That as a good real world test.

I used to be able to run my Perkins diesel powered 42 foot Ketch at about 1/2 gallon an hour if I took it easy in smooth water. My buddy put many miles on his boat at 1/3 gallon an hour. It seems like while idleing a Cummins with no load, 1/4 to 1/3 gallon an hour would be about right. In your case you had a demand of about 2-3 hp. So .5 makes a lot of sense. I can't see how the number could be at 1 gallon, as previously said, unless it was a gasser.

Wetspirit

 

That's true on the extended change intervals to an extent, but I would guess these trucks at UPS and FedEx only get an oil change around every 20,000 miles anyways. That's using the cheapest oil they can find, if it runs low in between oil changes, they just dump a couple of quarts in and it's good to go. They could care less about oil samples and the like, all they care about is if it HAS oil.

 

annabelle, sort of (for the most part) - I used a high idle "wooden stick" between the throttle pedal and seat to try and keep the revs above 1000. I don't have the cruise control high idle set up if thats what you're referring to.

I know I said under .5, but I found my notes later and it was really ~.3 gal/hour.

FWIW, I used to work at UPS in the late 70's putting myself through college and I remember the day when management said to shut off the engines for each stop - a few guys rolled there eyes and said that for whatever money they were saving on gas - they'd end up spending it on new starters. But that never happened as I recall. We used the Ford I-6 back then in the 6 and 8 cubes.

 

Thanks.....