Question '97 PSD MPG's

[diesel patriot]

Ok guys, I need some suggestions here. My Dad has a '97 250 PSD Heavy duty 4x4 SC LWB. He has around 176K miles on it. He was going to trade for a Ranger to save fuel $$$. I talked him out of it. His truck is in great shape and has been maintained reguraly. I already told him to go back to factory tire size to increase fuel milage. He is currently getting 21-22 HWY and 14 Towing. Any other suggestions for this first Generation PSD to gain MPG's? I was thinking programmer but dont know which is best for his truck.

 

[hheynow]

Ok guys, I need some suggestions here. He is currently getting 21-22 HWY and 14 Towing. Any other suggestions for this first Generation PSD to gain MPG's?

Those are top notch numbers.

Don't idle for more than one minute. That means no drive-thru fast food.
Tire pressure at door sticker numbers.
No quick acceleration.
Drive like a little ol' lady.
Make sure fuel caps are tight (four clicks).

 

[Zookie400]

awesome numbers, and he wont see much if anything better from a ranger.

the 3" downpipe gave me 2 mpg accross the board, and my low stall torque converter gave me another 2 city.

 

[BlueMule]

Does he have a pyrometer and boost gauge? If not he might consider getting them. Both EGT's and boost are the result of adding more fuel. The lower you can keep the numbers the better the mileage will be.

 

[Crumm]

He is currently getting 21-22 HWY and 14 Towing.

Ain't going to get any better than that. I only dream of numbers that high.

Make sure fuel caps are tight (four clicks).

Never heard of that one. Tell us about it?

 

[hheynow]

Never heard of that one. Tell us about it?

Actually four clicks is for gassers. The theory is gas will evaporate from an open container so make sure your gas tanks are closed tight.....thus the four clicks on the gas cap. This was one of the tips reported in a local radio news story on how to get everything out of every last drop of gas.

 

[Dogman]

I know that you can get a check engine light if the cap is not on all the way on a gasser. On the newer cars and trucks dont know about the PSD.

 

[johndeerebones]

Ok guys, I need some suggestions here. My Dad has a '97 250 PSD Heavy duty 4x4 SC LWB. He has around 176K miles on it. He was going to trade for a Ranger to save fuel $$$. I talked him out of it. His truck is in great shape and has been maintained reguraly. I already told him to go back to factory tire size to increase fuel milage. He is currently getting 21-22 HWY and 14 Towing. Any other suggestions for this first Generation PSD to gain MPG's? I was thinking programmer but dont know which is best for his truck.

Dang bud your close to home. If his truck is maintained as well as you say, are you still sure he doesn't want to sell it?

 

[johndeerebones]

Ok guys, I need some suggestions here. My Dad has a '97 250 PSD Heavy duty 4x4 SC LWB. He has around 176K miles on it. He was going to trade for a Ranger to save fuel $$$. I talked him out of it. His truck is in great shape and has been maintained reguraly. I already told him to go back to factory tire size to increase fuel milage. He is currently getting 21-22 HWY and 14 Towing. Any other suggestions for this first Generation PSD to gain MPG's? I was thinking programmer but dont know which is best for his truck.

Something else too. You said you told him to go back to factory tires....if he didn't recalibrate his speedo when he changed tire sizes, his numbers are lying and that is why he can get 21-22.

I have a zf5 spd and 3.55s and everyday I get 15 to 16. Granted, I don't try to hard to make good mileage, but the biggest killer I have noticed is the new fuel. I used to get 18 and up everyday driving, when the fuel changed it dropped off hard.

All in all I can't even complain about 15-16. A 7500 pound gasoline rig that would pull as hard as my truck would probably get only 5 mpg at best.

 

[BlueMule]

Something else too. You said you told him to go back to factory tires....if he didn't recalibrate his speedo when he changed tire sizes, his numbers are lying and that is why he can get 21-22.

If his PSOM is still calibrated for stock size tires and he is running larger than stock then he is actually going farther and faster then the speedometer/odometer shows. If that's the case then the mileage would be even better. Either way I'd be real happy to get even close to that, my best ever was 16.3 and I usually get 12-14.