What kind of fuel mileage are you getting with your truck?

[Mike]

Adding a new "fuel economy" forum here, and figured a good way to get it kick started was to see what kind of fuel mileage your are getting. Maybe the owner ops here, as well as the company drivers who are working toward fuel bonuses can share knowledge and get their numbers up a bit.

 

[terrylamar]

I would have to go back and do the math. I have my numbers for every fueling since I have had this truck. The last few have been over 7.5 some over 8.2.

 

[terrylamar]

Moved to "How to Improve Fuel Economy"

 

[TheLittleGuy]

I went from averaging between 4.2-5.5 to 6.6-8+. I now drive 58-60 MPH everywhere and have since last Spring! I used to run 68-75 MPH, but when my apu brokedown for an extended period, I had to compensate for lost fuel economy due to added idle time. Now, the apu is fixed, finally, and I'm still goin slow, makin money!

 

[DubbleD]

2007 Pete w/ C13 Cat twin turbo... 6.88 MPG lifetime avg. on 660K miles.

 

[terrylamar]

2007 Pete w/ C13 Cat twin turbo... 6.88 MPG lifetime avg. on 660K miles.

Have you ever verified those numbers by manually computing your miles divided by the gallons you use? I, only ask, because the number you pull from the ECM is notoriously wrong.

 

[DubbleD]

Have you ever verified those numbers by manually computing your miles divided by the gallons you use? I, only ask, because the number you pull from the ECM is notoriously wrong.

I believe them to be extremely accurate. The on-board computer from Pete is in complete comparison to Peoplenet which calculates total gallons purchased with engine performance and Yes, I have spot checked using the more sophisticated method of pencil and paper (well, I really used the calculator on my phone.....

As far as where I run.. so there's no argument that I stay on the planes... draw a line from Western Dakota's to Western Texas. Everything east of the line is where I run with the exception of the New England States and New York.

I've touched 7 and held it for a couple weeks but not long enough to achieve the 7mpg bonus.. always in the 6.5 and up, AND I run as fast as the governors will let me. 67/62.

 

[Rigjockey]

Well Mike , I came out of Fayetteville .AR running empty up to Salina . KS . In a strong head wind and i could do no better than 6mph . My company doesn't realy care about all that .But I am going to place the blame squarly on you and your state , Well I can't actualy do that as I made a left hand turn into OK , thats where I caught the headwind .so your off the hook .lol .J/K Mike .

 

[Copperhead]

2013 Freightliner Columbia glider with pre-egr Detroit 60 500hp, 18 spd. 10 fuelings so far, 7.6 mpg average hand calculated. Worse 6.7 with gross load of bulk lead running two lanes with a LOT of hills and a moderate cross wind. Best, 8.8 with 30,000 on 4 lane flat, low rolling hills. All fuelings since day 1 posted on the Let's Truck website under the Fuel Gauges section. Truck 999.

 

[Brian Kieth]

2007 Pete w/ C13 Cat twin turbo... 6.88 MPG lifetime avg. on 660K miles.

I have 950000 on my c-13 accert and also avg 6.8mpg

 

[DubbleD]

I have 950000 on my c-13 accert and also avg 6.8mpg

742,000 and currently at 7.2 for the month. I've backed off some on those days that getting there was not pushing something to the final minute. New steers help?? dunno but I wouldn't argue against it.

5 more days and I'll know the final for the month.

 

[TAPS]

Have you ever verified those numbers by manually computing your miles divided by the gallons you use? I, only ask, because the number you pull from the ECM is notoriously wrong.

I have seen a lot of MPS's in my time doing fuel taxes for a living. And the statement here is very true! It is amazing what a driver might say he is getting and what the truck really gets. There are so many conditions that can add or subtract from your MPG. Air foils, properly inflated tires, speed, weight, APU etc. If your tractor trailer is getting better than 6.5 on a regular basis you are doing good, and over 7 is great. It is not unheard of but you are doing what is right to get that.
Most people that I speak to do not calculate their fuel use properly, and that gives them the incorrect MPG. I am not saying that some truckers are not doing better than this, I am just saying that if you pull 80,000 lbs up and down hills I don't think so. If you are going slow and stopping and starting that is a big reason for diminished MPG. Your IFTA taxes are calculated on total miles divided by total gallons burnt. Not just when you are driving. But at weigh stations, trucks left running at truck stops etc.

Fred S

 

[GroceryHauler]

I drive a 2012 Volvo with a Volvo engine and 12 speed full automatic transmission. I don't make any real effort to achieve high fuel economy and I generally run 68 mph which is where we're governed. On most trips I average somewhere between 6.8 and 7.4 mpg.

And regarding the poster that says his ECM and Peoplenet give him the same numbers, that's because the Peoplenet unit pulls its information from the ECM.

 

[Copperhead]

Have you ever verified those numbers by manually computing your miles divided by the gallons you use? I, only ask, because the number you pull from the ECM is notoriously wrong.

That is where I don't fall into that trap. I have no dash reading of what the ECM is showing. All of my mpg's are hand calculated pump to pump and put into a spreadsheet that shows the averages. Someday when I do an ECM dump while in the shop, I will find out what the ECM is showing for average mpg.

 

[Fageol]

According to its display, I got 2.9 mpg on a 203 mi. trip from Anchorage to mile 196 of the Parks Highway in a 2007 379 with an ISX550. The average speed was just under 50 mph, so that means that I was cruising at a little more than the legal 65 mph and at the bottom of the big hill (named "Honolulu" after the name of the creek at its base) I was doing about 75+ mph. The lead 45' 2 axle plus a drop axle (tare wt. 16K) flat had 42K of lumber. The tail 45' dual zone reefer had 12K of ice cream and chill. Thought that those ISXs (with 225K miles) would do better but it appears there's a lot of rolling resistance in a 36 wheels. I think that the pre Acert C15 @ 500 hp that I regularly drive will do this run (with about 120,000 gross) at 3.3 mpg (and about 10 minutes slower). But I thought Any thoughts?

 

[Copperhead]

When I drove truck in Alaska (I lived in Delta Junction) the national 55 speed limit was still in effect. Miss those years I lived up there, but had to move back to Iowa in '92 and help the folks out with the family farm.

 

[Fageol]

When I drove truck in Alaska (I lived in Delta Junction) the national 55 speed limit was still in effect. Miss those years I lived up there, but had to move back to Iowa in '92 and help the folks out with the family farm.

Then you probably know the Parks. It's improved some since then. I drove that road in the early 80s and it's far better now. But, most roads need improvement and the Parks is no exception. Got 3.17 miles with my tractor (a 2002 Pete with a C15 @ 500 hp). Had 50K of mud on the lead 3 axle 45 and 25k (oil totes, etc.) in a 40' can that was the tail trailer. Probably did that 406 mile run within 30 minutes of the time as the previously noted big strapper (the 550 ISX in a 2010 (not 2007, sorry) 379). Just missed a thousand pound bull (big rack) at 124.1 (between Trapper Creek and the Chulitna River). That would have been bad since this was the first trip with my horse after getting the bumper straightened, a new right fender and a new (big Light Force) moose light from an encounter with a small (500 lb.) moose at the gravel pile at 163. Anyway my experience with close to the same weight loads: 2.9 mpg (indicated, not calculated) from the big strapper versus 3.17 with the C15 that was a little heavier and definitely slower at 3.17 mpg. The winter fuel, #1 diesel, just kills our C15s. The Cummins motors don't seem to mind the winter fuel as much. Has that been the experience of you drivers who have to deal with summer diesel and then winter diesel? Would those after market fuel resistors help?

 

[Tim]

The fuel temp wire will give you any where from 20+hp to 40hp. What you really need is to have Kurt aka Mr. Haney tune that Cat ECM with a PDI Stage 1 tune. Well worth the money to have that alone done.

As for the summer vs winter fuel, I'll loose a quarter to half mile to the gallon with winter fuel with my Acert.

 

[Fageol]

The fuel temp wire will give you any where from 20+hp to 40hp. What you really need is to have Kurt aka Mr. Haney tune that Cat ECM with a PDI Stage 1 tune. Well worth the money to have that alone done.

As for the summer vs winter fuel, I'll loose a quarter to half mile to the gallon with winter fuel with my Acert.

Thanks for the info. Have you Kurts website? I don't doubt that you loose a quarter to a half mpg with winter fuel. I guess that it sucks so much it can't burn.

 

[Tim]

Thanks for the info. Have you Kurts website? I don't doubt that you loose a quarter to a half mpg with winter fuel. I guess that it sucks so much it can't burn.

Kurt doesn't have a web site. He is a dealer for PDI and they have the tunes for Acert Cats BUT Kurt is who you need to talk to because PDI has salespeople all over the lower 48 that will put what ever tune in.

Kurt likes to talk to the driver first and find out what there looking to get out of there CAT. In my case I wanted better fuel mileage
and not a ton of HP.
What I got was about .5 better mileage with a ton of HP anyways because of the rerate I had done at Cat. He wont try and sale you something you dont need nor tell you you have to get this or that.

PDI's website is Performance Diesel Inc

I'll PM you Kurt's contact info.