8 mpg when towing sound right?

Humphrey99

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Just got back from a trip where I towed anything long enough to figure fuel mileage and I was shocked to see 8 mpg average. Here's the run down...

I've got an '08 CCSB, auto, 3.73's, auto, all stock set up w/52k miles. I get around 14.5 mpg doing my normal driving. I've only had the truck about 6 months and I've pulled some trailers some shorter distances but this trip was 670 miles one way so I got a chance to really do some towing. We pulled a 16' flat nosed cargo trailer with 2 4-wheelers and an off road go cart so the load wasn't terribly heavy. I figure it was the flat nose of the trailer pushing the wind that hurt us the most. With no wind on a long flat stretch, I was running 70 mph, 22 lbs of boost and got 9 mpg. Once we hit some hills or wind it went down from there. We averaged about 8 during the entire trip.

So, is that typical numbers for this set up? I could have got 8 mpg with a gasser and paid less per gallon. I knew the 6.4's weren't the best on fuel, but I was expecting somewhere between 10-12 mpg pulling. I changed oil and fuel filters before leaving and air filter was in good shape. Should I be looking my truck over to find out what's wrong or is this just what they get?

On a possiive note, it was a comfortable ride and the truck had the power to pull the trailer as fast as we wanted to go, as long as we would pay for the fuel to do it.

By the way, we went out to shoot prairie dogs out in South Dakota. We had a lot of fun as usual. Here's a couple vids we made of trips in the past if anyone is interested....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZB2fynHvSo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnIWbzYfNVM
 

Humphrey99

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That sounds about right, we got about 8mpg pulling our 40 foot 5th wheel, it's better now with all the deletes lol

How much better after your mods? Just curious. I plan on making some down the road and figured it would help but didn't know how much.
 

Humphrey99

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That makes me think of another thing, we saw several trucks pulling even bigger trailers than our little 16 footer. I wondered if they were getting even less mileage or if hooking onto something despite it's size will take you down to around the same 8 mpg?
 

me2

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I pulled our 5er (about 14,000 pounds) 450 miles and averaged 7.83 MPG at 60 MPH.

08 F350 6.4 5R110 3.73 stock.
 
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cw96stroker

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That makes me think of another thing, we saw several trucks pulling even bigger trailers than our little 16 footer. I wondered if they were getting even less mileage or if hooking onto something despite it's size will take you down to around the same 8 mpg?

Bigger trailer or more weight will most likely equal worse mileage, I know when we would haul our backhoe (aprox. 20k itself) we would get around 4mpg when we were stock. Crew Cab Cab and chasis with 4:10 gears
 

Humphrey99

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Thanks for the input everyone. I guess it's a good thing I don't make very many long hauls per year, lol. Now I really have the itch to mod it though, but I think I'll stick out the warrantee first (September).
 

a_moore

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I drag a tandem axle dual wheel enclosed gooseneck all over the country weighning in a 30K gross.

Originally I was getting 6-8...8 flat 55mph highway, 6 hilly 70mph.

Now getting 11-12 no BS.

Originally empty 12-14 highway

Now 19-21 highway

Stock constanty ECT was going over 225, and EGT were up to 1400+ during regen.

Now ECT stays around 200-215 and EGT stay 1250- with way, way more power.
 

Humphrey99

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I drag a tandem axle dual wheel enclosed gooseneck all over the country weighning in a 30K gross.

Originally I was getting 6-8...8 flat 55mph highway, 6 hilly 70mph.

Now getting 11-12 no BS.

Originally empty 12-14 highway

Now 19-21 highway

Stock constanty ECT was going over 225, and EGT were up to 1400+ during regen.

Now ECT stays around 200-215 and EGT stay 1250- with way, way more power.

So what mods did you have to do to get you there? I would be tickled with those numbers.
 

Dtm030

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Firstly- Love the videos. They must be fun to shoot.

Secondly- I just towed a 24 foot enclosed trailer with a trophy kart in it, with my ecoboost f150 and got 10.7MPG which I didn't think was great but it is a big trailer and I did just set the cruise at 70MPH. Plus its gas which is a lot cheaper than diesel here.

When I had my 6.4 I definitely got better MPG after deleting the doc/dpf and tuning it, but you have to remember the lie-o-meter will be way off. Anyone who believes that thing is trying to be optimistic. my '08 6.4 got 16.7mpg unloaded on the hwy with 35's and a leveling kit, tuned. but while towing with stock wheels and tires it got about 10-12mpg at 65mph towing 11k.

Gotta do the delete. You'll love it after.
 

Sprman

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Damn, I don't feel so bad. With my 05 6.0, pulling my 12K 5th wheel, i get 13mpg. with a 5.5" lift, 36's, trusted fuel system, Matt's tune, EGR delete, exhaust, intake. This is hand calculated and was verified over multiple trips so i know it's accurate. I think 13 mpg is great for my set up and what i was towing.
 

97stoker350

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my dad has a 10 harley truck with dpf delete stock filter and spartan tunes hauling a 20 foot enclosed with 3 four wheelers and some other things and got ~10 in moutains going from pa to wv
 

powerstrokin15

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lemme know if you are interested in pricing on a dpf delete and tuner package. but deleted is a world of difference


Eric@HolderdownPerformance
 

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