How to increase fuel mileage in your diesel truck??

Don’t you love your diesel truck? We love the power, the torque, that sweet diesel sound, and the historically lower fuel prices. However, diesel fuel prices lately have been close to or even higher than gas prices. And sometimes it seems as if fuel prices only go one way – up! New “clean diesel” technology that in some vehicles drastically reduces our fuel mileage from previous levels is here to stay. Fortunately, Drivetrain carries a huge array of diesel performance products to help you increase your diesel fuel mileage. Which one is right for you? Let’s take a look at some of the most common types of modifications you can make to take advantage of your diesel engine..

Differential Gear Change – Most of our customers have lifted there rigs and put oversized tires on them. This can cause the truck to feel sluggish. The drivetrain gear ratio is important to keep the engine in the correct cruising rpm for the diesel engine. If you have a lifted truck just look into the rpm range at normal freeway speeds to see if there is an opportunity to get into a better effective range by raising or even sometimes lowering the ratio.

Performance Intakes & Filters – A simple and effective upgrade every diesel owner should make is installing a performance air intake system. Everything your engine does requires energy. Even pulling in air requires energy. Anything you can do to make that easier for your engine will result in better fuel economy. The high-flow performance filters that come with today’s intake kits are washable and reusable, enhance air flow, and last longer than the OEM filter. Performance diesel intake systems are designed with heat shields or are fully enclosed to keep hot air out of the intake stream. They also take advantage of technology like mandrel-bent intake tubes, powder coating, and high quality hardware designed to reduce air restrictions and intake temperatures. Cold air intake systems even take inlet air from outside of the engine compartment where the inlet air is cooler. Cooler inlet air temperature translates to more power during the combustion process because cool air is denser than warm air.

Performance Exhaust Systems – Just like your engine’s intake, an inefficiently designed factory exhaust system can rob your engine of power and economy the same way. For example, try blowing through a tube the size of a Bic pen filler. Then try blowing the same amount of air through a soda straw. Which one required more energy? If your engine is always “forcing” the exhaust gases out, then it is wasting fuel to get the job done. By installing a larger diameter system with a smooth mandrel bent radius, you will enjoy better fuel mileage and additional power from your engine. Even if your diesel is equipped with a catalytic converter or a particulate filter, the addition of a larger diameter exhaust after the emission control device will still help improve your diesel fuel economy.

Diesel Performance Chips – One of the most popular and easy modifications is the use of a diesel performance chip. Today the term “chip” can be used to describe a variety of electronic performance tools. Whether the right “chip” for your diesel is a performance module, tuner, downloader, or even a traditional chip, enhancing your diesel’s power and torque wisely almost always comes with a corresponding increase in fuel economy. Although this may seem counterintuitive, these diesel performance chips improve fuel economy by improving the efficiency of the fuel that is used. .

Diesel Propane Injection – Propane injection for diesel engines is a time tested way to safely improve your horsepower and increase your diesel fuel mileage. When used properly, propane injection will keep your engine cleaner with less carbon buildup and cleaner oil. Propane is a high octane fuel. The slower and longer burn of propane helps your diesel fuel burn more thoroughly, increasing power, torque and fuel mileage. This is one of the best performance modifications for towing, since the use of some performance chips can lead to excessive exhaust gas temperatures when hauling large loads at high speeds, especially up significant grades. With a diesel propane injection system burning propane at approximately a 1:4 ratio to diesel fuel (1 gallon propane per 4 gallons diesel) the increase in exhaust gas temperatures will be minimal and the fuel economy gains will typically pay for the cost of the propane. Propane injection will work for all diesel engines including older mechanical systems. .

Water-Methanol Injection – Like propane injection, water-methanol injection is one of the best diesel performance modifications for towing. Water-methanol injection kits allow for safe increases in horsepower, torque, and fuel economy, all while actually decreasing your exhaust gas temperatures. This universal performance upgrade can be used on everything from Volkswagen TDI’s to Industrial, Fleet and Class 7 and 8 applications, and every diesel in between. Water-methanol injection reduces air inlet temperatures which allows users to increase boost pressure to create more power by utilizing the cooling effects of water while burning high octane methanol allows for a more complete and thorough burn of your diesel fuel. If you just dropped a small fortune on a truck with a particulate filter and really need to improve your fuel economy, water-methanol injection will not adversely affect your particulate filter like most power adders. Likewise, it won’t leave a tell-tale signature on your truck’s computer so your warranty won’t be jeopardized! .

Clean Diesel Technology