It makes no sense, I agree. But that's what we've come to conclude. For me, every single tank has been tracked (by hand) since I bought the truck. I just filled up tonight with 93 octane and loaded my 93 performance tune, which netted me my highest ever mpg, and I'll be making a 105 mile highway trip tomorrow and see how she does with the "winter" 93. Last 42.227 gallons (15.032 of which was a half tank of 93 octane to clear out the 87) achieved 494.8 miles for an average of 11.718 mpg. One 105+ mile trip for the 87 and 93 octane each (~230 total this time - detours), the rest were hard city miles.

 

Done all that "testing', ...summer/winter, brands, high vs low octane, tuner level adjusting, etc, etc, for years.

Only thing I found was the weight of my foot and whether or not a trailor was added/removed from the equation. Otherwise mileage was always similar.

 

I see maybe 1-3 mpg drop .... (bigger drop in multiple short trips .... smaller drop in longer single trips where just one start .... and no discernible drop in long trips like the 500 miles to my BIL's home we take each Christmas) .... but every time you start cold in winter ... whether carb or FI .... the system starts with a richer mix so that it will start and until warmed up, likely colder 5 minutes into the drive in cold weather so still some richer.

 

There's another thread going similar to this one and I did some research. Winter gas is the smallest part of this. It can't even account for 1mpg. The biggest factor is the people who do warm ups and the next biggest factor in winter is cold air. The other factors are machanical in nature. The biggest impact is absolutely driving style. Try driving like a grandma for a while and report back.

 

I have been heavy hauling, now is the time to get the hard work finished. The chill puts a spring in ones step. We're out of here in mid January for warm beaches and golf. Good plan, to stick too.

 

..."The biggest factor is the people who do warm ups "... Yeah, watch the computer/programmer while you sit at idle. Mine looks like I drilled a 1 inch hole in the gas tank when it's sitting still at idle! A long light in town drops the mpg 1-3 miles.

 

Yeah, this ain't the first time I've tried this, but it gives me something to tinker with. It'll take a lot to justify spending an additional $15 at every fill-up . . .

 

My truck's manual states that warm ups are not necessary. But that doesn't sit well with me; I think Ford just wants to sell more trucks. When it is -10 degrees outside that oil in an overhead cam engine is not going flow well and lubricate like it does at operating temp. Driving off after you turn the key in those conditions is putting excessive wear on components inside of the motor. My mom ruined her car by not letting it warm up just one time. It was -5 outside and she got on it right away. The car used a quart of oil every 1,000 miles after that.

 

That's kinda a questionable data point and not something you should be basing a decision upon. What if she had the wrong oil? Low level? Clogged filter? Pre-existing condition? Etc. One incident do not make it fact.

No one suggested 'getting on it' and laying 50 feet of rubber from stone cold either, lol.

Fact is, 30 seconds tops with modern oils and modern engines is sufficient. Then just drive away with some degree of finesse, if you can manage such a thing.


BTW - Been discussed before - in detail:

https://www.f150online.com/forums/v8...rm-up-not.html

We get it - yer overly pampered aysses is cold - get over it -and suck it up. Yer doing nothing good by idling away excessively. And a lot of bad - sludging, blow-by due to low cylinder pressures and poor ring seating diluting the oil.... 21st century folks. Time to wake up.

 

Ding. ding. ding.

 

I can't complain with my 18.6MPG, The only thing I notice a change with is if I go to a no smaller gas station. So now I only go to QT or Circle K. The grocery store (Fry's/Krogers) gas station lowers it 1 MPG

Side note, once I lowered my truck it went from about 18.1 to 18.6MPG

 

I wonder why? As I wrote that I envisioned less air swirling under the truck. I like how it looks lowered. do you mind telling me what you did?

 

Obviously you don't live in a cold state. I have days that are so cold where I start my truck and it runs on closed-loop for almost 5-minutes if I leave it outside. If it is above freezing I don't let it warm up that long, but I finesse it until it reaches operating temperature. Everything I've read about engine wear claims that even "modern" oils do not work optimally until at operating temp.

 

According to my Fuelly, for my car this months avg mpg has only dropped 1/4mpg, no warm ups, get in, start it, idle calm down, and drive freezing until the temp rises. I see warm ups pointless myself.

 

I live in Ontario - right now we are just as cold as you.

Been doing this all my life ( and a lot longer than you, BTW ). Never had any problems and I tend to keep vehicles a long time. Driving away under light load actually warms up an engine faster than mere idling. And it mitigates those sludging and blowby/oil dilution risk factors.

You'd be surprised what a good semi-synth like MC 5w-20 can do.

30 seconds. Repeat after me. 5 minutes is plain silly - the engine has gone closed loop about 4.5 minutes ago, and oil is everywhere it needs to be even waaaaay before that

Old (bad) habits die hard. Where is ol' Labnerd when ya need 'im?

MGD