MPG ? year make a diff

[mille-ryan]

Looking at getting a new used 7.3L F250 or 350 and was curious if the MPG was different between models or years.Ive seen and heard some people getting near 20 mpg and then others say 14.Do the high mileage trucks tend to lose MPG and how many miles is too high or what to look for with high miles.

 

[JLDickmon]

yeah, sometimes a year will make a difference in the MPG.
but, there's more to it, like driver habits, load, speed, tire drag...
the 7.3's as a whole don't seem to be big fans of the ULSD fuel, though...
I made a run to Wisconsin this weekend, and got 15 on the way out on a cocktail of ULSD, 2-stroke oil, and cetane booster..

I have to to fill the tank in the morning, I'll let you know what it was on the way back... in crappy weather.

 

[powerboatr]

my 2002 dually with 4.10 s never got better than 14 empty

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Just got back this evening from Mrs TG's high school re-union. She took her Cavalier down a couple days earlier so I had to drive down yesterday with my early 99 F-250.

I filled the fuel tank to the brim so I could get a mpg idea on the 200ish mile trip to Appleton. Just for yucks, I put the chip switch in the OMG mode and had the cruise control set for about 62 on the two lane roads and 70 on the 4 lane roads. On the way down I got about 17.5 mpg +/- about .5 mpg.

I don't know how much more I'd see in the econo mode, I'd guess an additional 1 to 2 mpg.

 

[mille-ryan]

Thanks,was it just dualies with the 4.10's, or were they available on all trucks.

 

[JLDickmon]

Thanks,was it just dualies with the 4.10's, or were they available on all trucks.

my 4WD has 4.10's
hence...

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Thanks,was it just dualies with the 4.10's, or were they available on all trucks.

Mines a 3/4 ton, hence single rear rubbers with a 3.73.

 

[Maxtor]

You will usually get better mileage with a manual transmission, 3.73 gears, stock height, and two wheel drive. I have the above except 4x4 and posi differential and still average 18.5 empty. I would think you might get around 20 plus mpg average if you did not have posi, or 4x4. That is with a 2006 or 2007 6.0 engine.

 

[mille-ryan]

ok, so is there a digit in the vin that will telll you the gear ratio perhaps?

 

[Tail_Gunner]

ok, so is there a digit in the vin that will telll you the gear ratio perhaps?

Not in the VIN. Ther's a tag on the rear diff that will tell ya. And I think there may be a sticker on the driver's door jamb that will indicate also.