Richmond, Va. Diesel MPG loss ?

Weasel Diesel · 07-24-2008, 09:01 AM

I had breakfast today with 8 fellow Duramax owners. A problem was discussed that all of us had noticed ... in the last week or so, all of us have experienced a MPG loss of up to 4-5 MPG. Is anyone out there in the fuel business that can answer if maybe some change has been made with the fuel in our area ? Or is anybody out there in my area ( Richmond, Chesterfield ) noticing this too ? I thought I was alone until this morning.

TheHoov · 07-24-2008, 11:51 AM

Too much right foot maybe

? Nah just kiddin, thats really weird??

Weasel Diesel · 07-24-2008, 12:11 PM

AT first, I thought it was just me. I had changed the oil & filter on my truck when I noticed it at first and thought maybe it was the oil I used causing it. Then as we were yapping today MPG's came up and we all were like HMMMM. Of course it isn't nothing a good Beer can't fix. I knew they screw with gasoline for the seasons, but I didn't know about diesel.

**4x4Fantasy** · 07-24-2008, 12:12 PM

I used to be in VA, little more north of you though in Woodbridge. I can tell you though that your the first out of all the forums I am on to make mention of this.

Weasel Diesel · 07-25-2008, 07:03 AM

Maybe this is going to sound really stupid, but I beleive between us we located the cause. 3 of our trucks started getting louder ( the normal ticking a diesel makes ). Mine was darn near sounding like a Powerstroke. While sitting at a red light, the oil pressure was erratic. I was not far at all from a T/A truckstop, so I stopped there to see if they could help me out, cause I certainly didn't want to blow her up. The Diesel tech took a look and almost instantly he said " There's the culprit, a Damned old Fram filter". " I've seen this too many times" he said. Now having used Fram for years on gas motors, when I changed the oil, I used one. I told him that they meet or exceed mfg specifications, how could that be it ? He said let me show you something. He cut it open and cut open a AC Delco ( Which he had done a Virgin oil change on a new GM truck earlier ) out of the trash can. " See anything missing"? By gosh, he was right, The PH9100 FRAM did not have the bypass valve in it that the AC had. He didn't have a Donaldson ( which he said was his first choice ) filter in stock for it, so he got an AC Delco from the local Chevy dealer, Filled her with Mobil Delvac 1300, and she shut up, got steady great pressure, and beleive it or not, my milage has returned. I notified my friends as they use FRAM PH9100's ( we kick in and by them by the case ), and are getting the same results after changing over. It wasn't the fuel after all.

**4x4Fantasy** · 07-25-2008, 07:23 AM

Great news !!! I have known for years that Fram filters are crap....

**n0useforaname** · 08-25-2008, 06:49 PM

Agreed....I bought two of them...one was on my truck for 2 weeks...then destroyed it....the other is in my bed waiting for a bad tank of fuel (being a spare). If it ever does go on, it will only be there until I change to AC Delco.

08 Black Max · 08-25-2008, 07:42 PM

I would love to meet fellow truck owners. I am a new owner and new to the board as well.
Send me an e-mail cfeiring@aol.com maybe we can meet and swap info and tips....
My truck is still a baby just 1700 miles and get about 16 miles a gallon of fuel. I have been trying to buy only exxon name brand fuel , worried about the generic quality and my new engine.

Charles

**daddysLBZ** · 08-25-2008, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 08 Black Max

I would love to meet fellow truck owners. I am a new owner and new to the board as well.
Send me an e-mail cfeiring@aol.com maybe we can meet and swap info and tips....
My truck is still a baby just 1700 miles and get about 16 miles a gallon of fuel. I have been trying to buy only exxon name brand fuel , worried about the generic quality and my new engine.

Charles

Don't be fooled into thinking by the time you get diesel it's pure Exxon

They would have you think so though

I have friends that work for oil companies that tell me the oil may all come in one day from pipelines,then the next day they'll use truck stock to refine.The BEST thing you can do is KEEP your fuel filter of the best quality you can/see fit,and change every 7-9k miles.

Fireman6458 · 08-25-2008, 07:57 PM

Yeah I agree that Fram is crap. I tried using there oil filters on my old 12 valve Cummins. I would screw one on and start the truck and oil would be gushing out everywhere. Thought maybe I had a defective filter, so I went and bought a new one, same results. Now I had to go back for a new filter and more oil because about a gallon was all over my garage floor. I bought a Mobil 1 filter screwed it on and no issues. I have stayed away from Fram ever since.