7.3 psd ambulance needs help with MPG!

[sailormanbigd]

Noob here, stumbled on this web site. Cool Forum and site. I have just purchased for my retirement in 8 months an 1997 Ford F350 Ambulance. I have never been out west in the USA. I would love to see Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Colorado, Wyoming, etc. I will be living on Social security so I need to save money as much as possible. I purchased the F350 because it has a 7.3 powerstroke diesel and I hear they can get incredible mileage ? I drove it some 450 miles to get it home and its not bad bad, but not as good as I would have hoped. I didn't actually calculate as I was already too stressed with driving an unknown vehicle but I calculate somewhere around 10mpg based on my son driving a crown vic and me needing twice the gas/diesel he did and he gets 21.5mpg.
I was already thinking about an air dam like the semi's use to deflect the air over the box. There is a vertical area above the cab of the of the standard cab f350 of approx 3ft high by 8ft wide. Would an air dam be effective or worthwhile here? How much mpg could be scavenged from doing this? And what geometry should it have-a wedge that is tilted back is what I am guessing? thanks. Any other cheap mods would be greatly appreciated.

[M_a_t_t]

Is it an F350 or an E350? I don't think I've ever seen an ambulance with the truck cab.

I would probably do the air deflector and then look into those fold out tails they have on semi's. Also a belly pan would probably help quite a bit.

[MetroMPG]

Welcome!


Sounds like a fun plan.



You should post a pic of your rig - or of one like it. It'll help with suggestions.

[sailormanbigd]

Originally Posted by M_a_t_t

Is it an F350 or an E350? I don't think I've ever seen an ambulance with the truck cab.

I would probably do the air deflector and then look into those fold out tails they have on semi's. Also a belly pan would probably help quite a bit.

it is an F350. just google FBS F350 ambulance. I don't have a pic to download, sorry. I tried to copy an image into post but it would not post.

[MetroMPG]

Like this one?



(From: https://jingletruck.com/ford-f350-f-350-112728 )

FYI: you can post images after 5 posts. Feel free to make some dummy posts to get past that threshold if you like.

Also: HOWTO - Add pictures/photos/images in Ecomodder

[freebeard]

It's like deja vu all over again!

New and seeking aero advice for my "brick"

My best suggestion (applied to a camper body):


Consider a quarter-round from the back edge of the door opening to the outside edge of the van body.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Maybe an air deflector in front of the modular box could also provide extra storage, which is a good idea if you intend to live full-time on it after you convert to a motorhome.

Originally Posted by M_a_t_t

I don't think I've ever seen an ambulance with the truck cab.

Most likely they were more common for export or in rural areas.

[jakobnev]

The usual suspects:



Airdam vs flat undertray is a question to ponder on.

And smooth wheel covers for the rear.

Spats and mini boat tails for the wheels.

[sailormanbigd]

Originally Posted by jakobnev

The usual suspects:



Airdam vs flat undertray is a question to ponder on.

And smooth wheel covers for the rear.

Spats and mini boat tails for the wheels.

thanks Jakob. Good pictorial representation. Does anyone have a N MPG improvements estimate for this sort of mod?