of like having the tailgate down, they do worse that way also.

I refuse to believe that. There has got to be more to it than that.

 

[Markcuda]

my truck that used to average 15 mpg with my mixed driving now averages 16.5 mpg with just the addition of a $300 tonneau cover.

Ok:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
I wonder what I'm doing wrong?