I have a 2007 Roadtrek RS on a Sprinter chassis. I get nowhere near the mileage others have seen with their Sprinters. My best tank ever was 19 mpg. My typical mileage is 16-17. I suspect something is wrong but don't know where to start looking.
All my travel has been in the West; mostly highway at ~70 mph but also some driving in traffic. I have about 1000 miles on the unit so perhaps it's not broken in yet. Most driving has been with fairly full tanks and a reasonable amount of gear, but it's hard for me to believe it's a weight issue.
BTW, I love the Sprinter, even with this mileage, but I'd love it even more at 20+ mpg!
Your mileage may vary, LOL. Try driving at one speed,with out cruise control ,like steady 65 mph for a tank full of fuel & compute MPG.Let that be your"base MPG" Diesels use fuel by the amount of revolutions per mile of the engine. Higher speeds also increase load applied to the engine by pushing the frontal area,but MPG with a diesel does not drop off as bad as a gasser in the same adverse conditions. Compute the MPG from day one,keeping a log as to conditions per tank used, to check for patterns contributing to MPG obtained. Cetane boosters & fuel conditioners may help MPG , preserve the fuel pump & injectors.There is actually "premuim diesel fuel" available at some locations with the additives in it. Good luck.
I think you are just about where you should be with that mileage. Mine now has just over 10,000 miles and I am just now getting 20 pretty regularly. I run with 3 people, full tanks, and a sat. dome.
Try slowing down for a tankful. Remember that drag cubes as speed doubles. You're lifting a column of air that has 8 miles of pressure on it. From 50 to 70 is 1.4 times the speed change, but the drag goes up by 1.4 x 1.4 x 1.4 This is almost 3 x the drag and requires a lot more hp. In addition your location among the mountains really uses up the fuel. You burn a lot of fuel going up (mass x gravity x height delta) and you don't get much back going downhill because of all the braking that is necessary. I would suggest going 60 or so and plan a trip somewhere that is sorta flat and see what you get. My sprinter got about 19 on the first few tankfuls, but after a few trips now averages about 23 - 24. I live in texas where its mostly flat.
You will see 22 MPG advertised for the Sprinter vans, by various companies that build. That MPG number comes from a DIN mileage rating for the high-top van (the standard height Sprinter van gets DIN rated at 24 mpg equivalent). There is no EPA mileage rating, because EPA does not rate trucks in this weight category.
The DIN rating is a "highway" rating, for constant speed on level ground, no wind. The speed for the 22 mpg rating is 80 kph. That's about 50 mph. Drive faster, expect less. Drive slower, expect more. 16-17 mpg suggests you are driving aggressively.
Break in is everything on these engines. At a thousand miles, yours is still new. Highway speeds will affect mileage but, a turbo motor uses the most fuel when under boost. Boost can't be detected without a gauge, however any attempt at rapid acceleration will make boost and use more fuel.
First, the diesel will continue to improve on fuel consumption up to about 50000 miles. Next, slow down. the fuel numbers were not based on loaded coach chassis and certainly not 70 MPH. Probably more like 60 MPH.
Ken
Amateur Radio Operator.
Vintage 1989 Avion Silver, 34V, toted by a 2002 F350, crewcab dually, 7.3L,4.10 axle,SCMT. Travel with one miniature Schnauzers, one standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot. Practicing for retirement!
My observations with an RT RS after 1.5 yrs. and 26k odo:
No noticeable change in mpg during break-in period. Always 21+ mpg.
Current range of mpg is 21.5-24.
Speed sensitive: 65 mph vs. 70 mph saves 1-2 mpg.
Not particularly load sensitive: Carrying full water with an extra passenger on a long trip, about 500 extra lbs., cost 1 mpg.
Not particularly city driving sensitive: I use the vehicle to visit customers in suburban areas during our hybrid work/vacation trips.
1-2 mpg loss.
In all cases I have always gotten 21+ mpg.
The bonus these days is diesel at 0.10-0.15 lower than gas.
I'm on my second Sprinter conversion The first one I put nearly 40k miles in 16 months was a '04, I recorded ALL the fuel that was put in, and AVERAGED 20.11. My present is an '06 with 2.6k miles. I have been seeing better mileage on the new one since I picked it up, by 1-2 MPG, but it is really to early to tell for sure.
I averaged 17 MPG (with the old one) when towing a Geo Tracker, and about 19 MPG towing a light weight covered trailer. the rest of the time it was right in the 20-21 bracket. It made very little difference how or where I drove.
The main difference in the 2 vehicles is in the differential, the first had a 4:11 and this one has the 3:77 (?). The new one FEELs like it has more pep - but it shouldn't considering the gearing.
I'm REAL skeptical when I hear a 24 over a long run, and 26 over more than a tank full makes my belly hurt from laughing ! With my first I topped 26 once - I just didn't fill the tank.
Dave W. AKA "Toyman"
KE5GOH - On 146.52
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