Fuel Mileage - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

Wrenchtraveller · 03-18-2006, 03:14 PM

My 05 F350 V10 Lariat computer drops MPG while the truck is idling. This 05 computer is more accurate than my 04 PSD was but still I always calculate by hand and find the computer shows a little higher than hand calculation. I have only towed my Montana 60 miles home from the dealer so I don't know what the V10 will do towing. With a Slide in Camper I got 11 with this truck while my 06 PSD did 13.
It really is refreshing to read real world figures that are more in line with what I have always got because few things in life are embelished as much as gas mileage.

I have towed Fifth wheels for 20 years and I have heard some outragous mileage claims. I had a 1988 Ford F250 with a 460 and I was lucky to get 6 MPG towing with that truck. I was going down I-5 and I was in Redding California and I met a guy with the identical rig to mine. This was in a campground and he was pounding down the rum. He claimed his rig was getting 20MPG towing his Fiver. I don't call strangers liers so I said nothing and the conversation turned to where we were from. I told him I was a Vancouver Islander and it turned out he was 20 miles from home.
I looked at the big jug of rum and realized he was getting 20MPG, not his 460.

rvivey · 03-18-2006, 04:42 PM

Here is a printout of my mileage for a 2004 F350 PSD and 3475RL. The mileage is not separated for towing and non-towing. The variations in mpg is due to factors such as mountain driving and how much city driving we did. I always tow with the "tow/haul" engaged.

Montana Sky · 03-18-2006, 09:04 PM

I average 19-21 mpg empty on the highway, and 16-18 mpg in town empty. While towing I average 12-14 mpg.

bobgay · 03-19-2006, 02:46 AM

So many outside factors affect mileage, wind and cruising speed in particular. We cruise at 60mph and have gotten from 11 to 13.5 towing. Best I can estimate is that in a no-wind situation we would get around 12 to 12.5 mpg. Without the Monty, it's 18 to 20.

gkbutler · 03-19-2006, 03:02 AM

Pulling our 2950 we get about 13MPG. Driving empty, we are averaging 17.1 MPG. We have 28K on the truck. My 05 2500HD will also calculate the MPG while idling.

Mudchief · 03-19-2006, 05:55 AM

My mileage is about the same as what Montana Sky is getting. Speed is the biggest factor that seems to affect the MPG both empty and pulling.

richfaa · 03-19-2006, 06:01 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

On my 05 Ford truck I have never seen the MPG change while stopped that is whay I assumed that it was calculating wheels tunning time only..Anyone else notice anything?? The dumbest things catch my interest..

I take that back. Guess I was never stopped long enough to see anything happen.Went out and started the truck, Noted the MPG and let it idle for 5 miniutes..it decreased by .2 MPG. Now the mystery is why we think the computer generated MPG is not as accurate as the manual calculations and why???

ols1932 · 03-19-2006, 10:50 AM

We have to be careful here. Sometimes we are comparing apples and oranges. Some vehicles have a 3.7 rear end and some have 4.1 rear end. I even ran into a guy who has a 3.5 rear end! It makes a big difference in mpg. Plus, if you have a 4x4, you can't compare with a 2WD.

Orv

Wordsmith · 03-20-2006, 07:42 AM

I have been looking at this very hard of late. My 2005 6.0 liter PSD has been averaging right at 17 mpg on the highway with 15-16 in the city. Towing, it has averaged right above 12 mpg.

Wordsmith · 03-20-2006, 07:45 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

On my 05 Ford truck I have never seen the MPG change while stopped that is whay I assumed that it was calculating wheels tunning time only..Anyone else notice anything?? The dumbest things catch my interest..

Rich, I too have noticed the figures change while stopped at a red light.

kwbosch · 03-20-2006, 09:14 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by padredw

One interesting observation: I can "drive to the computer" and make the "average" go up. There are two sides to that: 1] I expect it really does improve my MPG because I am 'trying' to do so, and 2] I don't think it improves the actual as much as it does the readout.

Just my not-so-scientific observations

I use my computer the same way David. It keeps my normally "lead foot" like a feather.

Ken

Glenn and Lorraine · 03-20-2006, 09:28 AM

My GMC has no such MPG computer so I do it the old fashion way. I take the mileage when I fill up. I than drive until I need to refill and I again take the mileage. I than figure exactly how many miles from fill up to refill. I divide that number by the number of gallons I used and VIOLA I have my MPG. Now you can believe this or not that's your option but towning the Monty I get from 12 to 14 MPG and if I behave myself I get 20 to 24 MPG without the Monty. When towing I rarely exceed 64 MPH but when I ain't towing sometimes I do get a heavy foot.

richfaa · 03-20-2006, 10:14 AM

Well I have never seen such honesty in reporting MPG figures in any forum anywhere particularly from the diesel guys. In other forums the diesels regularly get 15,16,17 and even more when towing, on this forum @ 12MPG seems the average which is by coincidence @ the same MPG I get on the Durimax Diesel mini school bus GVWR 13K that I drive most every day. We are a honest bunch..

Dano · 03-20-2006, 10:34 AM

I guess I'm not to far off, 06 Dodge 15.5 empty and 11 towing. I hope once its broken in I should get a little better. And I have the 4:10 rear end plus 4x4. (I do have a lead foot!!!)

Montana Sky · 03-20-2006, 02:14 PM

Glenn,
My towing numbers are right in line with yours, I average 12-14 towing, the best I have seen empty is 23mpg and that was only 1 tank. I usually run 19-22 on the highway and just rolled over 47,000 miles. I am heading to CA Thursday so I shall see what this trip brings me, by the time I get home March 31st I will have right around 50,000 miles and I hope my mpg gets a little better on the highway now that I am finally getting some miles on this baby. =)

Merv · 03-22-2006, 10:24 AM

I know mine does not count because its a little bigger than the rest, but I get between 10-12 mpg with Big Red. Towing or not, it doesn't matter.

Merv

richfaa · 03-22-2006, 10:45 AM

Merv..I drive that same truck except there is a school bus attached to it.GVWR 30K I would guess we are close to that with a full load on a charter, 70 Kids/ coaches, equipment, etc and we get 9 to 11MPG.It is a 2003 year.

ols1932 · 03-22-2006, 05:28 PM

What rear end do you that get 12 to 14 mpg towing have?

Orv

Montana Sky · 03-22-2006, 06:28 PM

I have the 3.73 rear end in my Duramax.

Native Tex · 03-23-2006, 01:54 AM

Guys it is safe to say that we all average pretty close to the same across the board. I get 11 - 12.5 mpg towing and 18 - 20 empty on the highway while around town empty I get about 15 -16 empty. This is about the same as my 7.3L powerstroke as well. Bottom line for these vehicle to get these types of milage is pretty good if you look at the size of these vehicles and the weight involved. I just consider it a necessary evil to pull my Momty. Happy Trails!

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