Not an MPG Thread - Explanation

This post is to explain how one guy, on one trip, got three very different mpg's... and this is why we all get different mpg.
My round trip was 810 miles.
The first 405 miles were pulling a 3500 lb trailer.
Coming back, I dropped the trailer and it was just the truck.
This is sort of an ideal test because all the conditions are good. Starting and ending elevations were within 100' of each other. 50-50 driving on flats and hills. I left Friday at 2pm and arrived at my destination at 9pm. I left the destination Saturday at 10am and arrived back home at 5pm. I drove all interstate except maybe 10 miles. We drove directly south to north and north to south so no headwinds to skew numbers. Traffic was medium density and no construction to slow me down.
So, almost ideal test conditions.

Going North 405 miles with loaded trailer:
The entire 405 miles equated to a total mpg of 15.6. I used 26 gallons of 87 gasoline. ECT was on entire time. Towed well. I was looking for and overall towing mpg. This includes hills and flats.

Coming back South:
The first 200 miles of hills were through WV and VA. I averaged 19.9 mpg and used around 10 gallons of 87octane.
I stopped near the VA - NC border and filled up.
The next 205 miles of mostly flat land averaged 25.4 mpg and used 8.1 gallons of 87 octane.

Conclusion: On one trip,I averaged 15.6mpg, 19.9mpg and 25.4mpg!
However, I was doing something different all three times!

Overall, I averaged 19.1 mpg for the entire trip.
My point... It depends on your driving, loading and geography. And don't compare to anyone but yourself.
Thanks for reading!

 

What? A two variable formula has, like, more variables and stuff to understand?

Science never told me about that! It's supposed to be miles...gallons. That's it!

Wind, hills, altitude, temperature, acceleration, weight, friction coefficients, tire pressure, relative humidity, and ECM throttle maps aren't in the equation! That's like nerd talk!

Burn this post!

 

What witchcraft is this? Begone with you. Logic and reasoning have no place here, this is the Internet.

 

HiPSI, are you…doing ok? We’re here for ya.

 

If you had a front spoiler it would have added at least 4 mpg to those numbers.

 

I fixed that for you.

 

You guys...
I had the opportunity to gather real data. I did. Hopefully others will understand but I doubt it.

 

Thanks man. I need an intervention...

 

My wife got me this shirt:
Intervention or AA is calling...

 

I get it.

We have lab tests that have higher variability than MPGs. Imagine having a customer ask why I can't get a repeatable acid solubility and watching their eyes glaze when I start droning about representative sampling, particle morphology, surface area, pore diameter, ion selectivity, filtration passthrough error, etc, etc.

For Tacoma owners worried about MPG, there are only two rules:

One, stop driving like a cock.

Two, stop accessorizing your vehicle with cast iron.

If anyone doesn't instantly understand the why of those two rules, they can't be helped.

 

But what's the biggest tire I can run?????!??

 

Depends. Are you willing to replace the shocks with a rigid bar?

 

Go big or Go home.

 

My only disappointment with the last two posts is the lack of squatted truck.

But that really is the only disappointment.

 

Let me guess. Those underbody tanks feed the comically large horn.

Cut me off, you sumbitch? Enjoy your last day of being able to hear.

 

What is the smallest tire I can fit for better MPG?

 

Did anyone read the post?

 

YES.

 

I sure did but I prefer reading when a picture is posted.

Post pictures of Tacoma pulling trailer please.