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single best way to improve MPG's

31K views 59 replies 28 participants last post by  95f350powerstroke 
#1 ·
i have an 02 ext cab PSD 35's with a 6in skyjacker. stock with exeption of an edge evo chip and 4'' cat back exhaust. and i was wondering what is the best way to get more fuel milage out of my truck custom tune, meth injection,or what??? opinions/facts please!!!!
 
#3 ·
cold air intake,custom tunes and 38r is a good start
 
#6 ·
4'' downpipe also.You have a cat?
 
#12 ·
Absolutely! The sd 7.3's don't need a cat.That will effect your milage alot.I get between 18-19 mpg.
 
#8 ·
You don't state the mileage on your rig.
Check your fuel pressure (should stay above 50 psi at all loads), your HPOP pressure, make sure the cycle rate and pressure is up where it belongs. The injectors, if they are not working correctly will have an effect on your fuel milage, the fuel psi and high pressure oil control how well the injectors function.
Fuel filters changed out, air cleaner condition, turbo boost (how high is it going), what oil you use, how often do you change the oil, all effect the performance of the engine which equates to fuel milage.

Good Luck

Jim
 
#11 ·
Do you know if or when your injectors have been replaced or rebuilt?
The gauges I refer to in my last post are usually found in a diagnostic tool like an Auto Enginuity program, it allows you to scan your system and read the output of your sending units as well as read codes. The AE tool allows you to do a cylinder contribution test as well as a buzz test to see if your injectors are working correctly. The AE tool also allows you to see what your high pressure oil is doing as well as the IPR control. If the injectors have 208 k on them you might want to look into replacing them. You HPOP should also be looked at to see if it is holding output pressure.

Jim
 
#13 ·
i am gonna look intro getting it scanned and finding out what the status is on everything. and yes everything is stock and has 206k on it. i already am wanting to get new injectors. i want a good set at a decent price. should i buy new or rebuilt? there is a big price difference. also should i upgrade the injectors? maybe 90 or 100 horse?. i am looking for good performance but most of all im lookin for the fuel milage. and i will be ditching the cat and getting a new down pipe. thanks for the help guys
 
#16 ·
Really? So if my HPOP was dropping down to 1500 PSI at full throttle, the injectors have a 7-1 ratio meaning my fuel was seeing 10,500 psi injection pressure resulting in a loss of power, smoke out the back, and poor atomization of the fuel, that doesn't equal lost MPG? Lets see I replace my HPOP with an Adrenalin and my injection pressure goes up to 2800 PSI at full throttle which equals 19,600 psi fuel injection pressure, way more power, no smoke and better atomization of the fuel, means I can back off the right foot, get the same power with less fuel and do the same work using less fuel. The proof is no more smoke which means the fuel is being used to move my rig, not heat up my exhaust. It doesn't mean that my rig gets better fuel milage if I use the power, it does mean if I can back off the throttle to move my rig at the same pace it will get better fuel milage. It won't save the world in fuel mileage increase but my rig did get better fuel milage with a new HPOP.
 
#18 ·
I have owned my rig since June of 1998 it had 66,000 miles on it, it is now December 2010 it has 274,000 miles on it. I know exactly how my rig runs and what my fuel mileage was and is. I did my upgrades 1 at a time and tested it to make sure if a problem developed I would be able to correct it.
The 2 greatest changes were converting it to a Super Duty electric fuel system and the Adrenalin HPOP.
I notice you don't state what your HPOP out put pressure or duty cycle is, so you apply your "rigorous" testing to your own guess work. I have AE and use it to check every change I make, how do you test yours?
As far as getting back to you, no need to do that, I could care less if you believe me.

I like your anecdotal evidence, here is "anecdotal" defined. Enjoy.

Evidence, which may itself be true and verifiable, used to deduce a conclusion which does not follow from it, usually by generalizing from an insufficient amount of evidence.

So no test data, a reference to a "stock" HPOP, no milage, no history and no mileage numbers to your "pretty good milaeage".
I will get back to, NOT.:doh:

Jim
 
#20 ·
Dave is kind of the man when it comes to mpg, if he told me to piss in the tank for better mpg, I would do it.:cool:
 
#23 ·
You can stand on the hood, let the wife hang her head out the window and blow, spend your money and put your do-dads all over the engine, but the 1st most effective device is your brain.

Ya got to slow down to get really good mileage, you got to learn to drive for mileage and then make aerodynamic mods to get the best mileage.

If the do-dads improved your mileage, you vehicle had issues to start with.

I have modified my driving habits and style and have realized nearly a 10% increase in MPG.

Dave, When you can document 27 mpg pulling a trailer with a Power Stroke, you know what your doing. Period!.!.!.

JonFord
 
#24 ·
like everyone says "slow down"
For example: you see a red light that your going to catch 200 yards away. What's the rush to get there. coast on in and don't worry about the people behind you. By the time you get there, you can go through with out ever stopping.

when the light turns green go slow don't try to be the first across an intersection. Watch for the other lanes cars stopping. you don't want to be the first to be t-boned.

stay out of the packs
 
#25 ·
These trucks do have issues from the factory. They are over-geared and have high aerodynamic drag.

I'm a big believer the best adjustment is the nut behind the wheel. With my stick shift, I coast whenever possible. In summer I can coast three-quarters of a mile when traffic isn't pressing.

Slowing down (within reason) makes sense. But some jokers take it to extremes. 40 in a 55 zone just gives hypermiling a bad name. Ultimately 0 MPH (don't go anywhere) gives the best MPG, but that is silly.

How much of the time do pickups tow trailers? Driveaway guys push 50%. Most guys, maybe 10% of the time, tops. Most pickups I see are empty or maybe <500 lb bed load.
 
#27 ·
this thread is old and probly not still in operation but lots of opinions are stated here. such as your 10% increase..that could be 2mpg tops. with 36 inch tires and 4 inch lift my brother got over 20mpg hand calculated running that truck hard, as any young person with power would do. i have an identical truck on 37's with 6 inch lift and over 20mpg...this is driving not leaving half hour early to go somewhere just to go slow..with stock tires i saw 23-24 mpg not always ofcourse and never less than 16. now both of our trucks get 10-12 mpg and unless the wind changed or my ball hitch is causing drag ive got no aerodynamic issue. also my truck used to smoke like freight train and had excellent power, now barely smokes and is gutless. and my brothers smokes alot and has good power still..his truck has twice the miles mine does..his is automatic..mine is 6 speed. and the fuel is not the issue. my next thing will be an ae scanner which im positive will show something, wether it be injectors or sensors, something is wrong.
 
#32 ·
I know the lie-o-meter isnt accurate. Hear me out please! If you watch it and adjust your accelerating/decel/coasting strategies to keep the numbers on it as high as possible you'll find when you hand calculate you mpg's that you will be getting somewhere. All I can say is coasting can gain you HUGE %'s in fuel economy.

Ive given up on trying to be lifted and economical. I can do decent on interstates cruising at 70(37's and 3.73s puts my cruising speed pretty high) but Im going to ditch the lift and tires for stock suspension and 33" tires and retain my stock gearing. I should gain quite a bit from that.
 
#33 ·
I have used several different fuel additives over 30,000 miles. I have used Lucas, Ford's own, Diesel Kleen, etc. I have found what works best in my engine for mileage. THe Amsoil Diesel Concentrate coupled with the Amsoil Cetane booster. I do 5 oz of each at fill up. I know it works because I went 3 tanks without any of it (used same fuel depot). Mileage dropped almost 2 MPG by the third tank. I use the preferred customer program and pay less for the stuff than 1 bottle of Ford's (was second best for me). I am not thumpin' for Amsoil, but it truly works in my 6.4 with 54K miles. i am buying it from now on in the large containers. Give it a shot, it works well for me.
 
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