L8 APEX
01-20-2006, 11:52 PM
This recent 2300 mile trip taxed my fuel capacity to its limits. Hauling a trailer through the mountains and into the desert climate takes a lot of fuel. I refueled approximately eight times on this trip. I averaged 7-8mpg though the mountains and hills and 10.5 on level ground. We cruised a good clip 75-85mph to make time so we knew more fuel would be used. There was tons of wind and cross winds all the way there and back. The Valley sway control earned more than its keep this trip. The truck did its job well. Most of the trip was running constant 22 lbs of boost and about a thousand degrees. I was able to hold my desired speeds on even the longest of climbs. I almost ran out of fuel once in the mountains I had to buy 5 gallons at a podunk stop to make it into the Van Horn Love's. The reason is you eat a lot of fuel on the hills and there isn't much civilization out there. I think there were several 70-120 mile spans between stations. I met a Duramax hauler with a 5th wheel at the Van Horn Love's. He was amazed my truck would hold 46gal, his dually only held 39. He was tired of stopping every 200 miles on his way across country. I told him about TFI. I was trying to refill at the quarter mark due to the sparse stations and steep hills. I think one needs at least 70 gals to go through the mountains and out west. During my July 4th trip out west there was no diesel station on the route for 200 miles. I had to drive 30 miles out of my way into NM which was a bog reason for the TFI I have now. Which empty operating range is fine now, it is the towing range that still lacks.