MPG's with 87 economy Tune ?'s

Mattyp · #1 Thu, May 7th, 2009, 03:40 PM

I am curious what everyone is getting with the 87 economy tune...

So - after that, I have a couple questions...

#1: I am getting right around 15 mpg - according to the computer. But when I do the math - it is at least 1 mpg off (sometimes 2) at around and often below 14 mpg.

#2: Maybe it was a pipe dream, but I thought that with this programmer, it would jump to at least 16.5-17.

I have an '06 F-150 (5.4 Triton), and a lot of my miles are highway (which makes me think that the mpg's should be higher). Also, I have a drop in K&N filter, and the Magnaflow SIDO exhaust...

Any thoughts... ideas... comments... would be appreciated (maybe I did something wrong - but I'm pretty sure I didn't

)

Thanks everyone!!!

SubiGT · #2 Thu, May 7th, 2009, 04:13 PM

I recently got 17.5avg (over 3 consecutive fill ups) on the canned 93Perf tune. It was over a mix of driving conditions. That is by doing the math (mid 390 miles/22 or so gallons), the controller is very vague, and too quick to change AVG numbers when idling or such. I have 2008 5.4L 4x4 Scab 5.5', stock tires/wheels, and 3.73 gears. I'm pretty happy with that, the 94octane I use varies from $2.25-$2.55/gal.

***88Racing*** · #3 Thu, May 7th, 2009, 04:34 PM

Just from experience use pencil, calculator, and log book. Gryphon guage pid avg shows higher and my oem dash gauge shows lower. About 16.5-17.5 mpg on 93 canned perf tune. Specs in my sig below.

BTW you running canned tunes or customs?
If you are running canned level 2 is the best for you with the cai until customs arrive. Do not run it at WOT or aggresively. Take the cai off put oem set up back on and run level 3 canned 93 perf if you want to go "hot rod mode".

Also anything over 70 mph kills the mpg in these trucks.

***Jackpine*** · #4 Thu, May 7th, 2009, 05:35 PM

I see the same relationship between the Gryphon's AECON, my dashboard's info center readout and a manual calculation as you do Lars. AECON is always high and my dash is generally a bit lower than the REAL value. On pure highway driving now, I get about 15.5 mpg. This is a pretty big improvement over stock, which was 1-2 mpg lower.

Mattyp, is your tire size correct? If it is too low, it will record miles driven on your odometer lower also.

- Jack

lawrenr2001 · #5 Fri, May 8th, 2009, 09:55 AM

Okay, thought I would respond to this one. I bought my gryphon a couple of months back (Feb) and I took a trip to San Antonio, TX from here (Irving, TX). I had my programmer set to #2 (tow, but wasn't towing anything). My truck is a 07 F150 XLT 4X4 SCREW, 5.4L, K&N CAI, Flowmaster 44s SIDO catback, 6" lift, 35X12.50X20 tires, ......on the trip down (into the wind) I averaged (gryphon readout) 15.5 mpg....and on the way home (with the wind) 17....!!!!!... call me crazy or throw up a BS flag I don't care....BUT, that is what I recorded from my programmer. I drive 11 miles to work, all in town with stop lights galore and my programmer records 14-14.5 consistently...now if I put my foot into it ....it goes down some (12-13). I just got my custom tuneups this week and I have been in bed sick with the flu (NOT swine), so I am going to see when I get out this weekend what the new tunes (87power) will do. Most likely from the feeling I got when I test drove after loading my new tunes (got out of my sick bed to install and drive, I was too excited after the wait for them) I am going to probably be hotrodding around and my MPG are gonna suck. But, my wife is itching to take a trip to SA to visit her family soon , so we'll see then.

lawrenr2001 · #6 Fri, May 8th, 2009, 10:00 AM

Forgot one stat....I was driving (with cruise controll) 65-70 MPH

Mattyp · #7 Fri, May 8th, 2009, 12:59 PM

So - what I am getting, is that either my programmer didn't upload the custom 87 tune that I got (I think I forgot to mention that before), or that the custom tune isn't working... It seems like you all are getting close to 17 mpg's...

I gave Bill all of the pertinent information - K&N, exhaust and tire size (I pretty much went to 33's) - but I am not seeing any "return on investment"... I was pretty much getting these mpg's before I bought the programmer...

Any thoughts on if there is something that I should change??

Thanks,

***Jackpine*** · #8 Fri, May 8th, 2009, 01:46 PM

Well, you can certainly check to see if the custom tune was uploaded. Look at the display screen and in the upper right corner if you see 1, 2, or 3 there, you have a tune loaded. If you see zero "0", you're at stock.

You can also tell if your tunes are indeed the custom tunes: Go to the main menu on the programmer, select [Diagnostics] -> [Tech Support] -> [Version Info]. In the calibration version, it should read "0.0.xxxx" where the x's are [usually] the same as your serial number. If so, then you have the custom tuned files. If the calibration does not start with "0.0." then the unit has canned tunes, not custom ones.

If you are using custom tunes and you gave Bill the information on tire size, then it becomes a part of your tune and your speed will be correct, as long as you DID NOT open the Custom Options Menu! If you opened that menu, and even if you did not change anything, your Tire Size and possibly Gear Ratio are likely BOTH wrong! You will have to retune and fix them.

Beyond these points, I have no further suggestions. With the bigger tires, do you also have a lift? Both mods will tend to hurt your mileage and you probably cannot get it all back.

- Jack

soutthpaw · #9 Fri, May 8th, 2009, 03:24 PM

I would Loose the K&N.. they suck!! They don't filter squat and let too much crap into the engine.. 2nd problem with any oiled filter is that the oil will bleed off and stick to the intake and the MAF sensor wire... then it gets false readings and causes bad MPG and performance.. You can by a can of Intake MAF sensor cleaner at any auto parts store... I would start with cleaning the intake and changing to a different or even the stock filter and see what happens with your MPG