i am way too eratic with the g0 pedal and cruise helps me to maintain a more constant speed, thus better mpg.

I am in Burlington,Vt. Everything you said makes great sense. May I have you look at my truck in person? I need to save on fuel anywhere I can. I am going to be traveling thru Maine after the 4th of July. Any help would be appreciated.

Hey Maxeffort,

I've talked with two guys, at different times, and they have said that the automatic transmissions can give better fuel mileage. Can you offer up any thoughts on this?

To be more specific one O/L guy owns a 2009 Volvo, 780, 16L, auto I shift 12 speed with overdrive, and a 3:22 rear end. He runs mostly flat land Amarillo, TX out CA hauling 45,000# of beef. He say's he's getting 7 mpg. He said when it's broken in he expects he'll better mpg.

Another O/O has a 2005 Volvo, 780, Cummings, 13 sp. runs from San Diego to Chicago, and he said he gets 7 mpg. He showed me his read out on his instrument panel.

Thanks

Maxeffort...I have heard the Maxxforce called that name. Any chance you work for Navistar? You sound OEM'ish

Maxeffort is the name for an automotive machining and performance engine business (gasoline /alcohol only) that I have on the side. I use the name as a "web handle" too.

I do not work for Navistar. I have an OEM relationship and a contract, but best for me to leave it at that.

I think a properly driven (operated) manual is a bit better. There is less loss in a manual, but auto's are getting better all the time. Fleets may find an auto trans better across the board because they will be constant with shift points. It takes the driver out of it somewhat.

I do not perform any truck work on the side, it would violate my contract.

I can answer any questions you may have tho...

What about the notion that Volvo's are getting better fuel milage. I have talked with 3 Volvo (780) drivers, who, when asked, consitantly say they are getting 7 mpg. But some Volvo drivers from Swift say they are getting 6.3 - 6.5 mpg. I'm guessing these guys are company drivers, but Swift has a max. speed of around 63.

On the other hand I talk with Frieghtliner guys and their saying their getting 6.3 - 6.7, sometimes 7 mpg. In this case the guys are L/O.

What I'm getting at is there is a consistantcy here; Volvo's at 7mpg and Frieghtliner's around 6.3-6.7. Is this because Volvo is more arrowdynamic or what? Some Frieghtliner guys say the Volvo guys are lying. When talk'n to the Volvo guys I don't sense the idea their lying, or any reason for them to lie. And I don't sense the Frieghtliner guys are being anything but truthful. Do Volvo guys have some reason to lie and are they all lying about the same 7 mpg?

Some are saying that Volvo's have to many problems and that they have to be repaired at Volvo dealers. And there are not enough Volvo dealers. Can you clear some of this up? Thanks.

The Volvo information center can read out the ECM totals - cursor down to the small print "datalog" and select it - there may be one more menu choice, but it gives total miles, total gallons, idle hours, etc. These numbers will be .3 to .5mpg optimistic.

Only way I know to get the Freight numbers is with a readout device.

well what do you drive,what motor, what hp, how many gears, what rears, tire size, what do you pull/haul, where do you drive, how much do you idle, what is the engine history, how fast do you drive? Maybe one of us can help

trk: 1997 379 exhd pete 63" stand-up bunk = BRICK
eng. N-14 cummins # 525hp with a pittsburgh box set at #2 or #3
tranny: 18spd roadranger
rears: 3.70
tires: 11R24.5
loads: skateboard hauling mostly coils, bars, grossing 70-80K
area: Ohio,indiana,illinois, kentucky
Idle: prolly around 1-1/2 hours a day
history: complete o-haul, all new injectors, overhead is set every 100k
speed: Always between 55-60, rpms are between 1400-1500
MPG's 7.25-7.5 and better with longer more interstate runs