Gas Mileage Report

[JExpedition07]

Again temperature changes lead to MPG drop as well. In this wonderful cold blizzard spell we are having where my grille keeps getting plugged with snow I’ve watched my avg MPG drop to around 15. Normally highway i get around 17-18 MPG in 4auto and around town it’s usually 15ish. Depending on what your towing has a big effect too, if its a landscape trailer with low air resistance it’s better than an enclosed for economy. Like all of you have pointed out many small things factor in headwind or tailwind, weight, air resistance, speed, traffic, uphill or downhill. I tend not to drive trying to maximize mpg i just drive it as it goes, as most of us do but i know some people who get every last dime out, that being said if it got 12 MPG I’d still love the thing lol.

 

[JExpedition07]

Website glitched and loaded slow and posted my post twice, disregard this one i guess lol.

 

[jeff kushner]

Frank's right....to draft-for-mileage or drafting-while racing......you'd better be tight to the leader....tighter than is safe....like 3-5ft at 75mph behind an 18 wheeler. How many of us are comfortable driving 75-80mph, 4 FEET from the crash bar slung under the trucks rear? If you've never raced on a real live race track and are used to driving & reacting at real speed, not many will be up for it. I've done it but it was very intensive driving and I would never have done it had there been anyone else in my truck. Too many unpredictable variables....

I road raced bikes back in the 70's and at 140-160mph, I had to be w/i 6-8" of the rear wheel of the guy in front to effectively draft him...oh, and I had to "get small".....raising a clenched fist at 160mph INSTANTLY cuts your speed by 5-7mph.....now try to make your Expy small behind that truck.....it ain't safe no way, no how if you do it correctly......

jeff

 

[Adieu]

Frank's right....to draft-for-mileage or drafting-while racing......you'd better be tight to the leader....tighter than is safe....like 3-5ft at 75mph behind an 18 wheeler. How many of us are comfortable driving 75-80mph, 4 FEET from the crash bar slung under the trucks rear? If you've never raced on a real live race track and are used to driving & reacting at real speed, not many will be up for it. I've done it but it was very intensive driving and I would never have done it had there been anyone else in my truck. Too many unpredictable variables....

I road raced bikes back in the 70's and at 140-160mph, I had to be w/i 6-8" of the rear wheel of the guy in front to effectively draft him...oh, and I had to "get small".....raising a clenched fist at 160mph INSTANTLY cuts your speed by 5-7mph.....now try to make your Expy small behind that truck.....it ain't safe no way, no how if you do it correctly......

jeff

False.

Bikes have tiny, aerodynamic profiles.... an expy is essentially a huge brick, as is a semi


Anyway, if you wanna see it in action, just find a semi in an adjacent lane ahead of you and approach it on cruise control +5mph faster than him and pull in behind


Watch your RPMs, first they'll hold steady then they'll spike noticeably as you hit his wake, then drop off below the nothing in front of you RPM as you enter the low pressure zone behind him


Even easier to see if you got an instant MPG readout on a device attached to OBD, or have an instant MPG dial on a car (common on BMWs)

 

[Adieu]

Also, on some cars with more rudimentary cruise control systems, you will accelerate noticeably with cruise control set while pulling in behind a truck

 

[NorthGeorgia]

Just a couple of months ago I drove from north Georgia to central Florida. I got, according to the computer, around 20mpg's. I guess I was lucky? on the return trip is was a tad lower.

 

[Adieu]

Georgia to Florida really feels like you're going downhill pretty much all the time afair

Niiice roads you guys got there

 

[Rusty90272]

If you want to get better gas milage, slow down. Keep it to 60 or 65 and you'll get 19-21, depending on a multitude of factors like head-winds, tail-winds, tire types, etc. These are great vehicles, but driving over 2,000 RPM is the main culprit in bad gas milage.

 

[deweysmith]

Yeah, I get markedly better mileage at 65 but I value the couple of hours I save on the cross-country drive far more than the $20 or so I'll save in gas.

 

[Rusty90272]

Yeah, I get markedly better mileage at 65 but I value the couple of hours I save on the cross-country drive far more than the $20 or so I'll save in gas.

Of coures, time is important and that neccessitates driving faster than 65 mph, as many do, but many are also surprised when they drive fast and can't understand the laws of physics and how come they get sub-standard milage per gallon.

Take care.