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Old 05-27-2009, 03:15 AM   #1
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Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

Narrowing things down in my bus search. I know there is a best engine thread I started, and also a mileage thread but the mileage thread doesn't say what engine you had so..

I'm hearing people with Cummins 5.9 and Cummins 8.3 report 10mpg or above so far. Is there anyone getting lower mileage with those engines? Is anyone with other engines getting 10mpg or better? Please post, I want to see how common these observations are, and under what conditions. (speed, hills, loads) I kept telling myself "well I dont plan to drive it much at all" but if I plan to put 10,000 miles on it over the next few years, that alone would pay for a $2000-4000 difference in fuel or even a whole 'nother backup bus.

So this is JUST for people getting 10mpg reliably at highway speeds (55mph counts), what is your engine?

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Old 11-10-2009, 02:31 PM   #2
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

a cummins 5.9 with an allison 643 is going to be one of your best bets. think bb tc2k....lots of those around.
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Old 11-11-2009, 06:24 PM   #3
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

Not to start an arguement but I dont see how in the world you can get over 10mpgs in any configuration. I have a light full size conversion with a 5.9 cummins at545 and only drive it in Florida on flat ground. The 5.9 cummins is notoriously fruegal on fuel and In 2k miles I have calculated on average 8.5 mpgs, 95% interstate driving at 60. Its a big unaerodynamic brick going down the road no matter what engine is in it or how you tweak it. Its like a displacement hull on a boat, if its max speed is 8 knots it doesnt matter if you put 300 HP or 3000 hp, it will only go 8 knots. My F250 powerstroke only gets 8-9mpgs when towing which combined with the trailer still usually weighs less than my bus.
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Old 11-13-2009, 10:30 AM   #4
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

I get 10+ mpg with both Detroit Diesels and only around 8 mpg with the IHC 345 gas V8
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Old 11-16-2009, 02:20 AM   #5
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

I get 10+ on my 92 International Ward. It has a dt466/mt643 combo with 4:44 rear axle ratio. According to Detroit Diesel, I can get over 11mpg with a ratio change to 3:70 and driving at 60mph.
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Old 11-16-2009, 08:53 AM   #6
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

My old 30' Chevy/Carpenter with a DD 8.2T would get 10 mpg, if it wasn't windy!! That's going 65-70 mph, again no wind!
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Old 07-23-2010, 08:28 PM   #7
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

I have a 1994 84 passanger 40' 1994 bluebird cummins 5.9. it ain't fast up the hills...it really ain't fast on the hills when your pulling 10,000lb. trailer. but it will average a very respectable millage even towing enourmous loads/whight. I'v had my bus out of state on 1000 mile trips and it averaged about 400 every 1000 miles. but I refueled with fuel in the tanks and thats pulling the whiole 72' motorhome through the neveda mountians 15E to New mexico
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Old 08-30-2010, 09:32 AM   #8
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

I aveage 10 to 11 mpg with my 5.9L Cummins

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Old 08-30-2010, 12:26 PM   #9
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

i get over 10 in my shuttle bus with the international 7.3L diesel. but if i go above 100km/hr kiss it good bye it seems. have to re-test now with replaced Throttle position sensor
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Old 09-17-2010, 11:31 AM   #10
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

My parents' Ford B600 with the much ragged upon 6.6L Ford/New Holland (Brazilian) motor got almost 11mpg bringing it home towing my corolla. That was with the engine running 3200 to 3400 RPM at 55-58 mph.

I expect once we get it regeared so that it can run a more reasonable 2500ish RPM at 60mph that it will get much improved fuel economy.

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Old 09-17-2010, 12:53 PM   #11
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

Near as we can tell, we got 10 to 12 mpg with the bus loaded to the hilt will all our stuff. This was almost 1600 miles of mostly interstate puttering plus it was towing my Jeep Grand Cherokee (5,500 lbs plus what it was loaded with). David has since messed with the throttle linkage and we figure the bus will actually be lighter once converted than when fully loaded (it was our "moving van"). I'm hoping the mileage will stay the same...
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Old 09-17-2010, 09:23 PM   #12
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

11 mpg today from my 6.6L Brazilian Ford......
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Old 09-18-2010, 08:41 AM   #13
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

After the combination of fixing a pre-turbo exhaust leak, running high quality bio-diesel, mastering the shift sequence, and putting in some Power Service Diesel Kleen- I'm getting close to 12 m.p.g.- I'm impressed! It's a 7.8L Brazilian
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Old 11-13-2010, 11:28 AM   #14
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

I got a bit over 9MPG in my Genesis with a DT4566/MT643 and what I think are 4.11 gears (11R22.5 tires, 60MPH is 1900RPM). I expect to top 10MPG with an air filter that doesn't have a pound and a half of dirt in it from 90,000 miles of use. (Bus had 307K, air filter had "215,000MILE" written on it.)
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Old 12-01-2010, 08:26 PM   #15
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

I'm new here and don't have my skookie yet. In 97 and 98 I put over 260000 miles on a Dodge PU with a 5.9 that had been turned up to over 400 hp.(according to Bruce at Pittsburgh Power) I would regularly get over 13 with a GVW of about 27000 lbs. Didn't really matter mountains or flat. Tended to be really hard on exhaust manifolds, and had a custom made clutch. I ran most of the time in 5th gear with the cruise on.
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Old 12-02-2010, 07:05 AM   #16
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

Quote:
I'm new here and don't have my skookie yet. In 97 and 98 I put over 260000 miles on a Dodge PU with a 5.9 that had been turned up to over 400 hp.(according to Bruce at Pittsburgh Power) I would regularly get over 13 with a GVW of about 27000 lbs. Didn't really matter mountains or flat. Tended to be really hard on exhaust manifolds, and had a custom made clutch. I ran most of the time in 5th gear with the cruise on.

That's a lot of miles in just two years. Were you doing hotshot work? What kinda trailer? What year truck? I bet that truck was a hoot to drive, and the mpg was better than most, especially with all that power.
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Old 12-02-2010, 06:13 PM   #17
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

Yes I was doing hotshot work. I had a gooseneck with 40 ft deck. I could haul two full size vans. I only ever hauled vehicles. Pretty much lived in the truck. In 98 I decided I wasn't going broke fast enough and bought a Semi and trailer to haul three at a time. I'm getting older and only do about 90000 miles a year now. I'll be retiring the end of Sept 11 and want to go see some of the things I missed by being in a semi all of the time. Looking for a 40ft diesel pusher to convert.
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Old 01-15-2011, 01:04 PM   #18
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

I have a Detroit 671 engine with a 10 speed Fuller Roadranger standard transmission. I will average 10.5 miles per gallon on flat land, but if I have to climb over hills or mountains, it will usually drop it down to 9mpg. I am happy with the performance. I have a new F150 at work that only does 12mpg.
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Old 01-29-2011, 02:14 PM   #19
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

When I brought my bus back from Phoenix to Central California, I got 10.5 mpg. It was a 40' Bluebird with 8.3 Cummins, MT643, 4.10 rearend. I weighed the bus, 23000#.
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Old 01-29-2011, 03:07 PM   #20
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Re: Whose getting 10+ mpg and what engine is it?

After finding my notes from our trip out west, we traveled 1700+ miles and bought 70 gallons of diesel. We had about the same amount of diesel when we got the bus out here than when we left NC (fuel gauge didn't work so we had to dip the tank so we don't have a accurate fuel level). So by my estimate,we got far better than the 10 to 12 I originally guessed at. The class C gets between 6 and 8 mpg.

Found out today why the fuel gauge didn't work... float has a tiny hole in it and it was full of fuel. It's currently draining out so once empty and dry, we can solder the hole closed.
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