chipping a 7.3 powerstroke

yupididit said:

In reply to Cotton :

And the rollback?

Rollback is stock for now.  It’s an intercooled 7.3 with a 6 speed manual.  I actually might sell it because I prefer my k3500 and trailer,  so use the f550 very little.

In reply to Cotton :

No, I didn’t mean Powerstrokes are less capable of climbing Monteagle Mountain. They are as good as any other. 

I meant that Monteagle Mountain is one of the most treacherous stretches of interstate in the United States. And with 6% gradients, it’s pretty hard to imagine any loaded truck not struggling with it. 

I have seen BOTH runaway truck ramps full with a third runaway with no where to go several times. 

In reply to SVreX :

Yeah I go that way a lot.  The semis struggle with for sure.  My two 7.3 trucks wouldn’t pull it nearly as well as my current k3500 with the same load.  The exhaust brake sure helps on the way down as well.

SVreX said:

In reply to Cotton :

No, I didn’t mean Powerstrokes are less capable of climbing Monteagle Mountain. They are as good as any other. 

I meant that Monteagle Mountain is one of the most treacherous stretches of interstate in the United States. And with 6% gradients, it’s pretty hard to imagine any loaded truck not struggling with it. 

I have seen BOTH runaway truck ramps full with a third runaway with no where to go several times. 

When I was a kid it was worse with both up and down on the same side. I think a semi driver died about once a week back then, they would launch off the end of the runaway ramp. Glad they changed it. 

I thought it was just the forums.  But even here, ask about a diesel PU and the humble-brag starts, the johnson swinging starts, and the overall IQ drops by about 20.  Pretty soon you may as well just log out and go to Pirate4x4.  

I have nothing constructive to add :-)

Just curious what kind of mileage are you guys getting with these 7.3's stock and/or chipped?  I've never owned nor looked into a diesel truck but they do seem appealing at times.  My gripe is the generally high(er) buy in vs. gas. 

In reply to Stanger2000 :

22 mpg.

Stanger2000 said:

Just curious what kind of mileage are you guys getting with these 7.3's stock and/or chipped?  I've never owned nor looked into a diesel truck but they do seem appealing at times.  My gripe is the generally high(er) buy in vs. gas. 

As has been stated regarding the johnson swinging, you will see a lot of crazy mileage claims from guys trying to justify the big diesel dick in their driveway.  In practicality and as a realist and a bit of a pessimist, I have never seen the claimed 20+MPG that a lot of guys like to claim on any of my trucks.  (2000 Chevy K3500 with a 6.5, 1996 RAM with a Cummins/AT, 2002 F250 with a 7.3/AT and 2002 F250 with a 7.3/MT)

You will get 16-18 MPG running around town, less if you are lifted, less if you are towing (but you wont dip to single digit MPGs like a gasser will) less if you are going 90 MPH on the highway.  

With the guys claiming 20+ MPG on the reg, I call BS.  You may have done it once - for 10 miles - at 45 MPH empty down a slight grade - with a tailwind.  Or in the case of the Ford guys, you have a programmer and still believe your overhead readout (mine says I average around 30 MPG because the tune messes with the accuracy) But you don't see it in daily around town driving or running down the freeway at 80 MPH, even empty.  Its a big brick with a lot of rolling resistance and a lot of mass to start and stop.  

On all 3 of my 7.3s, a 99.5 and 2 2003s, I've managed almost 25 between Baltimore and Harrisburg. 1 truck was a short bed super cab 4x4. The others were short bed crew cab 4x4. All were carrying between 750 and a 1000 pounds. Real world test. And I keep my foot in it. Usually 10 over speed limit.

Strictly highway unloaded on stock 2wd 7.3 excursion 16" wheels, I can get 21-22 at 60-65mph. Towing my trailer empty I can get 19mpg. Towing with a 4000 lb car 15 to 16. It's flat here in central Texas. My XJR, maybe 22mpg.

Around town stop and go traffic which is 90% of my weekday traffic. 15-16mpg. My XJR gets 13 or 14 in the same conditions. Premium fuel is more than diesel as well. 

None of that is justification for my big diesel dick in my driveway. I bought the truck and got a crazy deal on it.  The whole reason to buy it was because we were moving from Cali to Texas and decided to haul a car vs driving 2. I drive it daily because it's paid for and only have to refuel once every 45 days if I'm only going to work and back. It's pretty berkeleying convenient. I bought my trailer last August and it already has more than 5k miles on it.

Before my excursion I had a stock 4x4 2006 F250 with 20" wheels quadcab and the longest bed available. It got slightly worse mpg unloaded but was a lot faster.

93gsxturbo said:

Stanger2000 said:

Just curious what kind of mileage are you guys getting with these 7.3's stock and/or chipped?  I've never owned nor looked into a diesel truck but they do seem appealing at times.  My gripe is the generally high(er) buy in vs. gas. 

As has been stated regarding the johnson swinging, you will see a lot of crazy mileage claims from guys trying to justify the big diesel dick in their driveway.  In practicality and as a realist and a bit of a pessimist, I have never seen the claimed 20+MPG that a lot of guys like to claim on any of my trucks.  (2000 Chevy K3500 with a 6.5, 1996 RAM with a Cummins/AT, 2002 F250 with a 7.3/AT and 2002 F250 with a 7.3/MT)

You will get 16-18 MPG running around town, less if you are lifted, less if you are towing (but you wont dip to single digit MPGs like a gasser will) less if you are going 90 MPH on the highway.  

With the guys claiming 20+ MPG on the reg, I call BS.  You may have done it once - for 10 miles - at 45 MPH empty down a slight grade - with a tailwind.  Or in the case of the Ford guys, you have a programmer and still believe your overhead readout (mine says I average around 30 MPG because the tune messes with the accuracy) But you don't see it in daily around town driving or running down the freeway at 80 MPH, even empty.  Its a big brick with a lot of rolling resistance and a lot of mass to start and stop.  

You seem really touched by big diesel truck owners. Maybe they just want it because they do. It has nothing to do with justifying big diesel dicks to you or anyone. And as a realist and honest person, what other people own, claim, do, or want shouldn't evoke this sort of reaction from you. You care way to much about "Why the next guy". 

When I lived in Upstate NY where the speed limit is 65MPH on the highway I regularly got 21 MPG empty with my '01, 7.3L, manual transmission, 3.73 geared, F250 4x4.  Out here in the Southwest I get around 18.  I've never chipped it and the only modifications are a K&N filter and an aftermarket exhaust.  The filter helped the mileage but I can't say that I noticed any difference when I added the exhaust.

93gsxturbo said:

Stanger2000 said:

Just curious what kind of mileage are you guys getting with these 7.3's stock and/or chipped?  I've never owned nor looked into a diesel truck but they do seem appealing at times.  My gripe is the generally high(er) buy in vs. gas. 

As has been stated regarding the johnson swinging, you will see a lot of crazy mileage claims from guys trying to justify the big diesel dick in their driveway.  You will get 16-18 MPG running around town, less if you are lifted, less if you are towing (but you wont dip to single digit MPGs like a gasser will) less if you are going 90 MPH on the highway.  

With the guys claiming 20+ MPG on the reg, I call BS.  You may have done it once - for 10 miles - at 45 MPH empty down a slight grade - with a tailwind.  Or in the case of the Ford guys, you have a programmer and still believe your overhead readout (mine says I average around 30 MPG because the tune messes with the accuracy) But you don't see it in daily around town driving or running down the freeway at 80 MPH, even empty.  Its a big brick with a lot of rolling resistance and a lot of mass to start and stop.  

geeze, what's wrong with having a diesel truck? I've had two now over the last 8 months.  I bought a 96 F250 XLT 7.3 LWB with a bed cover from a forum member.  It had just over 250k miles I think.  On the drive back from Chatttanooga to West Palm Beach, FL, doing 70mph, I averaged 24mpg.  That's with the maths, not a readout.  I'd say that's a bit longer than 10 miles.  I did use cruise control and it did have the 3.xx gears.  

Current truck is a 97 F250 HD 7.3 extended cab xlt with no bed cover and a toolbox.  It doesn't seem to get as good of gas mileage.  Last trip on Monday I drove from Chattanooga to WPB.  I was carrying a good amount of stuff, we did 75mph.  We had 1 hour of dead stopped traffic in atlanta and we let the truck run with the a/c on at a rest stop while I slept for 4 hours...we got just over 20mpg over the 750 miles    

Towing the 12,000lb trailer that started this thread, from Jasper, TN to Hardinsburg, Ky and back I got 16mpg- but we ended up on quite a few backroads and I only drove 65 most of the time.  This was a 500 mile round trip just about.  

I don't know why people want to argue about what truck you have.  I like mine, but I also like my dad's v10 2000 f250 gasser.  They're all tools, I just happen to like this one.  

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

Trying to decide if you are saying I suck at basic math, or just that I am a liar. 

I don’t have an overhead readout. I never drive 45 mpg. 

Normal highway driving, 7 mph over the speed limit. 22 mpg consistently for thousands of miles. I’ve racked up over a half a MILLION miles.

I’m happy with my truck. Don’t really care what you think. 

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

22 mpg on a chipped 7.3L is not an extreme claim. It’s a very common occurrence. 

Rather than accusing other people of lying, maybe the better question is WTF are you doing wrong that you can’t get the kind of fuel economy that everyone else can?

SVreX said:

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

22 mpg on a chipped 7.3L is not an extreme claim. It’s a very common occurrence. 

Rather than accusing other people of lying, maybe the better question is WTF are you doing wrong that you can’t get the kind of fuel economy that everyone else can?

commuting i was getting 22-23 easily. 

Well guys, edumacate me then.

2002 F250, 4 door, short box, topper (not a high rise topper, cab height)

7.3 Diesel

4x4

6 Speed.  South Bend clutch, doesnt slip

TS chip run in 100 HP mode 90% of the time

Lifted 3 or 4"

35x12.5R20s with 65 PSI in them.  Cooper Discoverer All Terrains

Ford AIS filter with new Motorcraft filter

5" turbo back exhaust

Diesel Site Adrenaline HPOP

Swamps single shot 160cc injectors, chip is set to match.

Stock turbo is good, makes full boost. (I admit this truck is overfueled, I need a turbo but have other stuff to buy first, plus I sort of want to sell this truck)

No boost leaks

Rotella T 15W40 Year round

16-18 MPG empty unloaded, 50-50 mix of 35MPH 4 lane city and 70 MPH freeway, 40 miles a day.

Old truck

2002 F250 Crew cab short box

7.3/Stock Automatic

4x4

4" Exhaust

6637 filter

Superchips tune, later switched to Bullydog tune.

Stock injectors with 300k miles on them.

16-18 MPG no matter what I did, similar driving conditions.  

What am I doing wrong.  Its not rocket surgery.  Obviously there is either some creative math going on or I am a big dumb dumbface.  

I'm more in line with these numbers for MPG: http://www.fuelly.com/car/ford/f-350_super_duty?engineconfig_id=110&bodytype_id=&submodel_id=

I have a 99 crew cab, dually 4x4 with slightly larger/more aggressive tires and get between 14 and 15 unloaded, 10-11 with an enclosed car hauler.  4" exhaust and a DP Tuner with a 40hp tow and 80hp economy tune, but otherwise stock with 250k miles on it.  I'm happy with the tuner - much better than stock, though i would probably ask for a less aggressive throttle position in the next tune - it's super sensitive in parking lots and going over bumps at low throttle position %.  

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

Lifted with 35s.  That's enough to knock a couple mpg off, so there's your answer.  I can't really say why your old truck didn't get better mpg though.  

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

First off, your trucks are 4x4. That’s good for a couple mpg right there. 

If you drive frequently in 4WD, or have a vacuum leak that leaves it engaged, you’d be down by at least 5 mpg. 

First truck is pretty obvious- Lifted, swamper tires, AT Tires instead of highway Tires, increased hp, larger injectors, 4 doors and  topper for extra weight, known overfueling... yeah, that one’s pretty obvious. 

2nd truck not as sure. The 4x4 isn’t helping you, and the crew cab is heavier. The Superchips and Bullydog tunes may he more about power (mine is a Predator Diablo). The 35 mpg part of your trip doesn’t help- these trucks like to run wide open. 

The 5” exhaust may allow it to breath better, but it also weighs more. You don’t need 5” exhaust for economy. 

My truck:

- 1999 (smaller injectors)

- 2WD auto

- extended cab long box (not a crew)

- 16” highway tires 

- Predator Diablo economy tune

- Stock exhaust

- synthetic oil

- 90% highway cruising on cruise control open roads- no stop and go.  1000 miles per week

- 90% driving in flat South GA  

I run synthetic oil as well. My trucks are stock, no lift, no large tires, no chip. Bone stock.

Based on the Superduties I see in Wisconsin, they are all the lifted 4x4/mud tire variety and those are the guys claiming 20+MPG.  My MPG falls very much in line with Fuelie as well.    Well aware the Diesel Power Mag (I think it was Diesel Power) was able to coax 27 MPG out of an old Dodge Ram Dually (with aero mods, grandpa driving, etc), but thats not practical for day to day.  

Yes I know running in 4x4 will kill MPG, my trucks have had Warn hubs on them and are off unless needed.  Like you know, pulling into Applebees after a day of crushing some sales at the local shopping emporium or parking in the far lot at REI - better lock in to 4 Dig there!

Cotton said:

SVreX said:

ALL trucks struggle up Monteagle Mountain. 

My dd is a 1999 7.3L chipped powerstroke with 560,000 miles. I tow a lot. 

Intercooler first. Then any OBD port tuner with multiple power modes. Most have “Economy”, “Towing”, and “Power”.   Push a button to change it. 

You should be fine with stock injectors, unless you time for Power. But then, you’ll want to upgrade your exhaust. 

My truck never leaves “Economy”, even when I’m towing. Half a million miles...

No,  not all trucks struggle up Monteagle.

Agreed. Monteagle isn't a large mountain and those passes shouldn't be that difficult for a PSD even towing. I'll echo skipping injectors, adding a factory intercooler and a basic tune will wake them up. I've done that mountain many times before I moved somewhere with actual big mountain passes.

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

Ok, so you are saying that the brodozers are not being honest, and you wanna drive a truck like theirs, but also want it to live up to their unrealistic claims?