Phenominal MPG With My New Truck!
#12
08-26-2010, 10:20 PM
No dispute with high mpg numbers, but first question that comes up in my mind when I read about mpg figures is whether these figures are off of the ECM displays or actual pump to pump hand calculated. My truck consistently shows 8 - 8.5 mpg on the display (even idle time figured on that), yet the hand calculations, fill up to fill up, show averages of around 7.5 mpg. The display sure can be fun to see, but it has to be tempered with real world figures. I have seen only a slim few displays that show mpg that is close to real figures.
I pull a dry bulk tanker from Chicago to S. Texas loaded at 4,000lbs and come back empty in a 99FLD Flat-top with a S-60, 10spd and 3.90 rears (hence the 63mph LOL) Pays $3.75 loaded and just FSC coming back. I do ok
#13
08-27-2010, 12:10 AM
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Somewhere between Western Canada and Texas/California
Posts: 1,623
Just look on any downhill run on I-25 in Wyoming. Just make sure you turn OFF the MPG reading on the ensuing uphill part.
Actually, it looks like this tractor is getting about 6.5 (Imperial) average with the loads I am pulling. That is one of the reasons for getting the new tractor. This one has the wrong gears (3.90's) for the freeways. I am running about 1490 rpm at 65 mph. Now, it pulls like a freight train when I hammer down to get past the governed trucks ( I opened mine right up ) but I can accomplish that with a downshift if I go to 8th direct when I pass. I am going to get an 18 speed autoshift in the new tractor. (gloss went off the shifting apple about 2 million miles ago )
#14
08-27-2010, 10:11 AM
It was a GEN2 series with the clutch pedal still and once I got the MANUAL mode down, it was the same as driving a reg stick w/o the shifting, missing a gear or grinding. Just think of this, I was running a load of casustic across I80 from North Platte to the Bay. Not once did it miss a shift going up or coming down a hill, It was GREAT!!!!!! It's when you dont have to worry about hitting it juuuust right to slide it into the next gear when pulling 80,000lbs up Donner 
#15
08-27-2010, 11:08 AM
But I'll bet you had a relatively massive amount of idle time that lowered your avg. MPG quite significantly. I, on the other hand, have very little idle time, comparatively, so I should get that much better avg. MPG.
#16
08-28-2010, 06:05 AM
not all that much, around 18-24hr's a week back then unless you count driving in Los Angeles as idle time. r avg load back then was around 42-44,000 lb's right now r 09 pro-star running with 24,814 lb. @ avg of 62.2 mph (filled up in Minooka, IL to Cheyenne, WY.) 921 ml used 137 gl. that's 6.72 mpg. with 1/2 hr of idle time for driver change.
#17
08-28-2010, 10:12 AM
not all that much, around 18-24hr's a week back then unless you count driving in Los Angeles as idle time. r avg load back then was around 42-44,000 lb's right now r 09 pro-star running with 24,814 lb. @ avg of 62.2 mph (filled up in Minooka, IL to Cheyenne, WY.) 921 ml used 137 gl. that's 6.72 mpg. with 1/2 hr of idle time for driver change.
#19
08-29-2010, 03:24 AM
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Somewhere between Western Canada and Texas/California
Posts: 1,623
The IH I just sold had 3.23's and a auto-shift. I hated it at first, but grew to LOVE it.
It was a GEN2 series with the clutch pedal still and once I got the MANUAL mode down, it was the same as driving a reg stick w/o the shifting, missing a gear or grinding. Just think of this, I was running a load of casustic across I80 from North Platte to the Bay. Not once did it miss a shift going up or coming down a hill, It was GREAT!!!!!! It's when you dont have to worry about hitting it juuuust right to slide it into the next gear when pulling 80,000lbs up Donner What did you get for Fuel economy on average? Tire size? And RPM at 65 mph? Which HP engine did you have? I am getting the Maxxforce 475 HP. |
