Cruising Speed

[CHILL]

We just picked up our new Sorlera and love it!
I one question for you experienced owners. What is your cruising speed on the Intersate? At 60 MPH we are at 2200 RPM witch seems kinda high for a diesel engine. Kind of wish it had one more gear.

[acadianbob]

I don't think you are going to harm your engine. What you need to decide for yourself is the speed at which you are comfortable driving. Considerations are always safety and fuel mileage.

[DebbieMH]

Originally Posted by CHILL

We just picked up our new Sorlera and love it!
I one question for you experienced owners. What is your cruising speed on the Intersate? At 60 MPH we are at 2200 RPM witch seems kinda high for a diesel engine. Kind of wish it had one more gear.

Before the new sway bar - 60 mph ; after 70. Not sure rpm, I'll pay attention when I get him back on Tuesday.

[van_fl]

You have a high speed turbo diesel from MB. The torque curve is 2600-3800 rpm.

I run at 55-60 all the time. if in a hurry 65mph.
I have a scangage11 and keep the % of load between 73-83 for beast fuel mileage.
DOWN SHIFTING when needed to keep inside the torque curve.

[Ogsarg]

I don't think you'd do it any harm by going 70 all day long if you want. You'll pay for it in gas mileage though. Once you get over 55, the mileage starts to drop pretty fast. 60-65 works well for me as long as the road has good pavement and reasonably straight.

[BarryD0706]

And what is the Max Speed rating on your tires?

[2012WhiteSolera]

Van_Fl, could you translate "beast" fuel economy into mph for all of us to grasp, so we understand how your managing you fuel burn rate. Thanks

[van_fl]

lol fat fingers. s/b best fuel MPG.

[van_fl]

As posted on Sprinter talk, says it best.
The Scan GaugeII won't do the maths as precisely as you can with a calculator or spreadsheet at each fill up, but it can get you close.
The real value of the Scan Gauge II is that when you are driving, you can see the current % engine LOD, as well as the current fueling rate (GPH. Based on the % Load and the fueling rate, you can decide (or simply experiment) to manually downshift your Sprinter and see
if running at a lower % LOAD but higher RPMs results in an improvement or a decline in your GPH fueling rate.
The RPMs increase, the % Load will usually decrease, as will the GPH fueling rate and the turbocharger boost. So, you are operating more efficiently
and getting better fuel mileage per mile. If you make the downshift, and the %Load only decreases < 5% and the fueling rate only changes by
a few 10th's of a liter, you can simply upshift back into the higher gear as the downshift was not getting you enough of a decrease in %load and
fuel flow GPH to make it worthwhile.
I've found that a great deal of the time if my %LOAD increases above 65% (60% actually is my break point between getting good mileage and getting great mileage @ < 60% Load)
I can get improved economy by running the engine up in the 2700-3200 RPM range where it makes it's best and most efficient power

[pt1655]

I sure seem to tow most comfortable at 60mph. That varies of course depending on terrain or traffic but I really try and keep a consistent 60. I can feel there's less wear and tear on the equipment, better mpg and we can appreciate the scenery a bit more. By anticipating hills and downgrades, a consistant speed is less annoying to those around you as well.

[Don Wills]

Not towing anything I typically cruise at 70-72 MPH. With a significant headwind or crosswind I'll slow down a bit. The comment about a big difference in MPG between 60 MPH and 70 MPH is spot on. It is noticeably more expensive to get there quicker!

[2012WhiteSolera]

How about this; The ELM327 Programmed Microcontroller with blue tooth capability. It plugs into your OBD II port. Just be conscience of fitment. You can then download a free android program to your tablet and view engine perameters in realtime. Other programs cost a little, but might suite your individual taste. Some ELM 327's go for as little as $20 bucks. Might be worth a look guys. Sure beats $150 bucks if its giving you what your looking for.

[2012WhiteSolera]

Here is an excellent explanation of the ELM 327 "bridge" and how it works. What is ELM327?

[F and E Damp]

Our rig isn't new enough to have all the digital gew-gaws. I usually keep to the truck speed limits - after all, it's just an 11-ton box truck in fancy dress!

[CHILL]

Originally Posted by 2012WhiteSolera

How about this; The ELM327 Programmed Microcontroller with blue tooth capability. It plugs into your OBD II port. Just be conscience of fitment. You can then download a free android program to your tablet and view engine perameters in realtime. Other programs cost a little, but might suite your individual taste. Some ELM 327's go for as little as $20 bucks. Might be worth a look guys. Sure beats $150 bucks if its giving you what your looking for.

WhiteSolera
This will give you realtime engine temp, boost PSI, tranny temp ect?

[2012WhiteSolera]

Not sure. Seems the "recommenedapp" per my reading is Torgue Lite, which is free. Torque Pro, costs a few dollars and the review says it has more features. I just mentioned it here in case someone might want to try it in case of spending big bucks on the scanner tool.