What kind of mileage do you get?

[bustache]

Im about to do a similar trip from CT to Orlando. How often did you stop?

[EastCoastCB]

Bringing a New England bus to FL?


Last time I got a bus was up in the northwest corner of GA and I drove it back to Orlando area in an easy day of driving. I probably stopped 3 times to use the restroom and fuel up the bus.

[Mr4btTahoe]

Our first trip under our belts... the ol' 7.3 NA IDI managed 13.1mpg average. Will be throwing some boost down it's throat after the winter which should pick it up a bit yet.


Overall... very pleased.

[Rogue1bus]

I’m averaging about 10mpg and I try to keep my cruising speed between 45-50mph.

I have a 2002 33’ flat noise RE Amtran 7.3 t444e approximate weight 17-18k lbs WITH 545 transmission.

I cruise at 45-50mph which is 2000-2300 rpm.... I’m wondering if changing my gearing out to cruise at 55 at 2000 would make a big enough difference to be worth it...

[cadillackid]

it would be well worth it... the 444E likes to run below 2000 at part throttle.. it doesnt like to be loaded down at RPMs below 1700.. with an AT545 you dont have the issue as the converter slip will tend to keep your REVs close to 2000. most of the time under any throttle..



whats the HP / TQ rating on your RE engine? I never knew they put the 545s in the RE's was thinking they got the 230 / 250 version of the 444E with 643's or 3060s..
-Christopher

[Rogue1bus]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

it would be well worth it... the 444E likes to run below 2000 at part throttle.. it doesnt like to be loaded down at RPMs below 1700.. with an AT545 you dont have the issue as the converter slip will tend to keep your REVs close to 2000. most of the time under any throttle..



whats the HP / TQ rating on your RE engine? I never knew they put the 545s in the RE's was thinking they got the 230 / 250 version of the 444E with 643's or 3060s..
-Christopher

195 hp version

[EastCoastCB]

I know a guy with a 40' RE cummins 5.9/545.
Its ok but the cooling system is marginal and you gotta keep a close eye on the temps.

[Asetechrail]

93 Amtran Genesis with mechanical DT466 and Allison MT643. Running 55 to 60mph average a about 10mpg. Bump the speed up 65 to 70mph and the mileage drops to about 7mpg. I’m happy running 60 most of the time.

[BakerSage]

I just drove our bus (2003 International with a DT466E diesel) home to Denver, CO from where we bought it in Lagrangeville, NY (near Poughkeepsie). This was pre-conversion, with the seats still in, and we did 60-70mph almost the whole time. Averaged about 8.5-9mpg. Hoping we still get at least 6-8 after we convert it *fingers crossed*

[GWRider]

Just arrived back early this morning with my 1990 Crown Supercoach with 6-71TA and Allison MT647 that I purchased in CA. Fuel mileage was 9.86 mpg going the southern route through AZ, NM, TX, OK then KS.

[GWRider]

Originally Posted by GWRider

Just arrived back early this morning with my 1990 Crown Supercoach with 6-71TA and Allison MT647 that I purchased in CA. Fuel mileage was 9.86 mpg going the southern route through AZ, NM, TX, OK then KS.

Correction: Gas mileage was 7.93 mpg not 9.86.

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by the_experience03

My worst mileage was across North Dakota which happens to be as flat as any state I've ever seen. It doesn't matter which direction you're traveling in across North Dakota....you will ALWAYS have a 25 mph headwind.

I drove south on the continental divide through Montana into strong head winds with what amounted to a big flat wind catching sail as my load on a one ton crew cab on duallys and got 3.4 miles to a CANADIAN gallon - knock off 20% to come up with a us gal :O

[Sleddgracer]

I had a tuck camper mounted on a flat deck one ton dually and got 3.5 mpg - I created a convex scoop and mounted on the cab over portion of the camper and got 7 MPG - I keep trying to think of something practical to do to a skoolie to cut the wind resistance a bit - that height and no streamlining has to be a killer for good mileage

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by adamb

My bus is a 59 passenger Thomas with a 366 Chevy (gas) engine. I've been playing around with driving speed vs. fuel efficiency. It seems I can nearly double my fuel efficiency when driving 55-60 as opposed to 70-75, according to my speedometer. When pushing it hard, I may get as low as 3.7 mpg or so. When taking it easy, I've seen as high as 7 mpg and slightly above. I'm yet to determine what my rear gear ratio is, since the tag was completely wore out on it. I'd love to change the rear end, or put some different gears in so I could get better mileage at the higher speeds. I guess for me, and I imagine most anyone, if you're not in a hurry, driving slower can really pay off, especially with gas prices now.

do you have an automatic or a standard trans? - if a standard, do you have the 2 speed rear end?

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by bk2valve

One thing that is always interesting to me is that when folks figure mileage they assume that the pumps are registering accurate gallonage. Well guys, they don't. That is just the truth. In America they are often only checked once a year at best. I have been told that it can be as often as every three years....I don't know about you but I have bought fuel that came through pumps that look older than I am and that is old! It is kind of like meat inspections, the inspectors are far and few between and if they hit a meat packer once in a while, they are doing good. Same with the bureau of weights and measures...when was the last time you saw them checking a station's pumps? Looking at the inspection stamps on the pumps is a good idea but are you going to move to another station if they are last year's stamp?
I read a great book about a very anal Canadian with a Class C motorhome who drove all the way to Panama and back. He had multi-liter sized containers and he would compare the amount pumps were actually giving to what they said they were giving. Not so good here in the US but off the scales in Mexico and Central America....not even close. Your call but I always take mpg claims with a grain of salt....
Brian in NM

I had two tanks on my old one ton Ford crew cab - gas gauge was one of the many 'accessories' that didn't work on that old junker - I would run one tank dry, then drive a suitable distance, leaving about half a tank in the other tank, then stop for another fill - the tank that I habitually ran until it was empty held 16 Imperial gallons ( I'm in Canada ) - came across one station in Ft Nelson that was able to squeeze 18 gallons into the same tank - when I showed the station operator my build paper from the manufacturer, that showed 16 gal per tank, and receipts from dozens of other fill ups, he still denied his pumps were out of adjustment - I vowed never to go back there, but wouldn't you know it, that was the only place open on my return trip

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by TourTech

I don't really know what a mile or a gallon is, but I want to get 5Km/Litre of diesel out of my 72 passenger 444E - it looks to be about 12Miles per Gallon.

l had that come out to a bit more than 14 MP Gallon - doubt you'll do that well in a bus

[Ronnie]

At this point I can say with some real mileage put on it that when pulling a trailer, (5,000-7,000 lbs) I am getting 5mpg. No trailer not well defined yet. but seems about 6mpg, have gotten 6.5 a few times but that has not been normal, so think how full each time might have been different.

[Epomethius]

Heads up this is for a shortie: 11 is the low and once I got 16!! Average is 12-13. Seems the same whether 60 or 70, though I drive 60 typically.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Sleddgracer

I had two tanks on my old one ton Ford crew cab - gas gauge was one of the many 'accessories' that didn't work on that old junker - I would run one tank dry, then drive a suitable distance, leaving about half a tank in the other tank, then stop for another fill - the tank that I habitually ran until it was empty held 16 Imperial gallons ( I'm in Canada ) - came across one station in Ft Nelson that was able to squeeze 18 gallons into the same tank - when I showed the station operator my build paper from the manufacturer, that showed 16 gal per tank, and receipts from dozens of other fill ups, he still denied his pumps were out of adjustment - I vowed never to go back there, but wouldn't you know it, that was the only place open on my return trip

I was at a pump locally awhile back and noticed when you turn the pump handle on it would start rolling money on the screen, before I ever had the nozzle near the spout. I turned it off and tried another pump, did the same thing. Immediately got on the phone with the weights and measures people and had them out there with in the hour.I wonder how much money they made on unsuspecting customers. I often wonder why I can put 17 gallons in my 15 gallon tank when I still had some left.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by o1marc

I was at a pump locally awhile back and noticed when you turn the pump handle on it would start rolling money on the screen, before I ever had the nozzle near the spout. I turned it off and tried another pump, did the same thing. Immediately got on the phone with the weights and measures people and had them out there with in the hour.I wonder how much money they made on unsuspecting customers. I often wonder why I can put 17 gallons in my 15 gallon tank when I still had some left.

There was a "consunumer alert" news story out of Seattle recently where they documented a number of pumps that would continue counting after you clicked the pump off.

I suspect that sort of thing may be pretty common......,.