Real life gas numbers

[iwon415]

Probably not of interest to anyone but truck campers but thought I would post anyway.

2006 Ford F250 5.4L gasser
2013 EagleCap 850

3 week vacation
2,906 miles

Most expensive gas Enterprise, Oregon $3.05 gallon
Least expensive gas Covington, Washington $2.21 gallon

Total gas 313.007 gallons
Total price $824.12

Averaged 9.284 mpg. (used to get closer to 10, haven't figured out if the truck is aging, the new camper is heavier, or both...any thoughts?)

28 1/2 cents a mile.

2 State Fairs, 1 train ride, 1 jet boat ride, 1 stage play, 11 bears sighted, 1 visit with cousins, 1 tram ride, numerous other smaller adventures.

So I guess for a little over 28 cents a mile, it was priceless!!!

[DWeikert]

From a trip I made a few years ago from PA to Yellowstone and back

4443 miles, 318 gallons of diesel, average 13.97 mpg

Worst tank, 12.3 mpg (head wind in South Dakota).
Best tank, 16.9, but that was only half a tank with half of that spent driving 35-45 MPH in Yellowstone and the other half the downhill run to the East entrance of the park and into Cody WY.
Best all highway tank 15 mpg with a quartering tail wind across Indiana and Ohio.

I do still wonder if different state fuel blends also have something to do with mpg differences from one tank to the next.

In the highly unaerodynamic rigs we drive wind speed can easily explain 10 mpg one trip and 9.2 the next.


I'm with wallacep. REALLY happy diesel has dropped. I only hope it stays down.

[wallaceb]

Just for comparison:

2001 F350 Crewcab DWD Diesel (International) with Arctic Fox 1140 (5000 lbs)

Trip to Northwest (Glacier, Yellowstone, Tetons etc) from Jersey in summer/fall 2014:

6276 miles - 481.5 gals Diesel (3.70 to 4.20 /gal) = 13.03 m/gal
or $0.29 / mile ($1850.24 total fuel cost)

Trip on east coast (New Brunswick to Atlanta et.al)from Jersey in summer/fall 2015:

3981 miles - 299.4 gals Diesel( 2.09 to 3.10 / gal) = 13.3 m/gal
or $0.18 / mile ( $711.98 total fuel cost)

Ask me how happy I am Diesel is way down!!!! Enjoy the ride.

[gregchambers]

I was averaging 10.2 mpg prior to Memorial Day on the 6.0 GMC, now I'm getting 9.3mpg. This was all while carrying the camper with an equal mix of flat hwy miles as well as Cascade and Sierra hill climbing. I attribute the decrease to the "summer blend" gas here in Sacramento. It will be interesting to see if things change this fall when we go back to regular blend gas.

[SugarHillCTD]

Real world with our '12 Chevy 2500 crew 4x4 6.0L gas and Eagle Cap TC

9.0 to 9.5 mpg depending on terrain- flat roads better, mountains worse.

Going from the 4 speed auto in our previous Chevy to the 6 speed in this one has made traveling much more relaxing. The old 4 speed would frequently drop down to 2nd on some hills and make the engine sound like it was about to eject itself out the hood. Slightly better fuel mileage with the 6 speed too.

[zcookiemonstar]

I have only traveled about 6-7 hundred miles with my truck camper but according to the computer I do see my average go up when following a big rig and down if I am out in the open. It may just be the old camper had just a little less wind resistance.

[bigfootford]

Vinsil wrote:
Jim...Oregon is beautiful! I don't normally say this....but move up. We have a little room left.

Sure thought about it... Oldest son and family lived in Portland/ St. Johns and has just moved to Santa Rosa Beach (Grayton Beach) Fla... Well I/ we were looking at areas around Grants Pass.. or a bit more North.... Well not now...

Years back we bought a retirement home/small ranch over in Eastern Oregon, Halfway... That was going to be retirement. Things changed and we sold... Wow, was it beautiful over there.


Guess we are stuck here near Sacramento untillllllllll.

Further off subject... Mod's going to beat me up!

Jim

[Vinsil]

Jim...Oregon is beautiful! I don't normally say this....but move up. We have a little room left.

[bigfootford]

Vinsil wrote:



Jim or anyone else that owns a gas rig...

Having had many street bikes and toys as well I avoid ethanol like the plague. In our little town we have a pump with pure gas. I also use this website to find good fuel.

clicky...for good gas

Haw, your lucky.... Around Sacramento there are none to be had for over a 100 miles...

I have 2 old VW Beetles... 69, 72 and 2 motorcycles carb'd... ugggg... And a Carb'd 87 Suzuki... Ethanol creates all kinds of bad issues. Certain fuel lines get brittle with Ethanol and if the gas sits too long there is a syrup residue that will form in the float bowls, then it gets in your jets...

Sorry, I think I have strayed off the subject of Gas mileage but I do contribute a 10%+ reduction of mileage to the Ethanol..

Jim

[Vinsil]

bigfootford wrote:
When we use to travel around Oregon and Nevada I would try to keep from filling up in California.... MTBE then Ethanol... Good for 10% + reduction in mileage.
Now Oregon and Nevada has been mandated to have E10... Just sucks.

So our 94 f250 460.. with a 4200lb Bigfoot camper Gets 10 +-1 with E10.... Before MTBE and Ethanol 11-12..
Towing a 2Klb toad or 2Klb trailer with Motorcycle n stuff it's 9... now with E-10, never under 10 with no MTBE or Ethanol.

There are some gas stations that state "UP TO 10% Ethanol"... I can tell when the Ethanol is down or absent....

So in your case you might be visiting gas stations that might have the "UP TO 10%".

Such a lie, that our mileage would stay the same, we have had imposed on us.

One last word... We still have a 94 geo metro 3 cyl with AC, cruise at 70 all day and get 45mpg... Ethanol... 40...

Jim

Jim or anyone else that owns a gas rig...

Having had many street bikes and toys as well I avoid ethanol like the plague. In our little town we have a pump with pure gas. I also use this website to find good fuel.

clicky...for good gas

[bigfootford]

When we use to travel around Oregon and Nevada I would try to keep from filling up in California.... MTBE then Ethanol... Good for 10% + reduction in mileage.
Now Oregon and Nevada has been mandated to have E10... Just sucks.

So our 94 f250 460.. with a 4200lb Bigfoot camper Gets 10 +-1 with E10.... Before MTBE and Ethanol 11-12..
Towing a 2Klb toad or 2Klb trailer with Motorcycle n stuff it's 9... now with E-10, never under 10 with no MTBE or Ethanol.

There are some gas stations that state "UP TO 10% Ethanol"... I can tell when the Ethanol is down or absent....

So in your case you might be visiting gas stations that might have the "UP TO 10%".

Such a lie, that our mileage would stay the same, we have had imposed on us.

One last word... We still have a 94 geo metro 3 cyl with AC, cruise at 70 all day and get 45mpg... Ethanol... 40...

Jim

[pcoplin]

Vinsil wrote:
No doubt, and the 5.4's from that era are not known for their power

I can't imagine loading up a camper or pulling a trailer with one. We have a 5.4 in our Expedition, and while it's peppy, it gets turdish when we load it up with people. 😉

[Vinsil]

No doubt, and the 5.4's from that era are not known for their power..and the mileage is telling that you just didn't have your foot to the floor all the time. I wouldn't question it personally!

[pcoplin]

9 is pretty good! I did the calc, it would be $221 cheaper hauling it with my Ford diesel. You save that in 3 oil changes though!

[TucsonJim]

Was there any chance that this route included more mountain grades than previous trips? That's where I notice my big difference.