First 650 miles going over two passes in Utah I averaged 9.5mpg. Wasn't pulling anything. Does that seem about right?
Yes. Full tire pressure? Adds 1/2 or a bit more mpg to overinflate the tires.
If you change the hydraulic engine radiator fan controller to a 199 degree full fan speed unit from source engineering in Oregon versus the 185 Unit in there now you will probably add 50hp and 1mpg
Engine runs same temps either way. Foretravel turned the cooling system on full high after the engine warms up regardless of load and temps
If you search the forum you will find tons of previous discussion of fuel economy/mpg ;)
$700? without the kit. Straight bolt in. 12,000 mile test so far. All the other brands came with this one. Idle is 185 ramp up to 199. Thermostat does not fully open till 195 on my m11
Reading the info on their website shows that a nipple has to be welded on the water line. Is there another one that is plug and play as you say?
Do you not already have a dynamatic fan controller on the radiator metal pipe in the engine compartment? This is simply a replacement for the exact same physically sized unit.
Nothing on my water line.
Ahh. Endless differences. Is your fan controller an Electic low/high sauer/danfoss? I think that was the brand. If so you may need source engineerings kit. Maybe yours is not full on like our dynamatics? Maybe talk to source? The electric ones failed on high. Used to demo original 300 cats and point to the electric controller and mentioned if it failed that the fan went on high.
Interesting
At weight 28,540 lbs, our travel weight and towing a Subaru, we average 8.5 mpg. Without tow we see the 9.5 mpg with our 96 U295. I'd say you are spot on. We travel at 1800 rpm (engine purrs) which is about 63 mph. Works for us over the past 30k miles.
When I get 6 MPG , I smile . That's is as good as it gets unless I have a big time tail wind . Anything in between is part of the game and I just don't give a shit about it or worry with it . The choices are run it or park it . The effort on my part is seeking pleasure , and that is the reason I do it in the first place . Yes it does cost $$$$ no question about it , but like has been posted many times , " haven't seen a Brinks truck follow a hearse to the grave yard yet . " I know , it's a personal choice thing and there comes a time when these choices come about . This is mine , I paid my dues . Now the big thing is to enjoy my good health as long as it lasts . But ----there will come a time to hang up the keys . Hmm ::) ::) ::) Brad Metzger
Yes, 63-65mph seems to be the sweet spot for this MH.
Thanks, just wanted to make sure that's about normal. Not complaining
Also, remember that topography has a lot to do with mileage. Lots of hills and turns mean using lots of fuel. Highway 1 from San Simeon to Monterey is nothing but turns and we are lucky to get 5 mpg. 58-63 with no toad, placard pressure in the tires and no headwind on a mixed highway will get just over 10 mpg. 75 mph drops the mileage over 1 mpg.
Sorry Brad but when I have to have the GPS in Braille, I will still drive it. Back off the throttle to have the Jake echo locate the cars next to you.
Pierce
Same with our GV - 65 mph is definitely the sweet spot. Easy, relaxed cruise, almost inaudible engine (even with Magnaflow resonator), and 7-8 mpg towing 4000 lb. Plus, leaves about 15-20 mph reserve on the top end for passing slower trucks. :thumbsup:
Do what we do. Slow down. Enjoy the journey. The panoramic view from the big front window and sitting up high lets you really see the country.
My mileage is variable depending on speed, terrain, headwinds, weight, and towing. I have seen as low as 6 mpg (going up in elevation with major headwind) and as high as 11 mpg (going down in elevation and having major tailwind). I would say on average with full water and a vehicle weight of 30,750 lbs and with towing a Jeep Cherokee (4650 lbs) while doing 62 MPH that my overall average is 7.5 to 8 mpg.
We bought our coach in California almost 10 years ago. We drove 2400 miles to home with no toad and not much in it. Our 2001 U320 36' ISM11 got 9.6 mpg. Well now that it is full and we tow a Jeep Cherokee, over the last 70K miles it has averaged Just under 8 mpg. We do some long driving days but we tend to stay where we get longer now. For the 5-7 months a year we are traveling we averaging less than 40 miles a day.
The VMSpc shows lifetime mileage on my 40' with the ISM as 7.5 mpg. It always towed and is now towing 2014 Grand Cherokee.
The parasitic power losses I reduced raised the mpg "sweet spot" from 65 to 70 or a bit more.
Resonator, low rolling resistance tires, enough solar to turn off the alternator during the drive, hydraulic fan drive controller, blue tech air filter and synthetic oil wheel bearings, adjust valves and injectors and replace cam position sensor and ambient air pressure sensor with updated parts.
Fan and resonator made it much more enjoyable to drive without regular downshifting. Tires were noticeable also
Tow 4K solara convertible
If I could stand it driving on flat ground at low 60's mph with low wind the coach could get close to 10mpg.
Never going to happen although. 8.2 towing and driving it hard as needed
Photos of Pro-Link 9000 fuel mileage when we bought the tool. Mileage has improved 0.1 mpg to exacty 8.0 at about 110,000 miles and we live in the Sierras.
Pierce
Mine gets 8 MPG since I've owned it 2006. Fuel ⛽️ Is just a cost of doing business.
Averaging 8. Travel mostly West and lots of up and down.
I get about 7.5 - 8mpg. To me it's simply an mpg game I play with the VMSpc while driving to try and maximize the MPG and keeping myself engaged (not bored) with the driving. But I'm finding that other than just removing the heavy rock from the throttle pedal. Most of the MPG results are beyond my control due to wind and topography issues.
The best thing one can do to lower your fuel expenses is get the EFS fuel card and just pay less for fuel.
Lifetime 8.1 on our VMSpc. But I don't know the towing history.
SPEED is the #1 killer for MPG. Aerodynamic drag is the issue.
***Understanding Coach /RV Performance*** (http://forum.dieselrvclub.org/index.php/topic,6594.msg15141.html#msg15141)
Click on and read the Understanding Coach Performance document at the bottom of the post. Page 4 gives the physics.
Sweet spot on an ism is 1500 rpm. I noticed that I lost less than the .1 mpg per mph above 55 from 1350 to 1500. After that I lost more. Was almost better mpg to run 5th at 1500 versus 6th at 1350 or so. Subtle maybe but seemed to be true.
Bob, probably better to run 6th on the flat with a tailwind and 5th if into a wind and gradually climbing over 50 miles or so. Lower EGTs turning more revs.
I've had to drop 2 inches on a prop as I could not keep the cylinder head temps below 400 degrees. From a high cylinder of about 460º down to 380º at the same speed.
Pierce
Boring
That's a good read Wolfe. Thanks. I'll stay at 65 and 100 psi for overall in the middle performance
Your sweet spot may be 70. Mine is. Cm Fore liked the go faster. Try it. Maybe the same. Maybe not.
My sweet spot is 62. I do so much driving in California while towing, with a (soft) 55 limit, and my toad has a 65 limit four down. I'm comfortable at 62.
My coach lifetime mpg was 8.5 when I bought it in 2008. Now it's just under 8. I've seen as low as 7 and as high as 10. It is what it is.
Exactly. I don't worry about it. If you want to, don't drive a class A. Get a Sprinter van.
In the meantime, drive slower, drive less miles, and enjoy your life.
Yes. No hurry here or I would fly!
Sprinters are excellent vehicles and are great for certain applications. But Sprinter campers START at about $80K and for someone in the market for an RV in the $4K to $20K market where quite a few older Foretravels are, the Sprinter is totally out of the budget. So, an average Foretravel will get 8 mpg over it's life compared to 16 mpg for a Sprinter. If you drive 10K/yr you are going to use 1250 gallons and at $3/gal, that's $3750/yr for the Foretravel fuel compared to $1875 for Sprinter diesel. That's the big reason we have and love our U300 and not making payments on a Sprinter.
Sure, we would like to spend less on diesel (and now it's cheaper) but it's a pretty nice way to camp for what we have to spend.
Pierce
My 1993 U225 with a 5.9 Cummins averages 9.2 pulling a Samurai. I cruise at about 2000 rpm.
No arguments from me there Pierce. But you can get a sprinter van conversion for a lot less than 80k and you can get a used sprinter van or a Dodge sprinter and do the conversion yourself for a lot less as well. Either way you're not going to have the room, the volume, the storage capacity, the towing capacity or the overall quality that you have with a foretravel.
But as I said for people that are concerned about mileage a sprinter van will get you twice the amount of mileage. Which isn't really all that good when you consider the fact that a Foretravel weighs a whole lot more and has so much more volume.
I mostly dry camp so I need large holding tanks and short rv's just don't have them. My 99 Bounder was wonderful but the ride was awful and it couldn't pull over 4000 and had a bad feeling going downhill with only hydraulic disc brakes. That said, it was very reliable and tons of storage. The Ford F-53 chassis was ok. The FT is pure luxury and fun to restore. Just another chapter in my life and for now, I'm really enjoying it. This first year is a total learning experience. Next year, Lord willing, will be more enjoyment and less feeling ignorant.
Sure enjoy this forum and the FT tech line. Couldn't due it without them
Naturally you can't expect anything like a Foretravel in a Sprinter. It's made for a different age and lifestyle. Yes, a generalization as older folks do find their way to a Sprinter and vice versa. Don't think many will tow anything but a boat but they can park downtown, explore desert roads, where no Foretravel will dare to go. They are more for the oversized VW Vanagon crowd. The Sprinter does fill the bill for those who want to bring it home and park in the driveway and then run to the store in it with the kids.
Sure you can buy a Sprinter shell fairly cheap and convert it but then, we are not talking about buying a older Foretravel shell and rebuilding it either. Plus, at the average age of forum members, how many are going to do that? Members have purchased older Foretravels for less than $5K, Find me a Sprinter camper for that, plus keeping in mind that like Foretravels and SOBs, Sprinter RVs vary hugely from one company to another in quality.
Pierce
I'm with the 10 mpg club that goes with the Foretravel, for what I've got in mine it paid for it's self 5 yrs ago. Yes you can get a bare bones sprinter relatively cheap however you'll need the 3500 if you plan on carrying much more than a mattress and a mountain bike. As to doing it yourself, when you figure the cost of all the RV equipment the tools to do the job and the labour you'll have in it I don't think you'll save anything. Unless you do conversions for a living the list of " oh darn that don't work" will be enormous. If I could get Jimmy Jr's lowrider into my drive I would be all over it for $50k !
Just my opinion
First Minot North Dakota FMCA rally we drove around the parking lot just to see what was going on.
Vividly remember a spry OLD lady dressed up with her rally badges hanging down her chest so far they had to be rubber banded together to shorten her string with a fancy cane standing in front of her bubble top van conversion. 1995.
Her fmca plaque was on the front. #16.
She had a grin from ear to ear. Made my day.
Just her. No hubby. Cool. Our turn is coming. Trust me
Sold the first country coach 40' slide out coach made to dr Mull there.
August/Sept., 2017, 2700 mile round trip from Eugene, Oregon to LA airport back up to Coos Bay, Or, over to Eugene, up to Portland airport, back to Eugene, pulling on all fiour, a 4,740 lb Lexus AWD SUV 7 passanger GX470 with 7 family members on board the FT, ran A/C a lot, averaged 8 MPG. Corrected for air conditioner use, 8.25 MPG. A sprinter would have been nice, but all would have to sleep sitting, or standing up. Traveled in style, two on captain's chairs up front, one on recliner, two on jack knife sofa, two on booth dinette. My wife's family from Brasil, wonderful adventure, all still talk about how much fun it was.
Saw a Sprinter, gas powered as toad for a Prevost at an Albany, Oregon FMCA Rally. They made a model with a standard transmission, at an FMCA around 2005, being towed by Prevost. Could not find owner, neighbor said they had gone to town with another neighbor. Never saw another. That was also how I started towing several 1998-2008 Toyota Land Cruisers, a Lexus LX470, and my current Lexus GX470.
I think the Ram Promaster with diesel can be flat towed. So you can have the best of both worlds.
There is a company that makes Sprinter driveline disconnects. They were at the 2018 FMCA rally in Gillette WY.
Thought of a simple, short version as a weekender toad, for when I would not take the U295. Then I see I'd have more in the Sprinter maybe than my coach. At that point, I open a beer and look off into the distance, till the idea fades away.
Or becomes necessary
Lot simpler to just strap a GSA onto the back of the coach Dave.
GSA?
I don't think a Government Services Administrator will appreciate that.
Chuck was suggesting I get another BMW, GSA, dual sport motorcycle again.