Hey guys, this one is a head scratcher for me. As we all know the price of diesel is getting ridiculous. I'm thinking of keeping all electronics off, except for getting a mileage box. I need to get better mileage as 70 miles a day driving to and from work is $$$...

Anyhow, what I'd like to know is if it's worth it to put my stock turbo back on my truck and if this will save some fuel? If I'm thinking correctly, then the stock should give me more air down low which should make better use of the fuel as opposed to my Silver64 which is made for mid to upper rpm boost?

On a side note, what, if any, injectors would you guys recommend for top efficiency only. I thought I read that Don M made some sticks for fuel economy but cannot find any info about these. Hopefully someday I'll let the coal roll again... who knows...

I turned everything off... running stock programming... driving 60-62mph... it's not fun but times are tough right now.
Any and all opinions are appreciated.

 

Have you cranked down the fuel pressure to the CP3? I keep very good records of my mileage and I drive my truck to work the same way every day. I only have 450 mi. on my new turbo but have not seen any significant loss in mileage. I do remember when I went from 12 PSI to 28 I lost about .5 MPG.

I have been thinking of running the stock tires/wheels again. This whole fuel deal is bad for me, and I only run 17 mi. to work. Good luck!

 

i think with everything turned off or down the turbo is not gonna have enough effect on mileage to justify all the work involved in switching it out. always heard that 50hp inj would increase mileage but you will have to spend some money to get them, if you keep the truck long enough and if fuel stays like it they will pay for themselves.

 

Tony, if you load a good timing-advance SW into the ECM and use your foot to drive w/o smoke, you'll get the best mileage for the least work with the parts you have.

 

Thanks guys... Mike, when you say SW, are you talking Smarty?

Also, I'm running 20psi at the cp3. So your saying if I bump it down to say 12psi, I'd see some fuel savings???

Don't see how but it's easy enough to try...

 

I would think the stock turbo would be better on mileage, because you're less likely to have your foot in it looking for a little boost. If you pull all the electronics, I'd at least try a boost fooler and run a few tanks with and without to see. You can always sell it in the classifieds if it doesn't help. As for the injectors, it'd take a while before any savings paid them off, but, there are some Don M mileage injectors out there. cquested has some in one of his trucks. I'd pm him, but if I recall, they are smaller than stock but still added like 25hp due to better atomization. You don't list tires and wheels, so we don't know what you have, but it's pretty common knowledge that the "car like" michelins from the factory will get better mileage than a 35" mud terrain. A bed cover will help at highway speeds slightly as well.

 

You should keep whatever box you have that advances timing (I think the xzt does timing), supposedly a little extra rail pressure helps milage also. I can't speak to the 64 class turbos, but with the sps66 I did lose at least 1mpg.

I wouldn't do anything with your turbo for a while though, prices will slack a little with winter coming to a close. Though I think we are never going to see under $3.50/gal again. Besides you got it cause you wanted it, no sense having a $1500+ turbo sitting on the bench. Give up something else!!

 

What is your average fuel consumption per week? If you drive 70 miles, 5 times a week and average 15 mpg and you were able to pay 3.50 a gallon. You were spending 82 bucks per week for fuel.

Now fuel is 4 a gallon or 14% more expensive so now you're spending 93 bucks per week.

Is your budget so tight that you can't afford an additional 12-20 bucks per week? If so, how would you pay to swap your turbo, or buy injectors? And if you say credit card, the interest rate would make it take even longer for the injectors or turbo swap to pay for itself.

If you really want to save money, trade in the truck for compact, or a motorcycle, or whatever you're needs are. I think people who do upgrades for mileage 90% of the time end up backwards in the deal.

 

i did my upgrades for the power and thought the mileage would be a bonus, i know i am not getting all the increases i was promised by the products if that was the case i would be up to about 30mpg by now lol i do think i get better than stock but it will never pay for itself. i truly enjoy driving my truck but i only go thru about a tank every 2 weeks. i was using Power service in the white bottle and i think i got worse using it. I just started using the Lucas and seem to have gotten more out of this tank

 

I think you are right..... as of now. I truly believe we will see 5$ a gallon before all is said and done. God forbid we have another natural disaster.... then what??? Using your same math at 5$ it is a 43% increase.That tank of fuel would be 117.26 a week. 35.26 a week extra or approx $150 a month. Thats a lot of money to be dumping down the drain and I dont see anything wrong with him trying to save some cash.

P.S. It was 4.35 a gal. today here and they expect it to go up more the middle of next week.

 

nothing wrong with trying to save some fuel, alot of guys around here went out and bought 1-1.5k small cars or trucks and that is good as long as you dont have any repairs with them but you still have ins, and taxes. fuel is killing alot of my clients. i have some loggers paying over 20k a week fuel bills

 

Thats a good point, it's one thing to figure on insurance and licensing/taxes, that stuff is predictable. But repairs are another thing, a $2k compact at 35 mpg may save a ton in fuel, but throw in a new water pump or timing belt or brakes and now your payoff is another 3-6 months away. Plus your driving a vehicle you don't like and your more likely to end up on the side of the road.

The higher fuel gets the more sense it makes to downsize particularly if you just use your truck as a daily driver (myself for instance). Still, I'll eat pork and beans (no wife or kids that would suffer), before I actually give up my truck. I might get another vehicle but the truck stays.

 

i met a guy riding motorcycles one time he had just bought a beautiful new custom. he said he had a choice EAT or buy the Bike so he said he went on a diet. mine is a daily driver too and used to tow only once or twice a month i cant really justify it but i work hard and i love my truck i cant see giving it up. I can actually walk to work only about .5 mile, i have rode my JD lawnmower there to cut the grass. I try to do all my erands at one time, i can get by on a tank every 2 wks i am almost gonna get 3wks out of this one so the price increase has not hit me like it has others but i still hate paying the high prices. last time i filled up it was 3.47 i think it is around 3.80+ here now

 

Swapping turbos is free if you do it yourself as I've done... When I bought my truck diesel was half the price I'm paying now... and things change in peoples lives... jobs, etc. Don't know if I'd buy injectors, I was just inquiring about them... I have no credit card debt... I have no vehicle payments.. I have only a mortgage and I'm trying to do away with that... I have more than enough money, I just don't want to waste any right now.
Thanks guys... still on the fence about the turbo swap... Only a 4-6hour job... I'd keep the 64 on the shelf for a later date...

 

not many are in your financial situation. you have done well. I would not change anything on my truck other than the programming and my driving style. I not done much research about bio-d but you could ck on one and it would pay for itself pretty quick if fuel continues to rise.