Todays trucks where is the MPG's

[gengine]

My wife's '03 Dodge 2500 crew cab w/ the 5.9 cummins, averages about 23.8 hwy mpg empty, and 19.4 pulling about 13k in our livestock trailer. My '00 F-350 ext. cab with the 7.3l power choke gets 17.2 empty and 14.3 with the same load. (Same horses, same trailer) The funny thing is, my '92 Dodge 3/4 ton with the old 5.9 cummins got roughly the same as the newer Ford. Now, my work truck which is the new ford 6.7l won't get better than 16 mpg. Not only that, it spends a whole lot of time in the shop.

 

[redprospector]

Where's the MPG's? :laughing: I've asked myself that many times.
The EPA is sucking the life right out of us in my opinion.
In the early 80's my Dad had a Ford Centurian. It was a "custom" rig with a van cab, and a pickup bed. It was a 1 ton with dual wheels, a 460, and and auto transmission. It averaged about 8 mpg. empty, and got as little as 4 mpg. pulling a 33' fifth wheel travel trailer. There wasn't much to choose from in the diesel pickup world at that time. GMC had just come out with the 6.2, and Ford was running the 6.9. Me and a mechanic friend of my Dad's put a V-6 Cummins in that Centurian for my Dad with a 5 speed underdrive trany out of I think a 65 Chevy C60. That truck got 19 mpg. empty, loaded, uphill, or down hill. Just didn't matter. If that trany had been an overdrive, like it was supposed to have been, and the cummins would have had a turbo, there's no telling what kind of mileage it would have got.
Now if a couple of redneck boy's 30 years ago could get 19 mpg out of a 6000 lb. brick, why can't these high powered engineers do better with all they have at their disposal?

Andy

 

[Ken45101]

What the government needs to look into is clean bio diesel not strapping more and more cat and DPF's under one.

Biodiesel significantly reduces MPG. From the Deere website: "Expect up to a 12 percent reduction in power and an 18 percent reduction in fuel economy when using B100." Rest assured, the gov't will mandate biodiesel AND keep all the pollution junk on the engines (and then complain about fuel economy.)

I agree that the government wants higher mileage while they also add the anti pollution junk that significantly reduces fuel economy.

One thing in comparing today's vehicle vs something from 20 years ago, make sure they have the same type of tranny! We had a 2002 Powerstroke with manual tranny that consistently got 20+ mpg when not towing. There was a magazine review of the same truck but with the automatic tranny and they got 15 mpg! Similar experience here when we traded the Ford for a Chevy with the Allison tranny, our fuel economy dropped to around 16 (but the Chevy is also a 1 ton dually vs the Ford was a 3/4 ton).

I believe going to an automatic significantly reduces fuel economy, perhaps in the 4-5 mpg range.

Ken

 

[Ken]

Biodiesel significantly reduces MPG. From the Deere website: "Expect up to a 12 percent reduction in power and an 18 percent reduction in fuel economy when using B100." Rest assured, the gov't will mandate biodiesel AND keep all the pollution junk on the engines (and then complain about fuel economy.)

I agree that the government wants higher mileage while they also add the anti pollution junk that significantly reduces fuel economy.

One thing in comparing today's vehicle vs something from 20 years ago, make sure they have the same type of tranny! We had a 2002 Powerstroke with manual tranny that consistently got 20+ mpg when not towing. There was a magazine review of the same truck but with the automatic tranny and they got 15 mpg! Similar experience here when we traded the Ford for a Chevy with the Allison tranny, our fuel economy dropped to around 16 (but the Chevy is also a 1 ton dually vs the Ford was a 3/4 ton).

I believe going to an automatic significantly reduces fuel economy, perhaps in the 4-5 mpg range.

Ken

I agree with this I cannot disconnect the front hubs on my dodge. on the Ford there is a worn hubs. but need the 4WD to pull out of fields and dairy barn mud and the animal produce. ken

 

[Hersheyfarm]

Ok I have read on here about all these new trucks and have experience with new trucks as well. So heres my question why are we still getting such bad MPG's out of trucks I have an 08 F350 6.4 diesel and it gets with work body on it 13.5 to 14 on the highway if i baby it. With 12' inclosed trailer 12 or so with my tractor 18' trailer and total about 10,000 lb load its 9.6 to 11 mpg. I made the same drive with my work truck exact same load and with my 71 let me say that again 1971 ford F350 with the 360 FE engine 4 speed manual transmission 12' dump bed. The 08 10.8 the 71 10.2 wow 38 years and almost the same fuel millage come on auto makers 38 yrs and no improvement I'll stick with my old school trucks for personal use and the company can use (waste) their money on the new trucks. OH and if you want to compare gas burners we have the new ford f250 6.2 gas i believe it is in fleet as well and it gets worse mileage pulling than the 71

I have an 09 f250 and had the exact same mpg as you. I bought the Spartan tuner and SPF delete pipe. I get 13+ mpg towing and 18mpg + empty. These are consistent numbers plus there is no more regens. The regens make the mpg drop like a rock and ruin the engine with fuel in the oil. This is the best truck out of all my superdutys I've had thru the years. The EPA regs are killing trucks and the economy. I do 180 miles a day and it has made a big difference to my wallet.

 

[RollingsFarms]

I have an 09 f250 and had the exact same mpg as you. I bought the Spartan tuner and SPF delete pipe. I get 13+ mpg towing and 18mpg + empty. These are consistent numbers plus there is no more regens. The regens make the mpg drop like a rock and ruin the engine with fuel in the oil. This is the best truck out of all my superdutys I've had thru the years. The EPA regs are killing trucks and the economy. I do 180 miles a day and it has made a big difference to my wallet.

not to hijack the thread, but just wanted to ask how much that cost to do that and was it hard to find someone to do it for you? did you use a local mechanic or something? i've heard many people say that about the 6.4, do a tune and delete the SPF and that engine is golden.

 

[ikold]

We've got an 05 Dodge Ram 5.9 consistently gets above 20mpg unloaded down the highway (always above 20).

Loaded it comes down but have never seen it below 12 and we tow heavy loads.

We also have a 2011 F350 with the new 6.7. Car rides great and is quiet. It must be using burning extra fuel to stay quiet. Have never had a full tank full with a mileage better than 16, and thats babying the truck. Towing it drops quickly. Granted its better than the previous Ford diesel (junk) but thats not saying a whole lot.
Sure I've seen 20mpg with it when I'm going down hill or going 50mph on flat highway but it is not that norm. Their MPG claims are inflated.

 

[clemsonfor]

The op's argument has been mine since i was able to buy anything. I wont buy a new truck, first off i could buy another house in these parts for what a big loaded 4x4 would cost, but also there is no better MPG, why buy new?

Im not saying my old truck gets better mpg than a newer truck just documenting my stuff.

I have a 1990 ranger 4 cyl 2.3 liter (8 spark plugs). It has 285K miles on it. Will get 25mpg without the A/c babying it, and with a/c will get about 21/22 empty. Towing an empty trailer (5x8) its tired engine is gutless and gets 19 mpg, loaded with boat or trailer can get about 16-18mpg. This is a 2wd truck.

My 1980 chevy k10, thats 4wd for those who dont know their trucks. Has a 350/350/205 combo. Its got 3.07 or 08s? in the axles and although slow for the tall gear to start i get 10mpg empty and get 8mpg pulling my tractor 2-3 implemets and the 16ft carhauler trailer and a lawnmower in the truck bed.

I really dont think a 2005 chevy would do much better? 10-12mpg? Its better yes use less fuel is a good thing, but i cant justify buying a new truck to get 2 more mpg when id have to buy it or make a payment for a truck thats only used to pull boats, tractor and get firewood, or have 4wd when i need it.

 

[George2615]

It takes a specific air to fuel ratio for current engines to run properly. To increase mileage you'd have to reduce weight and improve aerodynamics. Reducing weight will also reduce the towing capacity. Engines today are built with much closer tolerances and have improved mileage by a small percentage (most 1/2 T trucks are pushing 20 MPG these days. Unless someone comes up with an entirely new engine design using a new fuel source I doubt I'll see a 1/2 T or larger getting 40-50 MPG in my lifetime.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

not to hijack the thread, but just wanted to ask how much that cost to do that and was it hard to find someone to do it for you? did you use a local mechanic or something? i've heard many people say that about the 6.4, do a tune and delete the SPF and that engine is golden.

6.4 is a great engine just choked really bad. I bought the tuner for $500 used from a buddy then you still have to pay like $100 licensing fee to Spartan. No mechanic needed, Spartan will walk you thru it. The unit mounts on the dash and plugs into the obm(whatever it is) plug and does records your stock program and stores it, then downloads whatever tune you want. I am running the 210hp with dpf delete and it is great. Go to spartan.com and check it out. I bought the gps for mine too. The truck is very powerful and you could easily race it and blow it up because it has that kind of power. Just use common sence and don't drive it like an 18yo. Today I reset my mpg and got 19.4 on the way home(80miles) the delete pipe is easy to change too.I don't know new prices but would expect it to be over a 1k with all I got.