26 replies to this topic

[John D]

Skeeter,

I am not sure what you mean by hyper mile techniques. I would like to read more. Because I am able to get 20+ miles per gallon with my full size chevy with a 350, I am not surprised to read that someone is getting 30 mpg with one of the little 4 cylinder truck motors. The are many 4 cylinder motors used by a variety of vehicle makers in the 2.+ liter range. Volvo settled on a motor this size many years ago and it served them well because they are the automobile with the best reputation for longevity. A typical automobile is good for 10 years whereas the typical Volvo has been good for 20 years, even better than Mercedes. Their little 4 cylinder engine is almost bullet proof, without the turbo, of course.

Most of the companies have a model that uses a 4 cylinder in this size range. I think these little motors have a great future in little trucks with little campers.

So, Skeeter, tell us more about what you are doing with your rig to get such good mileage.

John D

[Skeeter]

Hey John,
Hypermiling is nothing more than getting every extra mile out of your gas tank. There are several tecniques, here is one link that explains it. http://www.cleanmpg....read.php?t=1510 The obvious is keeping your vechicle in top shape. I over inflate the tires by just a few ponds, and I coast downhill in neutral whenever I can. I also turn my engine off at stop lights. The real diehards draft behind others and I wouldnt recommend some of techniques that they use. I also drive slow on the highway, normally around 58 to 62 mph. I plan on installing cruise control in the future. Driving habits go a long way on your mpg. No jack rabbit starts, and if the light is already red, I let off the throttle and glide to the light. It is not for everybody, but it is the journey that counts. I was a little worried that my truck couldnt handle my camper, but it does exactly what I bought it for. Hope that explains it. -Joel

[John D]

Joel,

I read the information on the web site you suggested. Much of it was in connection with hybrids. There were also many other suggestions. I don't agree with shutting down the engine in a regular vehicle because the starters are not designed for high cycle rate this would entail if driving in town.

There is a type of hybrid that charges from an electrical outlet. This reduces the use of the gasoline engine. Trucks like this would be very green for national parks, where they could be charged at night while camping. During the day, driving around the national parks would be mainly on batteries.

I have heard there will be half ton trucks with small diesels and manual transmissions made by the big three soon. Has anyone else heard any details on that rumor?

John D

[Sam]

Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge & Toyota all had plans to produce "light duty" diesel trucks 2009/2010 models. From the engine specs I saw they were still overkill in my book, but a step in the right direction. All of these manufacturers have since put these plans on hold, with no new release date.

[pods8]

I haven't crunched all the numbers from the 3000mi I rolled over the last couple weeks but my worst tank was ~11.6mpg and the best ~14mpg. Rolling 70-80mph down the expressway tends towards 12mpg where as 50-60mph down highways is where I picked up the 14mpg. However when vacation time is a premium I opt to roll faster on the larger driving sections so I can enjoy more of the "focused" journey.

(This is a hawk w/ 2 people & gear, full water tank, etc.)

[generubin]

I drive a 2006 Dodge Cummins 4wd manual and I get 19 mpg on most tanks, sometimes 20. I often travel with a friend. The interesting part is that my friend's 2006 Tacoma 4 cylinder 4wd manual always seems to use 10% more fuel. We fill at the same stations and compare gallon usage as the trip progresses. He only gets around 16 to 17 mpg.

Last month we did the White Rim Trail. Filled up in Moab, did the trail, returned to the same station in Moab. The Toyota used 9.5 gallons, I used 8. During the trail, I simply idled the diesel in 1st gear, high range, through the tougher areas. I don't even have to touch the right pedal. My friend's Toyota was in low range and he was required to slip the clutch in some areas. I used to be a big Toyota/Japanese truck fan but now that I've had a Dodge diesel I am pleased. I just can't imagine ever going back.

I get the nice low gears, travel in safety, I don't need any of those airbags, add a leafs etc, and I get better fuel mileage too boot! Fuel tank is 34 gallons, 650 mile range, no jerry cans needed! I have 40,000 miles with not a single problem. I just don't understand how you small truck guys load up all that weight on those little trucks. Pushing them to the limit is asking for axle, differential and chassis trouble. Oh yes, my friend's little Toyota? It was only a few thousand dollars less than my truck.

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[chnlisle]

I knew Gene was going to weigh in on this. We had this discussion on the WR Trail and it turns out that our friend with the Taco only saved about $3k over the price of my CTD too. When I had my T-100 I was looking at airbags and air shocks but after talking Gene into getting his Dodge I decided to get a 2500 as well. Although I have an automatic I only used just around 8.5 gallons when we fueled up in Moab. I too was a Toyota - Nissan guy for many years but even this old dog can learn new trucks.