Mpg

[NCIC105]

Originally Posted by MotocrossCamper

It will make your rods fly out the side of your block if that's the difference your looking for.

So what synthetic oil do you use?

[Mike & Molly]

I use Amsoil in my 2 cars, motorcycle, Sunseeker, snowblower, & lawnmower.
A little pricey, but worth every penny.
Do the research, you'll agree it's the best.

[trwmodela]

I use the oil that Ford recommends in my 2013 E-450 Forester. Not willing to risk a 5 year/60,000 mile drive-train warranty. That is one of the main reasons I purchased new instead of used.

[Wildkats66]

I have used Amsoil products in all my vehicles since around 1982. Have never had a problem. Our 2013 Chevy 4500 2860 has Amsoil in the engine, tranny, diffy, and the radiator additive. The brakes are next as soon as the camping season is over.

If you are serious about Amsoil, become a member and get a discount on their products. Saves you some $$$$ in the long run.

My 80 CJ5 with the 4-banger has the XL-30 oil that has not been changed in 3 years. I would not recommend you do this but the Jeep still purrs along and I get about 24mph vs 20-21 before Amsoil. It also has Amsoil on the tranny. diffys, and transfer case along with the radiator water. My clutch MC will get it when I replace it.

[BigBaron]

Sounds like a cult or something... LOL

[MotocrossCamper]

I don't use synthetic in the RV, there is no need for it. In the 4 race bikes I went back to using Motul oil, as far as small engines go there is nothing better. It's not a syn either but I have 188 hours on the crank in the practice bike and its still going strong. Most I ever got when using Amsoil was 92 hours.

Not trying to start an argument, just stating my opinion. We put it through pretty harsh conditions and it didn't hold up.

[lbrunning]

imo if you change oil when needed it does not matter what brand of oil you are using as long as it matches your manufacture recommendations. other than a racing engine when is the last time anyone you know has had an engine failure due strictly to kind of oil. that being said some people are as rabid a bought their brand of oil as they are their collage football team

[MotocrossCamper]

Originally Posted by lbrunning

imo if you change oil when needed it does not matter what brand of oil you are using as long as it matches your manufacture recommendations. other than a racing engine when is the last time anyone you know has had an engine failure due strictly to kind of oil. that being said some people are as rabid a bought their brand of oil as they are their collage football team

Agreed! My dads 91 chevy gas burning pickup had over 400,000 on it and all he has ever used is Napa brand oil.

[NCIC105]

As I understand synthetic oil is slippery than standard oil, which has to reduce friction....Friction is the main cause of engine wear...Less friction means less resistance hence smother performance...Tons of data online to support this...

I have a 78 Z1R Yamaha with over 210,000 miles on the clock. Started using synthetic oil from first oil change...The only time the engine has been opened was to adjust the valves (shim them) Bike runs like it was new....Four clutches and countless tires and a few cables and chains.

I would not be afraid to head out across the country with the bike....It runs much smoother than my 1948 or my 1952 Indian. I run synthetic oil in all my bikes and in my car....Had it in my King Ranch F-350 Ford 6.4L diesel before I sold her.

[flynmoose]

I'll pull this thread back on topic from the never-ending oil debate....

Finishing a round trip from Chapel Hill to Northern Wisconsin to Telluride CO back to Chapel Hill in our 2012 3170DS that already has 11K miles on it.

We are pulling a 2011 Ford Fiesta 4 down and have a couple of bikes on a hitch carrier. Compartments are relatively full but not packed. 2 Adults and 3 little kids. Try to keep the fresh water full and the black/grey empty.

I drive around 62 (rarely faster and occasionally slower) and use cruise. I "beat" the cruise on uphill legs by kicking it into the 3300-3500 RPM range to keep it from taching up over 4K. Very little GenSet usage as I have a big inverter to run the house (except roof A/C) and run the cockpit AC pretty much the entire trip.

Below are my PUMP based MPG and general area of leg.

Chapel Hill to Southern Ohio via I-40/I-74/I-64/US35 - 7.9 (~400 miles)
Southern Ohio to Elkhart IN via US35/US33 - 7.8 (342 miles)
Elkhart IN to Webster WI via I-80/I-39/I-94/US53/WI70 - 8.5 (473 miles)
Webster WI to Forest City IA via WI35/US8/I-35 - 7.3 (279 miles)
Forest City IA to Denver CO (just the tank values as the stops are immaterial)
- 7.5
- 7.3
- 6.7 (Note it was VERY WINDY and a headwind all the way across Nebraska)

Denver to Telluride CO
- 8.0
- 7.9
- 7.1

Telluride to Denver
- 7.1
- 7.7
Denver to Southern IN
- 8.2
- 7.9
- 7.3 (rolling hills and headwind)

I find it interesting that I got such great gas mileage summitting the Rockies on I-70. My guess (based on 4 years of aero engineering that I've never used since! ) is that the air resistance decrease above 5K' offsets the increased horsepower to drag this rig over a mountain. We are pushing bricks through the wind!

Our friends just got a 35' Class A (THOR) and claimed considerably higher numbers coming out to CO but I think that perhaps they forgot to count the full tank of gas when they started! Same engine and probably higher weight without the TOAD.

My total stats for the trip thus far are:
3936 miles
506.9 gallons
7.76 mpg
Hi/Lo/Avg Cost Per gallon $3.60/$2.87 / $3.43
Average Cost Per Mile $0.46/mile
Best / Worst MPG 6.7 / 8.5

[trwmodela]

What RV model are you driving? Class "C" ??

[flynmoose]

Sunseeker 3170DS. Class C with the Triton V12. Same engine as our friends Thor Class A.

[NCIC105]

Originally Posted by flynmoose

Sunseeker 3170DS. Class C with the Triton V12. Same engine as our friends Thor Class A.

I think you are referring to the V-10 engine.

[flynmoose]

::sheepish grin::

What? I don't have a Merlin or a Formula 1 engine under the hood?

That's what I get for using my phone at the end of a long day of driving to reply to a forum post.

You are of course correct. V10 it is!

[trwmodela]

Flymouse,
Just curious, did you weight your Class "C" with full water, cargo and family onboard?

[Joseph Carozzoni]

Originally Posted by flynmoose

Sunseeker 3170DS. Class C with the Triton V12. Same engine as our friends Thor Class A.

Class A get the 3-valve head. Class C get the 2-valve head. Neither get the Variable Camshaft Timing of the truck version 5.4L V-8. The 3-valve has about 60 more HP and if on same platform better MPG. The Ford E450 engine compartment is a little too tight for the 3-valve, however the V-10 has a ton of torque in either version.

[flynmoose]

Well - thank you Joe. I stand corrected and will be eating crow with my friends!

AND - trwmodela - thank you for prompting me to hit the scales. Time for a diet for me and the motorhome! We were 500# over GVWR!

Since we are now home - we will be unloading the MH. I will leave the bike rack and TOW hitch on and hit the scales again. I have no idea how we we will get rid of 500# though. Will have to start with not carrying ANY fresh water (makes it hard to flush the potty on the roll.)

But - back to the MPG discussion at hand. No doubt 500# extra is making a small difference but we have done some trips WITHOUT the TOAD and have not really seen much improvement (maybe 0.3-0.5 MPG better at best.)

Averaged 7.8 mpg from Southern Indiana through KY, WV, VA and back to Chapel Hill so pretty consistent pulling the TOAD through the Appalachians.

Bottom line - my experience is you won't consistently see north of 8.5 MPG in a 3170DS running 14.5K (or 15K if you are dumb like me). Hang a TOAD and you won't average over 8.

BTW - I ran all the way through WV,VA, and NC coming east without cruise control. Tried my darndest to keep it out of the 3K+ RPM range and eased up the hills as slow as 45mph on the way home. Got 7.8MPG vs the 7.9mpg on the way west using crusie and letting it settle in at 3-3.5K RPM on the big grades. So I'm not convinced that RPM/Gear makes a huge difference for the same grades and speeds. I do avoid 4K+ RPM as much as possible cuz it scares me to have that much mass rotating that fast just under my feet. I don't think that these engines are blueprinted and balanced and it is plain LOUD!

[trwmodela]

The problem is over loading the rear axle. I was only 120 lbs over weight but my rear axle was 500 lbs over it's maximum of 9600 lbs. I purchased a water flow meter to know exactly how many gallons I am loading onboard now! Easiest thing is reduce fresh water carried. The other thing is move cargo to your toad when traveling. I can move some weight to the front because front axle was under it's maximum.