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Old 10-25-2009, 05:43 PM   #1
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Fuel economy

I have a 02 f350 with the 7.3l powerstroke 4x4 crew cab dullay what do you guys with similar trucks get for fuel economy I get 10.3 no matter what I'm doing I'm looking for a way to improve fairly easy thanks

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Old 10-25-2009, 05:47 PM   #2
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Drive down hill a lot.
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Old 10-25-2009, 06:02 PM   #3
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ew that is terrible!

I have an '06 F350 DRW with the 6.0 and I get around 15.9 city and over 17 hwy.

What can you do about it? Keep you foot out of it! Keeping under 2000RPMs will be the best you can do with your foot. As for doing mods, a free flowing 4" exhaust helps. You can do the intake mod. I know there's a way to do a home-made one for the 7.3.

Make sure you routinely change your filters; air, fuel and oil. I run 10w40 Rotella in the winter and 15w40 Rotella in the summer. Winter diesel fuel sucks and you usually drop a MPG because of it. Consider a cetane booster for the winter months.

Last resort, take it in to be checked out. I was dropping MPGs and turned out I had 2 bad injectors.

If you're not towing and don't drive like an idiot, the 7.3 should easily get 15MPG. I know guys that get close to 20 HWY.
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Old 10-25-2009, 06:12 PM   #4
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I think my 454 gets like 4.54 mpg's.

Seriously the 7.3 should be doing better than that.

Like Angus said, injectors, fuel filter, etc.
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Old 10-25-2009, 06:30 PM   #5
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I have two 7.3's, one with over 265 K on the clock. Both average over 15 and even with pulling a trailer I get over 12. You need to have that looked at.

Ford probably isn't the best place to start, but a good diesel mechanic is hard to come by.
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Old 10-25-2009, 07:06 PM   #6
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I have a 02 f350 with the 7.3l powerstroke 4x4 crew cab dullay what do you guys with similar trucks get for fuel economy I get 10.3 no matter what I'm doing I'm looking for a way to improve fairly easy thanks
our 02 crew cab with 7.3, 110 gal off highway diesel fuel tank, cross tool box, 2 side tool boxes...NEVER gets over 12.5...lot of weight tho too
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Old 10-25-2009, 07:19 PM   #7
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'04 Ram 2500 with a Cummins, 4x4, 4dr with 20" wheels and I get 20-22 and a low with 10,000# enclosed car hauler on it of 14mpg. Every aftermarket item I put on it increased mileage other than the wheels. To date I have added open exhaust, cold air intake, FASS 150 fuel pump, Superchips programmer and a Goerend transmission. The programmer added power and fuel economy, it does the best on fuel set on performance. The FASS smoothed out the idle and helped ever so slightly on mileage, but has a lifetime warranty and keeps the fuel very clean going to the engine. They have a several levels of filters, I use a 3 micron. The trans was getting loose and Goerend makes the best trans available for my truck. It helped mileage the most after the Superchips. No more slip and full lock up with 3yr unlimited mileage warranty with 620HP and 22,000# load on.
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Old 10-25-2009, 07:46 PM   #8
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There has to be something wrong with that. I know a few people with that era engine and their mileage it not that bad except maybe towing.

My 2005 Kodiak 4500 with Duramax seems to get the same mileage no matter what, about 12.5 mpg. But by itself and its normal load with 110 gallon transfer tank, and boxes full of tools, etc. it weighs about 14,000 lbs or so.




Our pickups, 2002 GMC crewcab SB 2500HD gets around 17-18 by itself and maybe down to 12-13 towing a heavy load, 2001 Chevy crewcab LB 2500HD with 8.1 gets about 12 by itself and down to 9 towing a heavy load.
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Old 10-25-2009, 08:15 PM   #9
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Well I rarely drive it empty but it doesn't matter as tar as I can tell if I haul my 38ft gooseneck stock trailer and 6 ton of horses or run empty with nothing 10.3 baby however this is according to the indash mpg
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Old 10-25-2009, 08:20 PM   #10
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Well I rarely drive it empty but it doesn't matter as tar as I can tell if I haul my 38ft gooseneck stock trailer and 6 ton of horses or run empty with nothing 10.3 baby however this is according to the indash mpg

You need to start hand calculating for a few tanks to see where you're really at before you start spending money on it.
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Old 10-25-2009, 08:35 PM   #11
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I have a 2000 F 350 srw. At around 55k I added a Bully Dog module and keep it on the middle setting. Truck gets 18 to 20 mpg so long as you keep your foot out of it.
On highest setting mileage is about 10, but it is a blast to drive.
Truck has about 120k on it now, no problems. Hoping to go 200k with this truck if the body holds together.

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Old 10-25-2009, 09:23 PM   #12
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I'm feeling better. My Chevy Express vans w/the 4.3's are about 12.9 city and 18 on the road. They are mostly loaded to max.
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Old 10-25-2009, 10:39 PM   #13
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02 Express w/ 5.7 dually and 10' box gets 9.5mpg all day every day. switching over to an 08 Sprinter-first fill up netted 19.5mpg and I can slide in 16' trim w/o bending it. older chevy diesel 6.5 td w/ 4.11's even pulling 10k of base through town gets 11mpg w/ everyday driving at 14-15mpg.
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Old 10-25-2009, 11:21 PM   #14
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Quote:
Quote:
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You need to start hand calculating for a few tanks to see where you're really at before you start spending money on it.

The Lie-o-meter is probably way off, check a tank or two by hand.

If you really want to check out the possibilities you will find countless threads on this subject here:


http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum31/
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Old 10-26-2009, 05:56 PM   #15
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It'll Take me weeks to run a tank I drive the ranger mostly haha
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Old 10-26-2009, 07:51 PM   #16
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I have 2001 F350 with 163K. It gets 15-16 mpg fairly consistently when not pulling a trailer and 20 mpg on the highway.I do not have any aftermarket performance parts although I do run Conklin synthetics and fuel additives.
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Old 10-27-2009, 12:19 AM   #17
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I am going to agree with angus242 on this. Get the truck checked out to see what is wrong with it. You should be getting 10-12mpg towing and upwards of 18-20 empty. You have the best Powerstroke made so i wouldnt be parting with that truck either. Go try to find one on a dealer lot somewhere that isnt wore out. Most guys wont part with them because they are a great truck.
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