fuel mileage

Dan Gilmore · Post by **Dan Gilmore** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:01 pm

All the responses are much more than I expected. All of you have my thanks for sharing with me your Born Free experiences and statistics. Again, thank you very much. Of course, additional responses will also be equally appreciated.

Dan Gilmore

hayesj29020 · Post by **hayesj29020** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 4:34 pm

Just drove from Camden to Charleston SC. and back. 65-70 mph. No water in the fresh tank. 9.29 mpg

wjhgolf · Post by **wjhgolf** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:55 pm

With our 2002 24 ft RB and V10 we are getting anywhere from 8.5 to 9.75 on the highway depending upon the wind primarily and whether we go 55 or 60 mph. We run 60 psi front and 70 psi rear for a good ride and wonder if anyone has any pointers on improving that number. Thanks.

wjhgolf · Post by **wjhgolf** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:56 pm

Does anyone ever turn OFF their overdrive? If so, when and why? Thanks.

sjpotter · Post by **sjpotter** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 11:03 pm

I have a 2004 with 6.0 PSD. I usually drive it like I stoll it, with jack rabbit starts where i get the turbo boost up to the 22psi max. This is good procedure for the Power Stroke Diesel to run the varible vanes of the turbo through their full geometry. I drive normally about 65 on the freeway, I get usually 11mpg without a Toad. When I baby the thing I can get as much as 13mpg. Diesel power is great if you like to climb hills fast. The 6.0 has had it's share of problems though, I put about 5K in proven upgrades to bulletproof the engine. Runs about 20 degrees cooler now that I am running an external oil cooler instead of the coolant based one, probably more info than you wanted, Cheers.

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 11:11 pm

Bill Hill,

I generally only turn off the over-drive when I am going down many of the longer 6% downgrades on the roads and interstates that I frequently travel on while out in the NM, AZ, and CA areas. The extra engine drag when out of over-drive will help prevent over-speeding to some degree and therefore not require as much brake application to keep the downhill speed from increasing too much.

al1florida · Post by **al1florida** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:49 am

How do you turn off overdrive.

On my 2005 V10 with the 5 speed auto, 5th gear is overdirve and 4th is 1 to 1 gearing. If I manually downshift it goes into 3rd gear. I can get it into 4th by gently pressing on the accelerator until it downshifts and then I turn on tow/haul mode to help keep it in 4th.

This the only vehicle (truck, RV, or SUV) I have ever had which I can't manually downshift out of overdrive.

William Higbie · Post by **William Higbie** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:57 am

Mileage sure hasnt changed over the years. I have a 1996 26 rsb with a 460 V8 and average 8.5 when pulling my honda accord (3200) lbs. Without toad I average 9. I ride near posted speeds (60 mph on interstates). Nothing like a born free, even an old one like mine. 80k miles and still runs and drives fantastic.

ddpjep · Post by **ddpjep** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:19 pm

al1florida wrote:How do you turn off overdrive.

On my 2005 V10 with the 5 speed auto, 5th gear is overdirve and 4th is 1 to 1 gearing. If I manually downshift it goes into 3rd gear. I can get it into 4th by gently pressing on the accelerator until it downshifts and then I turn on tow/haul mode to help keep it in 4th.

This the only vehicle (truck, RV, or SUV) I have ever had which I can't manually downshift out of overdrive.

With the 5-speed transmission, push on the tow/haul switch at the end of the gear shift and then depress the brake pedal. The transmission will downshift one gear if you are not going too fast for that gear. The tow/haul switch is in the same location as the overdrive off switch on the 4-speed transmission gear shift.

al1florida · Post by **al1florida** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 7:46 am

ddpjep wrote:
al1florida wrote:How do you turn off overdrive.

On my 2005 V10 with the 5 speed auto, 5th gear is overdirve and 4th is 1 to 1 gearing. If I manually downshift it goes into 3rd gear. I can get it into 4th by gently pressing on the accelerator until it downshifts and then I turn on tow/haul mode to help keep it in 4th.

This the only vehicle (truck, RV, or SUV) I have ever had which I can't manually downshift out of overdrive.
With the 5-speed transmission, push on the tow/haul switch at the end of the gear shift and then depress the brake pedal. The transmission will downshift one gear if you are not going too fast for that gear. The tow/haul switch is in the same location as the overdrive off switch on the 4-speed transmission gear shift.

Will this work even if I keep my right foot on the accelerator, press the tow/haul switch and then tap the brake with my left foot?

It will be a day or two before I can take my BF out for a test drive to verify our suggestion.

I'm not looking for engine braking when going down hill. I want to have the transmission down shift into 4th sooner than it will by just going up a small incline. Then once it is in 4th, I want to keep it there until I tell it to up shift.

I believe it is easier on the engine and transmission and it certainly keeps the engine & transmission temperature cooler by keeping the engine from lugging when going up a small incline, of about 1-2 degrees.

Going up a 1-2 degree incline you can hear and feel the engine laboring and the RPM's going down before the computer downshifts the transmission.

ddpjep · Post by **ddpjep** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 9:39 am

Al,
If you leave the transmission in tow/haul mode it will change the shift pattern and stay in lower gears longer before shifting. Only the engine's computer can shift into fourth gear. It will do this readily both going up hill and down hill in tow/haul mode with the cruise control also engaged. If the transmission is a little jerky going down hill with the cruise control on, give the engine a little gas to stop the jerkiness. Leaving the transmission in tow/haul mode will probably more nearly match your driving style.

al1florida · Post by **al1florida** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:40 pm

That's what I thought, only the computer can shift the transmission into 4th gear.

Thanks,

Al

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:34 pm

Well I hope my Ford E450 manual does not say to not shift the transmission out of overdrive to enhance engine braking when going down a long hill.

In my extensive travels out to the western states of NM, AZ, NV and CA, I encounter many long downhill grades of 6% on interstates I-40, I-15, I-10 and I-17 that can result in major over-speeding requiring aggressive braking. Shifting out of overdrive significantly reduces the need for aggressive braking. I have done this countless times and if it has damaged my transmission, I have not noticed any problems.

I will now check my Ford manual to see what is says however.

mockturtle · Post by **mockturtle** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:38 pm

whemme wrote:Well I hope my Ford E450 manual does not say to not shift the transmission out of overdrive to enhance engine braking when going down a long hill.

In my extensive travels out to the western states of NM, AZ, NV and CA, I encounter many long downhill grades of 6% on interstates I-40, I-15, I-10 and I-17 that can result in major over-speeding requiring aggressive braking. Shifting out of overdrive significantly reduces the need for aggressive braking. I have done this countless times and if it has damaged my transmission, I have not noticed any problems.

I will now check my Ford manual to see what is says however.

I do the same thing, Bill, and I do a lot of mountain driving.

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fuel mileage

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