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Topic ClosedLet's talk MPGs
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misplacedtexan View Drop Down
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Joined: 28 Sep 2010
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Posts: 9 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Let's talk MPGs
    Posted: 28 Sep 2010 at 5:35pm
I tow with a 2008 sliverado with the 4.8 eng. I get 10 to 12 towing. Even with this eng. it pulls hard at times, even on level road. Can not use overdrive.
Misplacedtexan
2010 171
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2010 at 8:11am
Welcome misplacedtexan!  Those mpg's sound about right.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 231 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2010 at 10:59am
Agreed; what's amazing to me is that the mpg's all seem to be about the same, regardless of t.v. engine size (5.3L,4.8 l, 3.8L, etc.).
2011 R-177 "Sponge-Pod"
2011 F-150 XLT "Texas Edition"
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2010 at 11:00am
Ditto - misplacedtexan - welcome!  Check in often.  I also agree, your mpg numbers sound about what most average.  But, look at it this way; think of the spg (smiles per gallon) you'll get out of using your Pod.  Happy camping!
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2010 at 12:23pm
Agreed; what's amazing to me is that the mpg's all seem to be about the same, regardless of t.v. engine size (5.3L,4.8 l, 3.8L, etc.).

Don't forget, MPGs can be deceptive when they're low.  For example, if one person gets 10 MPG while towing and another gets 12 MPG, the second person gets 20% better gas mileage.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Posts: 131 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2010 at 4:37pm
Originally posted by Outbound

Agreed; what's amazing to me is that the mpg's all seem to be about the same, regardless of t.v. engine size (5.3L,4.8 l, 3.8L, etc.).

Don't forget, MPGs can be deceptive when they're low.  For example, if one person gets 10 MPG while towing and another gets 12 MPG, the second person gets 20% better gas mileage.
 
Ok, So I have a 2.4L engine  I get about 10 to 12 (twelve is flat land no wind), I have a 50% drop in gas milage when towing.  Which means I'm no better off with the smaller truck then the bigger TV other than I get 20-22 when not towing.
 
 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2010 at 5:40pm
Originally posted by Butterfly_Lee

Originally posted by Outbound

Agreed; what's amazing to me is that the mpg's all seem to be about the same, regardless of t.v. engine size (5.3L,4.8 l, 3.8L, etc.).

Don't forget, MPGs can be deceptive when they're low.  For example, if one person gets 10 MPG while towing and another gets 12 MPG, the second person gets 20% better gas mileage.
 
Ok, So I have a 2.4L engine  I get about 10 to 12 (twelve is flat land no wind), I have a 50% drop in gas milage when towing.  Which means I'm no better off with the smaller truck then the bigger TV other than I get 20-22 when not towing.
 
 
LeeClap
Lee - In a word...yes IMHO.  Last year I towed my RP173 with a 2008 GMC Cannyon 2.9L 4cyl.  I got 11mpg 99% of the time.  I typically drove at 60-65mph and the engine rpms were about 32-3300.   With the TV I have now 5.3L V8 I was getting about 11-12 mpg towing the Pod - though I admit I didn't tow it much with the new truck.  However, my engine rpms are roughly half (about 17-1800).  Though the engine was smaller in the GMC, it was "working" twice as hard - turning nearly twice the rpms.  This is why the mpg is about the same in either scenario.  The 4 cyl were "firing" twice as often.  By the way, I got about 24mpg (non-highway) when not towing with the Canyon and 28mpg highway.
 
My 5.3L gets about 20+ mpg, with a personal best of 21.7 mpg under the same circumstances as when the Canyon was getting 24.  (I'll be happy to take a picture of the dashboard computer if anyone doubts.)  Also, it has the horsepower and torque to pull the camper, uphill, with a headwind and the A/C on...no problem.  In turning half the rpms, the V8 is likely to "live" longer, too.
 
I tried the small TV scenario and didn't like it and I didn't see where I gained squat!  (Sorry, I call 'em like I see 'em).  The mpg is about the same either way - in my experience. 
 
Please understand that I am not "bragging", promoting any particular tow vehicle, or intend to be unduly harsh.  This is my "real world" experience and opinion. I hope you take it with however many grains of salt you deem well and good. 
 
 
 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2010 at 7:49pm
Let me add to my own post.
 
It takes a certain amount of energy (fuel/gas) to move a given load (weight/wind resistance, etc.) over a given distance (miles).  Since we are talking about the same load (Rpod) and the same distance (a mile is a mile) is will take roughly the same amount of energy to move it.  I would find it remarkable if there were a large variance in mpg in the different tow vehicles.
 
When comparing the small vs larger TV, I can think of this example:
 
Imagine you are out of gas and need to push your 3000lbs truck one mile down the road to the gas station.  Let's say you do it yourself and you burn 1000 calories doing so.  But, what if I were to show up, see your predicament, and help you push it one mile to the gas station.  That would be much easier! However, the same amount of energy is still required to travel the mile and the 1000 calories (same total amount of energy) is still burned (3000lbs over one mile).  The difference is you burned 500, as did I.
 
Does that help?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2010 at 5:10pm
Just for the halibut (though I don't know why people do things for a fish species, but I frequently hear people saying that they doing something for the halibut, so I guess I will too) I decided to reset the onboard computer this morning and get a reading of an average mpg of my daily commute. 
 
 
Sorry for the blurry picture.  It says I get 79F.  This seems to be about average; sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.  In the winter, this number is much lower.  The other number, 20.8, seems to be about average too.  This represents about half driving on county roads and half on a busy six lane city street with frequent stop lights.
 
A little more real world experience....new TVs are not inexpensive.  My checkbook is still howling in agony!   
 
The smaller tow vehicle will do the job (I towed my Pod to the Rocky Mts. & back with a 4 cyl) and Lee's hints/tips/stratigies would undoubtedly help.  MPG wise, do the math and come to your own conclusion.
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Oct 2010 at 9:01am
Originally posted by David

 It says I get 79F.  This seems to be about average; sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.  In the winter, this number is much lower. 
 
LOL
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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