While you were looking for a modest increase in mpg, so what if it remains the same as long as you end up with better throttle response and performance especially when towing! If it means less shifting of the transmission and ability to pull long hills then that is a plus in my book.
Well my camper only weighs in at 3300-3400 lbs so I was really having no trouble towing and didn't notice any shifting issues but we will see how it goes on our trip to the canopener.
__________________
Different strokes for different folks!
I never learned from a man who agreed with me. Heinlein
If increased fuel mileage was the only reason for the upgrades, then I expect you're correct in assuming it will take too long to pay off to justify the expense. But...
If a couple times a week you can show up some slouchy (insert some other brand name truck here) at an intersection, or give a big tailpipe roar as you out pull them on a grade or just look cool at the drive-thru and get it in your head that each time you do that it's worth - well, let's say a buck - then hey, you'll have your money back in um uh - OK, lets say you do that twice a day, then you'll hit payback in less than two years. Works for me.
I am new to this forum, but being automotive enthusiast with some (unused professionally) mechanical diplomas, I have to straight some facts in this discussion. If I double somebody's reply, I am sorry but I don't have the time to study all 3 pages here. So some technical facts:
-there is no free lunch. Manufacturers design engines for best performance, longevity and allowable pollution. If you adjust one of those parameters, you are going to mess up the other as well.
-the mentioned K&N filters do allow more air to the engine, simply because they have bigger holes than most OEM filters. That allow more dirt entering the engine, shortening its life. If you really value performance more, than longevity, why not remove all filters?
-some engines are poorly design. Old blocks have been famous for almost doubling its output by few modifications. That in era of computers became absolute, but to some degree still exist. I own 2 engines made at the turn of Millennium. 6.7 liter Ford Powerstroke generate 230 HP, while 5.5 liter Mercedes 342 HP. The Ford engine weigh 900 lb, the Mercedes about 400 lb.
The Powerstroke is diesel engine, so there is some different expectations here, but both engines have similar life expectancy.
Bottom line, the 230 HP engine doesn't have to weight 1/2 ton in 21 Century.
Coming back to modification. Powerstroke is engine easy to modify. Some enthusiasts modify 230 HP engine to pump over 500 HP. But they don't want to worry about economy, or longevity.
It is their money.
Hey if you get a 2 MPG gain on vehicle that got 20 MPG before the mods, that is a 10% gain in MPG. Actually that is huge. A ten percent gain in economy.
However it would be a tough sell on the showroom floor. Add another $1000 to the sales price. A significant number of buyers would likely go across the street to get a $1000 better price. And spread over 100,000 miles that would be a savings of $1314 assuming fuel at $2.89 a gal.
My point above is, if you don't know what economy you were getting before you started, you have no basis to find out what results you got after the mods. ~ Just a guess and the feel in your seat. I for one am not moved by the feelings of another to spend money on a mod. Nor am I moved by advertisements put out by manufacturers on how great the improvements may be for me.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action
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1966 Mercury Park Lane 4 DR Breezeway 410 4V, C-6, 2.80 - towing a - 1966 Overlander International Twin Bed
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII Diamond Anniversary 4.6L (275hp), 4R70W - 1990 Ford E 150 5.8L, E4OD, 3.55 ____________________________________
Phoenix ~ Yeah it's hot however it's a dry heat!
Hi, as per gas mileage, [MPG] we were all taught wrong. We were taught to figuer how far we could go on one gallon of fuel; And how far we could travel on one tank of fuel. So, if we can go 400 miles on a 20 gallon tank, then we are getting 20 miles per gallon. Great! Right!............ No.
Miles per gallon is secondary to the correct way to figuer fuel mileage. The true way to figuer mileage is, to figuer, Miles Per Dollar. [MPD] $$$$$$$$$$ That is the bottom line. The oil companies don't want you to figuer miles per Dollar. But in reality that is what really matters; How many dollars will my next trip cost me?
In my younger years my cars got a whole 8 MPG and I paid as little as 25 cents for that gallon; It's a whole different ball game now.
The true way to figuer mileage is, to figuer, Miles Per Dollar. [MPD] $$$$$$$$$$ That is the bottom line.
It's a whole different ball game now.
Yes... In 1972 I bought a nice two year old high performance car for $3,000. Gas then was 52 cents a gal.
In 2005 I bought a two year old high performance car for $30,000. Gas today is $5.20 a gal.
Both gas and vehicles have increased 10 times in 33 years. The only difference is the vehicle in 1972 with a 6 litre engine averaged 12 MPG and the 2003 vehicle with a 3.5 litre engine averages 23 MPG.
In reality the fuel used today per dollars spent is half of what it was 33 years ago. The other bonus today is that the 2003 vehicle is so much better than that 1970 's vehicle. What is everyone complaining about???
__________________ Airstreams..... The best towing trailers on the planet!
Hey if you get a 2 MPG gain on vehicle that got 20 MPG before the mods, that is a 10% gain in MPG. Actually that is huge. A ten percent gain in economy.
However it would be a tough sell on the showroom floor. Add another $1000 to the sales price. A significant number of buyers would likely go across the street to get a $1000 better price. And spread over 100,000 miles that would be a savings of $1314 assuming fuel at $2.89 a gal.
My point above is, if you don't know what economy you were getting before you started, you have no basis to find out what results you got after the mods. ~ Just a guess and the feel in your seat. I for one am not moved by the feelings of another to spend money on a mod. Nor am I moved by advertisements put out by manufacturers on how great the improvements may be for me.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action
I know what fuel mileage I was getting before the mods. It's not hard to figure out how many miles I must drive the vehicle after learning post mod economy before I have paid for the investment. I usually keep my vehicles for a very long time so if I save a few hundred dollars during the life of my vehicle it's worth it to me, any savings is better than none. I made the purchase based on lots of material read and on information received from engineers who helped design the products( I pay almost no attention to advertising of any kind, like I said after reading their info I cut their claimed gains from a half to a quarter) and on a calculated risk. Yes I know it was a risk that might or might not pay off considering I had no empirical evidence. Like I said the seat of the pants feeling of power means little to me as I wasn't after more power, just better gas mileage. I will let everyone know how much if any gain I get from these mods with no bias, if I end up looking like an idiot for wasting money so be it at least I can save other people on here from making the same mistakes. I would say at the very least there is value in that.
__________________
Different strokes for different folks!
I never learned from a man who agreed with me. Heinlein
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Hi, as per gas mileage, [MPG] we were all taught wrong. We were taught to figuer how far we could go on one gallon of fuel; And how far we could travel on one tank of fuel. So, if we can go 400 miles on a 20 gallon tank, then we are getting 20 miles per gallon. Great! Right!............ No. 
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