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What mods are best for mpg's?

12K views 15 replies 12 participants last post by  Dietoremain 
#1 ·
I purchased a 2003 7.3L cc 4x4 with an auto trans and 126k miles in november. Im finally ready to start making some mods to the truck. Just curious where would it be best to start? I was thinking of possibly doing an intake system, chip or tuner, and exhaust. As far as i know the only mod done to the truck is a straight pipe. As with anything more hp is always better but im more concerned about mpg, long life of the engine, and dont want any trans issues so looking for something probley on the mild side??? I really dont pull much with it just at most a 21ft boat on a double axle trailer, a 4 place snowmobile trailer and possibly a 5th wheel in the future so noting the truck couldnt do stock. This is my first diesel so any info on whats best would be appreciated thanks
mark
 
#2 ·
I don't believe there are any,,,, it is what it is :)

I'm sure there are no shortage of people out there who will try to sell you all kinds of junk, tuning, or additives but, in the end Save your money!

You want the best mpg you can get? It's all in your right foot. Keep it under 2k most of the time, don't give it more than 1/4 pedal at once and I'm sure you'll see a big improvement (I don't know who could drive like that though... ;) for the extra $/tankfull I rather enjoy my truck!)
 
#4 ·
Im sorry, but that is an asinine opinion. :tard::doh: There are a few different tuners for the 7.3 that I have heard nothing but good things about. TW, DP, etc...The best mod to start with is going to be guages. From there you can get DIY intake (do a search for this) and a tuner to help the power & MPG's on your truck. There are many great vendors on this site to help you along the way. Have fun!
 
#3 ·
if it has a strait pipe thats good. an intake and a good tuner you'll be all set. as for the trannie i wouldnt worry about it. its not until you get between 4 and 500 hp that things get iffy in there :doh:
 
#5 · (Edited)
Not just some "opinion" I hold....

I have a Friend who bought his '02 new. From the day he bought it he was unhappy with his mpg (@14) and decided to do something about it :wink[3]:

8 YEARS and 6 THOUSAND DOLLARS later know what he gets now? 14-mpg! :D

So, go ahead, buy chips, manifolds, turbo housings, intakes, exhausts,,,,ALL in the instructions of others who told him they could improve mileage (he wasn't going for performance - Just MPG) Add it up and put that money towards buying more fuel and see if it comes out ahead..

Just because you've "heard nothing but good things about. TW, DP, etc..." doesn't make it so.....

I'm really not someone who regurgitates what others tell you something's going to do for you. Show me something that's going to, significantly, bring your mileage up AND becomes cost-effective, that's better than the FREE method of modifying your driving habits :liar:

Where's YOUR proof?
 
#6 ·
My proof is HAND CALCULATED mpg gains. Your buddy most not be to brilliant himself to spend $6000 in mods to increase his mpgs. The chip alone ($300-$500) will increase the mpg's enough to pay for itself in very little time.
 
#7 ·
I would like to see some non-biased tests of different brands of tuners on the same vehicle by an independent testing shop to see what ones really work better than the others.....I would then be more likely to make my purchase....I hear different things about different ones and would just be interested in a independent test....are there links to some of these?
 
#9 ·
Tuner MPG's

Hello

I will just say this -

I drive an early 99 250 - 3.73 gears
Have kept intricate records for the last 20,000 miles - always fillup and calculate by hand the mileage.

Summer Mileage:
Before the Tuner (DP tuner) - stock with a K&N filter -- 15.0 to 16.3 pending how I drove it - nothing better, nothing worse, no matter how hard I got on it or how much I babied it. Calculated over roughly 6k miles

After the Tuner (and gauges)
80 econ 17.5 to 18.3 (no matter how I drive it - though I really don't get on it too hard too often in this tune) My best ever is right around 18.6 but my notes tell me there may be some issues with the accuracy of that, so I can't claim it.
80hp tow 15.5ish-16.5ish (towing around 5 or 6k through Canada to Alaska - being aggressive on the throttle and going up to 8k feet)

I have other tunes, but I pretty much live in one of those two. When I tow heavy I use my 40hp tow tune and I don't have enough data to speak on it.

As to additives, I have watched and watched, but have yet to see any noticeable gains due to their use, still use them as I believe ULSD to be evil to my 7.3 - but thats just my OPINION.

Other people's mileage may vary, but this is an apples to apples comparison of how MY truck did with and without a tuner, with no other mods than gauges and a K&N filter that came with the truck.


Winter Mileage
Cannot comment as our temps vary very cold and I sometimes let it idle way too long --

Hope this helps you out - I honestly believe that most of the time when people don't see an economy increase its a result of something else being wrong with the truck, development of a heavier right foot as a result of more power, or different gearing in the diffs that make it really a non-issue. I know with my 3.73 ratio I saw gains of 2-3mpg. I wrote up a pretty detailed post about my mpg's last June, feel free to look it up if you like.
 
#10 ·
ok thanks so far i need to do some more research.

What exactly do you guys mean by guages? Im assuming a pod on the a-piller with info on boost and fuel pressure maybe?? How can that help on mpg's?? This is my first diesel pretty good with gas engines but in learning mode with the diesel. thanks
mark
 
#12 · (Edited)
I think Raul was laying out the path you should take-- gauges first so that you can monitor critical engine etc. function when you go to mod. Intake next (though can be done without gauges...), then exhaust for free breathing on either end, THEN the chip. You definitely want gauges when you bring in custom tunes so you can monitor things.

Personally, I am going to do fuel pressure, boost, and EGTs. I have a manual tranny, and don't tow much/just fill up the bed and haul, so I'm not concerned about trans temp, but if you have an auto I would do that too. I run biodiesel so I am particularly interested in fuel pressure with the more viscous fuel.

I am not going to straight-pipe the exhaust, as I live in a small, though rural neighborhood and would like to keep my truck quiet. I will research a CAT delete.

I'm seriously considering a PHP 6-position chip, with one position being a fuel sipper tune.

In addition to the above mods, I'm also going to do a regulated fuel return and a oil pressure crossover to balance the pressure in the heads.

I see guys regularly claiming 20+ mpgs with manual trannies and a light right foot-- that's my goal. I agree with another poster-- all the mods in the world will do nothing if you don't keep your foot out of it.

HTH
 
#11 ·
I have had 4 7.3's, none have averaged over 15 MPG ever, summer, win ter, easy driving, hard driving....all have been chipped, my F250 4x4 got the same mileage my CC Dually 4x4 gets...winter is worse, I average 12-13 tops right now..

I have no idea how these guys see 18-22mpg...... I have never come close to that....
 
#14 ·
I have no idea how these guys see 18-22mpg.........
Heck I was getting 24 MPG towing a trailer with an explorer on it,70 mph, thru the hills of south Colorado into Albq N.M.,,,, least that's what my overhead milage putor' said..........:dunno::dunno:

Funny thing wuz,, I still had to stop and fill up just like when I waz gettin' 16-17 mpg like I still do..:hehe:

RB
 
#13 ·
lol ok ya that give me a place to get started now i just have to find a good deal on guages. I know my neighbor has a 97 and my buddy has a 03 both have a chip and claim 20mpg at below 70mph. I know the 03 also has a 5in exhaust and intake. I can keep my foot out of it most of the time being i have a built 88Gt and a 70 swinger to go fast with. But ocassionally i have to get on it in the truck lol.
 
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