V10 - Gas Mileage Improvement ??

[doublevan2]

So wondering if a "high pressure fuel system cleaner" might improve my gas mileage more than just a bit - noting that my van is 2002 V10 - with just 28,000 miles on it - gets about 9.2 - 9.8 per gallon on regular gas - and weighs in at approx 10,800 when loaded. I generally add a Seafoam to each tank full (46 gal tank) when traveling.

Would appreciate all of you V10'ers and engine engineers chiming in when you have the time. Money quoted for work is $ 160 bucks so money not a concern -

Are there any hi pressure issues/concerns regarding valves or injectors that would say "don't do it" - even based on my historically low mileage for a 2002 ?

Thanks for chiming in --

 

[SMB123]

I don't have a v10 but I have plenty of experience with towing with gas/diesel. The big problem you'll have is many of these so called improvements will have a payout in years - if you actually get one.

One thing actually did improve my towing on a 5.9L Dodge engine (gas) - free flow air filter. I didn't do a full free flow exhaust which would have improved the result.

Honest - hand calculated improvement while towing - 8.5 mpg to 10.5 mpg over thousands of miles. That's about a 25% improvement.

Chip - waste of time - gaso engines are not as configurable as diesel.

Gears - sure - many will suggest improving gear ratios but won't give you a "refund" when you find it makes an immaterial difference.

Keeping the engine RPM in the best part of its torque/HP range by keeping out of OD in traffic and keeping at/under 65 make a real impact. If I recall - Georgia is almost like TX where 80 is for the old codgers so I understand it can be hard.

Best part of all of it - I haven't told you anything that will cost more than $20-$30 :n5:

School me - please (setting myself up but let's hear it).

 

[Twoxentrix]

Keeping the engine RPM in the best part of its torque/HP range by keeping out of OD in traffic and keeping at/under 65 make a real impact. If I recall - Georgia is almost like TX where 80 is for the old codgers so I understand it can be hard.

Best part of all of it - I haven't told you anything that will cost more than $20-$30 :n5:

School me - please (setting myself up but let's hear it).

In my experience, you've hit the nail squarely on the head.

If you were racking up a lot of miles traveling Russ then some 'changes' may help in the long run (opposed to just a couple nice trips throughout the year). I wouldn't do anything other than what SMB123 suggested - 'The juice just isn't worth the squeeze'
I will add though, an effective fuel additive periodically helps since it addresses deposit build up with injectors & plugs.
I throw a bottle of Red Line 60103 SI-or the Techron complete fuel system cleaner in the tank of both our cars (gas) about once every 2 months, and run 4oz of Turbo Maxx in the oil on every change.

Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Chevron-Tech...65c-87e2-20769825b013&pd_rd_i=B00092893E&th=1

Turbo Maxx 8oz — Zddp Maxx & Turbo Maxx

 

[1der]

The best mileage I have had in a V10 was just over 14.9 mpg. That was an E350 XLT 15 pass QuadVan TTB 4x4 w 3.73 gearing on 265/75-16. Stock clean (no rack/awning) roof, stock bumpers and lightly loaded with only a couple of hundred pounds inside. Did this a few times. ~ 65 mph speeds.

Also did the same MPG w a CCV High Top installed as the only difference. Highway 80 San Francisco to Loveland, same mpg in both directions.

Our 7.3 can do a bit better than that IF I keep it at under 65mph and minimize the loading. But normally it is around 13.7mpg for most camping trips.

The 10,800 weight would be the first area to address. Not easy, but that is where the fuel consumption penalty is the greatest.

 

[doublevan2]

Thanks forum members for your input ! I'll get some new blades for my sawzall and get to it !

 

[Steve_382]

I got 19 once on a 50 mile stretch in Texas with a 30 mile per hour tail wind. Aside from that though, driving slow makes a big difference. My van weighs about 8,200 loaded. I can get 14 at 65 mph or 11 at 72 mph or less than 10 at 80 mph plus. Ours is a pop top, but no roof racks or fancy bumpers, etc.

 

[86Scotty]

The V10 isn't going to improve much. It is what it is. My 26' V10 class B motorhome got 11 no matter how I drove it. Even when I towed a car behind it it got about 10.

Both V10 vans I've had get about the same, 11-12 not thinking too much about how I drive them.

At least get a 5 star tune. It won't help mileage but it makes bad mileage more enjoyable.

:b5:

 

[mikracer]

My V10s best mpg was 13mpg, that was 2wd, stock everything. Once I went 4x4, it dropped to 12mpg and once I added and rack, it dropped to 11mpg. These are best mpgs, not average.

On average, I get about 10mpg on the freeway. Keep in mind, this is a passenger van not a sportsmobile. I tried keeping it at 65mph but the miniscule gain wasn't worth it to me so I drive "normal" at around 70-75mph.

 

[IanF-SMB]

Fuel mileage with vans is heavily speed dependent. The faster you're trying to push a brick through the air, the more horsepower you need and therefore the amount of fuel you're going to burn.

I learned this lesson 25 years ago driving a totally stock 1990 E-150 5.0 EFI conversion van. It was a vehicle designed for the 55 MPH era and that speed was really where it was happiest. Much above 60 MPH and I could practically watch the gas gauge needle move.

Sit in the right lane, set the cruise control to 65 MPH and enjoy the scenery... and just plan on getting to your destination a few minutes later - or possibly earlier since you might not need to stop for fuel as often. :b1:

 

[dirtanddogfur]

I was just going to post with a similar question.


I have a 2012 V10 with 76K miles. Initially, I was getting about 10-12mpg. These days I rarely see above 10mpg. No significant weight changes.



I have noticed in the past it is particularly sensitive to the air filter condition.



When you say 'high flow' did you just change the actual filter or modify the actual air intake?

 

[landcruisin-SMB]

There's a sizeable debate/discussion about what the 5 star tune actually does over on the Thor/iRV2 forums. Seems like it's just a pedal commander? Haven't seen much debate on the long tube headers from Banks though. Since these things like to spin to make power, I'd think there'd be a decent benefit to those vs the log headers, but I couldn't even begin to quantify it.

 

[doublevan2]

V10 Gas Mileage Improvement ?

SMB123 -

Yes - I'd be interested in your comment about "free flow" air filter also - with your V - 10 engine - brand of filter ??

 

[SMB123]

SMB123 -

Yes - I'd be interested in your comment about "free flow" air filter also - with your V - 10 engine - brand of filter ??

Dirtanddogfur and doublevan2 - I haven't had a v10 so can't comment. But with my 5.9L dodge (which is an absolute hog), I removed the snorkel and put on a traditional round air filter in K&N style (which needs to be oiled).

This is the one

I'm not a K&N fanboy so I went with a clone. A few notes:

1) I do plenty of mods with air and exhaust - especially motorcycles. The classic mod is the "stage 1" with improved intake, exhaust and fueling. This is usually for performance but in my experience improves mileage a bit. YMMV with vehicles.

2) You have to have a "limiting factor". In the case of the dodge - the air flow was garbage - so it was a limiting factor. If the air flow is optimal for the Ford V10 - then an air filter will have no benefit.

3) Incidentally - I do have a real K&N in my SMB with the stock snorkel. I haven't run it stock so can't comment on diffs. I'm a scuba diver and I can say that if that snorkel was for diving - it would be like breathing through a straw.

4) Oiling these things is no joke - they will let in plenty of dust and ruin a perfectly fine engine. Only K&N oil has the stickiness to handle it - don't try to hack it and use tranny fluid or even foam filter oil.

5) To further the analogy - a stage 1 mod on a harley works great; another bike - the KLR - which is a tractor - has about zero benefit from a stage 1 mod - because the air isn't a limiting factor. A pipe has some benefit but negligible.

YMMV but what fun is it to not experiment?

*** The 5.9L was the gasser not Cummins - original problem to solve was poor towing performance on grades - which greatly improved w the air filter (meaning I could stay in 3rd/1:1 longer before shifting to 2nd). I have the Cummins 5.9 and get about 18 avg with highway highs of 24 (all hand calculated). Coming down the hill from the Sierras - fuggetaboutit

 

[The Renaissance Tinker]

I’ve had a few V10s now and I can comfortably say that the only two factors that have affected my mileage have been aerodynamics and speed. I’ve towed extensively with both 2x and 4x4 short bodies and long bodies and I average 10 to 12 depending on conditions. When I keep it around 70 and the motor and van seem the happiest. On my last van I installed a custom snorkel that was slightly restrictive and didn’t see any change in mileage at all. The biggest mileage hits I’ve taken came from bumpers and roof racks/roof tents.

 

[lchukar]

I too have the V-10 in an E-350 SMB, weighing in at nearly 11,000 pounds when fully loaded with 44 gallons of gas, 32 gallons of water, 8 gallons of propane, etc. I once got 10.0 MPG on the interstate when driving slow. But generally I average 9.0 MPG on the highway. On the backroads, ugly rocky 3-5MPH roads, it is more like 4MPG.