Tow Report - 2004 3/4 8.1 Suburban
Hey Folks, Some of you may remember me going back and forth here about a year ago on whether or not to trade in my 2005 Denali XL on my now 2004 3/4 Suburban. Well I did. I wanted to post a qu...
Forum Discussion
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Great report. Thanks.
I was once looking for a 3/4 ton Suburban, but ended up with a 6.8L Ford V10 Excursion instead. The big Burbs are harder to find.
Our V10 fuel economy is significantly better than Ford's old 7.5L (460 cu in), but your 8.1L might still beat V10 towing economy, as I'm lucky to ever break over 8 while towing and have hit as low as 6.2 mpg against a stiff headwind. Like you say, the towing fuel use is not a big deal as they are all similar, and it's nice to have reserve power and a drivetrain to go with it. Though I think the heavy rear axle drag is the worst fuel use culprit when not towing, as everything else is comparable to 1/2 ton specs.
The V10 non-towing economy might be a little better than your 8.1L, as our V10 seems to average about 13 mpg, but the Ex has taller 3:73 gears too. In this 8.1L vs 6.8L difference, I wonder if your Burb would do marginally better with 3:73's? And/or it might also be due to less V10 engine displacement (only 415 cu in)? The best our Ford Excursion has ever done is 14 mpg (70 mph, no wind) non-tow, or about your same 10.4 mpg peak while towing (55 mph, tailwind).
We towed a couple of 30 foot trailers over the years, this last one a bit taller and heavier with a slide. I don't think length has much to do with fuel economy, but frontal area does.
We kept our Excursion after we got a diesel pick-up and there are those times when either truck is slightly more economical depending on gas vs fuel price fluctuations. The diesel sucks during short-trip winter driving. It blows good cabin heat early on, but takes forever to reach normal healthy engine operating temps. The gasser warms quicker, drives quieter and smells better, especially in winter. It's really a toss-up overall and I probably shouldn't have wasted money on a diesel. It gets about 11.5 mpg towing, but that is not a lot better for the trouble.
One other fuel difference may be an advantage: I would rather leave a diesel parked for extended periods, as I think the cylinder walls remain oilier, where some gasser cylinders are so dry they actually rust during long non-use periods. Gassers really should be properly moth-balled with generously oiled cylinders when parked for long periods.
Wes
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Great report. Thanks.
I was once looking for a 3/4 ton Suburban, but ended up with a 6.8L Ford V10 Excursion instead. The big Burbs are harder to find.
Our V10 fuel economy is significantly better than Ford's old 7.5L (460 cu in), but your 8.1L might still beat V10 towing economy, as I'm lucky to ever break over 8 while towing and have hit as low as 6.2 mpg against a stiff headwind. Like you say, the towing fuel use is not a big deal as they are all similar, and it's nice to have reserve power and a drivetrain to go with it. Though I think the heavy rear axle drag is the worst fuel use culprit when not towing, as everything else is comparable to 1/2 ton specs.
The V10 non-towing economy might be a little better than your 8.1L, as our V10 seems to average about 13 mpg, but the Ex has taller 3:73 gears too. In this 8.1L vs 6.8L difference, I wonder if your Burb would do marginally better with 3:73's? And/or it might also be due to less V10 engine displacement (only 415 cu in)? The best our Ford Excursion has ever done is 14 mpg (70 mph, no wind) non-tow, or about your same 10.4 mpg peak while towing (55 mph, tailwind).
We towed a couple of 30 foot trailers over the years, this last one a bit taller and heavier with a slide. I don't think length has much to do with fuel economy, but frontal area does.
We kept our Excursion after we got a diesel pick-up and there are those times when either truck is slightly more economical depending on gas vs fuel price fluctuations. The diesel sucks during short-trip winter driving. It blows good cabin heat early on, but takes forever to reach normal healthy engine operating temps. The gasser warms quicker, drives quieter and smells better, especially in winter. It's really a toss-up overall and I probably shouldn't have wasted money on a diesel. It gets about 11.5 mpg towing, but that is not a lot better for the trouble.
One other fuel difference may be an advantage: I would rather leave a diesel parked for extended periods, as I think the cylinder walls remain oilier, where some gasser cylinders are so dry they actually rust during long non-use periods. Gassers really should be properly moth-balled with generously oiled cylinders when parked for long periods.
Wes
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