MPG Reality Check

[freewill2008]

Chuck - Thanks for those observations. The fuel in this case was pumped in
Brookings, Oregon and the route was from there to Q.

If our California turbo really makes more power than the 210 NA, it surely does
get used when climbing the very frequent west coast hills. More power is more
fuel.

The genset in this FC31 is gas, so genset operation does not affect the diesel
tank.

I'm sure the setup is unique to the California motor. For example, the torque
is more than a 225T even though the HP is less. Cat has a manual with all the
details but I haven't purchased it yet.

The posts to this thread are much appreciated. I intend to buy a GPS and start
keeping better track of miles and gallons. As Chuck says, tracking fuel
consumption is one way to monitor engine condition.

Meanwhile, sitting here in the Arizona desert soaking up sun uses zero diesel
fuel! )

Bob Griesel '84 FC31 WLII WA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Chuck Wheeler" wrote:
>
> Several things could be affecting Bob's mileage.
>
> 1. He is towing.
>
> 2. I don't know where he is in WA, but there is a lot of it that is more
> like mountain running. I can run 800 miles and not change over 600ft
> elevation.
>
> 3. Do they pump a "winter blend" of diesel in WA? My mileage in the truck
> has always been lower on "Winter Blend"
>
> 3. He has more power than I do and when the power is there we tend to use
> it. My cousin followed us on a trip with his Monaco and he gained almost
> 2mpg driving the way we have to. (He said it wasn't worth it!)
>
> 4. We do a lot of winter traveling and so it is not necessary to run the
> generator.
>
> 5. I believe that a "California" engine runs with different injection timing
> and advance curve.
>
> 6. I usually run with Gray and black water tanks empty, about ¼ tanks of
> fresh water and on the bottom half of the fuel capacity to keep my weight
> down. That's why I have to compute mpg over a many miles to get an idea of
> what milage I am getting.
>
>
>
> I track milage mainly to keep an idea of how the bus is running.
>
>
>
> - Chuck Wheeler-
>
> 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX
>
> _____
>
> From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ebirder2000@...
> Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 2:39 PM
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] MPG Reality Check
>
>
>
>
>
> Bob, I don't dispute your method or your finding at all. My only comment
> is, that mileage seems too low. I would expect that your mileage would be
> closer to 8mg. But, that's only based on other folks bragging including my
> own,that I have observed.
>
>
>
> Steve (at Painted Rocks campground). Temp 80 degrees with absolute clear
> blue skies.
>
>
>
> In a message dated 2/12/2010 12:22:01 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> sundance101@... writes:
>
>
>
> Finally, after 7 years, I filled the fuel tank to the top, drove 1015 miles,
> and filled it again. The 167 gallons calculates to about 6 MPG.
>
> The method has plenty of potential for error. The odometer reads low and I
> don't have a GPS. I used the Google mileage plus 5% to account for wrong
> turns, finding RV sites, etc. The route was Brookings, OR to Q by way of Hwy
> 101 and Malibu, CA.
>
> The tank is so big that I figure the fill could be off by as much as 10%. If
> the fill-up were 10% low, the MPG would have been 6.7. If the fill-up were
> 10% high, the MPG would have been about 5.5.
>
> Other details: 1984 FC31 with California 210HP turbo 3208. Road speed about
> 58 MPH. 4.89 gears. 11R22.5 Michelins at 105 and 95 PSI. Towing a Honda CRV.
> Air filter has about 5000 miles. The air intake is the enlarged version
> designed for the 250HP turbo engine. Never blows any black unless I make an
> operator error.
>
> To achieve the 10 MPG sometimes suggested for the FC, my mileage estimate
> would need to be off by almost 700 miles, or the fill-up would need to be
> off by almost 70 gallons.
>
> I'd be interested any anyone else's MPG observations and the method used.
>
> Bob Griesel '84 FC31 WLII WA
>