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fuel mileage

Yahoo Message Number: 85955
I purchased my 36ft 1999 Allure a year ago, it only had 20000 mi on it and I was getting about 7mpg, thought it might improve as we put miles on it. Now at 32000 still at 7-7.5. Is this thee millage to expect, was hoping for around 10 as I got with my last diesel. Any ways to improve the millage? thanks for any and all advice, Larry, allure99

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85957
We have a 98 Intrigue, 36', 325 HP Cummins, mechanical injectors. We check the mileage at the end of the year or the end of a long trip, get just around 8mpg, includes running the generator. Hard to get accurate mileage fillup to fillup, but notice that speed, terrain and wind tend to make a significant difference in the mpg. We usually drive 60 to 65 mph, I do notice a difference if we drive faster.

Judy n Joe

98 Intrigue 10578

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85961
Larry

Could be your radiator fan running on highest speed all the time? Mine has a tendency to do that and I've been told that the fan can eat up30-40 HP. Many have changed the unreliable controller only to find that the newer one eventually becomes defective too. At $5-600 dollars a pop, it gets expensive and i figure I can buy a lot of diesel with that. I'm getting 7.5 with my ISL 370, 36' Allure and engine temp runs about 178-185.

Larry, 03 ALLURE 30856

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85963
You failed to mention "what was your last diesel?" How much did it weigh loaded vs what your new Alure does? What is the HP to Weight ratio of the prior unit vs your Allure? These are all factors you need to look at to make a decision of "what is different" or "what maybe wrong" along with asking as you have for others to tell you what they get with the same unit.
We have a 40' CC Prevost weighing in around 47,000 pulling a Jeep Wrangler and we can get 7-7.5mpg depending on how fast I drive. Push it up to the 75mph all the time and it drops down to 6-7mpg. Take it a little easy on long trips at 60-65mph and the milage increase is very noticeable. If you're in a big rush all the time it will cost $$$$$. Our Detroit series 60 is rated at 425 hp.

bill 'n barb, poconos of pa, 1998 cc prevost 40' xl

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85964
That sounds about right, we picked up some milage when we change are tow behind to a 3000 pound Saturn wagon in 2000. With the coach loaded to the max 8.3 was about it. If we just went for a week trip or stayed in the southwest out of the hills we could average about 9.3. Driving 70 brought us down into the middle 7.7 range. After we went to 270 R 80 tires and had Cummins rebuild our injection pump in 2001 we picked up over a mpg. Then we averaged 8.7 to 9.0 most of the time. The larger tires lowering the rpm made quite a difference. TWI 98 Allure 30255, now 2004 Intrigue 11731

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85965
Larry I don't think any CC will get 10mpg. They are just too heavy. Most if not all owners seem to get the highest mpg around 60 mph. My 2000 Allure with 330 Cummins averages 7.5 to 8.5 running around 60 and I do have the rear mudflap removed. Depends of course on wind and topography and steady speed.

Dave

aka Billy Byte (trusty hound)
2000 Allure #30443

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85977
I changed my controller. There was, for me, another reason for doing so. With the fan on high all the time, I was kicking up TONS of dust and clogging my air filter in short order. Mileage improved, and I gained my horsepower back.

Al Colby

2000 Intrigue 10979

Larry

Could be your radiator fan running on highest speed all the time? Mine has a tendency to do that and I've been told that the fan can eat up30-40 HP. Many have changed the unreliable controller only to find that the newer one eventually becomes defective too. At $5-600 dollars a pop, it gets expensive and i figure I can buy a lot of diesel with that. I'm getting 7.5 with my ISL 370, 36' Allure and engine temp runs about 178-185.

Larry, 03 ALLURE 30856

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85983
Al

I installed aluminum shield under the fan which eliminated Most of the dust storm. Where did you get the contrller?

Larry, 03 Allure, 30856

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85985
I would like to respond to Dave who said " I don't think any CC will get 10mpg."
I have had my Coach for more than 5 years and have put over 54,000 miles on it myself. Current odometer reading is almost 123,000 miles. So you can see I have a long history with #30179 Allure 1998.

Here are my most recent calculations:

Kelso, WA to Lodi, CA 658miles 60.01gals ------ 10.96mpg Lodi, CA to Yuma, AZ via SanDiego 661miles 67.32gals -- 9.81mpg Yuma, AZ to ElPaso, TX via PHX 652miles 60gals ---- 10.86mpg ElPaso, TX to Boerne, TX 506miles 44gals --- 11.5mpg Boerne, TX to Gautier, MS 667miles 63.61gals --- 10.49mpg Gautier, MS to Gibsonton, FL 563miles 51.2gals --- 10.99mpg

I calculate the old fashioned way, I do not have a silverleaf.
I have slightly oversized tires but my odometer is dead-on when i check it against a GPS and mileages using google maps. I can put the exact route I took on the google maps including every turn and the mileages are plus or minus 1 or 2 miles every time for a 500 to 700 mile trip.

How do I do it you ask?

Driving habits:

*I am very easy on the throttle

*I set the cruise control to 55mph or 1,500RPM --I will go 60 or even 65 if I have to if traffic conditions force me to. For instance, I do not like holding up commercial traffic on a 2 lane road, they have a job to do and I respect that.
*I slow down (less than 1/2 throttle) for the long grades. Sure I could shoot up that hill, but as long as fuel is above $3.00/gal I take my time. The engine runs cooler, exhaust manifold does not get as hot, head won't warp, transmission has more time to cool, engine is happy.

Coach Modifications:

*As others in this forum have suggested - I removed the big mud flap. I believe it lowers wind resistance, reduces weight, and the engine runs cooler -- big hyd fan does not come on as often *I drive with the engine hatch open if it is warmer than 60degrees outside --- again engine runs cooler
The biggest thing you can do to get better mileage is to slow down. Most people do not have the personality for it so they don't. But if you do slow down, not only will you get better mileage, your equipment will last longer and it gives you more response time if you do have a blowout or other emergency.
Some of you might say, look he only has a 32' Coach. Well the weight difference between a 32' and a 36' is not much. By the way I always start out with a full water tank. I travel in some remote areas and do not want to NOT have water. (The survivalist in me). I also am full time so I have a lot of stuff with me including a tow car.
OK --- Now does anyone want to give me an award for the best mileage, ha, ha.
I have a friend who is a trucker. He is independent and owns the truck himself. When you actually own the equipment yourself and your are trying to make a living at it, there is an incentive to economize. He told me that he gets the best mileage at 53mph so that is what he tries to maintain. He also gets 9 miles per gallon with a 40,000 lb. load. When you drive the mileages he does year round you can save a ton of money because his mileage would probably drop to 6mpg if he drove like most truckers.

All the best to everyone on this great forum:

Tim

1998 Allure 32'
#30179

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85986
I got mine from BERENDSEN FLD PWR-. Just under $600.

Al Colby

2000 Intrigue 10979

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85989
Larry

I am particularly interested in your comment about aluminum shield eliminating the dust storm. We've asked other CC owners, repair shop, etc. about the embarrassing dust storm we create. No one can tell us why. Repair shop said they just come that way. Any details on the shield that eliminated that would be SO appreciated.

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85990
At 88,000 miles the Silverleaf indicates 9.9MPG avg. since new. Confirmed by figuring MPG at each fill-up. At 61 MPH, with minimal stopping and starting and on mostly flat terrain with no winds to account for, it'll pull 11+MPG.

Dave Trotter

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85992
At 88,000 miles the Silverleaf indicates 9.9MPG avg. since new. Confirmed by figuring MPG at each fill-up. At 61 MPH, with minimal stopping and starting and on mostly flat terrain with no winds to account for, it'll pull 11+MPG.

Dave Trotter

01 Intrigue 350 ISC

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86000
Rmdm73

I got the shield from CC. It runs the length of the radiator and maybe a foot or so wide. The width extends to shield the fan blades from the ground. This panel can easily be fabricated and painted. This may sound dumb, but make sure you don't drill into the radiator when determining screw positions. Mine's attached with about 8-10 stainless steel screws and lockwashers.

Larry, 03 Allure, 30856

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86079
Tim,

Good post.

The best I have ever been able to get is 9.0 MPG. I have a 98 Allure 40' single slide, with 70,000 miles on the odometer. We tow a Chev Malibu Maxx . My coach weight is about 28,000 lbs wet, which is probably a somewhat heavier than your 32'.
Nonetheless, I will try some of your methods on my next trip from S. CA to Seattle this Summer and report later.
Thanks for your input.

Daron Hairabedian, 98 Allure, 30226

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86084
Daron,

I look forward to hearing your results and if you are able to stick to slower speeds. Happy travels,

Tim

Re: fuel mileage

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86095
I have to boast, just a little. 295 miles from Fallon, NV to just north of the intersection with NV 160. Average speed about 55. Filled with 30 gal of diesel. I figure we used a few gallons with the aqua hot while parked for 3 nights in Fallon, so with a good tail wind 10 miles to the gallon.

S. Brandt, '06 Intrigue, 11964