Improve mileage? 413 CI Driveline 1973- help

[Roger Rankin]

Greetings on October 18th, 2014

 

I just bought my 2nd Travco 22 and happy to finally find one that I still wish I had kept my 1975 22ft.

Shockingly, the first leg gets me a whopping 5 MPG.....and I must do something about that !

 

OVERDRIVE ??

CHANGE THE REAR END GEARS OR REAR END....TWO SPEED?

 

CAN YOU POINT ME IN SOME DIRECTION TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM?

 

Help? I love this Travco model and would like to keep it but the MPG is a real problem as I like to use the RV and not just look at it.  I'm retired and on SS, so being creative is my nature.

 

Thanks for all the information on this site....I also needed a windshield and that info was here....many thanks to all of you who share.....a very rare part of humanity....and kudo's to all of us that were raised that way.

If you can share any info on making my Travco more economical to run (aside from tuneups,etc) please let me know on this site or here     [e-mail]

 

Thanks, Roger Rankin

[Rich Thomas]

wish I had an answer for you, but I do want to welcome you. There are a lot of good people on here and Im sure someone will take your problem on. a couple things that I might say on the subject is proper tire inflation, clean fuel and fuel system pretty generic stuff I know but it really dose effect fuel mileage any way welcome to the forum!

[Russell E Johnson]

Our 87 Southwind 31 footer with a 454 gets 5.5 MPG when solo and 4 with the toad.  I added headers, large exhaust pipe with free flow mufflers, and a friction reducing oil additive and got more power but did nothing for the MPG.  The PO told me they got 5 MPG.  I thought about adding an overdrive unit to the back of the tranny but decided against it as it would only add about .5 MPG  and figured it would take too long to recoup the cost.  My son wants to drop a Cummings 5.9 with a 6 speed manual into it, but I am holding off till the 454 dies, it only has 34500 miles on it.  Besides if I do that then I have to fork out for a new diesel generator to replace the gas one we have now.  So for me living with 4-5.5 MPG is just fine for the time being.

I hope you find a solution that you like, as previously mentioned by Rich Thomas, others on this forum will have valuable insight to help you in your quest.

[John "T" Nordhoff]

  The one thing that seemed to help me improve MPG on big block carb engines in my RV's was to use dual 2 1/2 exhaust pipes with free flow mufflers. I used to send my carbs and distributors to Gerharty Performance RV in California for improvements which also helped. Of course, keeping the engine perfect tuned, driving 60 MPH and under, keeping tires full inflated, overdrive transmissions if available.

 I cant find it now, but there was a gentleman a short time back with a big block V8 (seems like 454 Chevy) in a Class A who talked about getting 10 and 12 MPG I believe it was and was hoping for 14 MPG, while other posters with similar rigs (and my years of RV's and improvements) were talking more like 6 to 8 MPG max. There's the man to talk to if you want to double the MPG you're getting, as in Class A's with big block V8's and carbs (and I used and bought and sold RV's like 30 years) I couldn't ever get near that 10 to 12 figure he talked about.

 In my current Class C (shorter, catches less wind, and less drag versus a huge front area and much taller Class A ) I can get near 10 MPG in ideal conditions (no wind, no hills, cruising 58 to 60 MPH) but that's with the 454 Vortec Fuel Injected engine and 4L80E Overdrive Tranny.

 Sorry no help other then dual oversize exhausts, free flow mufflers, overdrive trannys, have distributor and carb super tuned.

 PS if you find the secret to 10 + MPG in a class A LET US KNOW PLEASEEEEEEEE

   John T

[brian leibow]

the answer to better mpg lies in better aerodynamics.it's been studied to death by engineers, the govt. and

the trucking industry.you are starting to see the results in trailers equipped with skirts and kamm devices

on the rear of trailer doors.a guy in arizona has a class A that he equipped with a homemade version of the

kamm and that along with aero mods to all roof accessories and a belly pan for the running gear with a

spoiler.the gains in mpg were substantial and documented.i have always thought the travco was a perfect

candidate for a kamm back and also a spoiler for the a/c,they are done up with light weight materials and

can be easily taken down or folded in place.like i said,the trucking industry is beginning to use this equipt-

ment.why not us too?

[brian leibow]

a kammback is a type of spoiler that is added to the rear of the vehicle.it's sole purpose is to

improve the flow of air down  the length of the vehicle and smooth out the turbulent air that

exits off the rear end.if you restrict turbulent air and direct it accordingly,you now make the

vehicle "slippery" which will affect mpg positively.if you look at truck trailers,they end cut off

perfectly square.the air coming off the rear is intensely turbulent.this only adds drag which

kills mpg.a kammback will improve air flow and mpg.

[Lakota Wolf]

Yea a kammback smooths the air pocket a.k.a. the invisable drag chute. behind the trailer or box truck. . U.P.S. has a couple in Dallas Tx with smaller versions on their delivery vans. They swear by them.