>50 mpg w/ 3/4-ton pickup

[slowmover]

While I'm not in favor of removing the intake grid heater, I'm told it is the "reason" for two starting batteries. Worth looking at the whole of that electrical harness, IOW, to see if simplification has any benefits.

The other proposed changes sound interesting.

.

[radioranger]

Save all the parts and mark them , 200 amps seems llike enough to push the truck, lol thats some heater, thats like 2 + HP Amazing MPG though, , any trouble with starting motor yet. ?

[Diesel_Dave]

Originally Posted by radioranger

Save all the parts and mark them , 200 amps seems llike enough to push the truck, lol thats some heater, thats like 2 + HP Amazing MPG though, , any trouble with starting motor yet. ?

None whatsoever. Of course I plug the block heater in the mornings so the engine's somewhat warm then anyway.

I remember back when I first got the truck I hopped in one frigid morning (almost 0 deg F) and just turned the key without waiting for the wait-to-start light to go off. It was only slightly slower to fire than a normal start.

Lots of guys who mod their trucks for racing take them right out (because of the restriction). From what I've heard most people don't have starting issues without them until the temps get down close to zero. Common rail injection helps a lot with diesel cold starts.

[DieselX]

On the Powerstrokes (7.3 anyway) the intake heater is not used except under certain conditions. I can't remember excactly but is something like idling for over 5 minutes under 32* parking brake set. It rarely happens and the heating coil is a large obstruction in the intake. Most, including myself have removed it and plugged the hole.

There is a plug with a place to hook up boost gauge that is pretty slick.

This is of course totaly seperated from the block heater.

[Cobb]

I heard some time ago that the newer diesels were too efficient and did not make enough heat at idle for the climate controls so some models were fitting with an electric heater to aid in creature comforts.

[DieselX]

I put the 203* thermostat in mine. Not sure how much it helps but it makes sense. My EOT never goes above 220* or so and that is towing a 9k camper in warm temps. I think the cooling systems on the 7.3 pigs are way overkill. Just the tranny coolers were suspect while towing.

I need to start doing some removable grill blocks. We only tow every 3 months or so and then it's usually a good bit.

I have raised my mpg's by 2-3 when not towing by driving habits. I have gotten over 18 most tanks not towing and excluding a few 700 mile overnight trips where perhaps I sped a bit (still 16.5 and 16.8)

[Coroner]

Great job DD!

I struggle with 20mpg in my truck/van. The driving habits do help, especially with the constant 25-30mph winds. Great in one direction, Killer in the other.

Next week I will have the last fill up for my last cargo run to Greendale, WI just south of Milwaukee, it was 1000 lb load. Once I fill up, I'll post the numbers.

Again, great job on the 41

[stillsearching]

If the intake heater is that much of an obstruction i'm surprised there isn't some kind of factory bypass, like a thermostat controlled air valve to go from a straight air intake, to a bypass with the heater in it, for how rarely it gets used.

At least after reading this I can no longer claim the owner of the 3/4 ton 4x4 Suburban with a 4cyl Isuzu diesel from the early 90's that I saw was flat out lying about getting 44mpg.

[echo-francis]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

UPDATE:

I broke 60 mpg (on the overhead) for the first time on the way to work this morning with a 62.4 mpg average. This in spite of a 5 mph headwind.

This is 328% above EPA.

It would be really fun to have a video of your commute.

[Cobb]

I use to work at a company that sold the isuzu/gmc npr/nqr cab over, snub nose diesel trucks. They did get better fuel economy, but it was like 5 mpg. Tops anyone I knew of could get was maybe 20 mpg babying it. I am sure a better cab design for mroe aero would of lead to another 5 mpg or so.

Now our mobile mechanic swore bythe little grey bottle and said it gave him 7 more mpg out of his truck and better over all performance. I know my old 81 mercedes 240d had a chart in the owners manual and showed octane vs centane(SP?) rating and how to mix gas with diesel depending on the weather or diesel and kerosene(SP?) if diesel was not available and how it effected performance and weather. Maybe trucks are sensitive to that and a better mixture gave better mpg?

Originally Posted by stillsearching

At least after reading this I can no longer claim the owner of the 3/4 ton 4x4 Suburban with a 4cyl Isuzu diesel from the early 90's that I saw was flat out lying about getting 44mpg.