MAN...something happened to my Truck......

[01_Duramax_Dually]

I had to make a Bonzaii run to Las Vegas this weekend to drop off the race car. I usually always kind of cruised there with the car and trailer in tow, but this time I was forced to get there quick...Well I had this truck rolling at 75-85 almost all the way there. Went over the Tehachapi Pass and over the passes through Death Valley area out of Barstow into Vegas and never went below 60. My wife was just laughing. I was routinely over the speed limit by 20-30 MPH all the time. I was passing tractor trailers, Trucks with 5'ers, you name it, I was passing it :D . I even passed a few DMAX's towing 5'ers. The trip was 587 miles. I did it in 8 hrs 11 minutes with one stop for food and gas and I never shut the truck off.(NASCAR STYLE)

The truck seems to run and sound different now.. Much Better. It is almost like it has finally said "OK I am broken in now, let's go". Amazingly I averaged 10.6 mpg towing at that speed. My trailer weighs 11K.

Coming back was a cruise, 60-65 mph, couple extra stops..averaged 19.6mpg...

YOU HAVE JUST GOT TO LOVE THESE TRUCKS...... :D

Some technical info, I have the boost and EGT gauges in place now. The boost was at 15-20 lbs going over the passes. The EGTs were around 1100-1150 when I was really leaning on it. Seems like the fan clutch engages when the EGT's are around 1100(not sure if there is any direct relation with this function)...I will watch this closely as I do this trip frequently...Tranny Temp(factory gauge) never got over 180.

Regards

Jeff

[NutNbutGMC]

QUOTE:
I was routinely over the speed limit by 20-30 MPH all the time. I was passing tractor trailers, Trucks with 5'ers, you name it, I was passing it . I even passed a few DMAX's towing 5'ers. The trip was 587 miles. I did it in 8 hrs 11 minutes with one stop for food and gas and I never shut the truck off.(NASCAR STYLE)
__________________________________________________ ______________________

^...I love this guy :D :D ....
The harder ya' drive 'em, the better they perform....Been sayin' it all along.... :cool: smile.gif ;)

[mdrag]

01_DuraMax_Dooley,

You WERE MOVING!!! Maybe there is some hope for my MPGs to improve (short of using those Canadian gallons smile.gif ) - I get around 14-15 no matter how/where I drive... I'm at just under 6k miles so hopefully will get better as the mileage increases.

[Dinkie Diesel]

I just got back from Kentucky which is about a 380 mile trip. I was empty running on cruise at 75 almost all the way. Only got 16.5 MPG. I for one would say the re-flash hurt the MPG's. I'm not complaining but It got around 19 the first road trip I took before the re-flash. It do like to run though! smile.gif

[Plasticfantastic]

14K miles on mine. Gets 15-16mpg unloaded, regardless of how I drive (in town/highway). My mileage has not changed any since new.
I get 12-13mpg pulling my 16ft enclosed (not sure what it weighs) full of grass cuttin' stuff.

[ 04-07-2002: Message edited by: Plasticfantastic ]</p>

[crosenb]

Last November I made a round trip in mine from Liberty, IN to Hooks, TX to deliver a machine. I hulled it in the bed of the truck. I left home Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM & pulled back in my driveway at 10:07 PM Monday night. About 1650 miles. Truck weighs 8357 lbs with cap & loaded with tools, machine weighed 475 lbs. The truck averaged 15 MPG. Since the trip it has run better than ever.

[01_Duramax_Dually]

MDrag,
Yeah I was cookin...I was really quite suprised on the MPG towing going that fast. I thought for sure I would be lucky to get 7-8.

NutNButGMC.....YOU BET, drive them hard..they really like it... :D :D :D ..I am afraid however to get any of those boxes out there...I can forsee trouble abrewin in my near future.... :eek:

I found that as I get miles on the truck it runs better and the MPG gets better. Now I can say this, if you will go an honest 55-60 mpg, with cruise, running on flat land you, can net 20+ MPG's. I have done that once(Was forced to by the other law abiding people caravaning with me). I would have never done this on my own...

I am at 20K miles. I am driving back to Vegas this upcoming weekend to pick the car up for an upcoming event. I will run unloaded there and trailer back. I will "TRY ;) " and do 60 trailering to see what my MPG is...However I cannot guarantee can do that for long....

I currently avg 16-16.5 mpg when dailey driving.

Also, I was sure glad I had that modified winter front on going through Central Valley. I ran through 2 bee swarms, sounded like ping pong balls bouncing off my windshield for about 200-300 feet. Once cleared I had to pull over(seriously)and wash my windshield I could barely see and my wife said she was going to get sick :D . Needless to say,that cover left my coolers free of bugs...Still look brand new. one other thing,...The Lucerix mirrors were kind of weird when I went through the Bee swarms, the bees hit the backside/angle of the mirror and was sending bug debris all over both side windows on both sides of the truck. I would recommend keeping your windows closed when going through areas with high bug count......

I still have yet to figure out why farmers put bee hives right next to the freeway...Kind of like offering bees up for suicide missions...

.....INCOMMMMMMING........."Splat" :eek:

[N.E. TMRPR]

These trucks are definetly different. Had mine in for first service at 33,000 and they reflashed. The mileage went south by about 2 to 3 mpg's but the performance is awesome. I've run the truck for about three weeks since service and I've seen the mileage make a slight comeback but this past Weds. something different. I took a trip to NY border and made my way back to the southcoast of MA all in all it was 526 miles for the day. When I fueled up it took 26.5 gallons and the trip included three stop and drops. I just can't figure the inconsistancies in mileage. Sorry, forgot to say mileage after reflash was about 14 to 15 highway now its around 19 plus.