I read lots of the SuperDuty and Godzilla 7.3 forums - everyone is talking about fuel economy and MPG. Here's my real world test on my typical 160 mile commute - a mix of highway and rural driving. I ran in ECO mode for 80 miles, and Normal mode for 80 miles to do a comparison.
Even though the new truck is fun to drive, I normally drive my little 4 cylinder 5 speed Ranger to work to save on gas costs. But I suppose, in the name of science, I could drive the big truck two days in a row to run that test. :)
I'll do the same over the next two days. 94 mile round trip for work and ill follow the speed limits exactly, with a 2022 F-250 Tremor with 7.3 Godzilla engine. (Just rolled over 2000 miles).
It would be interesting to do this comparison a second time, but reverse the modes..."Normal" on the way, "Eco" on return and then average the two. Probably give you a slightly more accurate number, although maybe more trouble than it's worth. Nice job as always Chad. 👍
Thanks, Chris. I agree - I could do the experiment a few more times and figure out a better average between trips, switching up when I use the modes. Maybe this winter when I drive the big truck more than the little one. :) Although - with a couple hundred pounds of sand bags in the bed, and my studded winter tires on - I bed the mileage will be a little worse.
That is impressive MPG! I have got 14.7 hand calculated over the last 60,000 miles with my 6.7 ford diesel including very minimal towing. 10% interstate 90% back roads or 2 lanes. I'm leaning more and more towards a 7.3 for my next truck.
Thanks for the info! I wondered how the real world driving with the 6.7 was. I think we averaged a little higher than that with the 6.0 Powerstroke - but it's a smaller displacement engine and doesn't have nearly the HP or torque numbers as those new 6.7 powerstroke machines have! I'm super happy with the 7.3 so far. Next summer will be the real test. We're planning an across country trip towing the 5th wheel.
I currently drive 2020 6.7 Dually and is getting around 16.5 mpg. I am with you on 7.3 on my next truck as well. I don't have a trailer to pull nor planning to pull. DWR was just to have one.. But I am now done with experimenting for once in a life time on Diesel DRW. It will be lot less maintenance and easier. I can even go to Costco to get the gas now. :)
Thanks for watching! I make sure to give myself plenty of time to get where I'm going. It means getting up a little earlier and leaving a little earlier. But I'd rather not be stressed about being late if there is an accident, bad roads, or another issue on my long drive.
I thought I'd miss the diesel more than I do. After 17 years of diesel truck ownership - I was not only tired of the higher repair costs (and constant repairs to the diesel system), I was also tired of the higher fuel costs. Granted, my MPGs were better in the diesel truck, but I'm positive it wasn't equal to the amount of money I spent on the initial cost, the maintenance, and diesel issues, and the higher fuel costs.
Eco mode is primarily for City driving. At least that is my understanding. I noticed in my F150 the accelerator is tighter so that you can control lead foot lol But when testing on Hwy absolutely no different in MPG’s.. Now seeing your results I will have reevaluate and testing when I’m in at least 100 mile round trip
Glad you like them! The long bed was a hard sell for me at first too. But when I started thinking about longer trips towing a camper - and when I wasn't sure what type of towing mileage we'd get (I was worried it would be in the 7-9 MPG range), I figured I really wanted the larger gas tank to not have to stop for gas as often. I really like seeing that long distance range when I fill up the tank!
EXCELLENT VIDEO, THANK YOU for taking the time to do it. We have a 2022 F350 7.3 with 3.73 locking axle on order since November, kind of wondering if we will ever see it. Once again AWESOME video, stay healthy and safe out there.
Since November?! That's certainly a long time to wait for a new truck. I'm sure you'll love it when you finally get it. We're extremely happy with ours. No regrets from our "new truck owner" perspective. Thanks for watching!
This is one of the reason I love my '12 Ram 2500 w/ Cummins (tuned). Unloaded, hwy I average 22-24 mpg (Texas flat roads), while towing an enclosed car hauler (10,230 from scales) from Texas to FL, I averaged 15 mpg. Of course it's been "breathed" on, but I am about to order an F350 like yours. I don't use the Cummins like I first intended, so the 7.3 or even 6.8 seems like a good option. The Ram has over 300k and no issues, even on the original trans, but I am wanting something new. Thanks for the vids!
@@PurpleCollarLife Thanks, I try and stay on a regular maintenance schedule. I use good trans oil and change regularly also. It’s not bullet proof, at some point I may do an Allison conversion kit, if I keep it. Prices for new trucks is beyond insane right now.
That's pretty good considering the size of the engine.👍👍 For comparison, I average 20 MPG in my 4.6 Crown Vic, 19 gallon tank. With 118,000 miles on the clock. It's amazing to me that I still get that good a mileage considering it's age. (2006 model) It's likely that you'll keep that fuel economy even as the miles increase. Thanks for sharing Chad!
I baby the 03 grand marquis and get 23 average. I'm also on flat ground setting the cruise on 60. I can only say great things about the panther platforms.
Thanks for letting me know. I’m happy with 17 MPG. Now that it’s winter, and I let the truck warm up a bit longer (for comfort), I’m seeing more like 15 MPG.
Nice test and interesting results. I too have been comparing the different modes, seems to me the biggest difference feels like shift points. I do get questioned on mileage, my standard response is "I didn't buy it for fuel economy, but for what it can do". We have another vehicle for trips and running around. Sounds like your situation is the same.
Cruising at 65 my Godzilla averaged 13.9 in normal mode, 2020 F-350 8’ dually 3:73 gears 4x4, I haven’t tried Eco mode yet but I will after seeing this video.
Hello. I'm averaging 13.9 this winter - driving in normal mode mostly. I also use the remote start and let the truck warm up 5-15 minutes before I start driving, so I'm sure that cuts my MPG down.
We have driven our Explorer in both eco mode and normal mostly on interstate highways for 1000 mile trips. The eco mode definitely improves mileage but on hills shifting is definitely slower.
Interesting. Thx for sharing. We run a 6.2l (ten speed) and frequently drive back/forth to our lake house ~ 250 mi each way. I have done this experiment several times and always the normal mode returns + 0.5 better mpg. I have never understood why?! Don’t notice much difference in the driving so i have since given up on the ECO mode. We always have something in the bed-at least 1000 lbs and maybe more. Don’t know if that makes the difference, but for us Normal has always been more efficient than Eco.
That is interesting! Thanks for sharing. I wonder if the difference is that the 7.3 has more torque and hp and can save a little more fuel in ECO mode?
Enjoyed your comparison I drive in normal mode almost all the time I'm going to use eco more often. At 55- 60 mph is the best. I have a 21 7.3 4.30 6 3/4 bed.
I've been still experimenting between ECO and normal mode on different tasks. Today I towed our 6x12 enclosed trailer and found that I liked the drive better in Normal mode. ECO just felt like we were lugging with that trailer on the back (it was empty). Plus, I've discovered that Normal mode lets me hear that exhaust growl a little more. :)
The Duke says, when I put my 2023 Ford f550 7.3 Godzilla into eco mode, it gets about 13.5 MPG in the city if you don't try to Hot rod it. That's not bad for a truck that weighs 10,000 lbs,4.88 gears, and has a 16 ft steel flatbed. What did I teach you?
I think the Eco mode has very little effect when you’re on the highway with cruise controls set on an interstate it’s designed for when you’re in city driving an eco-mode changes how the transmission shifts and when it shifts at lower RPM or higher depending on circumstances to cut down on fuel usage where is regular mode is for more power so interstate driving I don’t think you’re going to see much of a change because it’s locked in the one speed in overdrive and it would do the same thing in either mode The real change will probably be when you’re driving around in the city you should see a much bigger difference I think at least when using the two modes on one of my vehicles. But I could be wrong I’m not an expert lol
That's interesting, Dave. I thought I noticed more significant difference when it was in ECO mode on the highway. But my "city driving" is only for about 10 minutes of my daily commute. The rest is highway miles and rural roads at 45-55 mph. I'll keep this in mind though - because maybe sometime when we're towing the camper through a city stop and go, I'd rather be in ECO mode than towing mode. What do you think?
Nice review and real world test. For comparison....my 2018 6.7 with 6 speed, Crew Cab long wheel base with 3.55 rear end has a lifetime average (hand calculated, in spreadsheet) of 14.4. My non towing tanks run in the 15-17 range depending on amount of short trips vs longer interstate trips. My max mpg on a tank was 20.4 but I think that's because I didn't catch a regeneration on that tank. So, your 7.3 is doing great! Considering you're pushing an aerodynamic brick through the air...and have some big displacement...I'd be happy!
I'm thrilled with it! I was expecting worse. I think it's about managing your expectations. Like you said, it's like a brick. I wasn't expecting it to get the mileage I get in my Ranger. Though it's not far off from what I hear people get in their F150s! Thanks for the perspective and for sharing your experiences with the 6.7!
@@PurpleCollarLife No problem! I have a 2002 Tacoma I like to run around in. Quite frankly...it's a 17.5-18mpg truck....so not great but fun 5 speed and keeps some wear off the big one.
My 2020 f350 dies longbed xlt 3.55gear gets 21 empty and varies with towing horse trailer and truck camper about 12 and just truck camper about 14 to 15. This is in Idaho mountains. Also, w the 12,500 gvwr you can get, I am running 4600 payload on a single axle rear end. I couldn't get the higher gvwr with godzilla so went w diesel.
Mind you, this is my experience with an F150 with the 2.7L Ecoboost and 3:55 gears... Trip was 1392 miles from Michigan to Florida, not towing anything, about 700# of family, gas, clothing, etc for a family vacation. We took the same route down and back. EcoMode got us 21.2MPG using cruise for the majority of the trip. Normal mode got us 23.3MPG using cruise for the majority of the return trip. I have *NEVER* gotten eco to give me that vaunted 24mpg that Ford claims. I'm not expecting it to make a big difference with the new F350.
Sounds like you did a great real-world use experiment on the vacation. Did you feel a significant drive difference between Eco and Normal? Over that distance, the Normal mode definitely would save some fuel at 2 MPG better. In my truck, Normal mode certainly sounds and feels better - so I'd rather drive in normal all the time!
That's amazing mileage compared to other gas 1 tons in the past. I wish I could get that kind of mileage out of my v6 sport Trac. I was averaging 10.9 driving around town yesterday
I just took about a 3 hour trip in the Godzilla yesterday. I averaged 15 mpg, even using the Ford Pass app to remote start the truck and let it warm up several times during the trip.
That is actually pretty decent mileage for an F-350 with the big gas engine and 3.73's. How does it compare to your previous Diesel powered truck? I would think that the Diesel would have gotten close to 20 mpg?? That is a heck of a drive to work every day. I know that exact route and used to travel it several times a year to visit the Goodwill thrift stores in the area. They usually had much better stuff than the ones around here. I used to document my journey on Facebook and called it the "Goodwill Tour" LOL. My son works around there, but he lives in the Chicora area, so his trip is much shorter every day.
That’s exactly what I thought - pretty decent for a truck that size with that much displacement. The 6.0 powerstroke typically averaged around 18 on the interstate at 70 MPH, empty. Yes, I go right by that one Goodwill store - I stop in occasionally and find some good bargains. Thanks for watching!
My diesel truck gets 29mpg empty and 27.5 towing a 18,000K toy hauler…….naw I’m lyin’, I don’t even have a diesel truck. But thanx for the info, gettin close to pulling the trigger on a 7.3 w/4:30’s :)
You had me there for a second! I've seen some claims like that before that weren't jokes from diesel truck owners. :) I can say that I continue to be impressed by the new 7.3 (ours has the 3.73 gears). It's great for towing!
@@PurpleCollarLife I find it amusing when diesel owners pop on these comment sections and feel the need to brag about their trucks. Everyone knows about the power of those machines and their abilities but they can’t help it 🤓. Thanks for ur video, I subscribed and I’m looking forward to more info :)
My 21' F350 7.3L, 3.73 gears. I found that on FRWY driving ECO (empty) didn't really improve anything.Drove a round trip 2x though to allow for any variances in traffic and road conditions. City driving did a bit better but made it harder to quickly accelerate when needed. Fair amount of difference driving 62 vs 70mph though in "Normal". About 90% of my driving is towing a 9 - 10k # travel trailer though. About 1-1.3mpg's difference between 60 mph vs 70mph. I usually do ~62mph and average 10.3 mpg's here in the PNW going up & down hills. I got 13 (towing) on a flat road 1x though.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I find that it seems like each truck seems like it's unique in MPG. I'm sure that there are many variables from driver differences to weight differences due to features/options on the truck, gasoline differences, wear on items from tires to bearings, etc. But I will say that I am really impressed that a truck this size, with a large displacement gasoline engine gets anywhere near the fuel economy I'm getting. I remember the old Ford 351 engine in my Bronco getting like 8 MPG. :)
@@PurpleCollarLife Yes; I too had a 94' Bronco. 351, 3.50 rear. 10 in town & 13 on the Hwy. I've had numerous pickups over the last 48+ years. Most of my 3/4T were 10mpg's empty, full, towing, city or Hwy until about 04'. Then they got a bit better. I'm truly impressed by the new ones though. My 15' 3.5l ECO F150 was a real eye opener. 17 in town & 22-24 on the HWY. Even though I had the Heavy Tow pkg; just a bit small for our current towing needs.
I have exact same truck configuration. I posted a video where I did All Day Driving on flat Texas secondary roads in cruise control set to 65. I’m talking like 535 miles or something. I averaged 17.5mpg in ECO. People want to hate on me for that number. Some say I can’t believe my lie-o-meter. Like Purple Collar People I find my hand calculation to always be 0.3-0.5 less than the meter. Some say I had the truck up on blocks and there was no road resistance…said I should have showed the road. I’m not in a mood to show the road as I drive. I drive for safety first. Besides why in hell would I lie like that? Ford doesn’t pay me! I also have found that in Normal drive mode I lose maybe 0.75mpg vs Eco mode. So whenever I can I put it in Eco. Why not? Saving Pennie’s on fuel is still money saved right?? I love the Godzilla motor. It matches up really well with a Super Duty frame. Oh and GET THE F350 and not the 250. You get at least 800 pounds more payload! And the truck easily handles loads.
Considering the size of our truck, and the power of the Godzilla (and hopefully long-term reliability), we're thrilled with our MPG averages and capabilities of this great machine!
@@PurpleCollarLife Basically, it is deactivating the limited slip rear end, so it is delivering full oomph to the tires, if there is a difference in petal response, I am not noticing it. My fuel mileage is darn near identical.
Great question. I don't drive the F350 every day to work. Unless there's a reason to drive it (bad weather, need to haul something, just want to drive it) - most of the time I drive the little Ford Ranger 4 cylinder 5 speed. It's a great daily driver. If $$$ was not a concern at all - I'd drive the big truck every day. It runs great and is nice to drive. I just want to avoid using all the extra gas, and racking up 165 miles each day on it. Here's our daily driver Ranger video: th-cam.com/video/GjHAKaOQP6k/w-d-xo.html
If you hold the traction control button down for about 4 seconds you'll see a window pop up that turns all that stuff off, try that and see what you think?
This can not be accurate because the test wasn't done in the same direction. Heading into the wind vrs with the wind or up hill vrs down hill makes a huge difference.
You’re right that running the test again, while switching operating modes for the drive down and drive back would give us additional data to discuss. But I have made this drive many times in many vehicles over the past decade or so, and know that the MPG is pretty equal in both directions.
Great video and beautiful rig sir! I dream of getting an F350 some day to haul a truck camper and this rig probably has about 3500 pounds of payload if not more and I assume 40 gallons of fuel capacity? Perfect gear ratio I think. My 2004 Ford Ranger with 4.10 gears and 4.0 engine is in great shape and is easy to drive around town. It only gets about 20 mpgs at 73 mph or slower. Around town only 16 to 18 and in winter or off road for hunting and short drives probably 13 to 15 mpgs so the mpgs vary based on mission profile. I was thinking of getting an xlt mid f150 with heavy duty payload package and those guys only get about 19 to 20 mpgs Ave with either 3.5 or 5.0. These trucks have a 2300 to 2500 payload. That type of setup might be better for me now with a small truck camper with only 5 foot interior height or a small Alaskan truck camper. But if I was retired I would probably go to a rig like yours! Now I am curious what ford will do with the 6.8 gas engine. If they had hydrid f350 with some amount of power output like the Poweboost with the ability to improve city mpgs in a heavy duty that would be the truck for me. Hope you and your readers have a wonderful week! God Bless all
Max payload with our configuration is 3981 lbs, which is amazing! With the long bed, we have 48 gallons of fuel capacity. I'm also amazed by the payload of the new F150s. Much higher than they used to be. I've heard the 6.8 gas engine MPG is pretty close to the 7.3 when unloaded. And depending on the load (and the terrain), you can see a more significant difference in MPG between the Boss engine and the Godzilla engine when towing. Thanks for watching!
@@PurpleCollarLife From the info I have seen, that 48 gallon tank also requires the Crew Cab. I really wanted the Super Cab and long bed, but it seems we can't get the big fuel tank with the Super Cab.
I was going do the 430 gears in the 250 but really the taller gears will tow everything and more i need so definitely going go with the taller gears and save on the mpg
That’s right about what I would expect. It certainly seems like the Diesel engines average higher when towing than the gasoline engines. But this 7.3 is definitely the highest MPG I’ve ever had in a big V8. Our 5.4 in the Expedition does slightly better not towing, but much worse when towing. The Tristan 5.4 in my old F250 did worse empty and towing. It was a 2000 year model.
That’s a neat test Chad I’d be curious to see if you get the same numbers if you run normal to work and eco on the way home? I know I always feel like I get better mpg going the same way you are down but not as good coming back this way.
Great suggestion! Maybe there's more uphill headed home?! I'll give that a try the next time I drive the F350 to work. Typically, I like to drive the little Ford Ranger as my daily driver - just to save gasoline and to save miles/wear on the new truck.
Where I drive, it will be hazardous to drive at 69 mph.. It will create the traffic jam and forcing many others to make the dangerous pass. Why not drive around 70 to 75 mph?
The speed limit on this interstate is 70. I could set the cruise at 70, but I've found that 67-69 is a better sweet spot for maximizing MPG without slowing down traffic. Some traffic does travel at 75+, but I just stay out of the fast lane so they can get by me.
3.73 gearing (electric locking differential) was the standard configuration with the 7.3 Godzilla (F350 long bed, crew cab, 4x4). I wonder if there are supply chain issues that changed what is standard?
I have a 2022 F-250 with the 7.3 and 3.55 gears. It’s a crew cab long bed. That’s just how it was on the lot. I get similar mileage and don’t seem to lack power towing. I took it on a 3000 mile round trip this summer ad got 16.8 going out in regular mode and 17.3 coming back in eco mode. And at 8,000 miles on it I am very happy with it so far.
It’s not every day that I make the commute. 2-3 times a week usually. Typically, I drive the little 2010 Ford Ranger (4 cylinder, 2 wheel drive, 5 speed) because I don’t mind racking up the miles on that and it saves me gasoline and wear and tear on the bigger truck. All the parts are more expensive on the big truck. I’d much rather replace bearings, brakes, rotors, etc on the little Ford Ranger.
Hi Garrett - I do have one. My daily driver is a 2010 Ford Ranger, XL (crank windows, basic AM/FM radio) with the 4 cylinder, 5 speed manual transmission (2WD). The days that we get our lake effect snow though, I still drive the big truck. The Ranger does okay in snow, but it's not great.
Good question. I typically drive my little 4 cylinder Ford Ranger as my daily driver. Exceptions are when I need to make a video about MPG in the big truck, when I need to haul something, when the roads are covered with snow, and when I just feel like enjoying the F350 and the Godzilla. But normally - 80-90% of the time, I drive the Ranger. I did a video about it too. th-cam.com/video/GjHAKaOQP6k/w-d-xo.html
That's a great question. Though there are some of the creature comforts we really like (heated seats, backup camera, bluetooth hands-free phone connection.
I read lots of the SuperDuty and Godzilla 7.3 forums - everyone is talking about fuel economy and MPG. Here's my real world test on my typical 160 mile commute - a mix of highway and rural driving. I ran in ECO mode for 80 miles, and Normal mode for 80 miles to do a comparison.
Your 7.3 gets better MPG than my 5.0 F150 (2012). Best I’ve ever gotten (computer) is 14.5mpg. The ecoboost I had before would do 18 on the freeway.
Chad I think a more accurate test would be to do a round trip back and forth one day in eco mode than the next day in normal mode.
Even though the new truck is fun to drive, I normally drive my little 4 cylinder 5 speed Ranger to work to save on gas costs. But I suppose, in the name of science, I could drive the big truck two days in a row to run that test. :)
@@PurpleCollarLife Do it!
I'll do the same over the next two days. 94 mile round trip for work and ill follow the speed limits exactly, with a 2022 F-250 Tremor with 7.3 Godzilla engine. (Just rolled over 2000 miles).
It would be interesting to do this comparison a second time, but reverse the modes..."Normal" on the way, "Eco" on return and then average the two. Probably give you a slightly more accurate number, although maybe more trouble than it's worth. Nice job as always Chad. 👍
Thanks, Chris. I agree - I could do the experiment a few more times and figure out a better average between trips, switching up when I use the modes. Maybe this winter when I drive the big truck more than the little one. :) Although - with a couple hundred pounds of sand bags in the bed, and my studded winter tires on - I bed the mileage will be a little worse.
That is impressive MPG! I have got 14.7 hand calculated over the last 60,000 miles with my 6.7 ford diesel including very minimal towing. 10% interstate 90% back roads or 2 lanes. I'm leaning more and more towards a 7.3 for my next truck.
Thanks for the info! I wondered how the real world driving with the 6.7 was. I think we averaged a little higher than that with the 6.0 Powerstroke - but it's a smaller displacement engine and doesn't have nearly the HP or torque numbers as those new 6.7 powerstroke machines have!
I'm super happy with the 7.3 so far. Next summer will be the real test. We're planning an across country trip towing the 5th wheel.
@@PurpleCollarLife Best mpg over full tank was 18.1 running 65-70. Towing a heavy enclosed 75+/- 9-11mpg
I currently drive 2020 6.7 Dually and is getting around 16.5 mpg. I am with you on 7.3 on my next truck as well. I don't have a trailer to pull nor planning to pull. DWR was just to have one.. But I am now done with experimenting for once in a life time on Diesel DRW. It will be lot less maintenance and easier. I can even go to Costco to get the gas now. :)
It’s bc of the regen on diesels, kills mpg
@@jesses1519 mines deleted.
So nice to see someone do this. Every other person is doing between 75 and 80, I drive 70. I'm not a speed demon.
Thanks for watching! I make sure to give myself plenty of time to get where I'm going. It means getting up a little earlier and leaving a little earlier. But I'd rather not be stressed about being late if there is an accident, bad roads, or another issue on my long drive.
That 7.3 really makes me happy I have a diesel
I thought I'd miss the diesel more than I do. After 17 years of diesel truck ownership - I was not only tired of the higher repair costs (and constant repairs to the diesel system), I was also tired of the higher fuel costs. Granted, my MPGs were better in the diesel truck, but I'm positive it wasn't equal to the amount of money I spent on the initial cost, the maintenance, and diesel issues, and the higher fuel costs.
Eco mode is primarily for City driving. At least that is my understanding. I noticed in my F150 the accelerator is tighter so that you can control lead foot lol But when testing on Hwy absolutely no different in MPG’s.. Now seeing your results I will have reevaluate and testing when I’m in at least 100 mile round trip
Thanks for the info!
Love these truck vids! Best yet on the net! Now kind Sir, convince me I need the long bed. LOL
Glad you like them! The long bed was a hard sell for me at first too. But when I started thinking about longer trips towing a camper - and when I wasn't sure what type of towing mileage we'd get (I was worried it would be in the 7-9 MPG range), I figured I really wanted the larger gas tank to not have to stop for gas as often. I really like seeing that long distance range when I fill up the tank!
EXCELLENT VIDEO, THANK YOU for taking the time to do it. We have a 2022 F350 7.3 with 3.73 locking axle on order since November, kind of wondering if we will ever see it. Once again AWESOME video, stay healthy and safe out there.
Since November?! That's certainly a long time to wait for a new truck. I'm sure you'll love it when you finally get it. We're extremely happy with ours. No regrets from our "new truck owner" perspective. Thanks for watching!
This is one of the reason I love my '12 Ram 2500 w/ Cummins (tuned). Unloaded, hwy I average 22-24 mpg (Texas flat roads), while towing an enclosed car hauler (10,230 from scales) from Texas to FL, I averaged 15 mpg. Of course it's been "breathed" on, but I am about to order an F350 like yours. I don't use the Cummins like I first intended, so the 7.3 or even 6.8 seems like a good option. The Ram has over 300k and no issues, even on the original trans, but I am wanting something new. Thanks for the vids!
That's amazing! 300k without an issue. You take great care of your trucks.
@@PurpleCollarLife Thanks, I try and stay on a regular maintenance schedule. I use good trans oil and change regularly also. It’s not bullet proof, at some point I may do an Allison conversion kit, if I keep it. Prices for new trucks is beyond insane right now.
That's pretty good considering the size of the engine.👍👍 For comparison, I average 20 MPG in my 4.6 Crown Vic, 19 gallon tank. With 118,000 miles on the clock. It's amazing to me that I still get that good a mileage considering it's age. (2006 model) It's likely that you'll keep that fuel economy even as the miles increase. Thanks for sharing Chad!
20 MPG is pretty good if you ask me - for a luxury sedan like the Crown Vic with a powerful V8! Thanks for watching.
I baby the 03 grand marquis and get 23 average. I'm also on flat ground setting the cruise on 60. I can only say great things about the panther platforms.
I have a 05 Crown Vic and new it got over 28 mpg interstate traveling on cruse @75mph. 18 yrs later wint 110k it gets about 25mpg
I got very similar results . Only difference is mine is a short bed 350. Consistent at 17 on eco mode. And thats round trip. Great video
Thanks for letting me know. I’m happy with 17 MPG. Now that it’s winter, and I let the truck warm up a bit longer (for comfort), I’m seeing more like 15 MPG.
Nice test and interesting results. I too have been comparing the different modes, seems to me the biggest difference feels like shift points. I do get questioned on mileage, my standard response is "I didn't buy it for fuel economy, but for what it can do". We have another vehicle for trips and running around. Sounds like your situation is the same.
It's nice to have a separate daily driver for sure. It saves on wear and tear of the big truck too. Thanks for watching!
Cruising at 65 my Godzilla averaged 13.9 in normal mode, 2020 F-350 8’ dually 3:73 gears 4x4, I haven’t tried Eco mode yet but I will after seeing this video.
Hello. I'm averaging 13.9 this winter - driving in normal mode mostly. I also use the remote start and let the truck warm up 5-15 minutes before I start driving, so I'm sure that cuts my MPG down.
We have driven our Explorer in both eco mode and normal mostly on interstate highways for 1000 mile trips. The eco mode definitely improves mileage but on hills shifting is definitely slower.
That’s good to hear! For any of our highway trips where we’re not towing, I’m hoping to utilize the ECO mode and see at least a little savings.
Interesting. Thx for sharing. We run a 6.2l (ten speed) and frequently drive back/forth to our lake house ~ 250 mi each way. I have done this experiment several times and always the normal mode returns + 0.5 better mpg. I have never understood why?! Don’t notice much difference in the driving so i have since given up on the ECO mode. We always have something in the bed-at least 1000 lbs and maybe more. Don’t know if that makes the difference, but for us Normal has always been more efficient than Eco.
That is interesting! Thanks for sharing. I wonder if the difference is that the 7.3 has more torque and hp and can save a little more fuel in ECO mode?
22 F250 lariat supercab 4x4 with 3.55 Hwy only is 16.5mpg, daily commute low 10mpg high 9mpg. Towing our 4000 pound travel trailer is high 9 mpg.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Enjoyed your comparison I drive in normal mode almost all the time I'm going to use eco more often. At 55- 60 mph is the best. I have a 21 7.3 4.30 6 3/4 bed.
I've been still experimenting between ECO and normal mode on different tasks. Today I towed our 6x12 enclosed trailer and found that I liked the drive better in Normal mode. ECO just felt like we were lugging with that trailer on the back (it was empty). Plus, I've discovered that Normal mode lets me hear that exhaust growl a little more. :)
The Duke says, when I put my 2023 Ford f550 7.3 Godzilla into eco mode, it gets about 13.5 MPG in the city if you don't try to Hot rod it. That's not bad for a truck that weighs 10,000 lbs,4.88 gears, and has a 16 ft steel flatbed.
What did I teach you?
I think the Eco mode has very little effect when you’re on the highway with cruise controls set on an interstate it’s designed for when you’re in city driving an eco-mode changes how the transmission shifts and when it shifts at lower RPM or higher depending on circumstances to cut down on fuel usage where is regular mode is for more power so interstate driving I don’t think you’re going to see much of a change because it’s locked in the one speed in overdrive and it would do the same thing in either mode The real change will probably be when you’re driving around in the city you should see a much bigger difference I think at least when using the two modes on one of my vehicles. But I could be wrong I’m not an expert lol
That's interesting, Dave. I thought I noticed more significant difference when it was in ECO mode on the highway. But my "city driving" is only for about 10 minutes of my daily commute. The rest is highway miles and rural roads at 45-55 mph. I'll keep this in mind though - because maybe sometime when we're towing the camper through a city stop and go, I'd rather be in ECO mode than towing mode. What do you think?
This was my thought too Dave.
Nice review and real world test. For comparison....my 2018 6.7 with 6 speed, Crew Cab long wheel base with 3.55 rear end has a lifetime average (hand calculated, in spreadsheet) of 14.4. My non towing tanks run in the 15-17 range depending on amount of short trips vs longer interstate trips. My max mpg on a tank was 20.4 but I think that's because I didn't catch a regeneration on that tank. So, your 7.3 is doing great!
Considering you're pushing an aerodynamic brick through the air...and have some big displacement...I'd be happy!
I'm thrilled with it! I was expecting worse. I think it's about managing your expectations. Like you said, it's like a brick. I wasn't expecting it to get the mileage I get in my Ranger. Though it's not far off from what I hear people get in their F150s! Thanks for the perspective and for sharing your experiences with the 6.7!
@@PurpleCollarLife No problem! I have a 2002 Tacoma I like to run around in. Quite frankly...it's a 17.5-18mpg truck....so not great but fun 5 speed and keeps some wear off the big one.
My 2020 f350 dies longbed xlt 3.55gear gets 21 empty and varies with towing horse trailer and truck camper about 12 and just truck camper about 14 to 15. This is in Idaho mountains. Also, w the 12,500 gvwr you can get, I am running 4600 payload on a single axle rear end. I couldn't get the higher gvwr with godzilla so went w diesel.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Sounds like great MPGs with the diesel.
Mind you, this is my experience with an F150 with the 2.7L Ecoboost and 3:55 gears...
Trip was 1392 miles from Michigan to Florida, not towing anything, about 700# of family, gas, clothing, etc for a family vacation. We took the same route down and back.
EcoMode got us 21.2MPG using cruise for the majority of the trip.
Normal mode got us 23.3MPG using cruise for the majority of the return trip.
I have *NEVER* gotten eco to give me that vaunted 24mpg that Ford claims. I'm not expecting it to make a big difference with the new F350.
Sounds like you did a great real-world use experiment on the vacation. Did you feel a significant drive difference between Eco and Normal? Over that distance, the Normal mode definitely would save some fuel at 2 MPG better. In my truck, Normal mode certainly sounds and feels better - so I'd rather drive in normal all the time!
@@PurpleCollarLife with the 2.7L, eco is ridiculously gutless. I mean, we'll I think PeeWees red bike has more HP..LOL
That's amazing mileage compared to other gas 1 tons in the past. I wish I could get that kind of mileage out of my v6 sport Trac. I was averaging 10.9 driving around town yesterday
I just took about a 3 hour trip in the Godzilla yesterday. I averaged 15 mpg, even using the Ford Pass app to remote start the truck and let it warm up several times during the trip.
That is actually pretty decent mileage for an F-350 with the big gas engine and 3.73's. How does it compare to your previous Diesel powered truck? I would think that the Diesel would have gotten close to 20 mpg??
That is a heck of a drive to work every day. I know that exact route and used to travel it several times a year to visit the Goodwill thrift stores in the area. They usually had much better stuff than the ones around here. I used to document my journey on Facebook and called it the "Goodwill Tour" LOL.
My son works around there, but he lives in the Chicora area, so his trip is much shorter every day.
That’s exactly what I thought - pretty decent for a truck that size with that much displacement. The 6.0 powerstroke typically averaged around 18 on the interstate at 70 MPH, empty.
Yes, I go right by that one Goodwill store - I stop in occasionally and find some good bargains. Thanks for watching!
My diesel truck gets 29mpg empty and 27.5 towing a 18,000K toy hauler…….naw I’m lyin’, I don’t even have a diesel truck. But thanx for the info, gettin close to pulling the trigger on a 7.3 w/4:30’s :)
You had me there for a second! I've seen some claims like that before that weren't jokes from diesel truck owners. :) I can say that I continue to be impressed by the new 7.3 (ours has the 3.73 gears). It's great for towing!
@@PurpleCollarLife
I find it amusing when diesel owners pop on these comment sections and feel the need to brag about their trucks. Everyone knows about the power of those machines and their abilities but they can’t help it 🤓. Thanks for ur video, I subscribed and I’m looking forward to more info :)
My 21' F350 7.3L, 3.73 gears. I found that on FRWY driving ECO (empty) didn't really improve anything.Drove a round trip 2x though to allow for any variances in traffic and road conditions. City driving did a bit better but made it harder to quickly accelerate when needed. Fair amount of difference driving 62 vs 70mph though in "Normal". About 90% of my driving is towing a 9 - 10k # travel trailer though. About 1-1.3mpg's difference between 60 mph vs 70mph. I usually do ~62mph and average 10.3 mpg's here in the PNW going up & down hills. I got 13 (towing) on a flat road 1x though.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I find that it seems like each truck seems like it's unique in MPG. I'm sure that there are many variables from driver differences to weight differences due to features/options on the truck, gasoline differences, wear on items from tires to bearings, etc. But I will say that I am really impressed that a truck this size, with a large displacement gasoline engine gets anywhere near the fuel economy I'm getting. I remember the old Ford 351 engine in my Bronco getting like 8 MPG. :)
@@PurpleCollarLife Yes; I too had a 94' Bronco. 351, 3.50 rear. 10 in town & 13 on the Hwy. I've had numerous pickups over the last 48+ years. Most of my 3/4T were 10mpg's empty, full, towing, city or Hwy until about 04'. Then they got a bit better. I'm truly impressed by the new ones though. My 15' 3.5l ECO F150 was a real eye opener. 17 in town & 22-24 on the HWY. Even though I had the Heavy Tow pkg; just a bit small for our current towing needs.
I have exact same truck configuration. I posted a video where I did All Day Driving on flat Texas secondary roads in cruise control set to 65. I’m talking like 535 miles or something. I averaged 17.5mpg in ECO. People want to hate on me for that number. Some say I can’t believe my lie-o-meter. Like Purple Collar People I find my hand calculation to always be 0.3-0.5 less than the meter. Some say I had the truck up on blocks and there was no road resistance…said I should have showed the road. I’m not in a mood to show the road as I drive. I drive for safety first. Besides why in hell would I lie like that? Ford doesn’t pay me! I also have found that in Normal drive mode I lose maybe 0.75mpg vs Eco mode. So whenever I can I put it in Eco. Why not? Saving Pennie’s on fuel is still money saved right?? I love the Godzilla motor. It matches up really well with a Super Duty frame. Oh and GET THE F350 and not the 250. You get at least 800 pounds more payload! And the truck easily handles loads.
Considering the size of our truck, and the power of the Godzilla (and hopefully long-term reliability), we're thrilled with our MPG averages and capabilities of this great machine!
I am currently doing a similar test between normal mode and advanced sport mode. So far, no noticeable difference.
Thanks for sharing! I was wondering about that one too. Do you feel a difference in pedal response in sport mode?
@@PurpleCollarLife Basically, it is deactivating the limited slip rear end, so it is delivering full oomph to the tires, if there is a difference in petal response, I am not noticing it. My fuel mileage is darn near identical.
So let me get this straight, you drive an F350 7.3 every day to work? God bless you man, I would be in a Fiat Abarth LOL
Great question. I don't drive the F350 every day to work. Unless there's a reason to drive it (bad weather, need to haul something, just want to drive it) - most of the time I drive the little Ford Ranger 4 cylinder 5 speed. It's a great daily driver. If $$$ was not a concern at all - I'd drive the big truck every day. It runs great and is nice to drive. I just want to avoid using all the extra gas, and racking up 165 miles each day on it.
Here's our daily driver Ranger video: th-cam.com/video/GjHAKaOQP6k/w-d-xo.html
That truck looks extremely tall. Can you even see over the bed rails?
Barely! :) It sits tall for sure.
I have a 14' ecoboost and my RPM's are almost identical to yours at 70mph and average a hair over 17 mpg.
Thanks for sharing!
If you hold the traction control button down for about 4 seconds you'll see a window pop up that turns all that stuff off, try that and see what you think?
Will do! Thanks.
This can not be accurate because the test wasn't done in the same direction. Heading into the wind vrs with the wind or up hill vrs down hill makes a huge difference.
You’re right that running the test again, while switching operating modes for the drive down and drive back would give us additional data to discuss. But I have made this drive many times in many vehicles over the past decade or so, and know that the MPG is pretty equal in both directions.
My experience with eco mode, is that it makes zero difference. It does deaden the petal, but then you just mash the thing harder.
Thanks, Roy. I like to at least THINK it's saving me a little fuel. :)
I find the same thing with my F350 7.3 as well. ECO is worthless for me.
Great video and beautiful rig sir! I dream of getting an F350 some day to haul a truck camper and this rig probably has about 3500 pounds of payload if not more and I assume 40 gallons of fuel capacity? Perfect gear ratio I think. My 2004 Ford Ranger with 4.10 gears and 4.0 engine is in great shape and is easy to drive around town. It only gets about 20 mpgs at 73 mph or slower. Around town only 16 to 18 and in winter or off road for hunting and short drives probably 13 to 15 mpgs so the mpgs vary based on mission profile.
I was thinking of getting an xlt mid f150 with heavy duty payload package and those guys only get about 19 to 20 mpgs Ave with either 3.5 or 5.0. These trucks have a 2300 to 2500 payload.
That type of setup might be better for me now with a small truck camper with only 5 foot interior height or a small Alaskan truck camper. But if I was retired I would probably go to a rig like yours! Now I am curious what ford will do with the 6.8 gas engine. If they had hydrid f350 with some amount of power output like the Poweboost with the ability to improve city mpgs in a heavy duty that would be the truck for me.
Hope you and your readers have a wonderful week! God Bless all
Max payload with our configuration is 3981 lbs, which is amazing! With the long bed, we have 48 gallons of fuel capacity. I'm also amazed by the payload of the new F150s. Much higher than they used to be.
I've heard the 6.8 gas engine MPG is pretty close to the 7.3 when unloaded. And depending on the load (and the terrain), you can see a more significant difference in MPG between the Boss engine and the Godzilla engine when towing. Thanks for watching!
@@PurpleCollarLife From the info I have seen, that 48 gallon tank also requires the Crew Cab. I really wanted the Super Cab and long bed, but it seems we can't get the big fuel tank with the Super Cab.
I was going do the 430 gears in the 250 but really the taller gears will tow everything and more i need so definitely going go with the taller gears and save on the mpg
We're happy with the 3.73 for our use. Better MPGs than I expected, and still tons of torque and towing capability.
@@PurpleCollarLife 250s have the 3.55 for their tall gear of choice so should potentially get even better mpg then what you displayed in your video!
Cool.
Thanks for watching!
My 2017 dodge diesel gets 16 empty and 12.4 pulling my 12500 lb camper
That’s right about what I would expect. It certainly seems like the Diesel engines average higher when towing than the gasoline engines. But this 7.3 is definitely the highest MPG I’ve ever had in a big V8. Our 5.4 in the Expedition does slightly better not towing, but much worse when towing. The Tristan 5.4 in my old F250 did worse empty and towing. It was a 2000 year model.
Are you small or is the truck huge?
Maybe both? I'm 5'8" tall.
@@PurpleCollarLife haha, not quite manlet status. That truck looks huge!
That’s a neat test Chad I’d be curious to see if you get the same numbers if you run normal to work and eco on the way home? I know I always feel like I get better mpg going the same way you are down but not as good coming back this way.
Great suggestion! Maybe there's more uphill headed home?! I'll give that a try the next time I drive the F350 to work. Typically, I like to drive the little Ford Ranger as my daily driver - just to save gasoline and to save miles/wear on the new truck.
@@PurpleCollarLife I totally understand I usually drive my Subaru for the same reasons lol
wonder what 3.55 gears would do for this being 10 speed.
I think the F250 versions of the Super Duty do come with the 3.55 gears when equipped with the 7.3 and the 10 speed.
Where I drive, it will be hazardous to drive at 69 mph.. It will create the traffic jam and forcing many others to make the dangerous pass. Why not drive around 70 to 75 mph?
The speed limit on this interstate is 70. I could set the cruise at 70, but I've found that 67-69 is a better sweet spot for maximizing MPG without slowing down traffic. Some traffic does travel at 75+, but I just stay out of the fast lane so they can get by me.
What octane fuel do you run all the time even when towing?
We run regular unleaded 87 most of the time. I have run a few fuel tanks of Unleaded 88 through the truck.
How did you get 3.73 gears? They told me when I ordered my F250. I couldn't get those with the 7.3. do I ordered 4.30's
3.73 gearing (electric locking differential) was the standard configuration with the 7.3 Godzilla (F350 long bed, crew cab, 4x4). I wonder if there are supply chain issues that changed what is standard?
You can get 3.73 gears in a f350 but not a f250
I have a 2022 F-250 with the 7.3 and 3.55 gears. It’s a crew cab long bed. That’s just how it was on the lot. I get similar mileage and don’t seem to lack power towing. I took it on a 3000 mile round trip this summer ad got 16.8 going out in regular mode and 17.3 coming back in eco mode. And at 8,000 miles on it I am very happy with it so far.
Do you do that drive 5 times a week?
2-3 times a week usually. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
do you that miles every day to work i do about 150 a week i think that was alot but its would not bring you to work and back🤣
It’s not every day that I make the commute. 2-3 times a week usually. Typically, I drive the little 2010 Ford Ranger (4 cylinder, 2 wheel drive, 5 speed) because I don’t mind racking up the miles on that and it saves me gasoline and wear and tear on the bigger truck. All the parts are more expensive on the big truck. I’d much rather replace bearings, brakes, rotors, etc on the little Ford Ranger.
I think I would get a small car..to drive to work instead of wearing that big truck out... and maybe you have one!
Hi Garrett - I do have one. My daily driver is a 2010 Ford Ranger, XL (crank windows, basic AM/FM radio) with the 4 cylinder, 5 speed manual transmission (2WD). The days that we get our lake effect snow though, I still drive the big truck. The Ranger does okay in snow, but it's not great.
You aren't hauling anything 80 miles to work? Why not get a small commuter car instead?
Good question. I typically drive my little 4 cylinder Ford Ranger as my daily driver. Exceptions are when I need to make a video about MPG in the big truck, when I need to haul something, when the roads are covered with snow, and when I just feel like enjoying the F350 and the Godzilla. But normally - 80-90% of the time, I drive the Ranger. I did a video about it too. th-cam.com/video/GjHAKaOQP6k/w-d-xo.html
How about we do both not watching and not sub… !!
Whatever makes you happy. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
Why can’t they just make a basic truck?
That's a great question. Though there are some of the creature comforts we really like (heated seats, backup camera, bluetooth hands-free phone connection.