Increasing Speed Before Hill Climb for MPG’s?

It's common sense

 

Any time you run upgrade you get into gallons per hour for the lift.

To increase speed requires more fuel Higher speeds require more power that becomes momentum easily worn off upgrade.

I hit Milesburg which is a 10 mile grade at 6% or so at 121 at the bottom. Halfway up Im into high horse dropping through 84 I came over the top at torque at 65 or so. All that speed wore right off in sufficient time.

Even the worst upgrade Ive done in Vermont with 24% 3 miles up that took a hour and change at walking speed or less. The 350 cat was wound out throwing down 30+ gallons of the 60+ I had in the tank creating a fuel problem at the top which was solved for cash enough to get to a fuel card truckstop to fill. Some here thinks that is a mythical grade. However Vermont lists about 7 upgrades in the 20% region some of which are not lawful for trucking. I am waiting on information from VTDOT locating the one we ran that day near Ethan Allen at Beecher Falls on the Canada Border.

Lesson, momentum wears off. Then you are on your knees to the top. If you have a good combination of ratios you will run a average grade around 5% or so near the speed limit. When you have a stiff upgrade forget about speed. You worry more about Mr Pyrometer first and fuel burn second followed by coolant and all other temperatures third. (Engine oil, Trans oil and drive axle temps in that order)

You would probably have to wait until the days of 1000 to 1200 horse with 2500 torque to run upgrade at 65 speed limit loaded without having to make a run for it.

And finally Momentum. There are some grades that if you do NOT make a run for, you WILL NOT get to the top no matter what fantasy high power engine you have in it. You will still need to make a run for some hills. Alot depends on traction, in say powdered snow. That's a parasite to your power to the drives. And you can break them loose real easy on that and that will be the end of your upgrade.

 

I’ll accelerate before a hill but I only give it 8-10 psi of boost. If you’re flooring it to get some speed, you’re defeating the purpose. Give it a little and you might gain 3-5 mph and that’s fine.

 

It’s usually a waste of time, because there’s always some jack wagon that’s going to pull out in front of you at 27 miles an hour so that he can pass the other truck going 26 miles an hour up the hill!

 

I usually do give it a little more steam so I can climb it faster try not to get slowed down to the point of impeding traffic. I know one backroad near Pittsburg where you HAVE to hammer down before the upgrade or you’re not going to make the top in the winter. Think it was a 13% grade for about a mile. Honestly they should close that darn road if it’s icy out.

 

I figured this out when I was a kid on my 12 speed mountain bike. When there was a steep hill up ahead I made sure to gain speed on the decline since it was easier to pedal and could coast uphill or with little effort. Going uphill slowly really gave my thighs a workout.

 

The fuel per mile is out the window when the engine is pulled down to torque and working hard. You do not want to be in a excessively high RPM gear. You can literally burn something important up and all the fuel mileage in the world wont begin to pay the loss.

You are not going for fuel mileage against a mountain, you are now lifting weight at gallons per hour.