note Fuel mileage after some changes

[silverado3500]

Recently I had to replace my turbo as the bearings went south. I replaced it with a Garrett BB unit. I added an oil pressure and water temp gauge at the same time. I also switched motor oil from 15W40 to 10w40. Before all of this I was only getting about 13 - 14 mpg. (with the DP-Tuner chip on the 80 HP economy tune). Was only getting 11 on the stock tune.

When I first bought the truck used back in 2004 I was getting 18 mpg.

While I changed the turbo, I cleaned all of the boost pipes/clamps. The boots between the x-pipe and the intake plenums were both so loose, that I was able to slide them off without having to mess with the clamps. I suspect I've had a significant boost leak there for quite some time.

After doing all of these mods, I've now more or less broken in the turbo. The first tank was about the same, slightly better. But my two most recent fillups have both averaged 23-24 mpg. This was mostly rural driving, 60mph, mostly unloaded, though I did take around 2500lbs of steel for 80 miles.

I should also mention that I drive very lightly on the throttle. Rarely run it over 60mph, and I don't accelerate very fast.

The truck is a 2000 F-450. 7.3 6 Speed 4x4, 3.73 gears running 245/70 R19.5 Jody's 80HP economy tune. Return regulated fuel system at 70psi, including pre pump/in tank mods. straight pipe exhaust. 203* Thermostat. Garrett BB turbo. 160,000 miles and going well.

Would I be right in assuming that while the turbo, and leaky intake boots hurt the mileage, driving style has a large impact on mileage?

 

[foxrider241]

Thats an impressive gain in mpg's! Well Putting into consideration, replacing the turbo that had 170K and being 8-9 years under the hood, cleaning up the boost pipes and the boots being before you did this work being that loose you could easily of been loosing 3-4 psi or more of boost, cleaning up all the gunk and crud in there put the boost where it should be going and easily, Then switching to a lighter weight oil helps because the engine will not have to work as hard than as if with a heavier oil, not saying that everyone should due to why they make different weights for hotter or cooler climates and motors. Seeing a improvement of that much mpg after all that work shows how much doing regular tunes up helps alot by checking your tubes and boots for grime making sure there not loose and keeping a good eye on your boost and egt gauges lets you know how hot your running and what kind of boost your making, keeping up on oil changes and using the correct viscosity of oil, and of course everything else - front diff if 4x4 and rear diff fluid, transfer case, tranny fluids, oil and filter, fuel filter - and i sure i may have missed one or to things but doing scheduled services and checking under hood components will obviously obtain your mpg's and the life of your engine.

 

[02stroker]

I'll agree that driving style plays a large part in mpg's. I notice a difference in mpg's from tank to tank based on how hard I work the go pedal.

 

[dpantazis]

i think your improvements are good, but the numbers are high by our standards.

are you converting the uk gallons and miles to the us equivalents or giving us the uk ones?