Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage

   / Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage #11  
At only 1300mi., I have an '06 2500HD Ext cab w/ LBZ Duramax and Allison 6-sp. getting 14-16mpg (heavy foot)/16-18mpg (light foot) in stop & go around town, and 19-22mpg on the highway. The best #'s come on flat road at about 60mph when the tach is <1500rpm just loafing along. Mileage starts dropping pretty quick once you get north of 70mph. Pulled my 7000lb carhauler and B7610 thru the hills this past weekend with a bed full of wood for 60mi. and saw ~13mpg without tow/haul engaged. It tows so much nicer than my '05 5.3L RCLB gasser did (R.I.P.), I almost wouldn't care if it got worse mpg! All mpg #'s are from the DIC, too lazy so far to hand calculate, but both city/highway mpg's have been steadily improving since new and I hope the trend continues. Also, from what I hear and read, the Duramax tuner chips and programmers do seem to help hp, tq AND mpg (1-2mpg combined on a stock truck), with the LLY and LBZ's getting the best mileage both stock and chipped. I'm waiting to see the new LBZ Edge Juice w/Attitude tests, and will definately be doing 4" exhaust and chip.
 
   / Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage #12  
I think the Chevys' are nice trucks. I like them, as they seem to have slightly smaller dimensions to the Ford and Dodge and would be good daily drivers along with capability to pull heavy loads well. I do not know if you have had problems with your trannie slipping, but I have read in some publications that the transmission will slip in higher gears if the truck has been modified. I do not know if anyone has personally had this problem, or if there are some programmers to correct it. Even though I love my truck, I usually trade about every three years and I have had mine almost five. By now in most cases I would have traded but one reason I have not is that I really like my F250 and I have been worried about modifying a new truck, as the big three seem to really dislike this, yet they do run better modified. My father, who has kept everything he has ever owned stock, says modifying anything lacks logic as the engineers know best. I cannot disagree with him, but when one looks at the stock exhaust off my F250 that I replaced with the Monster Banks exhaust or an equivalent, one wonders what they were thinking.

John M
 
   / Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage #13  
I just posted this reply to another post re: another member considering an (E85) fueled vehicle.
I have an 05 Chevy Duramax (LLY) w/ Allison EC/SB 4x4. The past 18 months I averaged 18 MPG empty and 14 MPG towing between 6000-6500#. Two weeks ago I added a complete 4" exhaust system and a programmer. I Have not towed with this set up yet but empty MPG have gone up to 21-22. I expect towing MPG to be around 15-16. Actual MPG was calculated by me and coincided with the DIC built in the truck within .2 MPG. Either way the mileage is better than my previous gas powered 1/2 ton 4x4.

George
 
   / Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage #14  
I have a '04 F350, 4x4, dually (flat bed/dump -40 gal. tank), with a 6.0L and the Torqshift 5spd auto tranny- everything completely stock. I have gotten from 8 mpg pulling a 20' deckover trailer with a 4000lb truck on it and a/c cranked up to 14 mpg empty with the a/c cranked up. This truck is equipped with a 4.10 limited slip rear end, it will pull almost anything- but doesn't pass to many fuel stations. :eek:
 
   / Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage #15  
Deereguy,

This is what I am hearing from many of my friends who own the 6.0L Fords. The marketing folks told us that the 6.0 would get between 15-20% better fuel economy across the board v. the 7.3L. Although I do realize there is much variation in driving habits and terrain and loads,etc. it seems this is simply not the case. None of my friends (and there are a lot of them) who own the 6.0L diesels are getting nearly what I can with my modified 7.3L and few can get what I got when the truck was stock. Just yesterday I spoke with a friend who is going daily to TN on business, which is a two-three hour totally highway drive, albeit hilly. He can consistently go 380-390 miles on 27 gallons of diesel for a calculated average of 14.26 mpg, unloaded. I can do essentially the same trip, drive around town, idle for a while and go 435 miles or so (give or take 10 miles) for an average of almost 17 mpg (I rarely let my fuel go below four gallons left in tank). I have gone 540 miles on 26 gallons before, and could likely have done a little better if I had not blown off a little BMW along the way. This would be a pure highway drive though. I am interested to see what the 6.4L will do, as they sure are high on it now.

John M
 
   / Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage #16  
I have a 2005 Dodge 2500 with the Cummins diesel and I also put the AFE air filter on it, removed the gas mileage robbing muffler, added the Edge Juice Chip, removed the turbo intake baffles and the silencer ring and i get right around 21 MPG. The only problem is that when you do start to Modify your truck it is REALLY,REALLY hard not to lay the wood to those annoying rice burners with nothing but a very loud exhaust. That, in turn ruins my gas milage but puts a big smile on my face !!

Try doing a search, We discussed this not long ago.
 
   / Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage #17  
I have a F350 SRW, 2005, 4x4, auto trans, Edge EZ, 4" monster exhaust turbo back, drive 90 to 100 miles per day at 80mph and consistantly get 16.3 mpg.
 
   / Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage #18  
2005 F250, 6.0, TorqShift, stock- about 18 on the highway @ 70mph, around 15-16 around town. Around 14 when towing 4000#.
 
   / Diesel Pickup Truck Gas Mileage #19  
jcmseven said:
I do not know if you have had problems with your trannie slipping, but I have read in some publications that the transmission will slip in higher gears if the truck has been modified. I do not know if anyone has personally had this problem, or if there are some programmers to correct it.
John - I've been reading up some on this topic and seems the '06 Alli will start slipping in 5th at +50 to 65 rwhp if you hot foot it regularly. Add a Transgo Jr. kit for $120 and you're good for about +100 rwhp. Or, the Transgo + converter for up to +130 rwhp. The 360hp LBZ D/A 6-sp with Transgo Jr. kit and good converter, should be able to handle about 450 rwhp if you don't beat the snot out of it. Anything over that, you'll need a Suncoast V or ATS tranny.
 
Last edited:

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

2017 John Deere 855D 4x4 Gator Utility Cart (A50322)
2017 John Deere...
2017 VOLVO VNM DAY CAB (A51222)
2017 VOLVO VNM DAY...
80in HD Tooth Bucket with Side Cutters (A52128)
80in HD Tooth...
2015 WACKER NEUSON LIGHT PLANT (A50854)
2015 WACKER NEUSON...
NEW HOLLAND TS6.130 TRACTOR (A51406)
NEW HOLLAND...
2019 Allmand Night-Lite V-Series S/A Towable Light Tower (A49461)
2019 Allmand...
 
Top