MILEAGEMAX Build Thread

[Big Dave]

JMPVW73, your situation sounds a lot like mine. You really don’t tow all that much – just when you happen to have a tow mission.

On pickup truck related sites you hear a lot of obsessing about towing from the denizens. You’d think they tow 24/7 to read the posts. My observation is much the opposite. Most truck guys are like me, they mainly haul butt and little else.
Here in Indiana you see a lot of “driveaway” guys – guys who use big US pickups to deliver towable RVs. Elkhart County is a stronghold of the RV biz. A pickup is the best way to deliver big towable RVs. They are generally too bulky to load multiples on big trailers. Driveaway guys approximate 50% towing duty. Driveaways never get backhauls. Everybody else tows dramatically less.

That’s why I ignore towing in my testing. If a towing mission intrudes, I segregate it off from normal testing (by filling the tank and noting mileage separately. I reckon I am lucky. I have a 45 mile commute that is split almost exactly in thirds – urban/suburban, two-land state roads, and Interstate. Because this is on a set group of routes, I can keep my driving very consistent. My testing is just the commute and some local grocery-getting, always running empty except for maybe $60 worth of groceries and my fat butt – a heroic load for any truck.

I do occasionally run special tests towing a known trailer. For me that means a Bobcat on a flatbed or 3-5 tons of building materials.

Having a fairly consistent run allows you to accurately compare things to determine what work and what doesn’t.

I suspect your Chebbie will be a lot like my Ford. Gearing and aero are the big enchiladas. “Tuning” is worthless and big tires are counterproductive.

[foxhound]

dude it highly possible to get that mileage out of that truck some retuning. and changes to the turbo side parts- intercooler, piping and turbo setup. you have got to look at the snow performance stage 3 boost cooler. it works and will stand behind it 100%. ive seen with my own eyes. its amazing. Its pricey but i dont care thats how much difference it makes. One is going in the kodiak in the next few months. cant pm yet but i talked to denzil about that pm and he said that it should have been happening from the start. overdrive lockout is wrote in the program in the tcm. protects the trans till trans temp gets up. scions have the same thing. and it drives me nuts that why i got of it.

[slowmover]

Chrysler Newport Cummins transplant

The Imperial Club is one great site and group. Attended a couple of Texas events some years ago now. Have heard of good mpg numbers produced on the 4V-413 pre-1966 Imperials (but have not heard about the even earlier original Hemi engines).

As to towing unless one has a dedicated trailer -- RV, for example -- it is difficult to produce numbers that one can tweak as things go along. Tire pressures, alignment, better hitch rigging, etc: small things that can add up (fewer steering corrections over 100 miles as per KENWORTH study, for example).

At work I've pulled the same 40' gooseneck behind a 1T Dodge and averaged 15 for loaded/deadhead on 3-tanks over two days. Decent numbers at about 65 mph road speed (average mph not recorded). Day before yesterday couldn't maintain 9-mpg deadheading into 30-mph headwind over 100-miles at 52 mph in the same truck. Trailer said to weigh about 8k.

I've noticed that towing in 1969 or 2009 produced one interesting mpg bit: Solo economy was reduced about 30%-35% while towing a standard travel trailer in both eras (Trailer Life magazine reviews). As flimsy as this may be it could nevertheless be a starting point for your thinking. Travel trailers of both eras were about the same size/shape (aero) even if modern ones were heavier and that modern tow vehicles have offsetting tech drivetrain advances . . the fuel burn increase was about the same.

.

[JQmile]

I have some pretty good experience with getting mileage in diesel trucks. I got 30.94mpg on one tank from Vegas to Los Angeles in my 97 Dodge....

1997 Dodge Ram 3500 Dualie Cummins - Diesel Power Magazine

and I routinley get mid-20s in my 89 on the freeway without really trying. A programmer that bumps timing REALLY will help in these trucks....also don't forget to run skinny tires at 80psi