I have a 89 Ford E350 van with a 7.3 and a E4OD trannie. This van gets 17.5 MPG on the freeway, running 75 MPH or a little better. One day last week I took it to northern Illinois, almost to Chicago, and back home. I kept the speed at 60 MPH or slightly under both ways, to see if the milage would improve some. I stuffed the tanks when I fueled the next morning to make sure I had as much or more fuel in them than when I left. 19 MPH! This ton van has 228K on it. No engine work that I know of, just regular maintance.


I also own an 89 GMC G20 with a 6.2, 130K. I just bought this van. My thinking was the GMC would get better milage than the Ford. Now I am having second thoughts about keeping the GMC and selling the Ford. My old Chevy G20 with a 6.2 and a manual 4 sp overdrive got 23.5 MPG with 226K on the clock. This 89 has an automatic but I have only gotten just 16 MPG so far, in 250 miles. Supposed to have an over hauled engine and a fresh trannie in the last few thousand miles. Disappointing, to say the least. Mike

Mike,


That motor might take a while to loosen up, diesels generally take longer to break in, up to 10,000 miles. On the other hand, do you know who rebuilt it ? Good reputation for rebuilds ? I'm no diesel mechanic by any means I got my ASE cert in 1988 and never really used it, went back to work for GM Batltimore. Just see what happens when she gets a few more miles on the clock. Some people *claim* to be a diesel mechanic and shouldn't be allowed to work on weedeaters.


ROB

Rob, trying to get the GMC van right before I sell the Ford. Not having much luck getting the info on the engine overhaul and trannie. The vaccum pump was weak. I think the fuel transfer pump is too. Some fuel return jumpers leak. The air filter was dirty. The oil cooler jumpers leak. I am thinking it's not had an overhaul, or they were too cheap to install any new parts that they didn't absolutely have to. Mike