1986F150Six Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 While searching for something else, this popped up and I wondered if any of the newer members might be interested in the topic of improved gas mileage in a Bullnose truck? https://www.garysgaragemahal.com/#nabble-td39075 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 Very good thread, David! MPG has always been a a favorite topic in the IDI world, but it is far less talked about now than it was 10-15 years ago. I’m guessing that is because fewer trucks are being used for work and daily driving… and more are being rebuilt as classics or recreational use. I have not yet resolved the speedometer issue in my 81, so I have no convenient way to track cululative mileage… but on my recent heavy haul from Camp Verde to Golden Valley I was not disappointed with the fuel consumption. In spite of all the neglect I’ve dished out, the 300 is still doing very well 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordFETruck Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 Very good thread, David! MPG has always been a a favorite topic in the IDI world, but it is far less talked about now than it was 10-15 years ago. I’m guessing that is because fewer trucks are being used for work and daily driving… and more are being rebuilt as classics or recreational use. I have not yet resolved the speedometer issue in my 81, so I have no convenient way to track cululative mileage… but on my recent heavy haul from Camp Verde to Golden Valley I was not disappointed with the fuel consumption. In spite of all the neglect I’ve dished out, the 300 is still doing very well 🙂 I remember that from years back. I've never gotten anything but 8-10 MPG out of my truck other than one time I got 12.5 and 11.5 towing a car on a car transport trailer for about 100 miles. Nothing I've ever done to it has made it any better and it doesn't matter much how its driven either. Maybe the new engine about to go in will be a little better but my experience has been a carbureted Ford V8 with a 3 speed auto good luck getting any better than 10 no matter what unless it's strictly highway for the complete tank of fuel it might get a little better but not much. On another note one of my coworkers has a 96 or so F150 short bed RWD, 300 with a ZF5 and he barely clears 12 MPG or so with it driving it long distances on the highway. That truck is very high mileage and tired though. I think that one has somewhere around 350,000 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 I remember that from years back. I've never gotten anything but 8-10 MPG out of my truck other than one time I got 12.5 and 11.5 towing a car on a car transport trailer for about 100 miles. Nothing I've ever done to it has made it any better and it doesn't matter much how its driven either. Maybe the new engine about to go in will be a little better but my experience has been a carbureted Ford V8 with a 3 speed auto good luck getting any better than 10 no matter what unless it's strictly highway for the complete tank of fuel it might get a little better but not much. On another note one of my coworkers has a 96 or so F150 short bed RWD, 300 with a ZF5 and he barely clears 12 MPG or so with it driving it long distances on the highway. That truck is very high mileage and tired though. I think that one has somewhere around 350,000 miles. I will start by saying that I drive like a grandpa most of the time. my wife makes comments. haha. but I see varied results as I have the opportunity to drive a few different of these trucks. my best hands down is "dolly" a 93 flare side (known for their streamline aerodynamics) with 5.0 efi , aod, 3.73 gear, twin tank truck that on long trips on the highway I have reached 19 mpg at roughly 80 mph avg. generally15-16 around town. im driving a little mor conservatively trying to break the 20 mpg mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986F150Six Posted May 15 Author Share Posted May 15 Very good thread, David! I have not yet resolved the speedometer issue in my 81, so I have no convenient way to track cululative mileage… but on my recent heavy haul from Camp Verde to Golden Valley I was not disappointed with the fuel consumption. In spite of all the neglect I’ve dished out, the 300 is still doing very well 🙂 Jonathan, many years ago, the rear gears in the 1984 F150, which belongs to my son, were changed from 2.47 to 3.55. A variant of the following was used and is still working! https://www.ihpartsamerica.com/store/SPEEDO-GEARBOX.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwupGyBhBBEiwA0UcqaOIBAYZqImP-K7lYhQkFj6QcCQidhTmPb8k4VRFjetvDI8VMmjZMkBoC6LEQAvD_BwE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhauler Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 Very good thread, David! I have not yet resolved the speedometer issue in my 81, so I have no convenient way to track cululative mileage… but on my recent heavy haul from Camp Verde to Golden Valley I was not disappointed with the fuel consumption. In spite of all the neglect I’ve dished out, the 300 is still doing very well 🙂 Jonathan, many years ago, the rear gears in the 1984 F150, which belongs to my son, were changed from 2.47 to 3.55. A variant of the following was used and is still working! https://www.ihpartsamerica.com/store/SPEEDO-GEARBOX.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwupGyBhBBEiwA0UcqaOIBAYZqImP-K7lYhQkFj6QcCQidhTmPb8k4VRFjetvDI8VMmjZMkBoC6LEQAvD_BwE With my 300 6cyl 4x4 3.55 diff RTS 4 spd overdrive I found the sweet spot was around 80km/h (50m/h) on the highway. I've since gone to 31" 10.5 r15 tires that often forces one to shift out of overdrive going up big hills. Haven't clocked my mpg with the bigger tires but know its not as good as with the 235 75 r15 tires. I think the best way to increase your fuel economy is adding a overdrive. That said this only helps at highway speeds and not towing a loaded trailer. I'd love to put a 5 spd overdrive behind my 6.9 diesel but haven't been able to find one at a reasonable price yet. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 With my 300 6cyl 4x4 3.55 diff RTS 4 spd overdrive I found the sweet spot was around 80km/h (50m/h) on the highway. I've since gone to 31" 10.5 r15 tires that often forces one to shift out of overdrive going up big hills. Haven't clocked my mpg with the bigger tires but know its not as good as with the 235 75 r15 tires. I think the best way to increase your fuel economy is adding a overdrive. That said this only helps at highway speeds and not towing a loaded trailer. I'd love to put a 5 spd overdrive behind my 6.9 diesel but haven't been able to find one at a reasonable price yet. Paul so, I refueled today. 600 miles from the two tanks. mixed driving as I take about ten miles highway out of the 27 going back and forth from the shop when I go. about 75 miles on highway going to trans parts wholesaler but mostly back roads and town for the rest. averaged 18.70 mpg. this tells me 19 is well in range and 20 may be if I really try. this last fill was 107 American so I feel motivated to try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 so, I refueled today. 600 miles from the two tanks. mixed driving as I take about ten miles highway out of the 27 going back and forth from the shop when I go. about 75 miles on highway going to trans parts wholesaler but mostly back roads and town for the rest. averaged 18.70 mpg. this tells me 19 is well in range and 20 may be if I really try. this last fill was 107 American so I feel motivated to try! I, too, usually drive like the grandpa I am - in old trucks. (Don't expect grandpa when I'm driving our other vehicles with turbos as you need to keep them lubricated. ) Big Blue will turn in 12 - 13 MPG if I keep the speed to 65 MPH and manually feed it. But that gets painful so I put it on speed control and it'll get 11 - 12 at reasonable speeds. Not bad for a 460 carrying 6500+ lbs on its back. Oh, and there's very few mountains it won't climb in 5th gear. Dad's truck, though, is more frugal. When I got it with the stock 351M/C6/3.50 combo it got 10 MPG. And wouldn't climb nor accelerate very well at all. When I put Rusty's warmed-over 351M and the ZF5 in things got a whole lot better. We ran 65 - 70 MPH on a 3000 mile round trip to Delaware from Oklahoma delivering a bed FULL of furniture and got right at 14 MPG - using speed control the whole way. So I'm here to tell you that the C6 is a waster of fuel, and an overdrive can change everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 I, too, usually drive like the grandpa I am - in old trucks. (Don't expect grandpa when I'm driving our other vehicles with turbos as you need to keep them lubricated. ) Big Blue will turn in 12 - 13 MPG if I keep the speed to 65 MPH and manually feed it. But that gets painful so I put it on speed control and it'll get 11 - 12 at reasonable speeds. Not bad for a 460 carrying 6500+ lbs on its back. Oh, and there's very few mountains it won't climb in 5th gear. Dad's truck, though, is more frugal. When I got it with the stock 351M/C6/3.50 combo it got 10 MPG. And wouldn't climb nor accelerate very well at all. When I put Rusty's warmed-over 351M and the ZF5 in things got a whole lot better. We ran 65 - 70 MPH on a 3000 mile round trip to Delaware from Oklahoma delivering a bed FULL of furniture and got right at 14 MPG - using speed control the whole way. So I'm here to tell you that the C6 is a waster of fuel, and an overdrive can change everything. lubricated! tell it to the judge. haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 Very good thread, David! I have not yet resolved the speedometer issue in my 81, so I have no convenient way to track cululative mileage… but on my recent heavy haul from Camp Verde to Golden Valley I was not disappointed with the fuel consumption. In spite of all the neglect I’ve dished out, the 300 is still doing very well 🙂 Jonathan, many years ago, the rear gears in the 1984 F150, which belongs to my son, were changed from 2.47 to 3.55. A variant of the following was used and is still working! https://www.ihpartsamerica.com/store/SPEEDO-GEARBOX.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwupGyBhBBEiwA0UcqaOIBAYZqImP-K7lYhQkFj6QcCQidhTmPb8k4VRFjetvDI8VMmjZMkBoC6LEQAvD_BwE I remember that little gear box David! Quite cool. I still want to try my idea of pairing the metric speedometer head with the white driven gear to see if miles will read as kilometers… but I have not been able to justify the downtime to switch out the drive gear in the BW1345. But it will happen in due time. Right now I have no speed or mileage indicator at all. The truck is serving its term as a burro I guess… I don’t have much need to know exactly how SLOW I am going… 😅 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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