Better mileage than average new passenger vehicle in 2.5ton commercial truck!

[JacobAziza]

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

Oh! You have a 4-spd manual in that, don't you? Just no OD? Mine is a 3-speed auto with no OD. There is an auto swap to 4OD for my truck, and apparently the manual conversion is mucho-expensive. I'd be better off swapping boxes with an already-manual F350.

Its technically a 4sd, but 1st gear is really extra low and isn't used in day-to-day driving. Since I start in 2nd gear 99% of the time, I think of it as a 3spd.
The main thing is that is top gear at minimum RPMs I'm only going 30mph.

[Milwaukee]

26.85 mpg

WOW are those were long trip? what speed you go?

you have np435 or T18? manual transmission their gear ratio for 4 gear is 1.1

you have diesel so that how you get good mpg. 6.9L I have heard they get 18 mpg.

I wish my 93 F350 with 5.0L get 20 mpg. gear ratio is 3.55 so plan upgrade to 4.10.

[JacobAziza]

26.85 was mixed driving, a lot of city stop and go, a lot of freeway, all for work so hauling large loads almost 1/2 the time (like in the first picture).

I believe its the NP435, since 1st gear isn't synchronized, but I'm not going to remove the belly pan to check.
Either way, yeah, final drive is 1.0/1

From what I have read the 8th generation F-series did not get much better mileage than the gas versions. 10-16 seems to be the typical range (there is no official EPA estimate) - and that's running empty.

[elhigh]

That's amazing. "Just" 10mpg improvement, no way. That's really, really huge. The mind boggles, imagine what you could achieve with a gearbox that was built in this century.

[i_am_socket]

I'm doing everything I can for a 10mpg improvement! 'course my 10 mpg is only a 30%ish improvement to your 100%

[Milwaukee]

question

you put led light in tailgate? Do you have trouble with turn signal due led use less power and could stay ON instead flash?


I was consider get for my 3 vehicles because it look BRIGHT so that should Wake up IDIOT drivers in Detroit.

Where you get led light from Cheap?

[JacobAziza]

The light in the center beneath the tailgate I got from Harbor Freight tools.
They have mostly cheap low quality stuff, but the LED aux brake light is actually really bright and works flawless.
(I also got a 500lb electric wench powered hitch mounted lift which I have used to move 4 600lb safes into the truck bed.)

The light fits into the trailer hitch and plugs into the trailer wiring harness. It has an electronic controller in it, which can tell the difference between turn signals and brakes. It goes on with the brakes. It does not go on with the turn signal. It is all automatic.
(They also have a cheap version which uses an incandescent bulb and no controller, so it does go on with the turn signals. Don't get that one. Make sure to get the more expensive LED version)
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

The led lights on the cab I put on myself, they are from the local auto store and are meant to be marker lights for box trucks.
I ran a wire sliced into the rear lights through the cab and out the window to them. They both go on with the brakes, and each side goes on with the corresponding turn signal.
I also have little triangle LEDs on the end of each mirror. Those have a wire I spliced in to the front turn signals, into the dash and through the door. They go on with the turn signals, but not the brakes.

In addition to the new lights, I changed all of my stock bulbs over to Luxeon LEDs.
Total power draw is about 5 watts for all lights as running lights and about 15 as on brake light mode. (originally it was 63/177)

If you left at least one incandescent bulb in each circuit you can add as many LEDs as you want and not affect the flash rate.
Because I am using all LEDs I had to buy a new electronic flasher to replace the old thermal flasher which was there originally.

The luxeon LEDs are not cheap - they were the single biggest expense of all my eco-modding - but they are crazy bright, use only a tiny amount of power (ie better mileage), and last for half of forever. SUPER BRIGHT LEDS home
1/2 the lights in my home come from them to, 1 watt each. My power bill is less than $10 each month, so I think the initial cost is worth it.

[Christ]

I still applaud you on your obvious eco-minded driving. You're close to the mileage with your loaded down truck that I get with my empty van... and you have more useable vehicle than I do.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by JacobAziza

Its technically a 4sd, but 1st gear is really extra low and isn't used in day-to-day driving. Since I start in 2nd gear 99% of the time, I think of it as a 3spd.
The main thing is that is top gear at minimum RPMs I'm only going 30mph.

You have a real 4 speed with a very strong 1st, non-syncro'd is annoying but not the end of the world, what say you to doing a $50 junkyard gear up of your rearend?

My subaru 360 has a non syncro'd 1st and gets along fine, rather a pain if I have to downshift to 1st but not impossible if absolutely needed.

Re-Gearing your rearend differential is much cheaper than changing transmissions and the gains are very real. Plus you would get to use all 4 gears and could cruise along in 3rd instead of 4th when in town and you still would have 1st for power but would either need to stop to downshift or get a tach and double shift which is learnable.

The only other issue after the swap would be to change your speedo gear.

If I were you I would go for it, I did it in my 89 diesel and jumped mileage up to around 28mpg, sadly the 700r4 transmission was too weak to deal but it was nice while it lasted, your manual shouldn't have that issue.

Cheers
Ryan

[JacobAziza]

Only thing is I'm afraid to give up the granny gear because sometimes I have to take very heavy loads (2-3 tons in the bed, or up to 3.5 on a trailer) up very steep hills (San Francisco) and I don't really have that much horsepower.

Then again, if it is really cheap and simple, I guess I could try it, and if it doesn't work out I can switch back and I'm not out too much.