My 2019 Show Report + MPG Data

Not sure if any of you knew this, but there was a truck show this past weekend. I detailed my travels in another thread so I won't rehash them here, other than to note my total driven distance (in my truck, of course) was 1,884 miles, with overall gas mileage of 13.9 MPG. Google says it was 830 miles from my house to Skiatook, and the return trip by a more northerly route was another 100+ miles, so the rest was tooling around OK, visiting friends, and cruising (poorly in my case) for gas mileage. Some random observations on the whole affair:

• It was a GREAT time! If you're on the fence, maybe-I-should-but-maybe-I-won't, about going next year, take my word for it: it's worth the drive. Go. Cool trucks, great people, and scenic Skiatook (population 7,397...sal-UTE!) Oklahoma. What more could you want?
• First among the great people - Gary. I'm sure he's getting embarrassed with everyone singing his praises, but I'll pile on anyway. I'm sure I still don't have a full appreciation for all he and his wife do to make these shows happen, but I now know it's a lot. Organizing the space, the concessions, the vendors, the prizes, the t-shirts...that alone was a lot of work, and I'm sure I missed much more. And then there was the hospitality at a more personal level, opening his home and his garage, providing BBQ, coffee, and Janey's excellent baked treats. I was (and am) impressed. Thank you, Gary...and thank you, Janey.
• On a related note, about five minutes after I arrived he was pulling a spare DS-II module off of Big Blue, along with some nifty mounting hardware, to make sure my truck stayed running for the weekend and for the drive home. And before I left for home he gifted me a CORRECT piece of flex duct to rebuild my missing cold air intake system - how I would ever have found that bit on my own I have no idea.
• Special thanks also to Paul, who also gave me a missing bit of my intake system that I didn't even know I needed, and David, who knew that the parts were available and is full of good advice on their use. Next time I come out they'll all be mounted, and maybe my dismal gas mileage will be ever so slightly less dismal.
• Probably the best part of the experience was meeting so many people I'd been talking to for years. Besides Gary, Paul, and David, I got to meet Chris, Scott, and Brandon, and a couple more whose names are slipping my mind. Plus a bunch of other people (Rob, Jesus) who I didn't know from online but were fun to talk to anyway.
• In conclusion...you should go next year.

In other news...Paul had speculated that my gas mileage on the return trip might be better, because of the new, better-firing DS-II module Gary hooked me up with. I had been tracking my mileage anyway, so I continued to do so for the drive home: The red bars represent my gas stops on the trip out to Skiatook, and the green ones the stops on the way back. Overall mileage outbound was 13.1 MPG, and mileage on the trip home was 14.7 MPG. So it was definitely better going home, but was that due to the module? Maybe...but almost certainly not all of it. Not only did I take a completely different route home, but driving conditions were different as well - it didn't rain at all coming out so I was able to drive hard (70-75+ MPH) without concern. It rained a lot in Missouri and Tennessee going home, plus there was less interstate and more state highway driving, which led to somewhat reduced speed (65-70 MPH). I wish I had thought to record the times on my gas stops, but I'll remember that for next time. Also, as a result of the MPG run in Skiatook I'm now confident that my speedometer/odometer reads 2%-4% low, so my MPG isn't *quite* as terrible as it seems. Still...my gas card statement is going to be a treat at the end of the month.

Sounds like you had a great time!

I can't agree more with what was said about each person's character. I have been speaking with Gary, Chris, Paul and a few others for years as well, and they have always been polite and respectful, even when I was a very young 16 year old with his first truck and absolutely zero bullnose knowledge.

Yes, Matthew, I feel kinda .

As for the MPG, I think you are reaping the "benefits" of a C6.  With that kind of gearing you should be pushing 20 MPG, as you can see from David's report.  But the big difference between your trucks is the tranny.

On the other hand, it works.  And you still get better MPG than Big Blue gets.  Plus it is what your truck was born with.  So don't let anyone tell you it needs to be replaced.  

Gary Lewis wrote

As for the MPG, I think you are reaping the "benefits" of a C6.  With that kind of gearing you should be pushing 20 MPG, as you can see from David's report.  But the big difference between your trucks is the tranny.

I'm sure that's a huge factor - and that York A/C compressor isn't helping matters either.  I was running the A/C full time on the trip, and I'm sure it's less efficient than the Sanden unit in David's truck.

I did have the A/C off during the MPG run in Skiatook, and I expect that contributed to my ~17 MPG score, which is the highest I've ever logged in the truck.

Yes, you are right about the A/C compressor.  I was told by one of the custom A/C companies that a York/Tecumseh takes over 10 HP and a Sanden about 2 HP.  So that's a big difference.

Dorsai wrote

I'm sure that's a huge factor - and that York A/C compressor isn't helping matters either.  I was running the A/C full time on the trip, and I'm sure it's less efficient than the Sanden unit in David's truck.

I did have the A/C off during the MPG run in Skiatook, and I expect that contributed to my ~17 MPG score, which is the highest I've ever logged in the truck.

Mine [A/C] was off, too.

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, you are right about the A/C compressor.  I was told by one of the custom A/C companies that a York/Tecumseh takes over 10 HP and a Sanden about 2 HP.  So that's a big difference.

this is good intel. I have to redo my AC system so I guess I need to look for a Sanden unit.