Gas milage for a diesel / gas engine

etcssw wrote:
Here's my request, I need people that own fifth wheel trailers to let me know about their gas mileage. I presently have a toyota tundra when I'm not towing anything I get about 20 miles to the gallon but when I'm towing my TT the gas mileage drops to 9 miles to the gallon. NOW WE ALL KNOW that truck sales men will tell you that their truck gets a million miles to the gallon which we know isn't true. So if you have a fifth wheel trailer please tell me which truck you tow with and is it gas or diesel and what your gas mileage is. This will help my wife and I to pick the correct truck and fifth wheel to buy.

Truck in my sig gets 9-11 mpg when towing, depending on terrain and wind (have seen 12+ on the flat with a nice tailwind). Best mileage I've ever seen when empty was nearly 23 mpg running 70-75 mph last October, going from PHX to Cortez, CO. Funny thing is, the vast majority of trucks that tow, get right around 9-11 mpg when towing. Doesn't seem to matter if it's your Tundra, my D'max or that other guy's Kenworth pulling 40,000 lbs. Yeah, there are fliers on both ends, but it often has to do with a specific load or driving style. The guys you see pulling a 40' TH with a 2500 with its nose pointing towards Polaris at 75-80 mph, you can bet are getting 5-6 mpg and damn the torpedoes.

Lyle

etcssw wrote:
Here's my request, I need people that own fifth wheel trailers to let me know about their gas mileage. I presently have a toyota tundra when I'm not towing anything I get about 20 miles to the gallon but when I'm towing my TT the gas mileage drops to 9 miles to the gallon. NOW WE ALL KNOW that truck sales men will tell you that their truck gets a million miles to the gallon which we know isn't true. So if you have a fifth wheel trailer please tell me which truck you tow with and is it gas or diesel and what your gas mileage is. This will help my wife and I to pick the correct truck and fifth wheel to buy.

Good luck with your poll.

Diesel will usually get better mileage than gas when towing.

However - there are too many variables to provide accurate (consistent) numbers.
Brands, loads, transmissions (auto/standard), rear end ratio, 4x2 or 4x4, etc.
Driving 'style' will also greatly affect mileage - does the driver maintain 60-65....or drive 70-75?
Likewise relying on the overhead mpg readout -vs- hand calculated.
(The o/heads always seem to read about 1-2 mpg *better* than the "real world" numbers).

Whether gas or diesel - Suggest you visit the forums for the brand/s you are considering.
Several forums for each, and owners of the same brand are *WAY* more likely to call BS on bogus mileage numbers - as they own the same brand & equipped the same.
Plus - check for problems with/for each.
MPG is meaningless if the truck is in the shop or at the dealer a lot.

For what it's worth.....
I average about 12 mpg with my '05 Dodge 5.9 CTD, 4x2, auto trans, 4.10 gearing - driving about 60-65 when towing a 34' 5th at about 12K lbs.

A couple years earlier (Dodge truck) - with a std trans will yield better numbers.
Apparently the new ones (w/autos) will also.

Sooooo - doesn't do much for your poll results huh!..:W

BTW - I wouldn't base my purchase of a new truck on results of a very limited forum poll on an Internet site..:(..It's gee whiz value - nothing else.

*Maybe* a used truck - after checking that brand's "track record" on the sites for that brand.

Roll on.

~

Ford went to the 6.7 for the 2011 model that came out in 2010. DEF design lets the engine be tuned leaner--the cost of DEF is less than the fuel savings. DPF has been around since the 2008 models, but Ford improved theirs in 2011 with the 6.7 to use less fuel burning off the captured soot. In fact when towing one may never see a regeneration, but the DEF consumption will be higher--still less than fuel saved.

avvidclif1 wrote:
From 2008-2011 the Ford 6.4 used a DPF. It was my understanding the 2012 and up went to DEF and got rid of the DPF. At least my son-in-law had to add DEF.

You are part way right. After 2012 they didn't get rid of the Diesel Particulate Filter. They still use it to catch the soot. The DEF cuts down on the nitrogen emissions.

For my rig in the signature:

11.5-12 when going 5 mph below speed limit for 2,000 miles. Dropped to 10.2 when going limit or 5 over for the remaining 3,000. Mostly Interstate. Std. hills/mountains of NY, PA, MA, ME, flatlands of OH, IN, IL, WI, MN.

From 2008-2011 the Ford 6.4 used a DPF. It was my understanding the 2012 and up went to DEF and got rid of the DPF. At least my son-in-law had to add DEF.

avvidclif1 wrote:

neal10a wrote:
2012 F350 diesel SRW CC pulling a 16K 5th wheel 12.2mpg cruse control set 62mph highway when possible entire trip from California to Connecticut in the summer. MPG would increase to 12.5 if there was no DPF cleaning. Note I use no fuel additives and the Ctane is no lower than 40 at Pilot truck stops.

I thought 2012 was the 6.7 without a DPF??? Does it use DEF?

Every truck manufactured in the year 2007 and up comes factory with a DPF. DEF not so much.

tempforce wrote:
from past experience.
small block gas v-8 pulling 10,000 lb trailer 3.73 rear, auto trans...3-6 mpg. average for round trips 4.5 mpg.
6.7L 6 cyl diesel pulling 10,000 lb trailer 3.73 rear, auto trans...8-12 mpg. average for round trips 11.3 mpg.
with the gas truck, i was always looking for a wide spot to let traffic by and for a place to fill up... 35 gal tank plus a 15 gallon barrel. so i could make it between stations when towns were far between.
with the diesel, pulling the hills i had to watch my speed, to keep from exceeding the speed limit. 35 gallon tank. could pick and choose where to get fuel, over 800 miles per tank unloaded...
hope this helps...

Same here - could barely make it between gas stations when we had the gas and we had a Transferflow tank too. With the diesel, we can pick and choose because we've got so much more in driving range.

neal10a wrote:
2012 F350 diesel SRW CC pulling a 16K 5th wheel 12.2mpg cruse control set 62mph highway when possible entire trip from California to Connecticut in the summer. MPG would increase to 12.5 if there was no DPF cleaning. Note I use no fuel additives and the Ctane is no lower than 40 at Pilot truck stops.

I thought 2012 was the 6.7 without a DPF??? Does it use DEF?

I have a 2013 F350 4X4 CC LB DRW diesel pulling a 35 ft 14,000 pound GVW 5th wheel. I am over 13 ft tall.

I get 11.5-12 towing at about 58-60.

Solo is 19.5 at 65 and 20-22 at 55-60.

Also effortless towing up or down hills.