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17’ Transit 2mpg boost

in-Transit

in-Transit

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
As always I constantly tinker, with everything ! After MATS I put my airtabs on AND performed a tune up. I used Motorcraft 534 plugs but did a little old school thought I gapped them at .024 instead of .032! The old wives tale was more power smaller gap thinking why not this 16-17 is killing me how can I make it any worse I did it . Over the last 10k my average went from 16.8 to 19.1 by hand running 93 octane . I used to be able to hypermile 20 our of it for 200 or 300 mile burst but most recently I was able to hit 24mpg at 53mph for just under 300 miles! Going into summer the A/C will be an impact but everything we can do helps!


Warning! do not use a normal gap tool on iridium plugs!
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LDB

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Airtabs are an excellent addition and do help with mileage. I doubt the high dollar fuel is doing much other than emptying your pocket faster. Or is that engine one of the ones that recommend it? Seems like more and more vehicles I research recommend premium fuel lately.
 
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in-Transit

in-Transit

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
While the ecoboost engines run just dandy on 87 they actually change timing pretty dramatically to avoid knock to accommodate it! We have several 3.5’s in our household and typically see .3-.5 mpg increase in economy as it allows it to map for base engine power instead of the reduced to avoid knock . And don’t take me wrong running 87 isn’t life changing but ANY forced induction engine benefits from higher octane fuel. Our engine actually has a sensor package specific I to measuring both octane and ethanol percentage. Feed it 2 or 3 tanks straight of higher octane fuel and you’ll notice a seat of pants difference when you hear the turbos start singing !


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Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I know Ford recommends 87 octane for EcoBoost gas generally, but right there in the owner's manual they also recommend premium fuel for "severe duty" usage. Most of expediting would be considered severe duty. Severe duty includes, of course, frequent trips under 5 miles, stop-and-go traffic, but also driving in extreme heat or cold, mountains, driving on muddy, dusty or de-iced roads, and heavy loads or towing a trailer. It also includes high mileage vehicles, but I've never seen a specific number attached to that. If I had to guess, I'd say that 40,000 miles would put the vehicle into the severe duty realm.
 
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piper1

piper1

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Based on,

100,000 miles per year
Fuel mileage going from 16.8 to 19.1
Todays AAA reported prices for 87 and 93 octane

By using 93 you lose $753.55 per year. You lose more if you drive more.

The break even point (at today's prices) is to average 20mpg. My guess is if you drove the van to obtain 20 on 93fuel, your 87 fuel mileage would improve also. Were your mpg numbers both with (or without) the Airtabs?

Math....who knew it would be useful.
 
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Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I agree with doing a cost analysis on things like that. I like to break it down to CPM.
At $2.826 and 16.8 MPG it's 16.82 cents per mile.
At $3.350 and 19.1 MPG it's 17.54 cents per mile.

If it were me, I might use higher octane when heavy through the mountains, otherwise I probably wouldn't. When the timing is altered to prevent knock at the severe duty loads, the higher octane allows the ECU to advance the timing making more power available to the engine. If you run light or on flat roads, you might not even notice. The ECU takes its cue from the knock sensor. If peppy and power when the turbo really kicks in, then high octane fuel is the way to go. Personally, if I can get up over the hill, I'm a MPG kinda guy, so I can accept the reduced power.
 
Moot

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Turtle said:
I know Ford recommends 87 octane for EcoBoost gas generally, but right there in the owner's manual they also recommend premium fuel for "severe duty" usage. Most of expediting would be considered severe duty. Severe duty includes, of course, frequent trips under 5 miles, stop-and-go traffic, but also driving in extreme heat or cold, mountains, driving on muddy, dusty or de-iced roads, and heavy loads or towing a trailer. It also includes high mileage vehicles, but I've never seen a specific number attached to that. If I had to guess, I'd say that 40,000 miles would put the vehicle into the severe duty realm.
Click to expand...
I disagree. I believe expedite miles to be generally easy duty miles; 85% highway miles, on average light loads, etc. Unless you constantly overload, run oil changes to the max, have a heavy foot and beat the snot out of your van. Most, well at least those expedite vanners that survive more than a year, in general tend to be more attentive to maintenance than the average motorist.

How's your Sprinter holding up? Do you think Joe the plumber or some wet brain expediter could achieve the same high mileage that you have put on?
 
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Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Moot said:
I disagree. I believe expedite miles to be generally easy duty miles; 85% highway miles, on average light loads, etc.
Click to expand...
I do think highway miles are easy duty miles, but apparently once you go past a certain number it becomes less easy duty. I've just seen it listed as "high mileage vehicles" as being severe duty, again with no mileage number given. The main reason I conclude that most of expedite is severe duty is because Ford, Daimler, Mercedes (and I assume others) have separate maintenance schedules for severe duty vehicles, and a year's worth of severe duty maintenance is pretty much what we do on a yearly basis, as well. Ford's is probably geared more towards police vehicles, but they do use "fleet vehicles and high mileage vehicles" specifically, referring to both city and highway police vehicles. In any case, they talk of oil changes 6-8 times a year, air filters twice a year, things like that which more or less mirror what we do. That's why I put expediting into the same category.

Moot said:
How's your Sprinter holding up? Do you think Joe the plumber or some wet brain expediter could achieve the same high mileage that you have put on?
Click to expand...
It's holding up well. But I gotta tell ya, my brain sloshes around in there a lot. When I wake up and sit up, I can feel it oozing into position. So, I dunno. :D
 
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BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Moot said:
For me the acceleration the EcoBlaster provides with 87 octane compared to my last two Chevys gives me a half woody. If I want a full one I'll go with Viagra instead of 93 octane.
Click to expand...


Wow.
If I wake up with 1/2 a woodie, happens often, and the Transit I’m looking at will give me 1/2 a woodie, when I get to cover one of those great Load One weekend loads, I’ll get the third half of a woodie.
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner !
 
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Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
It's a good thing Yadier Molina doesn't drive a Transit.

(somebody'll get that)
 
in-Transit

in-Transit

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
While everyone thinks I’m crazy on the extra money for the fuel remember I’m used to a 22-23 mpg NCV3 sprinter @$4 a gallon diesel and crazy oil prices ... dropping the maintenance cost and buying expensive fuel I’m still batting in the same neighborhood overall cost wise .... but man I miss that old POS!


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