Southwind 32 MPG, V10 (Newbie ;-)

[geno-heidi]

hi all...just back from 1st RV trip...FL to GA Samboree...Good trip! We just were surprised to check our mileage (@ 355 mi each way) along the way...fill-up--miles driven--fill-up, etc and we were avg @6.5 MPG! I was expecting closer to 8-8.5 going 56-58 MPH on I75 all the way... No local driving, Fairgrounds right at exit 135 in GA... Info: 2004 Southwind 32v, V10, 24,000 miles, dash air on 50% time, Genset-1 A/C on 50% way up to GA... Cruise control 40%, and had heavy downshift with CC on, some inclines, reaching 3500-3700 RPM's....Most driving @ 57-58 MPH and @ 2600 RPM's...any thoughts GREATLY APPRECIATED as Always....Geno & Heidi

[mikron]

With all that I think you got good millage. The generator, wind and grades all againt you.

[IC2]

Of all the good things with a Ford V10, you do have to expect at least one negative. First of all you probably have the 2 valve engine vs the '05 and later 3 valve/cylinder version. The earlier heads are just not as efficient. Then of course, the built in head wind from a virtually flat MH front end. Next - the weight of that concoction plus the fact that you have possibly a 4.30 final drive ratio or maybe even a 4.88. And cruise isn't always the best for fuel economy as it is always fighting the hills and dales trying to maintain the set speed.

Now, just to make you feel worse, I just returned from an 800 mile trip - going through the Adirondack mountains - 8.4mpg. Returning a different, less hilly way, 9.2/9.4mpg with my 8000 pound F350 and my 11,000+ pound 34' 5th wheel

[The General]

Hello Geno/Heidi,
A/C is a big draw on mileage and using Generator is also a big draw.
Cruise control should be only used on level highway roads or it may also affect the downward trend of mpg. You can't help using the tow gear when going downhill but miileage is also affected.
All in all, 6.5 mpg. is good considering all the accessories that you ran going down the beautiful sunshiny RV road of joy and fullfillment.

Steve
2008 Bounder 35E/Ford

Originally Posted by geno-heidi

hi all...just back from 1st RV trip...FL to GA Samboree...Good trip! We just were surprised to check our mileage (@ 355 mi each way) along the way...fill-up--miles driven--fill-up, etc and we were avg @6.5 MPG! I was expecting closer to 8-8.5 going 56-58 MPH on I75 all the way... No local driving, Fairgrounds right at exit 135 in GA... Info: 2004 Southwind 32v, V10, 24,000 miles, dash air on 50% time, Genset-1 A/C on 50% way up to GA... Cruise control 40%, and had heavy downshift with CC on, some inclines, reaching 3500-3700 RPM's....Most driving @ 57-58 MPH and @ 2600 RPM's...any thoughts GREATLY APPRECIATED as Always....Geno & Heidi

[ljr869]

Use the generator and roof air instead of dash air.

[Big Bear Local]

Originally Posted by ljr869

Use the generator and roof air instead of dash air.

I would be interested in statistics for this. Seems like a push to me.

Mark

[gmasters]

Originally Posted by Campingman

I would be interested in statistics for this. Seems like a push to me.

Mark

Some place it said that a 5000 gen set used about half gal per hour. And if you lost 1/2 mpg with dash air...say in a hour drive you would use maybe one gal running the gen. But that would mean you drove 55 miles getting 7mpg vers 7.5
55/7.5= 7.33 gal x$ 3.65= 26.76
55/7=7.82galx$3.66= 28.67
spent $1.91 with dash

Half gal gas for gen 1.82

But I don't thank any of these numbers are safe bets do to REALLY not knowing what the mpg lose is or the gen fuel needs are per hour.
I would only say that for us we have used dash on warm days when we didn't want to drive with the windows open. And the gen with the MH air on on hotter days when we thank it cooled better.
Hell last year leaving Florida in aug we gave up and ran dash ac and gen with couch ac until we got to s.c.
I would be traveling alone if my wife wasn't cooled down

[The General]

ONAN # 5.5KW MARQUIS GOLD:
CARBURATED ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODEL #5.5 HGJAB-1038D SPEC: D

LOAD/FUEL RATE:
NO LOAD .35 GAL/HR or 2.85 HRS/GAL
½ LOAD .60 GAL/HR or 1.66 HRS/GAL
FULL LOAD .95 GAL/HR or 1.05 HRS/GAL @ 120V, 45.8 AMP, 3600 RPM

Hope this helps,

Steve

Originally Posted by gmasters

Some place it said that a 5000 gen set used about half gal per hour. And if you lost 1/2 mpg with dash air...say in a hour drive you would use maybe one gal running the gen. But that would mean you drove 55 miles getting 7mpg vers 7.5
55/7.5= 7.33 gal x$ 3.65= 26.76
55/7=7.82galx$3.66= 28.67
spent $1.91 with dash

Half gal gas for gen 1.82

But I don't thank any of these numbers are safe bets do to REALLY not knowing what the mpg lose is or the gen fuel needs are per hour.
I would only say that for us we have used dash on warm days when we didn't want to drive with the windows open. And the gen with the MH air on on hotter days when we thank it cooled better.
Hell last year leaving Florida in aug we gave up and ran dash ac and gen with couch ac until we got to s.c.
I would be traveling alone if my wife wasn't cooled down

[ljr869]

I don't really equate deciding which a/c to use with money as they are close. It just feels like the V10 needs all the power it can get to go up some hills. So, I don't like to tax it even more by running the dash a/c.

[Roger G]

07 32v Southwind. 6.5 mpg average driving, 5.7 towing a Harley on an aluminum single axle trailer. Everybody told me to expect 7.5 to 8.5 with the ford V 10 but I am yet to see it. The cruise control shifts down too much for me even on slight hills, sometimes multiple downshifts, I would rather trade speed instead of having the engine noise the v 10 makes at high RPMs. I try to keep her below 3200 rpm unless it's a steep grade but that's just me!

[ljr869]

Max torque is at 3250 but max HP is at 4750. On any decent hill you'll be somewhere in there. I try not to go above 4k.

[Gerall]

I agree that cruise control is not economical on hills and dales, as the unit will slow on downgrades then grunt uphill. I find that if you allow the rig to naturally accelerate on the dale, the hills are way easier to climb. Kind of how the semi drivers do it.

[IC2]

Originally Posted by Gerall

I agree that cruise control is not economical on hills and dales, as the unit will slow on downgrades then grunt uphill. I find that if you allow the rig to naturally accelerate on the dale, the hills are way easier to climb. Kind of how the semi drivers do it.

If you continually use that Tow/Haul function, you will often be operating in a higher RPM range which will also knock some gas mileage off. As far as the dash mounted air conditioning, negligible effect. Recall your DD econobox with a/c - it still gets +/-30mpg with the a/c on or off!!! You are hauling a 20,000 brick shaped vehicle with the aerodynamics of a barn door and worse, it has all kinds of ill shaped lumps on all sides just helping to make your carbon footprint even larger

[okgc]

One question: At that speed are you going fast enough to get the transmisson in OD?

OD can make a big difference in gas mileage.