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Ron & Dee · 08-14-2011, 12:07 PM

Probably not, but my gas mileage and oil consumption on this years vacation was unbelievable

On our 2185 mile vacation over roads we have traveled numerous times, I couldn't believe the mileage read out on my Scangauge

The mileage would vary between 9 and 11 mpg at times. My overall average for the trip turned out to be 9.8 mpg. I have never seen this good of milage since we have owned the MH. Normally on this kind of trip I would average in the mid 8's and consume 1 qt of oil, this year I only consumed 1 pint.

Could it have been because the engine was running warmer than usual?

Thanks,

Ron

PS No toad, fully loaded, tried to maintain 61 miles/hr on level ground, a lot of coasting when possible.

MH has 72K miles, original spark plugs, and I have been using Edge Castrol oil for the past two years.

Full-Timers · 08-14-2011, 09:14 PM

Great mileage can be a bad thing. I remember an old carbureted motorhome I had that got 11 MPH. I thought this was great until my mechanic told me it was running too lean and I was lucky I didn’t burn it up. I guess it’s less likely to happen with these newer fuel injected computer controlled motors though.

Jackm · 08-15-2011, 01:39 AM

I'd take 9.8 mpg any day. There's nothing worse than watching the instantaneous mileage figure when going up a hill. It reminds me of that old joke about the couple getting gas at a filling station. The man who is doing the filling tells his wife (who is sitting in the car): "Shut off the engine, it's gaining on me".

Jack

Ron & Dee · 08-15-2011, 03:42 AM

I had a 1993 31 foot Brave that consistently got between 9 & 10 mpg. One time on a fill up I even got 12 mpg, but that rig was much lighter than the one I have now.

Ron

wa8yxm · 08-15-2011, 08:17 AM

I once got 13.8 in my 38 foot class a..... Of course the tumble weeds were passing me like I was standing still (Tail winds in the 100mph range. Dead astern, In short, I had one major push Fun camping that night (same 100 mph, no 55 mph offset)

I pick up at least 1mpg when I wax the house.

xplorer33 · 08-15-2011, 08:33 AM

My xplorer gets 10 MPG all the time, believe it or not I contribute my good fortune to Marvel Mystery oil. I put it in the diesel, in the axles, and in the engine oil. On my toad I put it in everything! the trans, the transfer case, both axles, engile oil and gasoline, it increased my mileage by almost two per gallon. it's great stuff, and a wonderful lubricant.

dieselclacker · 08-15-2011, 08:52 AM

My last trip, I got 9.8 MPG when I figured the totals, of course I later found that I had ommited one tank of gas that the wife had mis-placed the receipt for.

Got 7.7 MPG on refiguring with lost receipt.

Dieselclacker

max49 · 08-15-2011, 09:26 PM

Ron & Dee, I've averaged 9-10.5 MPG here in the Rockies where we have 20% less power but I don't tell anyone here because they'll think I'm full of bull or just trying to brag. You'll have other trips where you're back with the masses of 7 to 8 MPG. The altitude gives better mileage, what goes up, gets to come down, and wind is a real major, easily a 20 0r 25% + or -

Mr_D · 08-15-2011, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron & Dee

I couldn't believe the mileage read out on my Scangauge

I believe you when you say "that you couldn't the mileage".

What did you actually get when you figured it based on the actual miles traveled and fuel used?

Arch Hoagland · 08-15-2011, 11:45 PM

What were the wind conditions?

Ron & Dee · 08-16-2011, 08:38 AM

Trying to detemine fuel use for the generator gets rather complicated. I had 155 hours of generator use.

Total fuel for he trip was 376 gallons.
155 x .9 =139.5 gals for generator
376 - 139.5 = 236.5 for engine
2185/236.5 =9.2

Winds were light and variable.

How much do you all deduct for generator use? I figure that my generator is well over 3/4 loaded for the average use, thats 2 a/c's plus TV.

Thanks,

Ron

edgray · 08-16-2011, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron & Dee

Trying to detemine fuel use for the generator gets rather complicated. I had 155 hours of generator use.

Total fuel for he trip was 376 gallons.
155 x .9 =139.5 gals for generator
376 - 139.5 = 236.5 for engine
2185/236.5 =9.2 .................
How much do you all deduct for generator use? Ron

RON: Great thread! As with most things, the devil is in the details.

For example, just a .2 GPH decrease in the estimated genset usage will cause your MPG to drop by 1.03, down to 8.168.

What is even more disturbing to me is that, assuming an average cost of $3.75/gallon, travel via MH is now costing us more than $.65 per mile just for fuel and that does NOT include the cost for wear & tear items, PM, insurance, and that pesky deprecation (which adds up even if you don't drive at all) .

FWIW, I wish my overall MPG was even close to what you were able to acheive on this trip!
Safe travels, Ed

Duner · 08-16-2011, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edgray

RON: Great thread! As with most things, the devil is in the details.

For example, just a .2 GPH decrease in the estimated genset usage will cause your MPG to drop by 1.03, down to 8.168.

What is even more disturbing to me is that, assuming an average cost of $3.75/gallon, travel via MH is now costing us more than $.65 per mile just for fuel and that does NOT include the cost for wear & tear items, PM, insurance, and that pesky deprecation (which adds up even if you don't drive at all) .

FWIW, I wish my overall MPG was even close to what you were able to acheive on this trip!
Safe travels, Ed

I think Ed is on the right track. 155 hrs on the gen is a major factor and using your .9 gal/hr is 40% of your total fuel. I suspect that actual gen fuel was less. At times your A/C was probably cycling and the gen consumption maybe drops to .3 or .5 gal/hr.

I log my gen hrs used for each fuel stop and use 0.6 gal/hr for average. Even with this method it sometimes doesn't compute and I have to use .8 or .9 gal/hr depending on how many hrs the A/C was running. This is all based on about 7 yrs and 55K miles experience.

As usual, your mileage may vary.

Bill

djay · 08-16-2011, 04:43 PM

Leave front range co. 4600ft. Pull to 8500ft. in 70 miles back down to 7000ft. in 10 miles back up to 9300ft. 35 more miles. Monaco lapalma W22 pulling 22 ft. enclosed trailer with two 4 wheelers fishing boat 5.0 M.P.G. Unload fishing boat hook on wheeler take grandson 4 miles to high mountain lake. Grandson cathes four nice brown trout Grandpa catches ONE 6 inch brookie (turned him back). Clean Grandsons fish take to camp cook on grill. what a day 5.0 does not look so bad now