Interesting Question about MPG

[twotonevert]

I have a service appointment in the morning to have my oil changed and coolant flushed, tires rotated, etc. The first tank of fuel I averaged 12.5, the second 13.99, and last night I noted a jump to 16mpg. What gives? I have not changed my driving habits, generally trying to stay at about 2k rpm. Since I no knowledge of the previous owner or maintenance records, I was told I need to replace the fuel filters, was thinking about that too. Any ideas or suggestions? And this is a Ford dealer I am taking my truck to. Thanks guys.

 

[snicklas]

My first reaction would be you are starting to get "summer" fuel..... I up here where it get cold.... when we get winter fuel we loose a few MPG...... as it warms up, we start to get a less winter blend and the MPG come back.....

 

[Tx_Atty]

could be lots of factors - idle time, how high up the neck you fill the tank, wind direction on highway, fuel quality, winter fuel blend vs summer blend. Im not sure when the switch back to summer blended fuel happens but our trucks tend to get better mileage on that than winter.

If you have the stuff to change your own oil and filter, you will save a lot over the dealer. I can do mine at 15 quarts and filter for roughly $45. Dealer and Qwik Lube types want >$60.

 

[twotonevert]

Thanks guys, I didnt have any idea there was a difference in the fuel blends, summer versus winter. I can change my own oil, but then I have the hassle of trying to take the used oil somewhere.

 

[groundhawg]

You may check but most auto parts stores have the waste oil recovery tanks...at least they do here...I would just fill the old jugs back up and bring them in once in a while.

One of the last times I took oil in, I had about 15 gallons. I sure did get some looks from the counter monkeys.

 

[snicklas]

Thanks guys, I didnt have any idea there was a difference in the fuel blends, summer versus winter.

Yes, there a difference in summer and winter fuels, especially if you live in a cold climate...

As we know, diesel fuel has 2 basic grades: #1 and #2 and as diesel fuel gets cold, it will thicken, or "gel"

#1 has a lower gel temperature than #2 does. So 100% #2 is fine if the temps are always "fairly warm" but if it gets cold enough, #2 will gel plugging filters and not allowing fuel to flow.

So if gets colder than #2 will stay liquid at, they will mix #1 and #2 (or maybe even kerosene) to make the gel point lower.

The other thing is, #1 has a lower BTU per gallon than #2 so it takes more #1 that #2 to do the same amount of work, thus decreasing MPG....

Also, if you buy fuel from a truck stop, ask them if it is winterized diesel or not, a lot of truck stops im my area of the country sell #2 year around, so you have to add a treatment to keep it from gelling, my local "auto diesel" stations sell winter mix.... but I still add treatment to be sure......

 

[IHC Power]

Deisel???

Your avatar has Deisel... Isn't it DIESEL? Is that from a real fuel station? No wonder why it's so much money cause they need to pay for the attendents grammar school...

 

[snicklas]

IHC_Power,

I have been using that avatar for over 2 years and you are the first one to say anything about it......

Background on that pic.....

My fionce' and I went visit some of her family that live in the Hickory, NC area. We were driving from Hickory to Madien and we passed that Shell station (this was in a town, not out in the middle of nowhere) and I saw that sign...... I hit me that something did not look right and it donned on me DEISEL....... when we drove back by that station later in the evening, I pulled into the station and snapped a couple of pics of the sign, in the other pic you can see the top of my Ex parked infront of the sign.....

I can tell you that is not a doctored photo, I took it myself, downloaded it off the camera and posted it..... so that is the real thing..... He family did tell us, that after we took the picture, the sign was fixed and now reads Diesel as it should......

 

[Yooper75]

I just noticed that my milage went up this weekend but it could also be the fact that I took the 500# of sand out that I use for weight.

 

[IHC Power]

Awesome

I have looked at it before and didn't notice either, but now it's even funnier that I know it's a real station......