Best tuning for fuel economy

[Iowan]

I think you miss his point. You're not gonna make these pickups attain 45-55+ mpg, and you're not gonna make the Prius pull 16,000+ pounds.

City I get between 12.5 & 14.6 depending on how I drive. 16.5-17.9 on the highway. All numbers hand calculated, d3leted, IDP tuned (mostly race), 2.5" level, stock tires, Frontier grillgaurd bumper replacement.

I agree. I'm not looking for outrageous number just something to help out.


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[Iowan]

It's just that this topic always comes up, there's even a sticky on it, gets old hearing the same fuel economy stuff over and over when bottom line is: surface area + speed = bad economy. Honestly at those speeds it doesn't matter what tune you run, wind resistance trump weight. Weight in motion requires very little power to keep going, it's drag and wind resistance that pulls the mileage down.

Now if you're talking huge altitude changes, then yes, a hotter tune will net you better mileage, but you're still not going to see 20mpg, unless you set the cruise to 55mph and like getting honked at or blown off the road by angry truckers.

This is why you're starting to see big rigs with smoother front ends, wheel caps, and skirts/rear deflectors *that crap on the back of reefers that looks like an unfolded cardboard box top*. They're starting to realize aerodynamics and drag effects fuel economy upwards of 3mpg on these rigs. Do the math, that's huge for trucks. Going from 5-6mpg to 8-9mpg on a rig is insane.

Yes I understand fluid dynamics. I didn't see the sticky as I'm on tapatalk and don't see the stickies. Do you have any ideas to help with aerodynamics of these trucks? If so please enlighten me.


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[Hottrod81]

Your also carrying over 800lbs worth of fuel when you are filled up. That's not good on mileage either. I know cause I have a 40 gallon transfer tank and I definitely feel the weight when it's full

 

[Notneb]

Only way to do anything with the drag is lower your truck, other than that, the usual tricks of accelerate downhill, coast up hills, or you could get real nerdy and plan your trip with weather and elevation changes taken in consideration.

Otherwise, accept that 16-18mpg is where these trucks live.

 

[Jomax]

I drive 65 and set the cruise. If I go much slower it becomes a safety hazard. If I go any faster my economy drops off fast


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Hmm. I cruise at 75-80

Are you lifted?


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[Iowan]

Hmm. I cruise at 75-80

Are you lifted?


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Not a bit.


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[Bullet 21]

I hesitate to respond to this thread. My truck is stock height on the stock 18" wheels w/ 33" tires.

All interstate w/ cruise set at 73-74 with bursts up to 80 passing.

Stock: 18

5" Exhaust and GH Tune: 19.5

363sx-e, piping kit w/ intake, 5" exhaust, CCV, EGR D's and PPEI Performance Tune on Ez Lynk: 21.44

When the truck hand calculated at 21.44 the display showed 21.5. I was shocked to say the least.

 

[Notneb]

I hesitate to respond to this thread. My truck is stock height on the stock 18" wheels w/ 33" tires.

All interstate w/ cruise set at 73-74 with bursts up to 80 passing.

Stock: 18

5" Exhaust and GH Tune: 19.5

363sx-e, piping kit w/ intake, 5" exhaust, CCV, EGR D's and PPEI Performance Tune on Ez Lynk: 21.44

When the truck hand calculated at 21.44 the display showed 21.5. I was shocked to say the least.

So you're saying you get 21mpg at over 70, you sure you're not lost and should be posting over with the mirrors out boys on the Cummins forums? Lol, and all it takes is a non VGT and gods gift to tuners *EZ Lynk*?! Are you 2wd? If not, there's your answer OP: just buy an SXE turbo and the tuning to go with it!

All sarcasm aside, if OP can't afford rear gears, I doubt your reply has much use to him.

 

[HuntTx777]

Good god, I would be pumped with 16mpg 2013 6.7 lucky to get 14mpg on the highway...

 

[Bullet 21]

So you're saying you get 21mpg at over 70, you sure you're not lost and should be posting over with the mirrors out boys on the Cummins forums? Lol, and all it takes is a non VGT and gods gift to tuners *EZ Lynk*?! Are you 2wd? If not, there's your answer OP: just buy an SXE turbo and the tuning to go with it!

All sarcasm aside, if OP can't afford rear gears, I doubt your reply has much use to him.

Now you know why I was hesitant to respond. I can't say that I was suggesting for the OP to do my mods, I was simply giving my experience.

My truck has 3.31 gears and yes...its 4wd.


After the mods I took a trip to Nashville, TN with my wife. I filled up in Nashville on the way home, drove 148 miles back to Paducah, KY @ 73-74 and it took 6.9 gallons to fill.......21.449 mpg on the Performance Tune.

So tell me, did I figure it wrong?

 

[sootie]

If I was towing a load with this trip I wouldn't care what I got for economy. But being as its a trip through Canada I really don't want to buy fuel so any extra bit helps a lot in the long haul.


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why dont you want to buy fuel in canada? it is typically better quality than USA fuel anyway...its all in the additives.

 

[cappa]

Downhill?

 

[Notneb]

Now you know why I was hesitant to respond. I can't say that I was suggesting for the OP to do my mods, I was simply giving my experience.

My truck has 3.31 gears and yes...its 4wd.


After the mods I took a trip to Nashville, TN with my wife. I filled up in Nashville on the way home, drove 148 miles back to Paducah, KY @ 73-74 and it took 6.9 gallons to fill.......21.449 mpg on the Performance Tune.

So tell me, did I figure it wrong?

Downhill with a tailwind? Maybe, maybe not with a non vgt I don't know, but I do know with any tuning in the world, he's not going to get anywhere near that. And basing your trucks fuel economy on a one time 150m trip vs over a couple 1000 miles is a stretch.

I'm not trying to single you out or bash on you, I'm just explaining why I'm skeptical. I can get great mileage too if the conditions are perfect, hell I can pull 30mpg easily, just draft a semi. I'm just saying these trucks aerodynamics are that of the broadside of a barn.

 

[Bullet 21]

I do agree with the aerodynamics, they have the aerodynamics of a brick. After owning 3 Duramax trucks, 1 Cummins truck, and now this Power stroke I can safely say that all 3 have comparable aerodynamics. What I did find with the Duramax trucks, as long as you stayed with a 11" wide tire, they didn't lose as much mileage when compared to the same height 12.50"+ wide tire. My last duramax would get right at 20, the Cummins was a 2012 and it wouldn't get over 18 no matter how you drove it

I do understand that 20+ seems pretty crazy for these trucks, I wouldnt have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself. I made a 300 miles trip last week pulling my boat and the truck got 16.0


Overall I am very happy with my first Ford truck. The 363 runs very well and the ppei tuning is perfect.

 

[HeavyAssault]

Is 20 MPH possible?...Yes. Can it be done on EVERY trip?....Possibly; too many variables. Can you see it without more mods?.....Nope. Are you going to save money in fuel costs to pay for the mods?....Not likely.

BTW the below screen capture is my evidence.

 

[Bullet 21]

I just filled up after a week of driving in town and short trips on the interstate. I did pull my boat about 30 miles on that tank as well.

354 miles on that tank, 20.2 gallons to fill to the top of the neck.....17.52

The lie-o-meter said 19.8 gallons used and 17.8 mpg.


Not that this helps the OP any.

 

[Hottrod81]

What tune were you on?

 

[Bullet 21]

What tune were you on?

PPEI Performance tune on Ez Lynk.