Poor MPG

[Pacific]

My fuel mileage has dropped to the low 9s to 10 mpg and with the price of fuel at .93 cents a litre this is depressing. Good thing I'am back to working for one of the contractors their shop is only 10 mins away from the house.

My question is does winter fuel knock back the mpg or is it probably from the idling time that is required in the morns lately because of the cold weather and the truck is a frozen brick.

My truck is pumping out the eye watering exhaust smoke too and when I start it up in the morn she really belches the blue.

How bad should the truck smoke if I have weepy valve guides ?


The fuel mileage is the depressing part its creeping down to what a 460 gasser gets and right now the price of gas is cheaper

Do you guys think its my IP pump and injectors getting worse and its causing the bad mileage or its winter fuel. If its the pump and injectors I will suffer with the bad mpg because its well over 1000 dollars to replace pump,injectors and return lines.

 

[aaklingler]

i would guess ip and injectors, maybe more so a couple injectors, do you have any fuel leaks, are you using any oil?

 

[L.Wilkinson]

Of course, any engine running time without going anywhere is going to hurt fuel economy:Sly
However, you might try some fuel conditioner if you've been running lots of winter diesel, as its so dry. Fred has a nice proprietory version, Stanadyne. There are others that work very well too. Go for a shock treatment, half fill an empty fuel filter with strait additive, the rest diesel. When that has run through pump and injectors after the first few minutes of a brisk idle, it ends up back in the tank. It might help, other wise you may need to do more serious fuel system repairs. How many miles on the fuel pump/ injectors?

 

[Pacific]

I have been dumping Howes diesel treat in the fuel not on a regular basis thou. I may give another heavy doses of Howes to see if it cleans things up.

The problem getting Freds Hair Tonic is its classed as a dangerous goods so I can't have it mailed and the price of shipping with Loose it (loomis) or Purolator.

I don't get down to the circus too often to get to Jims Fuel Injection.

I will keep trying the Howes to see if it cleans it up the local parts store carries it along with other fuel conditioner products.

What makes me sick is the price of diesel fuel this is a rip off isn't diesel cheaper to make why is it costing more than gas.

The truck does injest some oil it took about 2 litres the other day ya I'am bad but I check the oil about once a month. Its not dripping oil so I'am not too worried about it. I only put on max 1000kms (621 miles) a month the truck did see quite abit of idling this month and last because of the frosty weather.

 

[Agnem]

If I were in your shoes, I'd at least get all my injectors tested. That wouldn't cost you much, and would at least tell you where you stand. The IP can contribute to poor performance, especially when it is out of time, or not maintaining timing well. But bad injectors really waste the fuel big time.

 

[HammerDown]

Originally posted by Pacific

What makes me sick is the price of diesel fuel this is a rip off isn't diesel cheaper to make why is it costing more than gas.

diesel fuel should be cheeper than "regular" grade gas...it's called getting hosed at the pump.

 

[L.Wilkinson]

Try FPPF or Polar Power, or Cummins lubricity formula. I've used all three with excellent results.
I've had badly worn exhaust guides before, without any smoke. At first I thought you were quoting mileage in American gallons, those figures are rather low for our "huge" Canadian gallons. Don't often get to brag about much up here.
Checking your injectors would probably be a good measure to start at.

 

[Pacific]

My MPG figures are in US gallons

I think I will suffer with the bad mileage for now I can get the injectors tested at the local diesel shop they just have to have the time to do the job.

I will have to replace the return lines and O rings theres 55 dollars plus tax it will be probably 2 hours shop time another 140 dollars. All said and done it will be around 240 dollars to have the injectors tested.

I have been trying to avoid changing the injectors and pump because as I said its minimum grand just to buy a rebuilt pump and injectors. I will never recover those costs the old truck is dying on me the transmission is getting worse theres 3-4 grand to replace it.

I may have to try see if I can find a replacement truck sooner before the transmission completely craps out and injection pump gets worse. I'am getting tired of -Deadhorse

I know the truck is turning into a ticking time bomb waiting for it to cost me more money. Sure glad I'am only commuting to work 20 mins a day 10 mins there and 10 back

Do you guys figure its worth it buying another IDI when it only gets 11mpg tops ?

 

[L.Wilkinson]

US figures are better in your favour. How does that work, you being up here in chilly Canada? (I thought)
If I were you, I wouldn't pay anybody to work on it, do it yourself!
Before I changed parts, I'd try the fuel treatment. Not to put Howe's down, but this is a procedure for a different formula, one of the ones I mentioned. (speaking from previous success) Chances are your pump collective timing is off too, is it real quiet, or loud when running? If you feel inclined, after marking where its presently at, you can toy with it to see if it gets better. (Add knife mark at both pump flange, and mounting flange for starting reference. Perform slight changes with engine off) Real quiet engines are often retarded, real loud are often advanced, just a backyard reference. Less idle time, plug it in, fuel costs should drop some for you.
Lorne

 

[Pacific]

I trade work at the shop where I get stuff done the injectors would be tested for nothing but they have to charge shop time for taking them out and back in.

I have tried FFFP I think I will try 2 bottles in the fuel from the instructions they say 1 bottle its plenty but I figure by the time it gets to the fuel tank its coated the fuel filler hose and only a few drops get into the fuel.

I just started using Howes its more of a fuel lubricant over a cleaner. I know people that swear by it but I'am not a big beleiver in snake oils and fuel additives. I do have a bottle of hair tonic but its 2 years old and been outside through the summer and winters.

The truck idles fairly quiet compared to a used engine the diesel shop just dropped in to a truck its twice as loud as mine at idle.

My neighbour has a 6.9 and his truck sounds just like mine at idle I mean noise level wise. I'am pretty sure the pump on my truck is at factory timing. Its a 93 engine I'am unsure of the kilometers on it.

There is a block heater but I don't trust it you know what they are like you start messing with them then they start leaking. I can't figure out what is wrong with my heater (cab) it doesn't work too well but it defrosts the window. The truck only idles till the high idle kicks off then I go it maybe go longer if I have to do another

I have been idling it alot last month because I have been doing alot of hauling where I have to keep moving the truck.

 

[Agnem]

I don't know how it is that you have to pay all that money to get the injectors tested, when you can pull them out yourself, take them to the shop, have them tested, and put them back in, and your out what? A maximum of 1 hr shop time if they even charge you? Your complaining about putting money into this truck, but if you do the math you'll find out you can put a rebuilt engine, a new transmission and whatever else it needs, with a home owners loan for less than what a new truck will cost you, and you'll still be able to put bread on the table and pay your mortgage. Yea, you'll loose out insurance wise, but if you wreck it, get another one and put all the new parts in it. Who wants a 6 year $650 a month payment for a new truck, that will be just as sad, or sader than this one 5 years after it's paid for.

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

Gotta agree with Mel on this one too. I am going thru the same thing. Paid $500 us and have about $2,000 wrapped up in it so far and am still WAY better off than choking up the $662.59 for the next 47 months

Ron

 

[Pacific]

I can buy a used truck with lower kilometers way way cheaper than replacing the engine and transmission. Just for a rebuilt engine is 6 grand the transmission is another 5 grand for 11,000 dollars I can get a decent truck.

We don't dump money into old trucks here because replacement parts are so expensive what you guys in the states buy for nickles and pennies costs us dollar bills. Once a truck hits the kilometers I have on my truck now its sent to the scrap. Most of the time with old IDI trucks is when the engine dies the truck is junked.

Take for example the local tow truck services this area is a Chev 3500HD its seen 2 rebuilt engines (13,000 dollars) rebuilt transmission 2 times (7000 dollars) new springs 1000 dollars. The truck has about 400,000kms (248,000 miles) on it and the truck is still junk. For the time and money spent on it they were far better off buying a new truck and put the tow body on it.

Right now I can get a low kilometerage 89 just like mine that has 100,000 kms (62000 miles) less than my current truck for 8900 dollars CND.

I have my eye on a darkside truck its a 95 F-450 with 200,000kms they want 12,000 cnd for it.

With the price of diesel fuel it maybe better togo back to a gasser truck as its disgusting paying 93 cents per litre or rough conversion 2.75 US Funds US gallon. I figure my truck is burning 12-13 dollars per hour now where when diesel wasn't so expensive the truck was down to 8 dollars per hour.

My 88 F-450 with 460 gas used to be around 10-11 dollars per hour.

I do like the diesel but at 10mpg it doesn't really pay for itself when your paying more for fuel. A F-450 will never get anymore than 11mpg I have talked to a few people with PSD powered F-Superduties and they get about the same I do.

I'am going to try FFFP again and see if it cleans up the injectors and pump if it doesn't I will probably keep running the truck till it dies pull the deck off and other useable parts the rest will go to the wreckers.

Ohya if I go out and spec a new truck (450 4x4) it will be around 60,000 dollars CND. I won't be doing that any time soon the truck will never pay for itself so its why I'am looking at trucks with 200,000kms (125,000 miles) and drive it for another 150,000kms (93,000 miles) and buy another one.

 

[HammerDown]

Pacific, by your last post...sound's like your mind is made up. Good luck with the new truck.

 

[Pacific]

I'am not in a hurry to find a replacement yet I don't drive too far to work in the morn like I said its a 10 min commute each
way

When I'am at work I have a company truck to use so my truck sits until I go home.

I will keep searching for the right truck but I'am kind of disapointed about the mileage I'am getting but oh well. I did look up a quote I got for a reman pump and new injectors it was 600 dollars for the pump and 60 dollars each for the injectors. The total bill would be 1293 dollars to replace the pump and injectors the core charge on the pump is 300 dollars.

Thats 1293 dollars that I will never get back at resale right now I will never get back the 6 grand I already have invested into this truck.