New Ford mods

[GasSavers_Tippy]

Someone above asked what I would be towing. We have a few trailers. I have never weighed it, but that largest loaded with a kitchen (for example) and tools probably weighs in at 12K-15K at least. This is pulled at least once a week. I log 35K-40K per year between my F150 and my 454 powered Chevy 3500.

I am entertaining the thought of making my own Bio. I was raised on a farm here in ND and have my eye on a piece of land. I wold like to grow canola, extract the oil and make my own Bio. Perhaps start something like a co-op with area farmers to defray the cost of equipment. Just a dream for now.

You guys have me thinking about a mid 90's truck. I have always liked pickups from those years.

[lovemysan]

Originally Posted by omgwtfbyobbq

Mah truck has the aero drag of a full size pickup. Although, I will say that full size has gotten bigger and bigger in terms of towing, but not really hauling. For instance,
So my teensy tiny pickup can haul 1400lbs of people/stuff compared to 1800lbs for a brand spankin' new decked out F-250 SuperDuperDuty. Towing otoh, is where it's left in the dust, being able to tow only a third of what the SuperDuper could tow. But, otoh, the SuperDuper seems to get around half, or a third, of what my teensy tiny pickup w/ no overdrive gets in terms of mileage, so even if it can tow three times more, it gets a third of the mileage doing so, and can only haul about the same amount. It's either a disadvantage or wash imo.

I've had 5200lbs in our 95 f250. I've put 2500lbs in a 2wd dodge 1500. Factory ratings of the Big three pickups and the imports are quite different. I had a nissan rated at 1450lbs payload but at that weight it would haul no more and wasn't particularly safe.

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Not according to the NHTSA. Course, it also depends on extra features too... A stripped down truck can haul quite a bit more than something with extra features and weight. Feel doesn't mean there is or isn't any impact on braking distances and handling, which is what the NHTSA evaluates to determine the amount a truck can haul AFAIK. Overloading is overloading is overloading.

[sargergp]

Tippv,
I'm a truck mechanic and a powerstroke owner. Get you a '00-'02 with the 7.3L and install the Banks Power mods. I did this as well replacing the muffler with pipe and went from midteens in town and highteens highway to highteens in town and mid 20s highway. Loaded or empty didn't matter much. My truck was a '96 F250 crewcab 4X4 with AOD tranny and 3.55 gears.
Good Luck

[GasSavers_flash7210]

Originally Posted by Tippy

Hello all. I was searching the internet on ways to increases the mileage of a new Ford Diesel, and come across this site. I have read alot of threads and you guys really know your stuff. So, if you don't mind noobs, I would like to pick your brains.

I own a woodshop, and we have two trucks. An F150 @ 18mpg and a Chevy 3500 @ 3-5mpg (it has a 454). We would really like to get rid of them both and get one truck. I am leaning towards the F250 or 350, but I haven't heard of anyone getting over 18mpg consistantly. For a diesel, that just isn't right. I have read that the deplorable mileage is due to all the emmission controls. That leads me to my question. Can that stuff simply be removed to increase mileage? It seems backwards to me to burn twice as much fuel just to get cleaner exhaust. I am in ND, so I don't have any emmissions tests to worry about.

On another forum, Dieselpower.com maybe, someone said that these trucks are capable of 32mpg+ but wouldn't elaborate. I can't remember if it was because the methods were illegal, voided the warranty or would just make your arms and legs fall off. (I have read alot of forums over the last couple of weeks and can't keep track of all the info.)

Anyways, that was my question. Thanks everyone.

Here is what I have found...

I have an '05 Jeep Liberty Diesel. On another forum I was told that if I unplugged the MAF (mass airflow sensor) that this would prevent the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve from opening. This was supposed to help improve MPG and so far it has.
A friend of mine recently bought a used '04 F350 PowerStroke. He did a lot of research on his truck and even printed out the Tech Manuals provided by International. Upon reading the manuals I found that the EGR system seemed to function the same as on my Jeep. So I applied the same principle and unplugged his MAF. Guess what? His MPG got a lot worse! I'm not sure why. Maybe his EGR system defaults to "open" where mine defaults to "closed."

My suggestion? If you get a used diesel, cut out the catalytic converter and muffler. Clean the oil residue out of the intercooler and intake tubes and find a way to disable the EGR valve. All these can help improve MPG.
Better yet, keep one of the two trucks you already have and sell the other. Use the money to convert the other to a diesel by installing a 4BT Cummins. These engines are very common and conversion kits are available. I've heard of guys boosting these engines up to 350 HP and still getting 30 MPG!

[GasSavers_flash7210]

Originally Posted by Tippy

Hello all. I was searching the internet on ways to increases the mileage of a new Ford Diesel, and come across this site. I have read alot of threads and you guys really know your stuff. So, if you don't mind noobs, I would like to pick your brains.

I own a woodshop, and we have two trucks. An F150 @ 18mpg and a Chevy 3500 @ 3-5mpg (it has a 454). We would really like to get rid of them both and get one truck. I am leaning towards the F250 or 350, but I haven't heard of anyone getting over 18mpg consistantly. For a diesel, that just isn't right. I have read that the deplorable mileage is due to all the emmission controls. That leads me to my question. Can that stuff simply be removed to increase mileage? It seems backwards to me to burn twice as much fuel just to get cleaner exhaust. I am in ND, so I don't have any emmissions tests to worry about.

On another forum, Dieselpower.com maybe, someone said that these trucks are capable of 32mpg+ but wouldn't elaborate. I can't remember if it was because the methods were illegal, voided the warranty or would just make your arms and legs fall off. (I have read alot of forums over the last couple of weeks and can't keep track of all the info.)

Anyways, that was my question. Thanks everyone.

Here is what I have found...

I have an '05 Jeep Liberty Diesel. On another forum I was told that if I unplugged the MAF (mass airflow sensor) that this would prevent the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve from opening. This was supposed to help improve MPG and so far it has.
A friend of mine recently bought a used '04 F350 PowerStroke. He did a lot of research on his truck and even printed out the Tech Manuals provided by International. Upon reading the manuals I found that the EGR system seemed to function the same as on my Jeep. So I applied the same principle and unplugged his MAF. Guess what? His MPG got a lot worse! I'm not sure why. Maybe his EGR system defaults to "open" where mine defaults to "closed."

My suggestion? If you get a used diesel, cut out the catalytic converter and muffler. Clean the oil residue out of the intercooler and intake tubes and find a way to disable the EGR valve. All these can help improve MPG.
Better yet, keep one of the two trucks you already have and sell the other. Use the money to convert the other to a diesel by installing a 4BT Cummins. These engines are very common and conversion kits are available. I've heard of guys boosting these engines up to 350 HP and still getting 30 MPG!

[ffvben]

I've driven in trucks with the superchip/reprogram. you can choose different reprograms, economy, tow, horsepower. I've driven in a 6.0ford with massive hp, it smokes the dully tires fast. I haven't driven one in economy mode yet, I'm guessing it cuts the fuel delivery?? that might be a easy way to go to get better mpg. also 15qts of synthetic oil sounds expensive for one oil change, but that should boost mgp.

[Spencyg]

A couple things:

First of all, Ford stopped using International diesels in '95. Diesels don't have catalytic converters.

The engine that provides the best mileage is the 5.9L Cummins. The Powerstroke and Duramax just don't have the mileage ability that the Cummins does. Stay away from the new 6.7L Cummins too....its lost all of the efficiency its older brother attained. I have MANY friends who drive the Dodge 3/4 and 1 Ton trucks with the 5.9, and none of them ever report below 20MPG towing at capacity. Running empty, they all get between 22-25MPG. Anybody who tells you they get near 30MPG in a full size truck (without crazy aero mods) is pulling your leg....anybody who says "they talked to this guy who said...." blah blah blah. Any modifications made to the engine will either void the warrantee, or compromise the reliability that I'm sure you need to make money. Get a Cummins 5.9 powered truck, tow all day long, and be happy you aren't getting 5 MPG anymore.

I have an '86 Ford E350 4x4 camper that has a 6.9L Normally Aspirated International diesel. It gets between 10-12 MPG with a 3 speed auto tranny and 3.55 gears. I'm installing a turbo this winter which should significantly bump up the engine VE. If I get 15 MPG when I'm done, I'll be ecstatic.

Spence

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Originally Posted by Spencyg

Diesels don't have catalytic converters.

Diesels don't have three-way catalytic converters. They do have two-way catalytic converters.

Originally Posted by Spencyg

Anybody who tells you they get near 30MPG in a full size truck (without crazy aero mods) is pulling your leg....anybody who says "they talked to this guy who said...." blah blah blah.

*~30mpg@55mph in an unloaded 4bt powered dodge ram is possible through appropriate gearing, just not practical for towing. Otoh, a GV OD unit with an appropriately geared transmission should be able to get ~27mpg@55mph unloaded, w/o significantly compromising power available for towing. But, like ya said, most people who can afford something that big probably won't bother driving 55mph or worry about gearing, and if it's new, there's no point in even risking any kind of warranty trouble.

*Cd=.45, A=3.25m^2, BSFC=250g/kWh, API-32 fuel, W=26,600N, Crr=.01

[Big Dave]

Hey Tippy. I get very good MPG from a Ford F-350.

I have been working on this for about seven years now and found a few things that can help.

If you have not bought one yet, you are at the point that can save the most fuel. Spec one out and start with a good truck and work from there.

My advice is to buy a 4x2 if you can live with one. I did just fine in western NE with a 4x2. If you have to go out on muddy worksites then 4x4 is necessary, but a 4x4 will cost you 2 MPG right off the top.

Second piece of advice: Get a manual. The Ford Super Duties use the excellent ZF-6. This is the tranny from a german deuce-and-a-half military truck. Very durable. I have 200,000 miles on the OEM clutch and still going. Automatics live a rough life behind slow-revving diesels. An automatic will cost you 2 MPG right off the top and give you years of trouble.

For your work, maybe getting a chassis cab and getting a work body to do what you need to do. If a regular body is OK, consider a tonneau cover - hard of soft will do. Good for a 1.5 MPG improvement over an open bed.

All the 2008 diesels (Ford, Dodge, Chevy or should I say International, Cummins, Isuzu) are choked by emissions equipment. Monkeying with the emissions equoipment will invalidate your warranty on the spot. After you run out the warranty, I would remove that stuff the next day.