battle for mileage, 2007 Century, 14L EGR Series 60

Exactly what was dragging me down. Most shops I talked to WANTED to just start guessing what the issue was .

Couple told me Utes a two hour minimum charge just to look at the truck for an electrical issue.

 

Ran across I40 this week headed to Phoenix. I scaled out at 78,400 gross weight. Finally tied up with Trees in Mullinsville KS and we ran into Gallup more or less together. I didn't care to sleep next to railroad tracks that night so headed 50 miles further down the road to Chambers AZ and a quieter truck stop.

Anyhoo.

The truck is doing good on the hills out here. Frustrating to get into a pack of white elephants that can't get up the hills. Dump it a gear and put it to 1650 RPM and the truck just goes up the hills.

Power and performance. I am totally happy with this. I'll have a better idea what fuel mileage is doing come Thursday when I get home to Minnesota. So far, I am impressed.

 

Learned that after the "parts guy" sold them to me. They were on the truck, so until they fail again, they stay there.

 

them winds were as bad going out on 40 as they had been for me up on 80 the few times I drove them this winter.

From Minnesota to Phoenix AZ to Santa Rosa NM, This includes 3 days of running local for the stuff I did, 120 mile one way trips and all the start/stopping. All the mountain climbs as well into and out of Flagstaff. 6% grades over 5 mile long too. All loads were over 43,000 net. Leaving Des Moines, I was 78,500 gross weight. Coming home, I was 80,040 from when I crossed the KS scale.

3397 miles, 567.78 gallons for an average of 5.98 mpg. Pulling pretty much at 1400-1500 rpm. Cruising at 65 mph most of the time unless it was a hard mountain pull. Then it was the gear it would best pull in for 1500-1600 RPM. Even in the 90+*F heat, I could control the fan with my foot with holding it around 1550 RPM. I have no pyro or fan switch either. (they are on the project list though.)

Letting the truck run where it runs best, I was passing more trucks uphills than anything. It just wanted to pull and go. Unless it was an empty flat or something like that, I spent a lot of time passing folks uphill. But boy would they catch me going down hill. Let the jake sit on 1400-1500 RPM, it would hold itself just fine coming down.

Left Tucumcari NM with Trees in tow and after the first couple hills, never saw him again until Gallup.

ETA:
I just plugged the numbers into my IFTA spreadsheet. I am showing 6.13 MPG for the month of May. Up from 5.92 for the month of April before starting all this work. First quarter IFTA was 5.63 MPG.

 

Headed to Miami....

Showing solid mid 6's now since going to Phoenix. Doing MUCH better over all. And this is running with all loads over 38k. Malignant gross weights 72k+.