4 Bangin, Fuel Sippin, Full Tank Challenge!

Put 40 miles on the new Cummins today, it really doesn't like stop and go and 35-45 mph. Got 18 mpg mostly 55-60 highway driving from Boulder down through Golden to west Denver. Drove back through traffic and got 12.

First 2 days we had it it was used by sale/marketing, we'll see, my guess is I won't be pedaling the bike just yet.

 

My best tank 15.27 gallons 23 MPG

 

Looking like a good tank so far.
I'll be able to get 5 trips to and from work out of this one... depending on traffic home, will likely end up between 24.5 and 25.5

 

Is it possible to break this down into a 4X4 vs. 2X4? I have a 4-wheel drive and there is no way that I could compete with some of you guys. I can get about 375 miles out of my tank but you guys who push it to 400+, that is impressive.

 

Not sure this thread is a competetion as much as it is a exchange of ideas on how to improve mileage. I used to be one of the people who consistently got 25 MPG or better. Now if I don't get out on the highway, I have a hard time hitting 20 MPG. It has as much to do with the conditions in which you drive, than what you drive. Even Worthywad'ss driving conditions have changed. Post frequently and try to improve, and the folks in this thread will offer congrats. It has been that way for several years.

 

I have four wheel drive too if you need some encouragement. It's all about how the truck is maintained, driving habits, and what kinds of roads you have to drive on. I am on 55 mph rural roadways about 80% of the time so that really helps.

However if I go 70 mph on the freeway that 4.10 rear + .81 OD shows its ugly head. 2700 rpm is good for, oh, about 21 mpg if the truck is driven long enough to get hot.

 

Ended up rolling in at 447 on 18.26 for 24.5.


Also, we were talking about maintaining under 2k a couple of weeks ago... as I and others commented, not easily possible, and certainly not practical.
Yes, there are differences in tires and gearing, but on my stock 5-lug automatic, 2000, on flat ground is 62mph on the GPS (smidge around 67 on the speedo.)

A slight incline requires pushing it to 2200 to maintain speed.

I can easily drive conservatively enough to hold it below 3k, and I suppose I could work at it and hold it to 2500 (cruise at 70 on the speedo, 65-66 actual, is 2200), but there's no way I can hold it to 2000 with the grades on my commute. I work at about 500ft, live at 800ft, 20 miles of my 45 mile commute is around 700ft, and there are two 1100ft hills at each end of the 700ft straightaway.

 

I guess in my comment I should've broken them up more by a paragraph.

"70 or 75 is great if you're in 2WD. Keep it at around 2000 RPM if you want to use as little fuel as possible. As low as RPM as possible in the highest gear, but you'll be on the highway."

You can't maintain 70+ at 2000 PRM. There's no way.

When I'm not in a rush to get somewhere I try to drive with RPMs in mind. I'll lose some speed uphill and make up for it on the downhill. I'm usually in a rush though.

 

I'm not giving up just yet.

 

The king's not dead yet. Sounds very Monty Python like!

 

I am trying to get my 4X4 Access cab over 25 mpg but it is tough. Suprisingly, I get the best MPG when I stay off the highways (anything under 24 was a decent trip down the interstates), keeping up with the flow of traffic in Massachusetts means going at least 80.

 

Not surprising. Our trucks have plenty of drag so much of the benefit of highway driving is lost with speed. Finding routes with fewer stops/traffic lights and stretches of 45 MPH driving will yield better results. I try to stay off the highway were possible and use back roads when practical.

 

My best MPG were when I was doing 28 mile trips on urban interstate highways here in KC during rush hours. My speeds were 60-70 MPH indicated. Under these condiitions I would get 26-28 MPG. From Dec to March about 2 less due to winter blend and more enrichment on cold starts. Since last October my driving patterns are dramatically different.

I rarely crack 26 MPG on rural interstates, as you have to do 75+MPH indicated to not get run off the road. The brick-wall aerodynamics just kill mileage. One time out on the rural interstates, I kept it at 70 indicated and got 27.6 MPG on a 350 mile trip.

 

Did a filup today - 623.3 miles - 10 gallon partial fill and a full fill up of 15.12 gallons = 24.8 MPG About 400 miles of hiway driving and the rest 3 mile trips back and forth to work. Pretty good overall considering the near 100% A/C use.

 

Yes, very good numbers with the AC on. I've been commuting with a buddy to work, so one week doing 32 miles to and 32 miles back followed by a week of 2 miles to and 2 miles back. MPGs dropped to 22.4 as a result. And like you, AC has been in heavy use. Been very hot here in CT.

 

Another excellent tank 677 miles on 19.581 gallons for 34.6 mpg.

Got $0.70 off with the Safeway discount, $2.719.

 

Just got mine, getting a very consistent 22-23 mpg with a mix of low-speed city driving and our usual 75-80mph mandatory freeway speed - which is what is dragging the MPG down.

I'm pretty happy, it's not much worse than my 2003 Camry was (about 25-26MPG) and I don't have to drive that damn housewife's car around any more.

 

How you get .70 off? Here they limit to .20/gal.

 

Recently my tank before last, with credit card and Hy-Vee Fuel Saver discounts I got off $1.36 a gallon and I bought a bit over 19 gallons.

It is my place of employment and one of our Managers recently bought a tank of fuel for 18¢. She accumulated $3.16 in savings and she bought the max of 20 gallons when gas was $3.169. You have to pay at least the .9¢ for the pump to operate. God only knows how much she spent on groceries in 30 days to rack up $62.xx in savings.

 

Jeez.

Dunno about HyVee, but he saved .70 with Safeway card. Here in CA they tap you out at .20/gal with Safeway card.

.70 off would be like 3.09/gal. Do want.