best way to improve fuel economy on 6.4L

[Digital Oxygen]

Best way to improve fuel economy IMHO:

1. Spartan tuner with DPF delete tune(s)
2. Gear Vendors overdrive.

 

[DutyCalls08]

Fuel Economy

Hello all,

I was in Iraq in '07 when I first got bit by the diesel bug, and subsequently became a member. Now here we are in '09 and I'm back to the sandbox again. This time its Afghanistan though. I just wanted to throw in my two cents about fuel economy for those who may be looking for answers to this common problem with the 6.4L trucks. Below is a list of modifications that will/may improve fuel economy, but it is in no way the definitive list. Also, I don't claim to be an ASE certified technician, but rather I've simply compiled tidbits of information that I've read or heard over the last two years. Good luck, Semper Fi, and God speed.

1-Change your driving habits. No programmer in the world is going to save you money at the pump if you've got a heavy right foot.
2-Avoid the huge lift and big tires. Yea, sure they look awesome, but the extra weight and parasitic drag from all of those accessories will kill your MPG.
3-Put a higher gear ratio in the diffs. (lower numerically) You'll lose a little off the line torque, but you'll gain mileage by keeping your RPM's down on the highway.
4-Buy a programmer and ditch the DPF. Nobody wants to go hacking up the emissions equipment on a brand new $40+ investment, but the fact is that every time your truck goes into regen it is sucking down extra fuel that isn't moving you forward.
5-Upgrade your intake and your exhaust. Your engine is basically a big air pump. When you make it easier for the engine to pull in fresh air and subsequently exhaust hot gases, you increase the efficiency of that engine. (ie. improve fuel economy)
6-Avoid letting the engine idle for long periods. If your engine is running, but your truck isn't moving you're wasting fuel.
7-Drive with the A/C off whenever you can and the temperatures will allow.
8-Remove all excess weight from the truck periodically. Take a look in the bed of your beast. If its full of stuff that you don't regularly use or need in there, get rid of it. The weight savings equals better fuel economy.
9-Change all of your fluids to full synthetics. That includes engine, tranny, transfer case, and both diffs. Redline and Royal Purple make good stuff if you want to do the swap. Of course, be sure to check the label to ensure it meets the specifications for your vehicle.
10-Make your truck as aerodynamic as possible. Let's face it, the new Superduty is not going to excel in any wind tunnel tests, but there are a few things you can do to help. Keep exterior accessories that do not help fuel economy to a minimum (off-road lights, fender flares, roll bar). They simply add weight and drag to the vehicle. Add accessories that smooth out the airflow over the truck such as tonneau covers.
11-Last but not least, avoid driving that 8000 lb. beast when you don't need to. If you're just going around the corner for some beer and a pack of smokes, take another, more fuel efficient vehicle. (ie. your wife's/girlfriends car) If money allows, purchase a cheap fuel efficient car, a motorcycle, or better yet just walk. The excercise will help to burn off those extra calories, and you'll have more money in your pocket.

Sorry about the long message, but I don't get the opportunity to converse with you guys half as much as I would like due to operational constraints. It may be months before I can take time to post again. Hope this was helpful. Take care

 

[abitz]

I know the milage on these is not what it should be but before i got this truck I had a 97 expedition I used to get 250 miles on a full tank so 375 on the f250 with the same amount of fuel and double the hp and triple the tq ( with spartan 210 tune ) is not bad at all in my book

 

[Lonestar]

My truck now has 7000 miles on it and I get about 9.5 mpg around town.