6.5 TD MPG reports

[Marty Lau]

Well boys and Girls, I loaded up the old pickup truck with dogs, guns, ammo and dog food. I filled up both tanks to the top with winter blend #2 and dosed the fuel good with power service. I left Great Falls Montana headed for a place to work bird dogs for a bit. First fuel stop Cheyenne Wyoming 694 miles from start. filed with 36.685 gals. 18.92 mpg not too shappy on winter blend. I drove 65 mph on 2 lane roads (225 miles) and 70 mph on Interstate. About 40 miles north of Kaycee WY I was sure glad to be "taking it easy" as it prevented a MONSTOR Bull Elk from becoming "harvested" by the Chevy Diesel Interceptor.

Next fuel stop Clovis, New Mexico this entailed 948 miles about 500 Interstate, a bunch of 2 lane and mixed driving. Also I had a fuel transfer mishap the involved a Diesel spill of unknown quantity. Best guesstimate from size of fuel pool 2-4 gallons. So total used with spill 47.622 gal for 19.91 mpg with fuel loss!!! Now if the loss was 2 gallons then mpg 20.78. If loss was 3 gallons then 21.25 mpg. I'm a happy guy with any of these. :cool:

Next fuel stop was Albuquerque, NM.

840 miles, 44.556 gallons for 18.85 MPG. Now this "leg" was all kind of mixed driving, Hiway 2 lane, country paved and dirt roads, and 2 track. Hunting stuff you know. I really like having lots of fuel. I have been able to time my fuel buying at places where the prices has been below average prices. Sure is nice to have put on over 800 miles and still have over 400 miles of reserve in the tanks. It cost me roughly $600 for the Aux tank and if I can save 12 cents or more a gallon the tank will pay for it self in about 4800 gallons, If I can save as much as 25 cents like I have in some area's then pay back is 2400 gallons or a bit over 2 years at the rate I buy fuel.


Just though you might like to get some data.

[Kev-o]

Man does my truck need help, I just don't know where to start.

FACT'S.

1998 chev 3/4ton ext cab 4x4 shortbox
Gear ratio ???? thinking 3.73 2000 rpm @62mph
370 km per tank 90 litres i think

MY GUESS>

230 miles 24 gallons = about 10MPG

Truck has 330,000 km but only 160,000 km on GM replacement motor.

I am thinking filters, injectors and pump timing.
I got the truck for helping a guy build his house so it did not cost me any money out of my jeans, But if the injectors and pump and?????
are going maybe its not for me.

PLEASE NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

[JTodd]

Could be 1 of 3 things.
1) Not enough fuel
2) Not enough boost
3) To much drag. (brakes dragging or something similar)

When you get on it hard, does it blow clouds of black smoke? If it does, then not enough boost. If no smoke at all, then not enough fuel. a 6.5 should blow some smoke under hard acceleration, but not a smoke screen worth, so it should be somewhere in between.

[Tough Guy]

16-

That is great fuel economy numbers! :cool:

What I think is funny is that with all the technology and advances in engineering over the last 10-15 years, your 1995 truck with a couple of changes gets better fuel economy then 90% of the new light Diesel trucks produced today...

Good Job! smile.gif

Chris

[sturgeon-phish]

Lots of posts on improving fuel economy. Do you carry extra weight, tool boxes, junk etc? How do you drive? Hard or easy,(accelerate like you have an egg under your foot or pedel to the metal). Once the truck is running right, the way you drive makes a huge difference. I notice my best MPG at 53 mph no extra stuff and tailgate up. That's where I'll set my cruise. On most trips the arrival time difference is no big deal to me.

[JTodd]

"If no smoke at all, then not enough fuel." Actually, if there's not enough fuel, the truck is slowing down. A diesel ingests all the air it can all the time, & fuel rate determines power output.A wastegate problem would reduce the amount of air the engine is ingesting, regardless of how much it is able to.