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FUEL MILEAGE
I don’t know why bus owners at a rally gather around and talk about buses, but that is what we do. The recent conversations included discussions about mileage and some of what we discussed was no surprise. There seems to be general agreement that fuel consumption increased when the sulfur content of fuel went down to its current level. We all seemed to agree the coaches with the 12.7L engines were the best mileage, but one of our members knows his poor 12.7L mileage is related to an out of adjustment engine. So we can agree fuel mileage or more precisely changes in mileage can be a strong indicator of a problem.
What surprised some was my comment I am getting 7 MPG with a 14L XLII that weighs 53,000, and is usually towing a 6700 pound Hummer and as alll might know seems to have the OTR A/C on all the time which is a sure recipe for poor mileage. Another XLII owner helped me out because he is getting similar mileage from his coach.
I am not doing anything unusual to get the mileage I do. Obviously I tow a heavy vehicle. My driving is not restricted to flat ground or running with a tailwind. I don’t coast down hills in neutral. But I do set my cruise at 62 MPH.
Mileage is nice to brag about but only to pull everyone’s chain. If I get 5.6 like I did for 15 years with my 8V92 or 7.5 to 8.0 with my previous 12.7L Series 60 or if fuel is $250 or $5.00 I am still going to drive and enjoy the coach. The thing I really like about better mileage is I can avoid truck stops for more miles.
If you want better mileage and a far more relaxing drive slow down. Other thnn that our mileage is what it is and we really don’t have a whole lot other than our speed or the weight we pull that is going to impact the numbers.
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11 Replies
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I should add that I run my generator a lot when I stop driving and I am not on shore power. The message center does not reflect that fuel usage and when I do my data collection and run fuel usage calculations that generator fuel usage (unless separated out) pulls my average down a couple of 10ths.
The number shown in the photo above is a true reflection of driving mileage however.
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I reset the fuel mileage readout on the Detroit computer readout on the dash about 15,000 miles ago. I’m currently at 8.25mpg (obviously without taking into account what the generator takes). I normally run 61 to 65mph on the interstates depending on if I’m pressed for time or not and 55mph on the two lane roads. I use the cruise control as much as possible. I’ve noticed that the mileage has been increasing in increments of 01mpg slowly over time. I realize that isn’t very much. The coach has105,000 miles on it now. I’m attributing the slow increase in mileage to the engine finally being broken in. Based on direction from Brian Stanton of American Fleet, I’m waiting for the mileage to drop off before I take the coach to him for the injector/valve adjustment (or whatever they do) to prepare me for a run to a million miles.
I have a friend with a Series 60 in his Kenworth. Bought with like 700,000 miles, inframe rebuild at 800,000 and now over 1.2 million miles. These motors will last forever.
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Hello felllows xl45 1994 ,towing 7000 pounds getting 6 mpg at 62 ddec 11 . 1 mpg more dd60 !!!
Regards
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I got almost 8 mpg between Austin, Tx and Murphy, NC while running the OTR and running 55 without a toad. I had a computer glitch at the time and couldn’t go over 55.
On out trip to Branson, MO and Princeton, WV no toad but lots of mountain road and 62 mph my average was 6.5 mpg.
I’m running an 8V92TA Silver… Jon was running an 8V92TA Pink!
Harry
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On our trip 6000 miles up thru i-10 pretty flat about 60 miles per hour about 1400 RPMs with a lot of cruse control towing Honda CRV average 9 to 9.16 12.7L
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I did a trip last month to our 2nd home (Leadville, CO) and back home (San Antonio) pulling our 29′ enclosed trailer running the OTR air of course and the cruise control usually set at 64 mph. Total combined wt. 50k Lbs. Doin it again this month. 470hp 12.7L 60series.
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Purchased our ’95 XL-45 series 60 in ’01 with 53,000 miles. the bus gets everything it needs to be happy and in good condition, complete log of all repairs,maintenance,refresh,updates and a log of all fuel purchased, price, number of gallons, and location. now have 254658 miles.I don’t have a clue what my mpg is and don’t care. I bought it to drive and enjoy to travel. if I run out of money I will call the auctioneers.
just my thoughts
Glenn
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At 55,000 lbs. pulling our toad, we are getting anywhere between 6.2-7 depending on the terrain. On l-o-n-g stretches of flat highway, we can get 7.5 easy.
Most of us probably don’t worry too much about mileage but the mileage can tell us a story if something is going on with the coach. I run a ‘pencil to paper’ calculation to see what is going on (Hey, I’m a Taurus and like to know the numbers).
If we get a sudden drop in mileage, that could signal a problem.
Stay safe out there!
Mark
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The bigger the mileage numbers, the smaller the number of times I have to sit in line waiting for a fuel pump at a truck stop while the driver of the truck in front of me does his week’s shopping inside the truck stop.
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Why do they do that?
I’ve noticed some truck stops (like the new Love’s near Sheboygan, WI has wide yellow line to the drivers know how far to pull up to. We’ve gotten into the habit of when the truck in front of us at the pump starts to move forward, Cathie jumps out and makes sure he or she get ahead far enough so I can get the nozzel to the fuel filler in the middle of the coach and we leave enough room for the truckers to pass in front of us as they go back and forth to the building. She says all of them have been very nice about it. When the truck has pulled up far enough and I’m up far enough I toot the horn so she knows when to tell him or her to stop.
1999 XLV X-6872, liberty #440 -
As long as a truck pulls up to the line, which most do I can pull up far enough to fuel. Some that set back a ways require me to come within a few inches of their trailer, but so far I haven’t had to get anyone to move forward.
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