What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee Pics |
2003-06-01 56157
I just clicked over 10,000 miles yesterday on a trip. About 250 miles round trip with cruise control on as much as possible at 57 mph. Computer was telling me around 21 mpg average but I have about 11% larger diameter tires. When I do the stubby pencil method and add in about 10%, comes to just a tad over 23mpg. I was looking at some engine mods but kinda hate to mess with success. ;o)
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
David Carpenter
Join Date: Posts: 1 |
2003-06-02 56368
With the cruise set at 76mph, ac on full blast(to deal with the 97 degree heat in Texas) and auto trans, I got 19.5 from last tank. My truck has about 63,000 miles on it now. My milage got better between 10,000 and 20,000 miles on the truck. When I put the Edge EZ on I gained about 1 1/2 mpg. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee Pics |
2003-06-02 56375
Not bad mileage at all. How is the Edge EZ working with the auto trans? ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL Pics |
2003-06-02 56386
Mine is averaging about 19-19.5 on the computer. It seems to vary with where I buy diesel. I have the real low rear end and the 3500 so it sucks diesel on the free way.
The biggest improvement I have had is switching to the synthetic oil.
Does it make any difference with the tail gate down or with a air gate? I tried this with my Ford 150 but with the new low cd design it made no difference.
....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee Pics |
2003-06-02 56387
Any of you use a fuel additive? I am using John Deere Summer Formula but have been experimenting with Power Service and Howes. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
David Carpenter
Join Date: Posts: 1 |
2003-06-03 56523
the EZ seems to have no effect on the trans at all. I have never felt any slip or shudder. I use the Shell Rotella fuel additive. Cummins seems to run quieter when I use it. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
lamarbur
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 93 Ma/Ct state area |
2003-06-08 57081
after many years of owning tractor trailer units, I always used Howes lubricant. THe name tells it all, lubricant.. Power service and most of the rest of them are mostly alcohol. At least with Howes, you freeze, and they pay up. I have an 01 quad, 4 X 4 short bed, 6sp tranny with the HO motor.. 16 to 21 MPG and it is continuos. I do the worse and that is 4 mile trips here and there. Once, with a heavy tail wind, on the way to Boston I got 26. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin Pics |
2003-10-27 67276
Mine is a '94 2500, 4x4, 3.55's, 5-speed, with 265-75R-16 tires; milage varies between 17mpg worst recorded, and 25mpg best, depending on speed load and type of fuel.
Using a winter blend fuel and hauling heavy gets the worst mileage. Summer #2 empty with cruise set to 55, gets 25+ mpg. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
jrk234
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 4 Etters,PA |
2003-12-27 72392
Just did a trip to Florida and back. Best tank was 17.85 and worse tank was 15.5. I use Lucas fuel additive. My truck is a 02HO 4x4 with 4.10 gears. I have a comp box stage 2 inj, 4" exhaust and mega cannon air filter. The gears hurt my mileage on the highway. Going to a 285 tire to help with the gears when the factory tire are shot.
Jeff ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan Pics |
2003-12-30 72704
I've got the '03 H.O. diesel (12,000 miles), 4x, factory tires and 4:11 axles. Pulling about 15,000 around town I get in the low teens, empty on highway 17-29 on high end. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
kully560
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 61 NY |
2003-12-31 72806
I have owned a 1994 ,1997,1999,these were gas with 318 engine. got 15 to 16 mpg highway, so I herd about cummins with great fuel milage. so I picked up a new 2001 4x4 quad cab,stock rear put 47000 miles on it all highway ,in 30 months my fuel milage was the same from day one to trade for new 2003 truck. milage was 16 around town the little I drove it in town.highway was18.5 never change also truck was automatic.my 2001 was 215 hp, my new 2003 is 250 hp same everthing and my milage is 19.5 highway at speed of 65mph also same speed as 2001 just a little better.took truck to florida from ny last year and speed was 70 to 80 mph, watch mpg drop at 80 I got 17 t0 17.5 the cummins does not like high speeds for good fuel mpg.the 2003 is 13 months old and have 23000 on it now,still mpg is same from day one. cummins says no brake in needed so I guess thats why both 2001 and 2003 mpg was always the same from day one on.I here about people getting high 20s but I think they must not drive over 45 to 50 on highway . will be looking at the new ho with 325 hp next truck, would like to her some facts on mpg . ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
GOODREP
Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 2 Sturgeon Bay WI |
2004-08-01 92433
I have 154K on a 01 4X longbox ,I get 14-16 towing a 8x18 enclosed loaded. 18-20 with no load and the tailgate down. I have a van-aken box in it, no other mods.Torqe converter went at 120K , other than that its a good worker, auto trans 355 rear ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
tractorbrad
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 55 northeast ohio |
2004-08-01 92464
The best I have done so far on my 2000 3/4ton auto 3.54 gear truck has been 18.6 mpg. I have never seen twenty even on the turnpike. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
dpdee13
Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 8 Lothian, MD |
2004-08-13 93395
2001.5 2500 4wd 6sp HO step II injectors and minor exhaust and intake mods. Have an Edge EZ but only run it as a boost fooler now.
74K to date, average 18.8 mpg so far.
I can get low 20's on extended runs if speed is kept below 75 mph. Low is usually low 16's during the winter running lots of 4wd.
Approx. 70% highway 30% local including DC/Baltimore traffic.
No complaints
Dave ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
tekdivergeil
Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 11 Michigan |
2005-09-25 116859
The neat thing about diesel engines is that you can't run them too lean. The more air you put through them, the cooler they run, and the more power you make. With this information, it should be easy to see that anything that makes the engine breathe better, such as larger exhaust and intakes and most "power packs" (like the Banks systems) not only increase power, but torque and mileage as well. The downside is that a given engine design has only so many "horsepower-hours" in it. When you increase the power of the engine, you decrease its life span commensurately. If you take a 300 hp engine that is designed to go 400k miles before a rebuild, and make it put out 600 hp, it will only live about 200k miles. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee Pics |
2005-09-25 116867
In my opinion, the best option to obtain the best fuel economy is to try setting the cruise control on something between 45 & 50 mph. I set mine at about 47 mph as this seems to be the sweet spot for my truck. I realize that is a slow poke/poop along speed but I think you will be AMAZED at the mpg results. Remember........... as speed is doubled, resistance (drag) is squared. The point at which an optimum trade off between speed, drag, and fuel consumption is attained somewhere between 40 & 50 mph. At least in my experience it has.
A side benefit of driving this slow is that the stress level is nearly nonexistent as everyone else just zooms on by you. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL Pics |
2005-09-25 116880
I agree. I do a lot of driving on the paved secondary roads in the area and get the best milage at about 45 and 5th. If I put the computer on current mph reading and work the hills I can do better than with the cruise. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
dieselpusher
Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 31 Arizona Pinal Mountains |
2005-09-25 116888
In Arizona, if you drove 47 mph, the DPS would give you a ticket for impeading traffic. On the weekends, the traffic can be bumper to bumper for 50 miles outside of the city limits. At that speed, 4-5 people will try to pass at one time and force on coming traffic off the shoulder. Most 2 lane high ways here are 65mph with 75mph on the interstate. Even people that drive the speed limit get flipped off all the time. The interstates that run through Phoenix are 65mph and most everyone drives 75+. The police say it it safer to drive with the traffic. There is a law that if you have 4 or more vehicles behind you and you are driving slower than the limit, you must pull over at the next available spot and let traffic pass. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
dieselpusher
Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 31 Arizona Pinal Mountains |
2005-09-25 116890
As for milage on my Cummins. My 1997 2500 4X4 3.54 gears 265/75-16 tires 5 speed. Custom gound AFC plate and fuel wheel tweaked. 600 flbs of torque. 22-23 mpg hwy if I don't hot rod it and 16-17 mpg in town. Towing a 7000# trailer in the mountains it gets around 15-16 mpg. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee Pics |
2005-09-25 116896
I drive those speeds all the time. NEVER been issued a ticket. If 47 is too slow, they can pass. I do try to be courteous and allow other drivers by whenever possible. As for getting flipped off; just smile and wave. I think you've heard of the "Sticks and stones" addage. For the driver that feels motivated to take it beyond the flipping off. I'll just say that there would be 45 separated reasons I carry along that would possibly make that an idea better reconsidered. You might want to try it sometime. It is like beaming to another dimension. It is sooooo much better arriving at my destination relaxed and in good spirits as opposed to being wound tighter than a valve spring. Used to drive like that for years but finally came to the realization that life is too short to be P.O.'d and stressed out all the time. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
BillBass
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 190 North Texas |
2005-09-26 116938
Keep your tail gate up for best mileage. Surprisingly, wind tunnel tests and computer analysis have shown the tail gate up gives the least wind resistance due to a "bubble" of air in the bed causing air to ride over the bed. Tail gate down loses that "bubble". And a net tailgate is the worst of all. Check out this link. ....
Link: tail gates and mileage
 
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee Pics |
2005-09-26 116944
Very good point! You think the opposite would be true. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
dieselpusher
Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 31 Arizona Pinal Mountains |
2005-09-26 116946
AZ is a lot different than TN. Much faster pace. People get shot here from road rage all the time. A major trucking company from AZ was taken to court many times because their trucks were set at a top speed of 60 mph. The courts made them set their trucks at 65 mph because 60 mph was proven to be an unsafe speed. Many accidents are caused by slow vehicles. I am a professional driver with 1.7 million safe miles driven on every major road in all lower 48 states, Canada and Mexico. I have seen first hand the death and destruction caused by idiots who were not patient enough to wait for a chance to pass safely. About 1 hour ago, I was driving 30 mph down my street on my way home from work. This is a 1 mile long residential street with a speed limit of 30 mph and a double yellow line the entire distance. 2 pickup trucks came up behind me and the first one rode my bumper at about 1/2 truck length away from me with their bright lights on for 1/4 mile and then turned onto a side road. The 2nd truck also rode my bumper for about a 1/4 mile a then flew past me only to turn onto another side road a couple of blocks later. People out here have no patients what so ever.
P.S. I know what it's like to drive slow. I drive 500 to 600 miles a night in 18 wheeler up an down mountain grades at 15 - 35 mph with people tailgating me with their bright lights in my mirrors all the time. They get so PO'd because I'm slowing them down that they will pass on blind curves and force oncoming traffic to pull over. I just can't wait to hit the big roads and get up to speed so I can relax! ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Ym1110d
Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 22 Wisconsin |
2005-11-11 119236
On my 96 215 5 speed, the best I've seen has been 22mpg. I usually got around 14 pulling 7,000lbs around 80mph. I'm now running a 305 series tire which seems to of hurt the milage slightly. I have not adjusted for the incorect speedo. Turning the engine up to around 450 rear wheel hp hasn't affected the milage any. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL Pics |
2005-11-12 119273
I have tested my 2000 Dodge and my 97 Ford trucks with the gate up and down. I saw no difference so I left them up. I am sure it relates to the areodynamics of the pickup. I am not sure that the older pickup did not give you an increase. I think I tested the 83 Ford and found some increase. ....
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What Kind of Fuel Milage Are You Getting From Your Cummins
thrasher
Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 14 Crosby TX |
2005-11-14 119338
I am showing 18.5 on the computer and about 17.5 w/ pencil. Althought have not had enough to average for only on my third tank. The truck has the cummins/6speedmanual/285-70-17 tires and not sure what he diff ratio is. I broke 1500 miles today. Have been fairly feather footed. I am about to experiment w/ Diesel power service additive. Says it has no alcohol, increases the cetane and reduces need for down shifts. We'll see. ....
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