I just bought an F250 yesterday and drove it home from the dealer who kept telling me about 15 miles to the gallon. I got home after a 50 mile drive and 5 gallons of gas and realized he wasn't telling me the truth or he just didn't know and so guessed.

Anyway, I am reading that the superchip really won't help mileage except maybe for diesels.

What can I do to improve gas mileage? K&N airfilter? Or am I wrong about the Superchip?

 

Is that a new truck? 10 mpg is a bit low for summer, should be more like 13-15. 10 is what you'll get if you engage 4H.

 

What type F-250? Regular Cab, Super Cab, Crew Cab, Long Bed, Short Bed, 4x2, 4x4. Those will all affect and determine the mileage to some degree.
You also can't judge mileage just off of 50 miles. You need to run the tank down to at least a 1/4 or less and fill up and then start tracking your mileage. I have logged every tank in mine to include where I got gas.

 

Sorry.

Its a F250, XLT, 5.4L, 4x2

 

What about chip improvements, will they help?

 

I am new to this so you will have to forgive me. I will grab your format Rugby3.


2003 F-250 Crew Cab Shortbed
4x2 V-8 XLT

 

Auto or Manual Transmission?

 

Auto

 

Since its an 03 I assume that its new and hasn't been traded in yet. I wouldn't be so hasty judging the mileage. You need to give the truck some time. Wait till about the 800-1000 mile mark and then run a full tank and see what you get. Fuel guages almost never read right so saying you used the top 1/4 and went 50 miles doesn't say much. The top 1/4 of the tank on my 91 Ranger and my 97 F150 last a long time and the bottom 1/4 goes fast. Heck my 91 gets almost 100 miles on the top 1/4 and gets about 300 overall. My 86 Ranger does the opposite though. The top 1/2 goes fast and the bottom lasts a long time.

 

That is one heck of a nice truck though.

If you are in the break-in period forget about gas milage. You need to do some good stop and go driving and work the engine to seat the rings. Acceleration and deceleration will provide a good sound break-in, which is the opposite of good gas milage.

You also need to run a few full tanks to get a good measure of gas milage. Not all fill ups are the same, and I'm sure if the dealer gave you a fill tank it was a short fill. You need to compare a fill at the same pump as the last fill.

I think you would have to run at WOT up and down the strip to run at 10 mpg.

 

depends how you drive, but don't forget your in break in time, run that engine hard for right now, until it loosens up, wait til 3000 miles or so until you really start taking your milage seriuosly.

I wouldnt bet on 15 tho. 13-14 seems more like it.

 

Okay thanks guys! Much appreciated!

I know this is probably the wrong forum but have any of you used the Superchips Tuner? If so, any comments on its worth?

 

Just for your info, I've got a 2002 SD F-250 Crew Cab, Long Bed 5.4 V-8, 3.73 LS, 4x4, Auto, and I've been getting 12.5 mpg on average over 11K miles in 18 months, High was 15.25 mpg all Highway road trip to Williamsburg, VA and back, less than 2 tanks. I get about 450 miles per tank.

You'll get better milage as the truck breaks in.

George K

 

If you get 450 miles per tank and the tank is 30 gallons that is more like 15 mpg, isn't it.

 

Long Bed has a 38 Gallon, short bed is like 29. I usually fill -up around 450 Miles, at that point it takes about 36 gallons.