mestdagh

I've learned some good things on this site recently. To get better mileage, 2 things stick in my mind. (Sorry I can't remember who to credit w/ these) 1) Don't drive your truck like a 3000 lb sedan and 2) Shift up about 1800 rpm. (Yeah, this is my first diesel and I can't always adhere to either of the above)

Turned 1000 miles on my truck today. Usually we take the econo car up to go skiing but I really needed to see how my truck does on the steep. Got on I-70 at Golden (West of Denver). A Tundra was pushing me as I was rowing thru the lower gears taking my time. He blasted past and I decided to see what my truck would do up the 6% grade. In no time I caught up to him and other traffic. It was almost scary. My wife pointed out I was going 85. On the way back a similar thing happened. Usually I drive conservative but sometimes I get tired of getting passed going uphill. My wife pointed out I was going 90.

I had fueled up the day before. Mileage at the end of the day's drive was 18.1 mpg (even w/ heavy footing it a few times). If I hadn't had to drive the last 1200' elevation gain to the house, it would have been 18.6mpg. Needless to say I'm pretty happy w/ the truck's performance uphill, on the curves and w/ mpg.

Hemi Cat

Congrats on your new truck and glad you are happy with it. I'm very happy with mine.

Forrest Nearing

shift up at 1800!?! I shift at 2300-2500 just driving around town!

mine's an old 12v, but I was under the impression that 24v's liked to rev!

MikeyB

I shift around 2200-2400 rpms most of the time (other times at 3k) and still get 17 mpg for city driving!

MikeyB

T & T

mestdagh,

I take the same trip every week from Parker to Silverthorne and i average about 18 mpg. Milage would be better but I usually put another 50 miles of in-town driving that drops my milage down from about 19. I have an auto so I don't need to worry about shifting or using the OD lockout, I don't pull enough weight.
Sweet how it pulls up the hill just before the Isenhower isnt it? 10,000 feet elevation and it still kicks butt.
People freak when you smoke them pulling a couple of sleds. Especially doing 100 up georgetown hill. Damned testosterone!

t-15 firefighter

i know what you guys are talking about. we went to colorado last july pulling 2 ATV's on a 2000 lb utility trailer. total gross for the trailer was around 4000 lbs with everything. right outside of Walsenburg on 160 we smoked everyone that was in our group (and pretty much everyone on the hill that day). climbed up the pass like it wasn't there. same thing happend at wolf creek pass. the only reason we slowed down was for the switchbacks. no one could believe how well we pulled.



britt

Planetcat

For some reason, my truck performs significantly better at higher altitudes than at my current sea level home town. I get a disappointing 13 mpg combined at home, but when towing my boat up to the sierras (7000 ft.) and pulling it in and out of the lake, up and down hills, etc., I get around 18 mpg and its more responsive on the throttle. I wish there was a way to make it run like that at sea level. You guys in the Denver area have a 5000' elevation advantage on that one. I'm surprised that no one else has made that observation about altitude. Maybe time for a survey.

T & T

Actually, when I had my 2003 mustang GT i noticed that my milage was worse in Berkley California versus in Denver Colorado. I did have way more power, but because of the thicker air, it had to lay down more fuel.

I would imagine that because at higher altitudes, less air = less fuel which may also = longer lasting. Would be a great Mechanic's PHD thesis.

The nice thing about turbo... Less atmospheric air + less turbo resistance = faster spinning turbo + more intake air. That is why turbos are so fun at altitude because you don't feel any altitude loss.