Fleet Fuel Conservation

Paul Fredricks_6

I'll have to look into this more. Does anyone know where I can get more info on better gas mileage for a 96 Suburban? Personal vehicle.

I really feel for the smaller shops out there. The gas price jump must really be a cramp to say the least. I guess all you can do, besides trying to up gas mileage, is to keep ahead of the curve and raise rates.

BTW, the gas bill for our service fleet was $33k last month.

Josh_10

I recently had our mechanic limit our vehicles to 62MPH. Also fill tires up to maximum allowable daily, and educated our guys in pedal management.

Were getting anywhere from 10-20% better MPG. With a current fuel bill of almost $2K a month thats allot of dough!

I am a total fuel saving junkie and manage my pedal very well. I'm getting 25MPG in my 2006 F-250 Diesel.

Thought I would pass it on!

Nick S

I have owned 3 powerstrokes, and I know a lot of people who own them and the only time they get close to that mileage is driving down hill with a tail wind. Are you sure you are calculating your mpg properly? If so, DO NOT get rid of that truck. The '08 diesels are saddled with all kinds of emission crap that has caused the fuel economy to drop big time.

Josh_10

What size engine? What year? Is it supercharged? Have you re-programmed the power level and transmission? Have you added things to diminish it aerodynamically? Do you manage your pedal? Is it a crew cab?

You can re-program the 08's. You will void the warranty. I took the risk and it paid big dividends.

Just a few suggestions. It is possible. In fact there is a forum I have been at where some guys have gotten up to 27MPG.

Nick S

I had an "early" '99 F250 super cab 4x4 short box. I currently have an '02 F250 4x4 crew cab 4x4 and an '03 E350 super cargo van. All are 7.3 powerstroke turbo diesels, and all get pretty much the same fuel economy. I can get just over 20 mpg in the F250 if I drive 65 on the highway, but normal city/hwy is right around 17 or 18 mpg. The van gets about 16 or 17, but is driven in the city more and has a rack and ladders on it. All are (were) pretty much stock with the exception of the air box in the '02 and both the van and the truck have a hotter 203* thermostat than stock.

I realize you have a 6 liter, which is different than what I have, but the 6 liter generally gets slightly less fuel economy than the 7.3. If you have a tuner on your truck, it will cause the digital mpg readout (lie-o-meter) to read incorrectly. Check your mileage by hand and I bet it is no where near the numbers you stated.

PS, be carefull with a tuner on the 6 liter. The head gaskets don't like too much power.

Josh_10

I do in fact check my mileage by hand. We log everything for tax purposes.

And no the 6.0 Liter gets WAY better gas mileage than the 7.3 Liter fuel hog.

My dad has the 7.3L and I know he does everything I do. He can't touch me in MPG.

Join some forums. Seriously. I feel like you are challenging me here. I'm just sharing some really good fuel saving experiences. It's really fun!

Nick S

Sorry to sound confrontational, but I am a memeber of Ford truck enthusiast, the diesel stop, the diesel garage, and others and I have never seen the mpg numbers you state. I am glad you are able to get the mpg you do though.

And now to get completely off topic for a moment. What ever happened with the simple comfort chiller? I had emailed you a long time ago about it, but haven't heard anything since. Are they still around?

Josh_10

Try some fuel conservation forums. I'm not familiar with any of your associations. I was turned on to my truck by another enthusiast who claimed upwards of 27MPG.

Some of my success may be due to the type of driving we do as well. We get allot of windshield time. A typical day for me is driving to and from a jobsite 30-40 miles away at 50MPH with 4-5 stop signs. I would imagine in a city it would be allot worse.

Some of these guys are getting 75+ with their Prius'. It's pretty cool.

There are allot of tweaks you can do with your PCM too. I found I get better mileage at the higher power settings in my truck.

Onto reverse cycle chillers-

The are still around in fact. They keep getting better too.

They now make a packaged unit that requires no refrigerant piping. The charge is weighed in and sealed for you.

Aqua Products Reverse Cycle Chiller

An interesting fact is that our Geothermal customers don't seem to be doing much better on conservation than our reverse cycle chiller customers. At 1/3 the price of Geothermal, we are encouraging our customers to go the Aqua Products route.

Steve Eayrs_2

Josh

If its for real I'm in!!!! Could you share a link or two on this? At the present its about 1700 month for fuel in my trucks, and will try about anything to cut back some.


What affect would you say the ULS (ultra low sulfer fuel) has on you MPG? Have heard as much as 25%?

thanks, Steve

Josh M.

Here ya go:

1. Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time.

2. Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up... chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture.

3. Don't start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine.

4. Avoid "reving" the engine, especially just before you switch the engine off; this wastes fuel needlessly and washes oil down from the inside cylinder walls, owing to loss of oil pressure.

5. Eliminate jack-rabbit starts. Accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don't push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel. This allows carburetor to function at peak efficiency.

HOW TO BUY GASOLINE

6. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to "volume of measurement".

7. Choose type and brand of gasoline carefully. Certain brands provide you with greater economy because of better quality. Use the brands which "seem" most beneficial.

8. Avoid filling gas tank to top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill gas tank past the first "click" of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic.
HOW TO DRIVE ECONOMICALLY

9. Exceeding 40 mph forces your auto to overcome tremendous wind resistance.

10. Never exceed legal speed limit. Primarily they are set for your traveling safety, however better gas efficiency also occurs. Traveling at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage when compared to former legal speed limits of 65 mph and 70 mph.



11. Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed.

12. Manual shift driven cars allow you to change to highest gear as soon as possible, thereby letting you save gas if you "nurse it along". However, if you cause the engine to "bog down", premature wearing of engine parts occurs.

13. Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.

14. Drive steadily. Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating - the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if affects your economy, if he slows down unexpectedly.

15.Think ahead when approaching hills. If you accelerate, do it before you reach the hill, not while you're on it.

GENERAL ADVICE

16. Do not rest left foot on floor board pedals while driving. The slightest pressure puts "mechanical drag" on components, wearing them down prematurely. This "dragging" also demands additional fuel usage.

17. Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.

18. Use alternate roads when safer, shorter, straighter. Compare traveling distance differences - remember that corners, curves and lane jumping requires extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always straight.

19. Stoplights are usually timed for your motoring advantage. By traveling steadily at the legal speed limit you boost your chances of having the "green light" all the way.

20. Automatic transmissions should be allowed to cool down when your car is idling at a standstill, e.g. railroad crossings, long traffic lights, etc. Place gear into neutral position. This reduces transmission strain and allows transmission to cool.

21. Park car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas.

22. Regular tune-ups ensure best economy; check owner's manual for recommended maintenance intervals. Special attention should be given to maintaining clean air filters... diminished air flow increases gas waste.

23. Inspect suspension and chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, etc. create engine drag and are unsafe at high traveling speeds.

24. Remove snow tires during good weather seasons; traveling on deep tire tread really robs fuel!

25. Inflate all tires to maximum limit. Each tire should be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-round. When shopping for new tires, get large diameter tires for rear wheels. Radial designs are the recognized fuel-savers; check manufacturer's specifications for maximum tire pressures.

26. Remove vinyl tops - they cause air drag. Rough surfaces disturb otherwise smooth air flow around a car's body. Bear in mind when buying new cars that a fancy sun roof helps disturb smooth air flow (and mileage).

27. Auto air conditioners can reduce fuel economy by 10% to 20%. Heater fan, power windows and seats increase engine load; the more load on your engine, the less miles per gallon.

28. Remove excess weight from trunk or inside of car - extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy parts. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.

29. Car pools reduce travel monotony and gas expense - all riders chip in to help you buy. Conversation helps to keep the driver alert. Pooling also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater "steady speed" economy. For best results, distribute passenger weight evenly throughout car.

30. During cold weather watch for icicles frozen to car frame. Up to 100 lbs. can be quickly accumulated! Unremoved snow and ice cause tremendous wind resistance. Warm water thrown on (or hosed on) will eliminate it fast.

EXTRA TIPS

Install pressure regulator valve (sold in auto parts stores)... Use graphite motor oil... Beware of oil additives, regardless of advertising claims... Add Marvel Mystery Oil into gas fill-ups... Investigate fuel/water injection methods and products... combine short errands into one trip... Use special gas additives to prevent winter freezing of gas lines... convert your V8 engine over to a V4 - no special kits needed!!!

Josh M.

Also, if you have crews ask them to make goals. Make it fun for them. My guys have competitions amongst themselves.

I am thinking about having a prize at the end of the year for whoever saves the most fuel.

Also don't forget that you can have your vehicles limited to a certain speed. I had mine limited to 62MPH. This difference between 62 and 70 is around 10%!

Paul Fredricks_6

Wow

That is quite a list. Boy, I'd love to hear what our guys would say if we told them we were limiting them to 62 MPH max. i sure they'd think they would be run over.

Many of these things I do now. I'm wondering, with the Suburban, more about after market items that can help. Nothing to involved or expensive, but helpful. I've been thinking about a new air intake to help the engine breath easier.

How do you convert to V-4? leave th4e plugs out?

UniR_3

ScanGauge

Paul, you are fortunate that your vehicle is a 1996. Any vehicle 1996 or newer can be fitted with a ScanGauge. With instant MPG feedback you can improve your technique. They are about $150 and will also serve as a trip computer and as an engine code reader as well. They connect to the onboard diagnostics port that is probably somewhere near your steering column under the dash. It displays 4 things at a times and those 4 things might be coolant temp (cold engines suck gas - block heaters help, even in April and May), instant MPG, true speed, RPM, manifold vacuum, load, horsepower, intake air temp, throttle position.

So get a ScanGauge, empty out any stuff in the truck that you don't need. Pump your tires up to the max so that they roll better and learn to drive so that you seldom need to touch the brakes. As Josh said, to get good mileage you need to try and spend your time driving slowly in top gear.

There are "telematics" options for fleets. These both tap into the ECU through OBD as well as use GPS so that they can track where the vehicle goes, how fast it goes, excess idling, etc. Big brother is here and available if you want to deploy it in a fleet setting.

Paul Fredricks_6

Sounds like a neat tool. My wifes Mazda has an MPG readout that's fun to play with.

Unfortunately, we use the Suburban mostly for long trips, with or without the pop up in tow. The goal there is not MPG, but getting there fast. I've also got 2- 2x4's attached to the roof rack for canoes. Wind Resistance. But using other techniques can help out.

ALH_4

Mileage Display

My Saab has the mileage readout also, but I can't stand to keep my foot out of it so I just leave the display on outside temp. My first turbocharged car... ;-)

My 1996 GMC 1/2 ton 4x4 5.0L gets 3mpg better fuel economy if I slow down to 70 from 80. 14.5mpg at 80mph and 17.5mpg at 70mph. I don't think I could stand to drive 60mph, so I have never tried it.

Paul Fredricks_6

Years ago I had a Plymouth Fire Arrow. It had a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder in it. Pistons like coffee cans. I regularly got 25 MPG on the highway at about 70 MPH. One time, on the way back from upstate NY, I kept it at 80 for most of the trip. Calc'd the mileage at 35 MPG. Did the math 3 times.

I hear ya about the turbo, just sold my 02 WRX. Fun, fun, fun! And 62 MPH on the highway, "I can't drive (62)"

joel_19

titan

I have the 300HP Plus Titan and get 16MPG around town driving easy on the pedal and careful with the brake makes a big difference. I have the short tow gears probably could pick up another 1.5 with regular set up. I run synthetic in everything and it does help. can't go less than about 70-75 on rt 128 though you will get run over. I did try 65 on a 500 mile trip and broke 18MPg not bad for a big 4door whl drive truck.