Ford fuel mileage

[Donhutch1800]

I have a 2015 srw long bed and I can get around 12mpg on flat ground and no wind.I have a 3.55 gear.But I'm like you if I stay around 70 or a little faster my fuel mileage is better .motor seems to pull better at that speed.My 2008 was about the same as the new one.

[piper guy]

Bruce ~ it was my understanding that the 6.7 was a mid-year intro in 2011 replacing the "ever popular" 6.4. I could be wrong but didn't think all 2011's were 6.7


Doesn't surprise me that the 2015's are getting even better mileage. When I talked to Jim at the Rally he had just gotten his '15 Dually coming from a '13 SRW. Said the towing difference in power was huge. The Dually seldom came down out of 6th gear where his SRW was like mine in that it would readily kick down 1 or 2 gears as needed and then shift back up. And his is 3.73 rear like mine.

[almcc]

Perhaps a bit of "apples and oranges" comparison follows but we transit the US from Detroit to southern California each winter and return, it's about 7,000 miles.

I record the mileage and fuel fills on a spreadsheet to get an accurate idea of what's happening. Our current TV is a 2011 F-450 6.7 diesel (4.3 rear end and 17 inch wheels) and I also recorded our mileage with our older 2003 F-350 SRW (6.0 diesel, 4.10 rear end, 16 inch tires and manual transmission).

With the F-450 I got between 10.6 and 10.9 US MPG on the trips, the F-350 got about 1 MPG more. We haul at around 2,000 RPM with equates to around 62 MPH on both vehicles (the 4.30 rear in the 450 is offset by the 17 inch tires so the engine RPM's and speed are about the same for both the 350 and 450 trucks. I don't think the auto trannie makes much of a difference as the torque convertor is locked out in anything above 3rd gear and our hauling is done mostly in 6th, we get very little downshifting on level terrain.

Over the years I've hauled with various Ford diesels staring with a 1991 non-turbo, then two 7.3 turbos, the 6.0 "oh no" and finally this 6.7. The mileage hasn't varied much at all except this last 1 MPG drop which I attribute to the dual wheels and perhaps the emission system. All the previous SRW's have had 4.10 rear axles, the 2011 is my first duallie.

By the way, the MPG indication on the truck is a little optimistic, I get between a half gallon and a gallon additional fuel into the tank then the computer measures on each fill, must be what goes into the filler tube or something like that.

[spindrift]

Originally Posted by piper guy

Bruce ~ it was my understanding that the 6.7 was a mid-year intro in 2011 replacing the "ever popular" 6.4. I could be wrong but didn't think all 2011's were 6.7

The 6.7L is/was the only engine available for the 2011 MY.

[Dan]

My old 5.9 with 373 gears, "no pollution gear" dodge gives me 12.5 towing the Redwood. I get 15.5 with my 4000lb camper and I can squeak 20 empty but normally 18/19

[5th_Time]

I'm with you Dave. I don't care whether I'm getting 10.8 or 11.1 when I'm tired and facing a back-in in an unfamiliar site and it's getting dark.

These dually diesels get between 10 and 11mpg when towing and all the monitoring & calculations amount to nickels & dimes. Same for the fuel cards that save you 2-3 cents/gal on a 35gal tank. Ugh.

[Dave&Ginny]

I figure....if I was that worried about saving a nickel here or there I shouldn't be pulling a castle behind me. It's the same with campgrounds, I'll spend the extra $15 a night for a nicer place if I'm going to be there a few days or if they're easier to get into.

[mhs4771]

Dave, I don't disagree with your reasoning, but I Hate and try not to pay $50 plus for a quick one nite stop where you only hookup the electric.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

Dave, I don't disagree with your reasoning, but I Hate and try not to pay $50 plus for a quick one nite stop where you only hookup the electric.

I agree with that too. There have been several times where we'd stay in a rest area with the generator on and a gun under the pillow just to get 7 hours sleep. But if I'm going to stay somewhere, I'm going to pay the extra dollars for a nice place.

We stayed at a place last year in Florida only because it was close to my sisters house but it was more of a junk yard than a camp ground. I believe it was an old KOA. I thought about taking pictures because I didn't think anybody would ever believe this place existed.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Dan

My old 5.9 with 373 gears, "no pollution gear" dodge gives me 12.5 towing the Redwood. I get 15.5 with my 4000lb camper and I can squeak 20 empty but normally 18/19

I remember the first Cummins that went in a Dodge were getting over 20 mpg highway. It was hard to ignore when the big block gassers were down under 10!

[almcc]

Originally Posted by 5th_Time

I'm with you Dave. I don't care whether I'm getting 10.8 or 11.1 when I'm tired and facing a back-in in an unfamiliar site and it's getting dark.

These dually diesels get between 10 and 11mpg when towing and all the monitoring & calculations amount to nickels & dimes. Same for the fuel cards that save you 2-3 cents/gal on a 35gal tank. Ugh.

I generally don't worry about small differences in prices of diesel especially when getting in and out of gas stations easily is a consideration, but I do check to be sure I'm not being taken.

I filled up at Fry's in Yuma in late November, posted price was $3.499/gallon, with my Fry's card I got a reduction of $0.60 per gallon bringing it down to $2.899/gallon. Here in southern California the local posted price was $4.50/gallon last week. Now that's being taken!

[Dan]

Originally Posted by atom ant

I remember the first Cummins that went in a Dodge were getting over 20 mpg highway. It was hard to ignore when the big block gassers were down under 10!

Yup Brad, its one of the main reasons I am reluctant to get a new truck. My old 95 could get close to 25 empty on the flats. I heard the new Dodges get less than mine but they suuuure are nice all loaded up

[atom ant]

I'm really loving my 2014 Ford compared to what I had before, but in Fords case, the mileage improved over the years.