How save fuel at mountain driving

Let me clarify my previous post a little ....
I'm way into fuel mileage and try to get the best whenever I can.

Way back when, I worked for fleets and drove the fleet trucks. One truck was a Ford short-nose day cab with a Cummins 300hp and 7 speed trans. It was governed to 100km/h or 62.5 mph. It got decent mileage back then, hovering around 6 mpg.
Another truck was a GMC Astro cabover. I ran sleeper-team and we got this truck brand new from the factory. It had a Cummins 350 with a 10 speed (I can't remember the axle ratios for either truck) governed to 68 mph. we pretty much ran that truck flat out most of the time and got 6 to 6.5 mpg. If we got less than 6 ever, I was looking at the load or headwind or other some-such reason. Or, maybe the air filter was getting dirty, etc. Sometimes it was just due for an oil change and after the PM was done, the mileage improved.

OK, back to runnin' the hills .... If it's a long run, I kick it up a little bit if I know what's ahead and let the engine get down to heavy torque before downshifting. The hills I know and run regularly, if I'm constantly downshifting just before the crest, I try to hit it a little harder next time to avoid the downshift. I'm running a Cummins N14 460 hp with a 10 speed and I usually let her lug down to 1150 RPM or so before downshifting. If I can see the crest just up a little ways further and the engine isn't losing RPMs dramatically, I let her go to 1100 or 1050 RPMs. Letting her go down to such low RPMs guarantees that I'll be around 1500 RPM when I downshift, keeping it slightly below peak HP.

When accelerating in the upper gears and I hit 1500 RPM, I always upshift. No use in running a lower gear when a higher gear is available.

As far as not running up to maximum turbo boost .... hmmmm ... I suppose you could do better on the fuel mileage to a point .... if I get another truck with electronic readout, I'll have to see how all that works out.


Kent

 

You´re welcome....
Well I´d taken a course on this too but take also note on a daily basis how I average...
My way of killing time while going slow and fuel efficient..
* when your riding 16 hours and nothing much to do...
turn the page...

Now Yesterday some didn´t take caution about their driving... some russians mainly and POV´s...Some wrecks was fatal as usual.

http://galleria.turunsanomat.fi/galleria/Lumimyräkkä%20sekoitti%20koko%20Varsinais-Suomen/

the second lowest pic is across the river almost straight at where I live...

My Wifey SMS´ed me worried How I manage and just replied...ordinary Winter weather ... not for the Amateurs...

* you just gotta take it easy... it´s not the lenght of the trip but the speed of the rig that kills ya...

 

Mickey,

Thank you AGAIN sir!
I'm going to print that out in a HUGE font and frame it.
Yes I am!

Normally, I disagree with the "Speed Kills" saying -- because it's not actually the "Speed" that kills, but rather the sudden STOP. But your saying tends to drive the point home.
Safely.

 

I can´t be actually taking credit for this.
It´s from a Finnish cover song by Tapio Rautavaara (Rauta=Iron Vaara=Danger/slope/Hill) of Johnny Cashs I walk the line telling about a trucker driving at night at the outlet I´m in...the song was recorded 1962
and has very Melancholy tone about our job and the constant risk we put ourselves up here driving at night, sad part is the the lyrics apply even to this very day.
My Dad has that record and As a Kid I listened to it over and over again.

I find to have this song in the truck and used to humm it driving at night...every time it brings a certain eerie feeling to not to take any risks.
Tried to find the cover in the net but no avail..actually I think mr Rautavaaras voice is a notch deeper and better than Mr Cashs.

 

Well, in that case, I'll credit you for bringing it to my/our attention.

The first sheet just rolled outta my printer in my traditional Comic Sans font. It looks marvelous!

BTW, how's the coffee in Finland?
I'd be proud to buy you a cup, or two -- if I ever get over in your neck of the woods.

 

offtopic.
Well Accordin to some study we are the top users of Coffee in the World...so I reckon we like it at least....
Gevalia I heard is by some makreted as a top coffee overthere..I hate to crush the importer but it´s total crap IMO and is the cheapo.
Our major coffee importer is Paulig.
I also get a headache I don´t get my cup of coffee at least once a day nowadays... guess I´m addicted.

http://www.paulig.fi/
http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=54204
And heres at least one place to find the coffee I like the most... Pauligs President.
http://www.touchoffinland.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=254

Just give me a short notice before you come...so that I can prepare some Finnish beer in the cold...and vodka in the freezer...
Once I had A Lousiana couple in my bar looking for a bowling alley (to have a few cold ones too..)

they came in and asked for directions and looked around a bit came back stating that my bar looked just like back home with all them Nascar Posters and Neons I had/ Still have so they had to come back... but after the man had a taste of what I had on the tap he stated well he´ll be having a hard time enjoying US beer when he gets back home...
I told him well them US ones do serve their purpose in the Lousiana warmth...