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Old 10-16-2019, 12:39 PM   #186 (permalink)
slowmover
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,442

2004 CTD - '04 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.36 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by deluxx View Post
very cool! looks like it was built to perfect spec!
A pair of notes on use:

1). Baseline MPG: a loop outwards from a truckstop about 45-miles from home. Top the fuel, scale the beast, correct the tire pressure according to actual load. An RV also needs fresh water supply and propane filled to capacity. The drive needs be 50-100 miles outbound from that point (as warmup is complete) and choice of turnaround ideally with no stops.

Full-time use of cruise control. 59-mph. Top off fuel second time at same pump, to first auto shut off. No variations to this from test to test. Only season/weather.


2). A trip plan always must include the time of departure. Traffic volume increases nationwide on the Interstates thru 1100 and doesn’t dissipate enough to be a non-factor until 2300. Past road choice it’s the single most important factor for highest average mph (and mpg) for a given cruise control set speed.

IOW, I’ll leave at 0400. You’ll leave at 0900. With ZERO changes, the early departure will ALWAYS see higher mpg. Fewer changes from steady-state in a single lane. That’s the goal.

RV’ers are notorious for leaving after work and traveling into the night. Wrong choice. Safety & FE.

The machine is in important. But driver and actual use can trump it. Aero won’t overcome bad choices.

I do it for a living. Constant reminders of the penalties. There are times when with an additional TEN TONS in the trailer my mpg can be higher. And I don’t mean a few tenths.

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stcyrwm (10-16-2019)