When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Problem with any cap is that it takes away from what i use my truck for mostly....hauling bikes and such.
If i have to take any cap off to haul something chances are its just going to stay off.
It may improve the mpg but for a lot of people it isn't really practical.
Interesting tho and I don't even mind the look of the white one....
For many people it won't be a good solution but there are a ton of trucks out there (maybe half of them??) that are just "grocery getters" like mine. Yeah, I hear you, why did you buy a truck if you never haul anything? Well…lots of people do and the idea of 30mpg…man, that is exciting.
On the other hand, if you are saying image is important for people that don't use their trucks as trucks…'cause otherwise they'd drive something else right?…well I can't argue with that one bit.
And if you are taking your dirt bikes to ride on the weekends in your truck….well now I'm just plain jealous LOL
Here is my question regarding the 2015 aluminum F150
What else can a truck company do to improve fuel mileage besides losing weight (aluminum) and having a better transmission (GM-ford 10 speed tranny partnership)????
Diesel? Costs too much for fuel and the initial engine in the US. I see diesels for pulling big weight and the only way to justify that cost.
Turbo? May be the way to go but you still have to maintain turbos and the saying goes, "there is no replacement for displacement."
Weight reduction and better tranny. Great. What else can they do
Ram eco diesel with the eight speed transmission is the only truck right now that's getting really good real world miles per gallon numbers.
All data and anecdotal evidence shows that putting a smaller forced induction gasoline engine in a big truck is not you any better real world gas mileage than a V-8. Specially so when towing. Hell, A Guy my work just traded in his 5.0 for a 3.5 eco boost and now he is scratching his head...the boost it's fun but nothing has changed other than that. Well except for now he dreads having to tow anything substantial.
If Ford continues to pursue the Eco boost the only answer is to continue to make the truck lighter. But it has to be much lighter. In which case you get diminishing returns on truck capability. Not only that but the use of more "exotic" material is going to drive the cost of the truck up and it's going to increase cost of ownership for things like insurance.
Technology is such that they can build powerful and efficient V8s that will exceed the miles per gallon capabilities of the small forced induction gas engines in the real world. They won't have to lighten the truck so much that it won't be an incapable tool any longer. Or make it financially unfeasible.
Todays Eco boost motors would be awesome in something small like a Ford ranger etc. it's Misguided in a half ton pick up truck. But in controled testing and on paper it gets them the EPA requirements they need to meet café standards. And that's the only reason why they do it and the turbo allows the truck to still work like it would in a V-8 but gas mileage in the real world doesn't cut it.
You also lose the heart and soul of a half ton truck which is the V8 feel, sound etc. The piped in Exhaust note over the stereo also doesn't quite cut it LOL I have experienced this on a demo day and it was frankly quite hilarious yet pathetic at the same time.
Bondo is dead right because for best mpg's after learning "how" to drive, starting at about 35-40 mph it's all aero.
I began with a stock 5.0 Screw with 3.55. I went to 32" tires and new rim combo (dropping 7# at each corner). Added a MPT Eco tune for 91 octane, Volant CAI, Magnaflow, and ELM 327 to monitor.
Riding an inch higher dropped me back down into the 17mpg range.
Then did a 2/2 drop (so 1" lower than stock after adding the 32's) and added the "shorty" cover you see in the photo. Extending back only 10" from the cab (or 1/6th the length of the bed) it seems to be giving me a 3-5% improvement in real world mpg. Not much, I know- but it is real. I made it from cutting out a printed template from Photoshop on 4mm white Sintra (UV resistant). The Sintra was glued together with plain 'ol Cyanoacrylate liquid and the whole thing was double sided taped to the truck. I've had it on for maybe 6 months or so and it has proven very safe, durable, and resistant to the elements. As soon as hunting season, Thanksgiving, Chistmas, the carpal tunnel, rotator cuff, and all the rest of the old man surgeries are done, I've drawn up #2 which will be a 3/5ths cover. This I hope will give me a full 15% improvement.
But I think the best gain came from the 1" drop.
All told with the effective gearing change (32" tires) this puts me running about 2k rpm "sweet-spot" at 75 mph. On a Luling to Houston run I averaged 20.5mpg at almost an exact 75 mph average. A few weeks later I did a Houston-San Antonio round trip with an average speed of just under 62mph and got 22.6mpg. If I could capture that final 15% as with Bondo's Aerolid that would take me to right about 26 mpg as he states. So how about it Bondo? How many different forums do I have to beg in?
BTW, passing at highway speeds is a breeze. Also of note is that all the gains evaporate pulling a trailer.
Improving engine efficiency much further is a unattainable nightmare, IMHO. The only thing I see as workable is a diesel or gas/electric hybrid.
And why not electric on the F-150? The instant off/on at a stoplight is built in, no idling away your gas there. The generator can be tuned to run at its maximum efficiency all the time rather than up and down the rpm range- and when your batteries are full it cuts off. Electric has fewer parts to fail. But best of all is the torque you need in the truck that you bought to do work in. Sure blowers are nice and fun and all that, but at what cost? Increased complexity/cost and decreased mpg? Why?
The prototypes have a small window and rearward visibility is restricted but adequate. Here is a picture of a photo shopped image which shows the bigger window of a production model which will have much better rear visibility.
Ram eco diesel with the eight speed transmission is the only truck right now that's getting really good real world miles per gallon numbers.
All data and anecdotal evidence shows that putting a smaller forced induction gasoline engine in a big truck is not you any better real world gas mileage than a V-8. Specially so when towing. Hell, A Guy my work just traded in his 5.0 for a 3.5 eco boost and now he is scratching his head...the boost it's fun but nothing has changed other than that. Well except for now he dreads having to tow anything substantial.
If Ford continues to pursue the Eco boost the only answer is to continue to make the truck lighter. But it has to be much lighter. In which case you get diminishing returns on truck capability. Not only that but the use of more "exotic" material is going to drive the cost of the truck up and it's going to increase cost of ownership for things like insurance.
Technology is such that they can build powerful and efficient V8s that will exceed the miles per gallon capabilities of the small forced induction gas engines in the real world. They won't have to lighten the truck so much that it won't be an incapable tool any longer. Or make it financially unfeasible.
Todays Eco boost motors would be awesome in something small like a Ford ranger etc. it's Misguided in a half ton pick up truck. But in controled testing and on paper it gets them the EPA requirements they need to meet café standards. And that's the only reason why they do it and the turbo allows the truck to still work like it would in a V-8 but gas mileage in the real world doesn't cut it.
You also lose the heart and soul of a half ton truck which is the V8 feel, sound etc. The piped in Exhaust note over the stereo also doesn't quite cut it LOL I have experienced this on a demo day and it was frankly quite hilarious yet pathetic at the same time.
My 2.7 scuffed up a Dodge V8 the other night, and the 3.5 has a higher tow rating than the 5.0 does, not to mention more torque.
I agree with you on the sound thing because a V8 sounds sexy as can be under a truck and the turbos are neat but not quite the same, but to say the 3.5 isn't a performer is wrong.
Ram eco diesel with the eight speed transmission is the only truck right now that's getting really good real world miles per gallon numbers.
All data and anecdotal evidence shows that putting a smaller forced induction gasoline engine in a big truck is not you any better real world gas mileage than a V-8. Specially so when towing. Hell, A Guy my work just traded in his 5.0 for a 3.5 eco boost and now he is scratching his head...the boost it's fun but nothing has changed other than that. Well except for now he dreads having to tow anything substantial.
If Ford continues to pursue the Eco boost the only answer is to continue to make the truck lighter. But it has to be much lighter. In which case you get diminishing returns on truck capability. Not only that but the use of more "exotic" material is going to drive the cost of the truck up and it's going to increase cost of ownership for things like insurance.
Technology is such that they can build powerful and efficient V8s that will exceed the miles per gallon capabilities of the small forced induction gas engines in the real world. They won't have to lighten the truck so much that it won't be an incapable tool any longer. Or make it financially unfeasible.
Todays Eco boost motors would be awesome in something small like a Ford ranger etc. it's Misguided in a half ton pick up truck. But in controled testing and on paper it gets them the EPA requirements they need to meet café standards. And that's the only reason why they do it and the turbo allows the truck to still work like it would in a V-8 but gas mileage in the real world doesn't cut it.
You also lose the heart and soul of a half ton truck which is the V8 feel, sound etc. The piped in Exhaust note over the stereo also doesn't quite cut it LOL I have experienced this on a demo day and it was frankly quite hilarious yet pathetic at the same time.
The 2.7 Eco in my Supercab 4x4 begs to disagree...over a mountain pass and back home, 38-42* outside and only 700 miles on the ODO.
The 2.7 Eco in my Supercab 4x4 begs to disagree...over a mountain pass and back home, 38-42* outside and only 700 miles on the ODO.
Not bad, but with an average speed of 45 mph I'd expect 26-28mpg (or more!). Check out ecomodder.com for some really great tips. You should have a scan gauge or something similar and take the time to learn how to drive it for the high mpg's (no offense, really, but step one is always to "adjust the nut behind the wheel" as they like to say).
Not bad, but with an average speed of 45 mph I'd expect 26-28mpg (or more!). Check out ecomodder.com for some really great tips. You should have a scan gauge or something similar and take the time to learn how to drive it for the high mpg's (no offense, really, but step one is always to "adjust the nut behind the wheel" as they like to say).
This was not hyper miling, average freeway cruising speed of 68. There was time spent in town/at a stop/etc. At 50 mph ssc I was seeing 28-30 on the past 30 minutes gauge. I need to pump up tires, put on a tonneau, and drive in some warmer weather, haha. Doesn't appear Bondo ever got his lids off the ground. I've always wanted to buy one.
Cliffs: 2.7 Eco is awesome if you know how to drive them.
05-01-2014, 02:12 PM
