MPG Reality Check

[Ernie Ekberg]

"Dragging suitcases doesn't compare" Bob, you hit the nail on the head!! Ernie Ekberg 83PT40 Wanderlodge Weatherford, Tx 817-475-3991 www.ernieekbergflooring.net --- On Wed, 2/17/10, freewill2008 wrote: From: freewill2008 Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: MPG Reality Check To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 11:41 AM "( my wife just hates it when I say that)" That's great! Sounds just like our house ) I made the original MPG post because I want to know what my rig is doing. Not much point in worrying about the cost of fuel; its not the biggest cost of owning one of these rigs anyway. When you consider what the rig gives back, fuel is a bargain! We sleep in our own bed, eat good food, choose our view, make good friends, and enjoy it completely. Dragging suitcases around can't compare! Bob Griesel '84 FC31 WLII WA (currently in AZ) --- In WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com, Al Scudder wrote: > > > I care, don't get me wrong. > > > > If I look at this in mathematical way ( my wife just hates it when I say that) If I were to say, gain a half a mile from 6 to 6.5 at 140 gallons ( 80% of tankage) I gain 70 miles on the tank it gives me less than 11 gallons of fuel extra @2.75 per gal that comes out to $29.15. Yes it is a savings but then on a long trip I am also 70 miles further down the road. If I am on a 3 day trip to destination I will be 1 day ahead of the game and out the $58.30 which is what 1 1/4 campsite? > > > > Trust me I look as you do on what a trip will take in expenses. My first trip to RITV was 2600 miles, 433 gals @ 3.25, $1,407.25 in fuel. That's a big swallow. $500.00 for entry fee, $300.00 for crap at the vendors, $500.00 misc stuff on the road and around Perry, A whopping $2,700 bucks for a short trip to see people and things I might not even like........ ..It was worth every penny that we spent. We visited with another coach that we had met in Ohio the year before and we have turned that relationship to a great relationship. We enjoyed talking to people like your self and have never been happier with our time spent...I can not and will not trade the enjoyment that I have had with our Bird. > > > > In any case we should always try to save our selves some bucks in anyway we can but remember the ONLY thing that we can not buy is time. Time in some way is the most precious thing there is to us. > > > > To save dollars we all could have purchased a 1976 Winnebago Chieftain and bought Chevy big blocks by the trailer full to keep up and you would have had the same mileage that you have in your BEEEEEutyyyyfull BB LOL!!!!! > > > > See Ya!!! > > Scooter 2000LX Ocqueoc, MI > > > > > > To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com > From: jehdds@... > Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:39:49 +0000 > Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: MPG Reality Check > > > > > > > > I interpret what Al is saying is that he can afford "it" and so he doesn't worry about mpg. He has a point. Certainly, worry isn't going to get a fellow any better fuel economy. That being said there are folks who have to consider each and ever trip and the costs involved, it's a fact of life. How many of us are on what side of this bell curve I have no idea but I would guess there are darned few who wouldn't appreciate an improvement of one or even a half a mpg. I know I would. So this discussion seems relevant to me. > > While shopping for bus I ask a PO what the fuel usage was. His comment was if you have to ask you can't afford it. You know I didn't buy that bus, and I am not too certain that comment wasn't the biggest reason. > > I am only making an assumption of what Al meant by his comments. And I take no offense either. It is what it is for each of us. I am not without but I must admit that filling the tank causes me to wince. Some would wince regardless of their financial circumstances. Some of the wealthiest people I know would complain the loudest. And on the other hand I wonder some times how I will finance this as time goes on. For the time being I am with Al enjoy it because time is what is most fleeting. I am grateful that I can "play" and pay to play but I also do not take a bit of this as a given. > > Not sure that I added a thing to this conversation but I had to comment. > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com, "Chuck Wheeler" wrote: > > > > I agree with you Al. As I said I only track mileage to watch out for > > issues. Most of our travel is in the winter months and does not require the > > generator for heat. I keep the weight down because we are off paved roads a > > lot of the time. I don't have the power to hold 70 so that is not an issue. > > > > > > > > - Chuck Wheeler- > > > > 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX > > > > _____ > > > > From: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com > > [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Al Scudder > > Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 9:24 AM > > To: wanderlodgeforum@ yahoogroups. com > > Subject: RE: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: MPG Reality Check > > > > > > > > > > > > You folks are way toooo cridical of finding or formulating of the MPG. > > > > On flat roads I get 6.5 on hills I get 5.8. The engine is a Cummins M11 450. > > I fill up when it is convienent not when I need it. You can never use the > > fuel that you left at the pump. My boating days and 4 years in the USCG > > taught me that and a my old sage friend that is a pilot taught me these > > things. > > > > I never worry about the MPG because to me it means to me I Mostly Prefer > > Going where I want to go. Since the diference to my 2000 LX is 0.7 miles > > which is 105 more miles at a usaable rate of 80% of the tank (175) I ALWAYS > > plan trips on 5 MPH. > > > > Since I do like the comforts of home and the safety of my gastromic supply > > of food we always run with heat in the cold, cold in the heat and the > > referer cold all the time. My genny runs when the the coach is going down > > the road or sitting in the rest area. Cruise speed is what the traffic will > > bear. You want to cruise at 70 I'm with you want a earlier ETA I'm there on > > time. > > > > When we purchased our BB my goal was to have fun and run. I always have fun > > and the run, will go when ever there is and sometimes not, a excuse to do > > it. > > > > Scooter 2000LX Ocqueoc, MI > > > > > > > > > > _____ > > > > To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com > > From: sundance101@ > > Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:09:21 +0000 > > Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: MPG Reality Check > > > > > > > > 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@ WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com> > > 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@ WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com> > > yahoogroups. com > > > [mailto:Wanderlodge Forum@ WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com> > > yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of ebirder2000@ > > > Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 2:39 PM > > > To: WanderlodgeForum@ WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com> > > 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 > > > > > >