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Thread: New To the Harley's But MPG is Killing me..

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    New To the Harley's But MPG is Killing me..

    Hi guys,
    names Johny I have a 2003 F150 Harley Love the Truck Drives and Pulls but when Im not messing around She's a Dirsty B**ch
    Im not driving her hard all the time its SOMETimes" only and Im almost to the point where I might sell her or trade her for something else..?
    I have already done some Mod's to help bring a bit MPG and performance If anyone has Ideas or tips what to do I might change my mind by getting Rid of her. heres the MOds

    JLT Intake w/ 9'' filter
    Flomaster Catback
    NGK TR6 0.36 Gap
    Boost Bypass
    Oil seperator
    91oct only
    Stock Pulleys
    Clean Lower intercooler

    Plans:
    Ported Blower
    2.76 Upper
    Off Road X
    10 series Flows or Magnapacks

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    You bought the wrong truck, period. Man up or sell it, those are your choices.

    http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/01/ga4emega.jpg

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    Registered User
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    Quote Originally Posted by m5james View Post
    You bought the wrong truck, period. Man up or sell it, those are your choices.

    http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/01/ga4emega.jpg
    Its Not that aight man enough I have 2 03 Cobras and BMW E39 M5 and the Harley out off those I like my truck! Its just think that their might be a way to do something to them to help increase??

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fastjohny03 View Post
    Its Not that aight man enough I have 2 03 Cobras and BMW E39 M5 and the Harley out off those I like my truck! Its just think that their might be a way to do something to them to help increase??
    I've got a 6spd swapped E38 740iL, E34 M5 (sold my E39 because I like the E34's handling better), and I DD between my E53 X5 4.4 and the Harley. At the end of the day if I need mileage, I ride my TL1000R. Honestly, it's a truck...heavy, crude, geared like a truck, etc...there's not really much you can do. That's like a Prius driver asking how he can make his car go faster...it's the wrong vehicle.

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    Quote Originally Posted by m5james View Post
    I've got a 6spd swapped E38 740iL, E34 M5 (sold my E39 because I like the E34's handling better), and I DD between my E53 X5 4.4 and the Harley. At the end of the day if I need mileage, I ride my TL1000R. Honestly, it's a truck...heavy, crude, geared like a truck, etc...there's not really much you can do. That's like a Prius driver asking how he can make his car go faster...it's the wrong vehicle.
    Lol funny thing you mention a Prius few days ago I got a chance to go to the track and guy had your typical looking Prius me and friend where laughing bc it had slicks well this car ran 11.9 @118 ??? We where not laughing no more when we saw that, so you can make a Prius fast just got to know how to.. But I just though that I might be the only one with a ****ty Mpg but looks like normal since everyone loves these trucks but do agree that they are some thirsty b***es

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fastjohny03 View Post
    Lol funny thing you mention a Prius few days ago I got a chance to go to the track and guy had your typical looking Prius me and friend where laughing bc it had slicks well this car ran 11.9 @118 ??? We where not laughing no more when we saw that, so you can make a Prius fast just got to know how to.. But I just though that I might be the only one with a ****ty Mpg but looks like normal since everyone loves these trucks but do agree that they are some thirsty b***es


    Someone has more money than brains. I would still laugh cause it is a Prius....

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fastjohny03 View Post
    ...Im almost to the point where I might sell her or trade her for something else..?
    ...If anyone has Ideas or tips what to do I might change my mind by getting Rid of her...
    Well'p, my friend you have a 5000+Lb supercharged truck, there is not much improvement to be made, unless you stop driving it. We all don't love these trucks for the mileage they make.

    I have read a few threads here and a few on LR and even some FB posts about this very subject, and for the most part everyone gets between 10-13 mpg on average for all the replies I have read. There are a few that say they can get better, but I have a hard time believing it.

    I average 10.7mpg in town, but have gotten as good as 15 mpg when freeway driving on a long trip...but that was only once.

    I hope that you don't decide to sell your truck, but if its your daily driver and you have a long commute, maybe a used hybrid is in your future, who knows do some math, maybe the fuel you save by not driving your HD would pay for the Prius...?


    My advice on the question you asked: If you are getting worse than 10mpg in town, I would suggest getting new upstream o2 sensors. I did them on mine and saw a jump in performance and about 1mpg gain. Beyond that and a clean IC, there isn't much you are going to improve.

    Try to measure in Smiles Per Gallon instead, that should help!

    Sold my 2002 BLK #9638 to my wife's uncle, Sold my 2003 BLK #6682 to a nameless man local to me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SoCal Waite View Post
    Well'p, my friend you have a 5000+Lb supercharged truck, there is not much improvement to be made, unless you stop driving it. We all don't love these trucks for the mileage they make.

    I have read a few threads here and a few on LR and even some FB posts about this very subject, and for the most part everyone gets between 10-13 mpg on average for all the replies I have read. There are a few that say they can get better, but I have a hard time believing it.

    I average 10.7mpg in town, but have gotten as good as 15 mpg when freeway driving on a long trip...but that was only once.

    I hope that you don't decide to sell your truck, but if its your daily driver and you have a long commute, maybe a used hybrid is in your future, who knows do some math, maybe the fuel you save by not driving your HD would pay for the Prius...?


    My advice on the question you asked: If you are getting worse than 10mpg in town, I would suggest getting new upstream o2 sensors. I did them on mine and saw a jump in performance and about 1mpg gain. Beyond that and a clean IC, there isn't much you are going to improve.

    Try to measure in Smiles Per Gallon instead, that should help!
    I Do driver her most off the time, Now since you mention weight Im thinking about removing My spare and bed cover that should drop few lbs and doing a electric fan, I already have a 18" fan but need the wiring. Also what do you mean by O2's sensors is that an upgrade?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fastjohny03 View Post
    ...Also what do you mean by O2's sensors is that an upgrade?
    I had just under 80k miles on my o2's and they were flat wore out. They weren't reading the exhaust correctly making my mpg and performance low. Its a factory part, I got some bosch's from oreilly auto parts for $100.

    Like Sonic said, Removing the spare, bed cover and hitch, while adding an electric fan is not going to pay off and could potentially leave you stranded with a flat. You might gain .2-.5 mpg, but IMO not worth the risk. I took my snug top bed cover off for a couple weeks, and though the a$$-dyno said it was faster, it was really only off the line so highly doubt there is much to gain in the gas tank from it.
    Last edited by SoCal Waite; 06-04-2014 at 09:18 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fastjohny03 View Post
    I Do driver her most off the time, Now since you mention weight Im thinking about removing My spare and bed cover that should drop few lbs and doing a electric fan, I already have a 18" fan but need the wiring. Also what do you mean by O2's sensors is that an upgrade?
    I've got a vinyl bed cover, an e-fan using one from a Mark 8 and didn't even get a spare tire w/ my truck...it's not going to make a huge difference, you're still going to get single to low double digit MPG's. Replace the pre-cat 02 sensors because those are the ones the ECU uses to read and adjust your A/F ratio. They get old after time and should be replaced every 100k no matter what.

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    I just went on a road trip and averaged a tad over 14 mpg and I was happy, lol. Mine is stock with drop in filter and magnaflow muffler. I'm going to do all the mods you have and could care lessa bout MPG. I drove a 95 Civic for almost 4 years and it got 35 MPG, but I hated driving it. I'm 6'0 245 lbs. and could not get in and out of it to well. If you sell it, send me your parts, lol...

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    Dropping the spare and hitch isnt going to do anything for MPG. This is not a MPG vehicle. And doing the mods you mentioned (ported blower, smaller pulley) isnt going to help.

    Thats why I bought a Mini Cooper S. The 30+ mpg that gets, helps offset the MPG in the HD.

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    i get 10 (lucky if i do) in the city. and 15 on the highway

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    Anyone see a difference in MPG after adding a bed cover??

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    I have a bed cover and get the best of 15.5 on long trips staying around 75 mph.

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