Shoulda Bought An EcoDiesel!!!

[Tredsdert]

So I've always had good mileage with my EcoDiesel, averaging 24 MPG lately. The most I've ever achieved was 26 MPG on a trip from Dallas to San Antonio and back.

So lately I've been messing around with the goal of trying to achieve the highest MPG I can on my EcoDiesel. On past full tanks of fuel I've been running 65 miles per hour max, with little to no idling. I was still getting 26 MPG.

One day a week ago I was just lazily driving home at 55 with cruise control on on the highway. I just filled up my tank and I noticed my Trip A timer was saying 30 MPG.

I had screwed up that tank, so I ended up filling back up to a full tank super early and for the last 4 days I've been running with a max speed of 55 mph, and I've noticed that cruise control increases my speed super efficiently without that heavy pull you get when you press the gas pedal slightly with the EcoDiesel. So I've been running pretty much anything over 20 mph on cruise control. I have a 20 mi drive to work everyday, I'll be in the slow lane going 55 with traffic passing me like crazy on our 70 mph Highway 75. I do the same thing in the afternoon with the whole lot more traffic on the highway, 55 mph on cruise control in the slow lane.

I'm still pretty early on, only about a hundred miles in, but if I keep this up, even if I get 30 mpg, I'm looking at about 500 plus miles on one tank of fuel.

This was taken in the neighborhood I live in. No suspension upgrades, OEM MT tires which come on the Willys Sport, aftermarket Icon Rebound Pro rims, next to no weight in the rear (gutted my interior) of the vehicle, an extra 250 lb (steel bumper and winch) in the front of the vehicle. I've been running it with 35 PSI cold, goes up to about 38/39 psi warm.

I'll keep you updated as I cruise through the rest of this tank of diesel. Though I'm hoping to achieve at least 30 MPG, ideally higher.

EDIT:
FINAL TALLY: 33.45MPG

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[TheNewGuy]

Up here in the Northeast, diesel is $1.00-$1.30 more per gallon than regular so any increased mpg benefit goes right out the window.

 

[LCW]

***Edited with prices here in MN on 4/11/23: $3.49 for 87 regular (E10) and $4.09 for diesel.***

I did 27,000 miles in my first year (at 14 months now w/ 31K) - averaging 18 mpg. I kinda wish I would have gone diesel but even at this much yearly mileage it doesn’t pay for itself (meaning the premium up front for the diesel engine). Add on more expensive oil changes. And more weight (for wheeling).

*EDITED: Using $3.49/gal for gas. 27k / 18 = 1500 gal/yr. At $3.49 that’s $5235.

*EDITED: Using $4.09 for diesel. 27k/26mpg = 1038 gal/yr. At $4.09 that’s $4245.

Point is - get a diesel because you want a diesel. It’s not a cost play.

*EDIT: so with some update fuel cost numbers - those will always change, but as of 4/11/23 here in MN, I would have saved $1,000 a year. Not counting extra for DEF or oil changes, that's still a 4 year payoff for the $4K diesel 3.0 engine option.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Time is money, buy gas and haul ass. At least you're not like the prius hyper-milers blocking the car pool lane at 20+mph too slow for the freeway.

 

[MikeEIB]

Up here in the Northeast, diesel is $1.00-$1.30 more per gallon than regular so any increased mpg benefit goes right out the window.

Here in Ohio the gap has really closed recently and is down to only about 30 cents. I’d choose the Ecodiesel even if diesel was twice as expensive.

 

[Ratbert]

So I've always had good mileage with my EcoDiesel, averaging 24 MPG lately. The most I've ever achieved was 26 MPG on a trip from Dallas to San Antonio and back.

So lately I've been messing around with the goal of trying to achieve the highest MPG I can on my EcoDiesel. On past full tanks of fuel I've been running 65 miles per hour max, with little to no idling. I was still getting 26 MPG.

One day a week ago I was just lazily driving home at 55 with cruise control on on the highway. I just filled up my tank and I noticed my Trip A timer was saying 30 MPG.

I had screwed up that tank, so I ended up filling back up to a full tank super early and for the last 4 days I've been running with a max speed of 55 mph, and I've noticed that cruise control increases my speed super efficiently without that heavy pull you get when you press the gas pedal slightly with the EcoDiesel. So I've been running pretty much anything over 20 mph on cruise control. I have a 20 mi drive to work everyday, I'll be in the slow lane going 55 with traffic passing me like crazy on our 70 mph Highway 75. I do the same thing in the afternoon with the whole lot more traffic on the highway, 55 mph on cruise control in the slow lane.

I'm still pretty early on, only about a hundred miles in, but if I keep this up, even if I get 30 mpg, I'm looking at about 500 plus miles on one tank of fuel.

This was taken in the neighborhood I live in. No suspension upgrades, OEM MT tires which come on the Willys Sport, aftermarket Icon Rebound Pro rims, next to no weight in the rear (gutted my interior) of the vehicle, an extra 250 lb (steel bumper and winch) in the front of the vehicle. I've been running it with 35 PSI cold, goes up to about 38/39 psi warm.

I'll keep you updated as I cruise through the rest of this tank of diesel. Though I'm hoping to achieve at least 30 MPG, ideally higher.

I'd definitely be thinking "WTF?" if I vehicles in the right lane were having to try to avoid you.

Texas Transportation Code (Sec. 545.363):

An operator may not drive so slowly as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.​

 

[JL Diesel]

Here in Ohio the gap has really closed recently and is down to only about 30 cents. I’d choose the Ecodiesel even if diesel was twice as expensive.

For the last year diesel was move expensive then premium. Now everything has switched to renewable #2 in San Diego. Skepticism about the new fuel aside the price is no longer attached to petroleum prices so it’s now $0.20 under regular

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

One day a week ago I was just lazily driving home at 55 with cruise control on on the highway. I just filled up my tank and I noticed my Trip A timer was saying 30 MPG.

I have a 20 mi drive to work everyday, I'll be in the slow lane going 55 with traffic passing me like crazy on our 70 mph Highway 75. I do the same thing in the afternoon with the whole lot more traffic on the highway, 55 mph on cruise control in the slow lane.

I like you, but I want people who do this on the highway arrested and/or removed from society. Straight to the retirement community with you sir!

 

[calemasters]

I did a test with my diesel:

• 1//2 tank of fuel
• A/C off
• 50 degree F ambient tempature
• 8th gear
• Curise set to 60 mph
• All windows closed
• Hard top roof on
• Tires @ 37 psi
• 1 person (me, which was a requirment)
• Level paved road

I was able to achive 29 mph. But who drives like that?

 

[Astro Jeep]

This picture was from last August while I was still stock for the most part. 31 mpg over 2721.5 miles. Since then I have lifted it with with a Clayton 3.5" lift. I now run 37" tires with split rim double beadlocks, along with a 4.56 re-gear. Even after that I am still averaging 20-21 mpg on the highway with a very heavy overlanding setup. I love the diesel!

 

[Astro Jeep]

I'd definitely be thinking "WTF?" if I vehicles in the right lane were having to try to avoid you.

Texas Transportation Code (Sec. 545.363):

An operator may not drive so slowly as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.​

It's a Jeep, so yeah, reduced speed is necessary for safe operation; at least it is in my heavy Jeep. If someone finds that they have to "avoid" someone going 55mph in the right lane of a 75mph zone I suggest they get off of their phone, and start paying more attention to what's ahead of them so they don't have to "avoid" anything.

 

[Rodeoflyer]

As evidenced by the current price of gas and NO ONE staying home, people don't care about mileage anymore. Facebook and Instagram pics yes.. living your 'best life' while young, yes but mileage? meh..

 

[Ratbert]

It's a Jeep, so yeah, reduced speed is necessary for safe operation; at least it is in my heavy Jeep. If someone finds that they have to "avoid" someone going 55mph in the right lane of a 75mph zone I suggest they get off of their phone, and start paying more attention to what's ahead of them so they don't have to "avoid" anything.

By definition: if I'm doing the speed limit in the right lane and I come up to someone doing 20mph below the speed limit then I have to do something to avoid them, right? The alternative is to slow down and follow their lead, which is, of course, doing something to avoid them.

 

[rickinAZ]

When I bought my diesel in Fall 2020 the price was $1.69/gallon when regular was more than $2.00.

 

[Tredsdert]

Up here in the Northeast, diesel is $1.00-$1.30 more per gallon than regular so any increased mpg benefit goes right out the window.

Geez Louise, that's crazy high. Definitely a large benefit to living in Texas is that currently diesel in my area is running about $3.49 last time I filled up. Premium was running $3.87.

I did 27,000 miles in my first year (at 14 months now w/ 31K) - averaging 18 mpg. I kinda wish I would have gone diesel but even at this much yearly mileage it doesn’t pay for itself (meaning the premium up front for the diesel engine). Add on more expensive oil changes. And more weight (for wheeling).

Assume $3/gal for simplicity for gas. 27k / 18 = 1500 gal/yr. At $3 that’s $4500.

Assuming $4.50 for diesel for simplicity, 27k/26mpg = 1038 gal/yr. At $4.50 that’s $4671.

Point is - get a diesel because you want a diesel. It’s not a cost play.

So probably just because I have an EcoDiesel, and because I am always trying to find ways to cut costs and keep quality in everything I do. There is a completely safe way to get oil filters for $8 each. Also I bought a fuel filter the other day for $18 on Amazon. The OEM runs you like 50 bucks, absolutely crazy. However I've come to the decision that I won't be skimping on oil cost. But even then I can get the Pennzoil that meets recommended specs for this engine for like 30 bucks for 5 gallon. So each oil change will only cost me about 80 bucks if I include shipping to my house. Which is only about $20 more expensive than it cost me to replace the oil on my wife's Subaru Forester.
Also because of the cost of diesel being so much lower in Texas, I did the math on a different thread. I actually end up about an extra $11,000 saved over a 3.6L over a 300,000 mi ownership period if it was just basic maintenance costs and fuel. Obviously not applicable for most of the rest of the country.

I'd definitely be thinking "WTF?" if I vehicles in the right lane were having to try to avoid you.

Texas Transportation Code (Sec. 545.363):

An operator may not drive so slowly as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.​

Yeah I thought about that too, though I will say I'm only doing it for this one tank. But if this one tank last me close to 500 mi, it's going to take me at least 2 to 3 weeks to go through the tank. Which is actually a lot better than I normally do which is fill up once a week. So I'm technically not impeding traffic. Four lanes of traffic, I actually hang out in the second to furthest right lane. That way anybody trying to enter or exit the highway isn't impeded by my speed or placement. And anyone who's trying to go faster has two lanes to my left. Once I get up to about 10 miles from my house the highway goes down to three lanes, but traffic is almost non-existent.

I looked it up a while back, in Texas there's no posted minimum speed. Good number years ago there was a posted minimum on a state highway down near Houston I believe it was, posted minimum was 45. I had a cop past me earlier on my way to an Overland meet this morning and didn't seem to give a hoot that I was going 15 under. Also it's only 15 under. Most days I'm going 60 to 65, with the occasional 95 in there.

The posted speed limit on pretty much all the highways around me is 70 mph. Mind you that's the limit. You're not supposed to be going 70. You're supposed to be going somewhere beneath 70. Not that anybody ever does.

Honestly I feel like the reason most highways don't have minimum speed limits posted, is because if they did people wouldn't speed and cops wouldn't get to give as many tickets. Everything is about money nowadays it seems.

I like you, but I want people who do this on the highway arrested and/or removed from society. Straight to the retirement community with you sir!

Lmfao, I keep looking over my shoulder thinking I'm going to get shot in the face by one of the people passing me.

It is actually very tedious to go this slow all the time. Definitely looking forward to once this experiment is finished. Getting great mileage is fun, but I like to be able to speed when I want to. The throttle on the EcoDiesel is half the fun of it.

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