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After participating in a discussion, Not so Cheap Air Box Mod V3 started by @steve05ram360 and tips and encouragement from @'04CDT, I'm posting my recent trip from Birmingham, AL to Flanagan, IL.
Before leaving I taped the lower section of the front grill with a small hole to allow restricted air flow to the lower cooling system. Also applied tap to the gap between the cab and bed and taped the rear bumper that extends past the bed. See pics. I did a 2 test drives with the reduced air across the cooling system and cut a small opening in the front. I watched my gauges and A/C cooing. Also, MMX has a rad fan PID. The rad fan never cycled on the trip. Trans stayed between 175 and 180. A/C was ice cold, ran on low fan speed.
Trip to Flanagan, IL with stop in Mitchel, IN. I logged ambient weather/engine hours/odometer/Overhead (LOM) and number of stops as I drove. Worth noting, about 100 miles to Mitchel, IN was on hilly, curvy, 2 lane county roads. With the load it impacted my mileage.
Also worth noting, as I drove north, ambient temps dropped, IAT dropped and LOM dropped from 30.8 MPH to 30.2 MPG. The roads at this point were straight and gently rolling hills.
When on best MPG 3 injector pulse vs. single pulse, LOM MPG dropped. I've driven with 12V, single injector pulse, well over 150K. It always gets better mileage on a 12v valve tune.
Side Note: intuitively, Single Injector Events, reduce the number of injector events by 66% increases the life of the injectors. My OE injectors have +145K and all indications they are in good shape.
Overhead, LOM, was about 5 MPH higher than hand calculated.
First fill up was 60 miles of my destination. Hand calculated was 23.6 MPG.
Return Trip: No load in the truck. Rode much rougher, accelerated much quicker, cornered so much better. I filled up in Birmingham, AL. 25.6 MPG.
LOM continued to rise as temperature increased except the last 100 miles. They dropped about 0.5 MPG. When I got home, I noticed half of the front bumper tape and folded in, allowing air into the grill area.
Other notes, 23 engine hours, averaged 57 MPH driving. lowest ambient 68F, highest 85F. Engine 1840 RPM at 65 MPH.
Conclusions:
The following improved mileage: Aero mods, intentional driving, 65 MPH. IAT impacts mileage. 700 pounds and some curvy, hilly county roads reduced mileage by 2 MPG.
24.4 MPG trip average. Fuel cost $289.52
At 70 to 75 MPH the truck go 20 MPG. At todays fuel prices that would have cost $64.00 more in fuel and reduced my trip time by 3.5 hours. Each individual has their on pain points on fuel cost and time.
Reduced speed has proven to have less wear and tear on tires/brakes/suspension and generally safer.
MY 2006, 2500 SB, RWD, mods to improve handling, MPG and reliability:
Turbo Blanket
New, Wix, air filter, stock air box has some extra holes in the bottom
Tonneau cover
Tight suspension including: Fresh shocks, urethane bushings replacing all front end and leaf springs, rear anti roll bar, new ball joints, new U joint on steering column
2nd Gen, ported, air horn and deleted grid heater
Cummins T Stat
Replace ALL engine and fuel management sensors and relief valves
10W40 oil vs. 30W40
Taped lower front "grill" opening, air gap between cab and bed, rear bumper
12 Valve street tune, MM3, Rob
Fuel additives, 8 oz 2 SO, 8 oz ATF per 30 gallons
Single disk torque converter, performance valve body, shift pressures increased via tune
Before leaving I taped the lower section of the front grill with a small hole to allow restricted air flow to the lower cooling system. Also applied tap to the gap between the cab and bed and taped the rear bumper that extends past the bed. See pics. I did a 2 test drives with the reduced air across the cooling system and cut a small opening in the front. I watched my gauges and A/C cooing. Also, MMX has a rad fan PID. The rad fan never cycled on the trip. Trans stayed between 175 and 180. A/C was ice cold, ran on low fan speed.
Trip to Flanagan, IL with stop in Mitchel, IN. I logged ambient weather/engine hours/odometer/Overhead (LOM) and number of stops as I drove. Worth noting, about 100 miles to Mitchel, IN was on hilly, curvy, 2 lane county roads. With the load it impacted my mileage.
Also worth noting, as I drove north, ambient temps dropped, IAT dropped and LOM dropped from 30.8 MPH to 30.2 MPG. The roads at this point were straight and gently rolling hills.
When on best MPG 3 injector pulse vs. single pulse, LOM MPG dropped. I've driven with 12V, single injector pulse, well over 150K. It always gets better mileage on a 12v valve tune.
Side Note: intuitively, Single Injector Events, reduce the number of injector events by 66% increases the life of the injectors. My OE injectors have +145K and all indications they are in good shape.
Overhead, LOM, was about 5 MPH higher than hand calculated.
First fill up was 60 miles of my destination. Hand calculated was 23.6 MPG.
Return Trip: No load in the truck. Rode much rougher, accelerated much quicker, cornered so much better. I filled up in Birmingham, AL. 25.6 MPG.
LOM continued to rise as temperature increased except the last 100 miles. They dropped about 0.5 MPG. When I got home, I noticed half of the front bumper tape and folded in, allowing air into the grill area.
Other notes, 23 engine hours, averaged 57 MPH driving. lowest ambient 68F, highest 85F. Engine 1840 RPM at 65 MPH.
Conclusions:
The following improved mileage: Aero mods, intentional driving, 65 MPH. IAT impacts mileage. 700 pounds and some curvy, hilly county roads reduced mileage by 2 MPG.
24.4 MPG trip average. Fuel cost $289.52
At 70 to 75 MPH the truck go 20 MPG. At todays fuel prices that would have cost $64.00 more in fuel and reduced my trip time by 3.5 hours. Each individual has their on pain points on fuel cost and time.
Reduced speed has proven to have less wear and tear on tires/brakes/suspension and generally safer.
MY 2006, 2500 SB, RWD, mods to improve handling, MPG and reliability:
Turbo Blanket
New, Wix, air filter, stock air box has some extra holes in the bottom
Tonneau cover
Tight suspension including: Fresh shocks, urethane bushings replacing all front end and leaf springs, rear anti roll bar, new ball joints, new U joint on steering column
2nd Gen, ported, air horn and deleted grid heater
Cummins T Stat
Replace ALL engine and fuel management sensors and relief valves
10W40 oil vs. 30W40
Taped lower front "grill" opening, air gap between cab and bed, rear bumper
12 Valve street tune, MM3, Rob
Fuel additives, 8 oz 2 SO, 8 oz ATF per 30 gallons
Single disk torque converter, performance valve body, shift pressures increased via tune