How to Improve Diesel Fuel Milage

With fuel prices going up all the time, it is important to improve your diesel mileage. Changing your driving habits and making minor fixes to your truck cuts your diesel bill, leaving more money in your pocket.

Things You'll Need

• Synthetic lubricant
• Aftermarket fuel filter
• Aftermarket diesel exhaust
• Block heater
• Truck tarp

Instructions

Improvements You Can Make Today

1. 

   Slow down. Decreasing your speed just one mile per hour (mph) below 55 mph increases diesel fuel efficiency 2.2 percent, according to "Overdrive" magazine.

2. Lighten your load. In stop-and-go traffic and on highways, reducing weight improves your truck's miles per gallon (mpg). Do not leave junk in the bed of your truck and remove hitches when not in use. Replacing metal body parts with fiberglass also saves weight.

3. Check your tires. Adding weight to your diesel-fueled truck causes bulging tires and increases drag.

4. 

   Be more aerodynamic. Tarp loads in truck beds. Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) reported that drag reduction improves fuel economy about six percent.

5. Shift gears correctly. Shifting gears on a diesel truck at the lowest revolutions per minute (rpm) improves mileage, because diesel engines deliver more torque at lower speeds.

6. Adjust settings on electronically-controlled diesel engines. Reset your road speed limiter to a lower speed. A lower speed lets you use the top gear, lowering the rpm. Disable the fan-on setting with engine break and adjust the engine break so that it does not engage with cruise control. When the truck rolls out after a downgrade, it will go further, delaying your need to accelerate.

Improvements That Cost a Few Bucks

1. Use synthetic lubricants. Synthetic lubes improve mileage by reducing friction. In a study using Royal Purple synthetic lubricants in an F-250, "Diesel World" increased mileage by 10 percent.

2. Replace your diesel exhaust and air filter system. Larger-diameter aftermarket exhausts and well-made aftermarket air filters improve engine efficiency and fuel economy.

3. Buy a block heater. Save fuel by using a heater to raise your engine temperature instead of idling.

References

• Diesel World Magazine
• Fleet Equipment Magazine

Resources

• Specialty Equipment Market Association
• Amsoil