Anybody try upping injector timing for better fuel economy?

I just did some custom programming with the SCT software on my PSD. Added 4 degrees of injector timing from 1200 to 1800RPM only at normal operating temp (using EOT vs RPM tables). We'll see if it does anything.
In general adding injector timing increases power & EGT's.....without using more fuel. Basically boosts cylinder pressure which gives a more complete burn of the fuel. Of course, just like ignition timing, you can go too far. I tried 2 today, truck ran great....figured I'd try 4 & see if it does anything over the next few weeks with fuel economy.

I also ordered that electric fan setup. (6000cfm apparantly)
Hoping to avg 20mpg or more at all times.... Time will tell.

 

I get 19mpg unloaded if I hold to between 55-60 mph, any faster and mpg goes down, I have 4.10 gears.

 

I've been working on more Milage mods.....some cheap & easy, some more expensive & difficult.
I'm keeping good records on fuel consumption & will post up the results.
Most of these mods can be done on any newer PSD....some might be more difficult however.

Baseline:
Stock w/cold air kit (as the truck came when I bought it) : 17-17.5mpg

Things done with proven results:
Edge w/juice progammer: Zero gain/loss, just more balls
5" turbo-back exhaust: lower EGTs & LOST .5mpg (probably due to less efficiency of the turbo)
Drilled out the pin in the wastegate actuator & upped the boost: Zero gain/loss, but 2 more psi boost at all driving conditions.
3.08 gears :2-3mpg depending on driving (city vs hwy)

Things recently done with no results yet:
Added 2.5 degrees of injector timing from 1200-1900RPM only at normaly operating temp. 1/2 tank ago
Zoodad? mod (cut a hole for a ram-air effect) 1/2 tank ago
Flex-a-lite 6200cfm electric fan ~ 1/4 tank ago.
100 degree heat & the truck still hasn't heated up enough to turn on the fans yet! (I've been driving around without the A/C on to keep the fans off & still the truck doesn't heat up.)

With these mods done 1/2 way through the last tank it looks as though mileage has increased 1mpg, but I need to get more mileage before I can say conclusively if it was worth anything or not.

Things on the way:
Fuel treatment just came in. (1 pint to 125 gallons of diesel for under $7 a pint because I bought a case)
Synthetic oil w/lower viscocity (5w-40 vs 15w-40 I currently run)
Ordered up an 08 SuperDuty Job 2 front air damn. $67 on my Ford Account. We'll see how she fits behind the stock air damn. This unit is 6" deep & is said to increase milage by .5-1.3mpg on the 08's over the Job 1 2" front air damn. (reduces drag from turbulant airflow under the truck)

Got a buddy looking into a water/meth kit that works in under all driving conditions by monitoring the fuel output & adjusting the spray accordingly. Said to be worth 10% better economy with water alone.

Anybody got any other ideas for better fuel economy?

Fuel hit $4.99 a gallon out here yesterday.

 

What year truck are you trying to put that on?

 

Low rolling resistance tires. Aerodynamic mods.

There is an absolute upper limit to the mpg of the vehicle. Just how high do you want or expect? What about when diesel is $10/gal?

I've seen some semi-trucks lately running wheel covers like this:

http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=774

CNG is 90 cents a gallon.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/CngVehicles/

Ever seen those propane forklifts? What's the price of propane these days? How about the price of alcohol and converting to a spark type ignition?

Convert your truck to a hybrid?

http://www.go-ev.com/EMIS.html

 

2001
There's room on the steel frame support just behind the stock air damn...I may have to do some modifications though.

 

There's a guy claiming 26mpg average from his 7.3 2wd manual PSD.
http://www.dieselpowermag.com/features/ford/0612dp_2000_ford_f350_mileage/index.html
#ad


I figure the *limit* for my truck is 23-24mpg highway & 21-22 city/highway mix.

Propane will work IF you can find it at less than 2/3rd the cost of diesel. Right now, out here that's not the case.

Lower rolling resistance tires would be great. I ended up buying commercial grade BFG's a few months back. Not the best for rolling resistance but FAR better than what most run on the 4x4 PSDs.

Areodynamic mods can be.....ugly to say the least.
I've been trying to think of ways to NOT destroy the look of the truck but still get the job done.
Hence the large '08 stock Air damn VS a large piece of conveor belt screwed into the front of my truck.
Thought about lowering my truck....but I like the height of it now. Perhaps 1 or 2 inches MAX, but before I make any decisions I'll see how low I can get the '08 air damn first...& how effective it is.

 

13-15 city 21-23 interstate, empty driving like a grandma, on the interstate i set it on the econo tune and set the cruise to 75-80mph, have 4"dp into 5" straight pipe all the way back, DP tuners programmer, 40 tow, 80 econo, 120 race, Fuel pressure mod, wastegate mod.

Then from what i've heard for the 6.0's and 6.4's get a programmer and run it on the most extreme tune, just keep your foot out of it....

 

I know that snow came out with the MPG MAX, and Labonte and Devil's Own are promising new controllers soon.

 

Got 23.844 MPG driving 65 mph on the cruise control today. Not bad for having 20"s

 

My 2002 7.3 Lariat crew cab dually 4x4 4.10s with hypertec programmer, stock exhaust, stock modified air box w/ K&N filter and Gear Vendors overdrive gets 21mpg around town. With the Gear Vendor I can cruise at 80 mph at 1950 rpm's and get 23 mpg. I have to say the Gear Vendor was the best investment I've ever made for the truck. At 80 mph the truck just wants to go!! It's at it peak torque and it feels incredible.


-Dave

 

How much did you pay for the GV and installed?

 

Was wondering the same thing, as cool as those sound, I have a feeling I'd have to burn through a LOT of fuel to ever pay for it in fuel savings.

 

Update:
08 Front air damn cost me 1.5-2mpg.
Logged it for 1000 miles just to be sure.
Removed it & the very next fill up netted an increase. (back to where it was previously)

This is AVG city/highway.

On a side note I did manage 21mpg highway ONLY with the air damn in place.

Adding 2.5 injector timing was worth .5 mpg by itself.

 

Seems as iff their site says 3195 for 99 newer 4R100 or ZF transmissions and install prices seem to range from 750-1800 on their site. I am sure however if you talked to someone there you could prolly knock of 10-15% not sure...

http://www.gearvendors.com/4x4ford.html
http://www.gearvendors.com/prices.html

 

My '00 F-250 gets about 15, I've gotten 22 out of it once. I used to get around 17 from it, but since the fuel has been switched around it's been pretty bad.. Hooked up to a 6 horse alum trailer with tack room, hauling 3 horses, tack and people it gets around 11 ( I've got a 1/2 ton Dodge Ram that gets 13 with the same trailer and 1 horse ). Hauling hay on a 24ft gooseneck ( about 28K total weight ) it drops to the single digits. Hauling my Mustang, it's about 14, hardly knows it's there ( my Dodge 1/2 ton gets 16 ).. Needless to say, the Ford doesnt get used much anymore, havnt drove it hardly at all in the past 2 months.

It's got a Edge Evolution ( the most current, with the monitor and such ) on it, doesnt matter if I run stock or the 3rd program, it does the same. It's got a few other goodies like exhaust and such, nothing extreme, just your normal stuff. I did however bump the fuel pressure from the stock 65? to 90 PSI, helped a ton with lowend power, didnt do squat for mileage. I'm a dealer for diesel go fast goodies, I havnt found much at all that increases the mileage on a 7.3.

 

I had a 2000 Quad cab long bed dually with the 7.3 Powerjoke avgeraged 13-15 around town and 18 on highway.Hated the truck.Got a 99 cummins now with 7 inch lift,37x13.50 Nitto Mud Grapplers,5 inch MBRP exhaust,AFE intake,and edge programmer i get 18 around town and 24 on highway

 

my 06 f250 gets 15 in town and around 18 to 20 highway with nothing but a drop in filter. how much more would a turbo back help?

 

Update:
Took a 3K mile trip across country & was able to try a few things.

Found the best fuel economy from:
1700-1900RPM
Programer on level 5 (max)
Averaged 80+mph

More injector timing (6 degrees added) dropped fuel economy by 1mpg.
The 'Milage' program on the programer dropped fuel economy by 1mpg.

Best for the trip: 21mpg
Worst: 19 (with added timing & 'Milage program)

My 7.3 Mods & what they were worth:
Edge Programer on 5
5" turbo back
Electric fan
Combined worth 1mpg

3.08 gears
Worth 3mpg

It's all about gearing, aerodynamics, & friction.

Since these trucks have the aerodynamics of a brick, it's easier to work on gearing, which is essentially driving in the peak efficiency zone of the motor at the intended speed. (MPH)
1700-1900 RPM in my 7.3 is 75-80MPH.....at that speed there's a LOT of wind resistance. I'm sure with a set of 3.27 gears & 65mph speeds economy would further improve.

Aside from that you can reduce friction with narrower tires, synthetic fluids, making sure your wheel bearings are in good shape, making sure your brakes aren't grabbing, checking the intermediate driveshaft bearing, wear pattern in the rear end gears, etc, etc.

 

Owned 2 of those piles of dog doo never could get any mileage out of either both 7.3s. I only own dodge cummins now. My 97 12 valve gets 22 at 75 mph with 354 gears. My 03 4x4 quadcab gets 17 at 75 with 4.10 , and my 06 mega 2500 auto with 3.73 gets 19.