fox_forma Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Well since gas has gone up a buttload in the past month I decided i was going to drive easy for once. I have been putting around lately and after 70 miles I finally checked the DIC to see where i stood with mileage since I noticed that my gas gauge is rather low for how many miles I have been driving and how I have been driving. The damn thing read 11.7 mpg avg. So I reset it today and went for a 30 mile drive and ran the truck pretty decent, not real hard though but def not how i was driving like a sissy the past few days and I'm up around 14mpg's avg. Why would this happen? Does it sound like a programming issue or something that when i'm driving it easy i'm actually putting more strain or something on the engine? it just has me stumped so I thought I would ask. I'm hoping its just a back batch of gas or something cause the truck does seem to be under more of a load for some reason. I normally have been getting 14-15 city and 18+ highway lately untill recently I'm also about to do new plugs and wires just for the he!! of it. How big of wires should I use and what is to big? I'm guessing 8.5mm are the norm but i have seen up to 10.5. Ok thats it just thought I would ask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKey Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Was it a diff in city vs highway driving for your tests? Personally I wouldn't trust your DIC. Figure mileage at the pump with how much it takes to fill it - the most accurate way. I fill my tank until it is just short of overflowing - that way it is filled to same point every time. Without that you can't get accurate figures. If you want to know how your driving habits are affecting your mpg, watch the instantaneous mpg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drako Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 check your miles....what ive noticed is that our trucks get horrible mileage regardless...im thinking about walking to work tomorrow...get some excersice and save gas...i dont live that far but wow...its been bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox_forma Posted May 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 the DIC has always been pretty close, but i just noticed that my gas gauge was low for how much i had driven. Obviously it is different with city driving compared to highway but i never had it like this. It just seems I am eating up a lot more gas and I was driving really easy so I am stumped. Any input on the wires question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbomark Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 some states switch to the summer blend, which will decrease your mileage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox_forma Posted May 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 some states switch to the summer blend, which will decrease your mileage. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I thought winter is what gave you the worst mileage?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krambo Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 The NJ winterized fuel was crap for me. Just give her a tune up! (plugs, wires, clean air filter, fuel filter, clean your TB etc). An engine likes to be run at WOT once in a while as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 Not sure of your driving habits but, if you let your truck Idle for long periods it is calculating 0mpg when your truck is sitting still. When you average 0 on the DIC it really lowers your stats. Just my $.02 Barney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montanass Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 could it be those 22's swingin' around? That sounds like a genuine problem.... I dont worry about fuel economy... if it stays around 13, I'm happy... if it drops below that, there's probably something going on... it usually has something to do with my right foot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox_forma Posted May 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 could it be those 22's swingin' around? That sounds like a genuine problem.... I dont worry about fuel economy... if it stays around 13, I'm happy... if it drops below that, there's probably something going on... it usually has something to do with my right foot! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Nah not the 22's i'm pretty sure cause they been on for a little now, i'm guessing its just a bad batch of gas hopefully. Its getting a tune up this week anyway so we'll see what happens from there. Its just odd that I can drive it hard and get better gas mileage then driving like a sissy and not getting into it. Looks like its WOT from here on out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron's SS Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 I have noticed the same problem. I drive the truck like a sissy and get worse mileage than when I run regularly (with frequent WOT runs.) Judging by watching in Instant Calculations, the truck gets terrible mileage (no matter how hard you run it) until the tranny gets to OD. So I devised that I am better off getting my speed up quickly and then backing out of the throttle, than I am if a just lightly accelerating from everywhere, because the trucks doesn't go into OD nearly as quickly if it take a mile to get up to speed. That's my thoughts on your situation. Question: I run WOT often, let the truck warm up and idle everytime I run it, and only drive about 5 miles city, to and from work; I get 13.1 to 13.4 depending, I figure that is as good as I'm gonna do with my driving conditions. Anyone think this is right... or to low? Oh, and winter gas is the bad gas, at least in Ohio. (I only get 11.7 or so all winter on the same drive.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKey Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 If you guys want to fix that problem with not getting that good of mileage from babying it and getting better when you're flooring it all the time - stroke it. You'll definitely get the better mileage taking it easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big O Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 Its more about RPM's than how " sissy " you drive it ... There is definatly a sweet spot in there ... slower and faster than that and your MPG decrease. I have also been told numerous times that filling the neck of your tank is bad for the truck. After it " auto " shuts off ... don't put any more in. FYI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKey Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 I have also been told numerous times that filling the neck of your tank is bad for the truck. After it " auto " shuts off ... don't put any more in. FYI <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just how does the truck know you've done that? Sounds like something a salesman would say. First I have heard something like that and have been doing what I posted for 4 trucks now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big O Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 I have also been told numerous times that filling the neck of your tank is bad for the truck. After it " auto " shuts off ... don't put any more in. FYI <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just how does the truck know you've done that? Sounds like something a salesman would say. First I have heard something like that and have been doing what I posted for 4 trucks now. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> yowzers ... [/attitude] It wasn't a matter of the truck 'knowing' that you have done it ... I can't remember exactly what ... but something about the excess fuel ruining sensors or causing some sort of premature failures of something ... like I said ... I don't know what was the problem ... just remember hearing something about that a couple years ago. Just for the record ... I usually fill er up also ... at least one or two clicks past the initial shut off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.