mannytranny
08-01-2005, 06:27 PM
Took a trip.
From Southern CA up to the Sierras (Mammoth) for 4 days, and then onto South Western Colorado.
Motorcycles in bed (~300 lbs each), a Suzuki Sidekick towed 4 down behind with mountain bikes on the rear of it on a rack.
I estimate that all the "stuff" weighed around 4000 lbs.
I was able to run the first tank on B80. It was VERY hot, and very hilly. I tried to run at 75-80 mph whenever I could, which was most of the time. The fan clutch ran double a few times. Filled up in Bishop. ~15.9 mpg. Van Aaken on 70. The hill from Bishop to Mammoth is a big one (7-8%). I took the VW TDI there a few weeks ago, and it was able to pull the hill at 75 with very little pedal left. (which was impressive anyway) The truck ran up it towing 4000 lbs at 75 with pedal to spare at about 1100F EGT. Man. I looped this hill pull out of the mileage, but oh well. I filled up in Bishop, and drove 40 miles up the hill, and added 5g of BD at the top. So it was an inefficient 40 miles.
Truck was not driven for 3 days. Load back up, and disconnect Zuki driveshaft. Then across I50 into Beaver, UT. Two fillups, each on B20 which I brought along in 5g jugs. Exactly 15.9 mpg for each of those.
Onto I70, and down through Moab, UT. Down further to LaSal Junction, and over to Colorado through the Bedrock, Paradox, Nucla area. Slightly slower driving due to winding roads, but more hills. Came though and stayed at ridgeway for the night, and then onto Ouray. Went to Junction to see family and friends one evening. Not towing anything, 90 mph all the way. I was running late because of a 50 mile dirt road detour that I created. Inaccurate mpg reading. My fault.
Filled up with B20 in Montrose on the way back. Glad she didnt take too much, as it was spensive. 2.81......ow.
Hitched/loaded back up, and drove straight from Ouray, CO to CA in 12 hours. Running straight D2 for a tank, and then B20 the rest of the way, each tank got me ~16 mpg. Saw B20 for 2.58 in Durango.........ow again.
Filled up to the filler neck at Flagstaff with D2, and switched the Van Aaken to OFF. Added 5g of B100 120 miles down the road, hoping to get home without having to fill up again. No luck, and I add 8.5g at a gas station crowded with inconsiderate Mexicans and their numerous children near Cajon pass. -:tTight gas stations and towing a car 4 down sucks. Should have filled up empty jugs in 'staff.
I get home now, and fill the truck up with biodiesel in jugs. I carefully measured it all out, and this last tank shows 15.5 mpg. I thought for sure that it would have been better than with the VA, but I guess not. It was driven the same all the way.
Good trip, wish I was there now.
Morals:
- Even at B80, the mileage was the same as B20 or even less.
- 265 tires seem to be a good balance between looks and efficiency. I towed the same load 2 years ago (less the motorcycles) and got ~16 mpg on all D2.
- The smoke that a VA will make while running on D2 was pretty ugly. I have not run anything less than B50 since I got the VA, and a wee puff of smoke was all I ever saw. So biodiesel really clears the smoke.
- The Van Aaken set on 70 horse, smoke and all, seemed to increase mileage by .5 mpg.
:cool:
From Southern CA up to the Sierras (Mammoth) for 4 days, and then onto South Western Colorado.
Motorcycles in bed (~300 lbs each), a Suzuki Sidekick towed 4 down behind with mountain bikes on the rear of it on a rack.
I estimate that all the "stuff" weighed around 4000 lbs.
I was able to run the first tank on B80. It was VERY hot, and very hilly. I tried to run at 75-80 mph whenever I could, which was most of the time. The fan clutch ran double a few times. Filled up in Bishop. ~15.9 mpg. Van Aaken on 70. The hill from Bishop to Mammoth is a big one (7-8%). I took the VW TDI there a few weeks ago, and it was able to pull the hill at 75 with very little pedal left. (which was impressive anyway) The truck ran up it towing 4000 lbs at 75 with pedal to spare at about 1100F EGT. Man. I looped this hill pull out of the mileage, but oh well. I filled up in Bishop, and drove 40 miles up the hill, and added 5g of BD at the top. So it was an inefficient 40 miles.
Truck was not driven for 3 days. Load back up, and disconnect Zuki driveshaft. Then across I50 into Beaver, UT. Two fillups, each on B20 which I brought along in 5g jugs. Exactly 15.9 mpg for each of those.
Onto I70, and down through Moab, UT. Down further to LaSal Junction, and over to Colorado through the Bedrock, Paradox, Nucla area. Slightly slower driving due to winding roads, but more hills. Came though and stayed at ridgeway for the night, and then onto Ouray. Went to Junction to see family and friends one evening. Not towing anything, 90 mph all the way. I was running late because of a 50 mile dirt road detour that I created. Inaccurate mpg reading. My fault.
Filled up with B20 in Montrose on the way back. Glad she didnt take too much, as it was spensive. 2.81......ow.
Hitched/loaded back up, and drove straight from Ouray, CO to CA in 12 hours. Running straight D2 for a tank, and then B20 the rest of the way, each tank got me ~16 mpg. Saw B20 for 2.58 in Durango.........ow again.
Filled up to the filler neck at Flagstaff with D2, and switched the Van Aaken to OFF. Added 5g of B100 120 miles down the road, hoping to get home without having to fill up again. No luck, and I add 8.5g at a gas station crowded with inconsiderate Mexicans and their numerous children near Cajon pass. -:tTight gas stations and towing a car 4 down sucks. Should have filled up empty jugs in 'staff.
I get home now, and fill the truck up with biodiesel in jugs. I carefully measured it all out, and this last tank shows 15.5 mpg. I thought for sure that it would have been better than with the VA, but I guess not. It was driven the same all the way.
Good trip, wish I was there now.
Morals:
- Even at B80, the mileage was the same as B20 or even less.
- 265 tires seem to be a good balance between looks and efficiency. I towed the same load 2 years ago (less the motorcycles) and got ~16 mpg on all D2.
- The smoke that a VA will make while running on D2 was pretty ugly. I have not run anything less than B50 since I got the VA, and a wee puff of smoke was all I ever saw. So biodiesel really clears the smoke.
- The Van Aaken set on 70 horse, smoke and all, seemed to increase mileage by .5 mpg.
:cool: