Towing Mileage

Toyman · Feb 10, 2022

I towed my 4,000 pound camper last week and got 10 mpg. I live in Florida where the roads are typically flat. Total miles for the trip was 200.

I used Normal drive mode and it ran in 10th gear except when going up a small grade when it shifted back into 9th gear.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what it would hurt to tow this load for 3,000 miles?

Jeppo · Feb 10, 2022

Toyman said:

I towed my 4,000 pound camper last week and got 10 mpg. I live in Florida where the roads are typically flat. Total miles for the trip was 200.

I used Normal drive mode and it ran in 10th gear except when going up a small grade when it shifted back into 9th gear.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what it would hurt to tow this load for 3,000 miles?

Just your wallet.

GearHead_1 · Feb 10, 2022

Yeah, you don't really want to run in high gear under a load. When towing most people that are serious about doing it with an F150 EcoBoost lockout at least 9th and 10th gears in their trucks some lockout 8th too. I'd think at the very least you'd want to run it in tow mode. Try and keep those RPMs above the 2000 RPM mark. Lugging an EcoBoost isn't in the engine's best interest. Staying out of boost on a long haul is a good thing.

TMac · Feb 10, 2022

Just curious why you didn't use Tow mode? I'm with @GearHead_1 on this. Gas mileage isn't about the lowest RPM, it's about BSFC which varies under load/RPM. I'd use Tow mode which would allow the programming that's built in to predict what youre doing so it can reduce the load on the engine and arguably select the best gearing, RPM, converter lock-up, wastegate operation, AWD engagement, etc.

Toyman · Feb 11, 2022

Next time i will try the tow mode. I read somewhere on this forum that someone used tow mode but could have used normal mode due to the flatness of Florida.

GearHead_1 · Feb 11, 2022

Whatever it takes to keep the RPMs up a bit (over 2000-2200) and keep it out of boost as best you can. I don't know that you can simply lock gears out on the Exploder like you can with a truck other than just using Manual Mode.

swoloschek · Feb 16, 2022

10mpg is good! What speed were you going? I tow a 21 foot enclosed trailer for snowmobiles(1900lb trailer+ 900 sleds)...
If I do under 65 I could probably get 10mpg... Going 70-78, mpg goes done precipitously..
I know I am getting hit with wind resistance but I expected better gas mileage..

swoloschek · Feb 21, 2022

So I took the advice above; keep it in 8th gear and no cruise control... went from ~9 to over 11 mpg..
The cruise control is a killer..

boiler662 · Feb 21, 2022

I always find it interesting when people are surprised they get better MPGs with CC off compared to on.... Cruise control is a basic feature, you give it a # to hit and it will do what ever it can to achieve it. Its not going to lift as you crest a hill, it wont lift going down a hill like one would using their right foot to conserve gas. It will down shift 3-4 gears to maintain your 75 MPH target climbing a hill

TMac · Feb 22, 2022

Well, CC will certainly "lift" when going down a hill. Since the 90's ECMs have incorporated specific pinouts (or canbus notifications in later models) for CC operation. That "information" allows the ECM to tailor the converter's lockup operation, to cut injectors when descending hills, and to select specific gears to maximize BSFC. Is it possible that by not locking in a MPH number your educated foot could do better? It's possible- for example with full control you could use a trucker strategy and add speed going downhill, so as to decrease the amount of energy used to climb the next, but to just say that CC results in lower gas mileage is not accurate and anecdotal accounts to the contrary are not convincing evidence. In the OP's circumstance, he needed to be in Tow mode to give the ECU the extra information it needed to tailor its strategies appropriately.

Bruce · Jan 30, 2023

Toyman said:

I towed my 4,000 pound camper last week and got 10 mpg. I live in Florida where the roads are typically flat. Total miles for the trip was 200.

I used Normal drive mode and it ran in 10th gear except when going up a small grade when it shifted back into 9th gear.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what it would hurt to tow this load for 3,000 miles?

Bruce · Jan 30, 2023

My 2020 ST pulls at single-axle 3,600 pound loaded trailer. I have made multiple cross-country trips (5,000 + miles) pulling across the plains and up/down Rocky Mountain passes. This has been my experience. The ST performs very well. The problem I observed is heat. On the plains with cool weather, 15 MPG. When the temperature goes over 90, 12 MPG. In heat over 100 or with mountain driving, 9.5 MPG (stopping for fuel every 2.5 hours makes for a long trip). Neither driving mode nor speed matters.
I suspect that the engine management system (EMS) monitors the air input temperature post turbo charging and as temperature rises, the EMS first retards timing, then if that is not enough, it adds fuel to 'cool' the combustion. I am not an expert but watching a few videos on the Wipple Intercooler (cools air after the turbos have compressed it), I believe the larger cooler effectively cools the air charge temp and therefore should increase MPG.
I am going to install the intercooler. Approx $1,100 and 3-6 hours of time. Mutiple road trips planned for this summer so I will share a post if there is any difference. Racers who have installed the intercooler are giddy about the racing performance improvement so even if there is not a great difference in towing I guess I'll take the performance gain.

l1tech · Jan 30, 2023

Bruce said:

Unless you tune for the intercooler you won't realize any performance gains...kind of. Installing an intercooler on the ST will help it maintain the power it is making due to charge temps not climbing but it will not make any more power unless it is tuned. On mine after installing the intercooler I have noticed that in certain situations I actually have more lag. I think this is due to the increased capacity of the intercooler. I expect after tuning it won't be an issue anymore.

Bruce · Feb 10, 2023

The stock ST I have has plenty of stock performance. I got a good one. I received the Whipple EB-8130 Stage .5 (MEGA Intercooler + K&N air filter) that I ordered (no Tuner). They say it takes 3-5 hours to install. That means 5-7 for me, I am careful and like to understand the dis and reassembly process. I also need to gather a few items in the "Items you will need' list. Cooler air temp while towing on a hot day is what I am looking for. The new air filter gives a louder whoosh sound when accelerating.

Bruce · Mar 4, 2023

The Wipple install took me 5.25 hours. No lift, no jack stands, no helping hands. A good 50 minutes was spent locating the 2 fender bolts above each tire (the image in the instructions confused me until I turn on my intuition mode) and the two 'squeeze' clips on the top of the last piece that is pulled off to reveal the stock intercooler. Those 2 squeeze clips are hidden. The ST seems to accelerate faster after the top of 2nd gear and beyond but there is a turbo lag down low. I am not sure if the engine management system needs to 'learn' or if this is as good as it gets. A program Tune for 91 octane may fix it but that would cost another $1,000 and if the ST is still under warranty and something goes wrong, the Dealer has the choice to cover the damage or not (according to Whipple). I will be towing 5,000 in May/June through mountains and across the plains so we will see if the larger intercooler improves MPG. I drive 78 pulling a single axle 3,600# trailer in Normal mode in the mountains and Eco on the plains, with or without Cruise Control. Trailer tires are rated for 80 MPH.

mwinn · Mar 5, 2023

Bruce said:

My .02 worth, I wouldn't tow in the mountains in Normal mode, I'd use the towing mode. Better shifting and will reduce engine lugging which will improve mileage and less stress on the engine. On the flatlands you might be able to get away with normal mode. Be careful of the plains, they have a way of fooling you. You may think you're on the flat lands only to find out you just climbed 3000 ft in elevation in the last 10 miles. IC will help the engine be more efficient and keep charge temps lower, but in and of itself won't increase mileage. I too experience turbo lag, you get used to it and will adjust your driving style. I just wrote it off as due to the huge increase in IC volume. Enjoy the trip, be safe

Bruce · May 1, 2023

Update on my towing experience. Completed a 680 journey between Phoenix and Palm Springs towing a single axle 3,600# travel trailer. Outside air temperature range 85-95, speed at 68 MPH, 1,900 RPM, transmission stays in 7th, 8th or 9th gear depending on grade. I switched between Tow and Normal modes. Milage did not differ. Averaged10 MPG. In the city, pulling less than 45 MPH, getting 15 MPG. Highway speeds dropped to 11 when the outside temp was in the 70s and then dropped again to 10 at 80+ degrees. The ST still has huge acceleration pulling this weight trailer, it just sucks lots of fuel.

Adding the large inter/after Whipple cooler did not change the milage. Bottom line, if you are pulling weight, your gas milage is going to be 10 MPG. My normal in city driving MPG is 21.7 using 87 octane. Note: I tried 89 and 91 octane on the trip, no difference in MPG.

10 MPG with a 21.8 tank capacity means stopping every 2.5 - 3.0 hours. If you are old man, all this stopping may work well. I have a 1,900 mile one-trip coming up shortly so with gas at $5.00 / gallon, that means $950 one way. Yikes!

MikeHTally · May 1, 2023

Mine gets 18+, towing a utility trailer with my JD S-170 (500#) and a tool box (100# or so). The trailer is 1,850 so 2,500#. My Ram got about 10 mpg, so I'm a happy camper.

Bruce · Jun 27, 2023

I pull a 3,600 lb single axle 9 foot tall travel trailer on long trips. I have tried many adjustments; installing a larger capacity intercooler, fuel octane, tire pressure, speed, driving mode. I am in tune with any vehicle I drive. Just completed a 4,900 mile, 105 driving hours trip from Phoenix to Santa Fe NM, through the CO mountains, Rapid City SD, Winona MN, Madison WI, Kansas City KS, OK, TX, NM. Mountains, flat, temperatures ranging from 50-105. My best combination is tires 35 cold, trailer tires at 60, speed 68, Normal driving mode, 88 octane, 50 degrees, flat terrain. That combination will deliver 13 MPG. The ST has plenty of merging and passing acceleration power and with the electronic brakes (with adjustable controller), braking is excellent.

13 MPG is the best case at highway speed. When the temp is in the 50s, MPG is 13, 12 in the 70s, 10 in the 90s and 9 MPG over 100. Transmission stays in 7, 8 or 9 as the temp increases.

Expect 10 MPG. I did notice that the mileage goes up as I reduce speed but to me driving 50 MPH does not feel safe when the speed of traffic is 70+.

Svtguy · Jun 27, 2023

Toyman said:

Not with a ST but with my 5.0 F-150 I get worse MPGs towing 7500# on flat ground than in the mountains on steep grades. Biggest reason is wind loading and speed.

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