I just got back from a trip to the Maritime provinces up here in Canada and toured New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI. After 4100 miles I averaged 13.06 mpg with a high of 14.4 and a low of 9.1. This was towing a 21' 5th wheel with a GVWR of 4800# and I'm pretty sure I was all of that weight with everything the wife packs. I was hoping for an average of about 14 but 2 days were mostly uphill and with a fierce headwind, which is where the low of 9.1 occured. I found the mileage was directly related to my speed, at 60 mph and above the mileage was in the 12's, at lesser speeds around 50 to 55 you could hit high 13's and low 14. I also found at speeds under 55 I preferred driving with the OD off, in 3rd gear she has plenty of power and could climb without shifting any lower. At speeds above 55 I drove with the OD on but it shifted on most hills in order to climb. Maybe someone can explain how the automatic works as I don't understand the following: with OD off at 60 to 65 mph the rpm is between 2500 - 2700, with OD on normal rpm is about 1700. No problem so far I understand that but when she shifts on the hill it seems like there is a half gear where it revs at 2200 rpm and until the hill gets steep it pulls fine then when the going gets harder it shifts again and revs at 2500-2700 rpm which is the rpm when OD is off. So what gear is it in when it is kicking down to 2200; OD on 1700 or 4th, OD off 2500 or 3rd, OD on 2200 or 3.5? This was my first long trip pulling a 5'ver and I learned a lot but I asked the service manager at the ford dealer about the shifting and they don't know beans. Just thought Id share my experiences, overall I,m pleased with the trucks performance but my wifes comments after the trip have me thinking, she says just turn the damn overdrive off and let her rev, its gonna eat the gas regardless. Whats your opinions?

 

I have a 2000 Exp EB that acts that way. It has the 5.4 with 3.31 gears and the towing package. I believe the "extra shift" that we notice is the torque converter locking and unlocking. My Exp usually kicks down to 3rd and unlocks the converter and shows about 2500-2700 rpm. It then locks up the converter and drops to around 2200-2400. When you get to the top of the hill, it will drop back to the 1500-1700. It is so smooth, it's hard to tell if it's the trans or the converter. I just got back from a trip towing a 4500 lb boat and I ran it about like you ran yours and the mileage responded the same way. The faster you go, the more it uses.

 

Sounds like you had a good trip and got about what you would expect mileage wise when towing.

 

Imperial gallons?

 

Yes imperial gallons, 13.06 mpg works out to about 11mpg US, actually everything is in metric and we have to convert, big PITA for us that grew up before metric. One thing I did notice was that in 4100 miles we weren't passed by any other RV whether it was a 5'ver, trailer, motorhome or truck with camper on it. We passed lots so obviously we were travelling faster than most which leads me to believe that a lot of people who say they are going faster than the speed limit are full of hogwash. I'm no race driver but I do travel faster than the posted limit, 55-60 is the posted norm on most of our major highways and I find the truck runs well at 65-70 which works out to 10 over the posted speed. Actually coming home from our seasonal campsite today I was passed by a dodge with a camper on it. I was doing 70 in my wifes PT cruiser with cruise on and he had no trouble passing me.

 

Tks. You threw me -- I thought from your profile that you lived in Canada -- and yet you used MILES per gallon (not Kilometers) -- yet didn't go all the way and finish the calculation for those of us who never see an Imperial gallon.

I'd love to get 11 MPG towing.

I just got the "Eh" -- Canadian, Eh?

Say, is it true that Canada was named during a Scrabble game?

I heard that someone drew the letters:

C Eh

N Eh

D Eh

(old joke, sorry)

 

Good one y2k, never heard that one but it fits eh. I still figure out in mpg, km/L don't mean anything to me. I'm still learning the best way to drive an auto though, actually my wife says it seems like more trouble than a standard. Our last truck was a standard and most of our vehicles have been standards but couldn't get a 150 with the 5.4 and manual, too bad I prefer the stick. The auto is nice in traffic though and on steep ramps so won't be long and I'll be converted I guess. Guess we canucks must have named your country in the same game US eh!

 

For what it's worth, I just did a 700 miles trip with my Expy. 2000 with 3:55's and the rest is in the sig.

Towing my boat packed for a week weighed about 7500#. When I pulled up to the house afte the week with right at 700 miles, I was sitting on 11 MPG. I ran 60-75 depending on whether it was a secondary road or hwy.

Towed great!! And I think the MPG was respectable considering some of that was with some steep grades and tiny roads. A/C was going the whole time too.

 

We are seeing about 10 to 11 MPG when towing our 6500 lb trailer with our 97 F150, 4.6, 3.55

 

10-11 is pretty respectable mileage!

I did that once (11,500 GVW - consisting of 20' travel trailer) -- towing in OD (but it shifted a bunch).

Did you use OD or direct?

Do you have any comments as to it staying in OD -- torque converter staying locked up?

 

OD all the time! I can't find any reason not to be.