The Best MPG in a 3/4 ton diesel pickup
 

I've already posted this a couple of times, but here it is; the best fuel economy I've ever seen in a diesel pickup. A couple of months ago I got MPG crazy and came across these articles in my research.

1997 Dodge Ram 3500 Dualie Cummins - Diesel Power Magazine

That's a 12V Cummins dually that gets 30mpg.

And this:

2000 Ford F350 Power Stroke Diesel Truck Mileage - Diesel Power Magazine

That's a Powerstroke 7.3L F350 2WD that gets 26mpg.

I've not seen a test conducted on a Duramax, but seeing as how my '03 can get 23mpg if I drive easy in warm weather, I have no reason to believe that a duramax couldn't surpass 26mpg with similar modifications. If I had a 2wd regular cab to use as a test mule, I'd try it out. Also with EFI live, I bet you could make a fancy tune to sip fuel below 2000rpm right at 60mph

Its not hard with my LBZ to obtain 24+ mpg hand calculated.. at 55-60 mph on the highway. I think anything over 15 mpg is a great number, considering what our trucks weigh. With the proper setups, I see no reason that any 5+ liter turbo diesel couldn't achieve 25+ mpg on the highway.
:pca1:

Any number over 15 certainly is good, especially with the way I drive in the city :w2:

i run at 17 or so, about stock. 07 chevy 2500 gasser, well about 9 with just my tools 6-7 fully loaded with a trailer, and thats bone stock, well power wise.

mine gets bout 18 city, 22+ highway
04.5 cummins, muffler delete, 48re
:U:
it beats most midsize suvs though!

14 :ouch:

I get around 18.5 in town and 22ish highway. i bet a bed cover and more air in the tires would inflate that number a bit. :D

hey mythbusters say that a bed cover doesn't make a difference:humm:

crabelle gets 33mpg with his 12v

i get 17-18 with my 04.5

you guys get good mileage i get 18 on the highway 13 in town. 1998.5 24 valve

I average 15.7MPG in the city drivin like a little old woman, when I start to combine some highway driving that goes up to 17.5MPG easily. Straight highway driving last I checked in 70 degree weather I was getting 22MPG.

Well maybe since it was 10 degrees that was why. Should my fuel mileage go up when the weather warms up and the fuel has less aditives in it?

Holy cow you guys all get great mileage! I have an 06 lbz 6.6l with a 6" procomp lift, 20" rims and 33" Toyo's on it. It has AFE stage 2 intake, Mbrp turbo back exhaust, and a Edge w attitude chip in it! I am getting 12mpg/hand calculated and on the gauge empty! What is wrong with my truck?:humm:

I get about 16/19 city,and 22/24 highway.And up to 26 on trips to california.Shankster one of the reasons you most likely are getting low milage is because your running larger tires on your truck so your engine has to work more to get the truck moving.And it also depends sometimes on your driving pattern.

:humm:
um, the lift and rims/tires

You didn't say if you recalibrated your speedometer or not, but if you haven't done so, that will make your mileage seem even worse than it is. Taller tires will make your odometer see fewer miles traveled, which in turn throws your hand calculations off. If your speedo is correct, then you can blame it on the lift, tires, and the weight of your right foot.

I used to get 15 city, and 21 highway with my nitto tires on, but now that i have my toyo tires on im lucky to get 13 city and 17.5 highway hand calculated. Those damn toyo tires are to freakin heavy I hate them, they wear to fast.

That does not help.

i get 19 around town i dont know bout hiway yet in mine below... but i also am running about 1700rpms at 70 mph:U:

:c:Im right around 15mpg around town/19 highway at the moment. Hope tomprove that!:c:

I've seen people put crazy #'s on mpg, I'm not saying that you can't get good MPG, but most times it's a single event. Like say your heading east from Col. To Kc. The wind is almost always out of the west so you have a 20-40% drop in wind friction. And say your empty w/tailgate down, full of fuel and don't stop to pee. The trip I'm describing was 1 of mine about a year ago when diesel was +$4 per gal. When I got to Kc it took 16 & a 1/2 gal to fill'er up. That works out to about 31mpg. Since this was my business truck I kept milage records from Jan 1 to Dec 31. The truck normaly averaged 21. This was a 93 GMC 6.5 TD 1/2 ton auto O/D w/3.42 gears that I drove 80mph on the interstate.

On the other hand in a similar circumstance I got 22mpg in a 1ton dually crew cab 92' f350 7.3 IDI non-turbo and averaged 11mpg for the year.

I guess it's just a case of where you are and what your driving.

Well said Joe Dad

Since I have changed jobs I am driving the state routes at 55-60 vs highway at 70-75 and I now get about 17-17.5. I am messing with the settings on the comp to try for best mileage and so far 4X4 with the tap turned off works the best. 5X5 with no tap lost 2MPG!!!

Never have gotten better them 21-22 on the HWY, but I normally go the speed limit +5. If I do 19 or better I'm happy with ahead wind 17 at best. I have since straight piped, tuned, and gotten larger MT tires, so who knows now. It looks so far like it maybe worse.

I know diesel power magazine did an mpg test a while back and the winning truck was a regular cab newer duramax with EFI live tuning and a couple other mods and it got 30 mpg.

If you have a link for an article, could you post it in here?

I've been trying to hunt down a test like that for a Duramax, but all I could find were the 7.3L and 99 Cummins tests, and I've been eager to see what someone could do with a Duramax. EFI live on a 2wd regular cab I imagine could get 30 easy considering early Duramaxes can get 23mpg bone stock. It seems like 30mpg is the magic number.

hah i get bout 16.5 roughly and i floor it all the time, just love the noise ;)

16-17 everyday driving and 20 or 21 highway

There is definitely something wrong, I have almost the same setup and I am getting around 18 on the highway, I am a little lower and that may have something to do with it...