Misc. Stuff

Well, we took the cat out for the first time this weekend and really enjoyed it. The Duramax only got 11mpg and we werent' even completly loaded. We only took what we needed for that trip. Is 11mpg typical? My dry weight is 9800 lbs. Also, since we only did a one night stay and didn't put any solids into the toilet, I figured I probably don't have to dump the black water tank but, we won't be using the camper for at least 3 more weeks. Will this be a problem for me say, with odors? Is it absolutely necessary to dump the black water tank after each time we camp, no mater how little we use the toilet?

11 mpg is good. Especially compared to mine. I was only getting around 8 mpg. But I was doing a lot of mountain towing. Just remember, in addition to the 9800 pound dry weight (what is the loaded weight??), you have wind resistance you are fighting.

As far as the black tank, even with no solids, it may start producing odors. Especially as summer sets in and it starts warming up. If you have a chance, I would recommend you dumping and rinsing it. But I suppose the real test would be to wait and see what it does. Then you can judge firsthand.

I can’t say what fuel mileage you should get with the Duramax but your 11 is about what I get with my Ford diesel with the 3.55 rear end. My lowest average MPG when towing has been 10 MPG and my highest has been 12.5 MPG. A lot of factors affect fuel mileage besides the weight of the trailer. Your driving speed, wind conditions, and terrain can make a huge difference in how many miles per gallon you get. The sweet spot on my truck seems to be 63 MPH.

As far as your black tank is concerned, 3 weeks is a long time to let the yellow, mellow. If it were me I’d go out once a week and drop a couple ounces of RV toilet treatment in the tank. I ALWAYS dump my black tanks when finished with our trips. After dumping I add three gallons of water back into the tank along with a few ounces of RV toilet treatment. Also, always keep water in the toilet bowl so that the rubber gasket on the bottom of the toilet doesn’t dry out.

It depends on what year Duramax you have. I have a 2008 and get between 10 and 12 while pulling the cat. This is on trips ranging from30 to 100 miles with a few hills. I run at 65 mph on interstate. If you have an older Duramax ( pre 2007 1/2 and dpf ) I believe you should get a little better than this according to some people I have spoken to and what I've read. I don't think you're going to see much of a change in mileage when you are loaded down. I pull a 3,000 LB. utility trailer and get about 15 mpg and a 4,000 lb. boat and get about 13. All the extra weight of the cat plus the extra wind drag don't make that much of a difference from these much smaller trailers.

KH

Does anybody carry any extra fuel since the 3/4 tank range is only around 175 miles?

I carry extra fuel when I am going into remote areas where I Know that the miles I wll drive exceed the capacity of the TV to return to a fuel source. Also carried an extra 5 gallons when I traveled to Alaska and to New Foundland because I didn't know what the situation might be. On the Alaskan trip I used the extra fuel in Montana when the station I anticipated was closed. That reinforced my thoughts to look for fuel at 150 miles. Better to stop too soon that to run out. Also 2-3 hours is about as far as we need to travel without a stretch. Both of us have aches and pains that need to stretch.

When towing I carry two, five gallon cans. We have a trip to New Brunswick scheduled for July so I recently picked up two more cans to carry along for a total of twenty gallons. I am not sure how plentiful diesel is in the area we are going. I had checked on gas buddy and it looks like plenty of stations carry diesel but you just never know. I would like to have a 45 or 52 gallon after market tank ( under bed ) but I just haven't been able to convince myself that it's worth the $1,200 to $ 1,400. Spending $ 40.00 on those yellow cans was so much easier.
KH

When we head into the mountains for any length of time, we ALWAYS take extra fuel; at least 15 gallons worth. We have to make several runs up the logging roads during the week to get wood, water, etc., so the gas gets used fast! Plus we're needing to use fuel for generators and our mining equipment. It's over an hour to the nearest (reasonably priced) gas station. One trip into town on the weekends for groceries, laundry, and fuel, and then; repeat!!

TC

My 2006 Duramax AVERAGED 12.6 MPG last year. My camper loaded is about 10,000 #s and we towed over 7,000 miles last year including about 4,000 miles + goings to and from Virginia through the Appalachian Mtns. of WV and western MD twice. In 2008 it averaged over 12 MPG with about 6,000 miles of towing. I always use Tow/Haul mode on the Allyson. The truck has a Banks chip and Banks dual exhaust. I get up to 65 MPH, set the cruise and steer except in BIG hill country. Usually have the Banks chip set on the second setting but use three in the big stuff. The truck is not yet quite broken in, I just runed over 95,000 miles bringing the WC down here to KY.

If theres a dump station at the campground, I'd always dump the black tank. If your wifes using it theres gonna be T/paper in there. The liquid treatment stuff works good but does anyone know for sure it breaks down the paper ? You can't see in there and I sure ain't looking when I dump the hose.
Like the others have said leave some clean water in the tank after you dump with a shot of the Odor / breakdown treatment stuff.

btaylor0,

You don't say what year your Duramax is, but I'll share my experience with the Cummins.

I bought my truck in June of 2004. The engine is the high output Cummins and the truck is considered a 2004.5 because of the engine change. Knowing that the diesel engine is the most efficient engine available, I was dismayed by the first results. I was barely getting 14mpg solo and 8mpg towing. YIKES

BUT ..... as the mileage increased, the engine began to break in with parts wearing in and loosening up. Out on the interstate and driving solo, holding at 2000 rpm (61.5 mph with my 4.10 rear) in 6th gear I regularly get an average of 23.5 mpg. Around town it's more like 17.5mpg. Towing on the interstate I can get 14.5 with a tailwind, but the average is more like 12.5 to 13 mpg.

Course, the truck has 109,390 miles on it and I think it's just about broken in.

As your truck get's older, your mileage should increase.

Just think what your milage would be if your truck was a gasser!!

My black tank has waste in it for the past 2 months and no odor or such. I wasn't planning to go that long, but it happened. Normally I dump after each trip. I didnt want to wait in line at the dump station and figured I'd do a trip in May so I rolled out. May came and went and no trip. It'll get dumped at the end of my June 18th trip.

Note, I used RV 2ply paper and I always double the tank treatment.

Earl

I'm thinking I'll store the extra 5 gallon containers using a cargo bar and cover the containers with some canvas or something. Any other thoughts?

Thank you all for the responses it's been a big help. I know I'll have more questions as we start using the Cat more this summer.

I'm sure from now on I'll be dumping the black tank after each trip and at least now I know my fuel mileage is right in line with the normal and carring extra is fuel not a problem.

What kind of chemical do you use in your waste tanks, Earl? We've been using Happy Camper for a little more than a year, and have been very satisfied with it. No odors at all. Our only problem, and one we solved very quickly, was that the shower spray we used on the glass walls killed the enzymes in the Happy Camper. So, when I turned on the shower and water started going down, a horrible smell started coming up.

Tater

I was told that you should add fresh chemicals to your black tank about every two weeks whether you're using it regularly or not.

TC

We use the GEO Method by Charles Bruni. Inexpensive and it seems to work really well for us. No problems in two seasons.

Scruffy and Tater wrote:What kind of chemical do you use in your waste tanks, Earl? We've been using Happy Camper for a little more than a year, and have been very satisfied with it. No odors at all. Our only problem, and one we solved very quickly, was that the shower spray we used on the glass walls killed the enzymes in the Happy Camper. So, when I turned on the shower and water started going down, a horrible smell started coming up.

Tater

With an empty black tank, I add 3 full toilet bowls of water to the tank and than a 4th bowl with the treatment. I drive to where I'm camping and than after one or two days of use, I add another bowl full of water with a treatment. Been doing this for years using the same product and never have issues, problems, odors or sensor issues. After a few more days I'll do another bowl full with treatment if I'm on a week long trip or such. Most of my trips are just 2 to 3 day weekenders.

I use this in my black tank and it has natural enzyme deodorizer and waste digester http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/exodor-bio-pak/27871

I use this in my gray tanks http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/elemonate-grey-water-tabs/37792

Earl

Woo. what an insight to waste tanks. On my old Motor home I only had a black and a grey tank, they did not have any joining pipe work as they where different sides of the drive axle. So you had to move the sewer pipe from one tank to the other. I never used any chemicals in my tanks as I believed that the natural bacteria would do its job and brake down the waste. the tanks where vented through the roof of the Rv and seemed to work OK, but there was always less smell from the black tank than from the grey, I put this down to all the different types of detergents and soaps that where being used.
But I am going to give the GEO
Method by Charles Bruni a a go.
Mileage with my outfit on a 300 mile run returned 15.6mpg which I was very pleased with, (my Motor home would get on a good day 6.5 on a gallon of LPG). U.K Gallon is 4.54 litres. One factor you might have to think of is I only used Tow Haul mode for the first 70 miles and only returned about 14mpg. (engine has only done 38000miles)
In the U.K. we possibly have lower speed limits than the USA when towing, a standard caravan can be towed at a max speed of 60mph.
whilst trucks and HGV's have speed limiters fitted so top speed is 56mph. I tend to cruse at 56mph and find this quite comfortable for the road conditions that we have over her

Well, I have to chime in on the truck mileage issue. Two days ago I traded down from my 07 duramax dually to the exact same truck in an 06 model. The 07 looked nice and was new for us. I had plenty of issues with tires, vibration, door rattles, etc. Of coarse all of this was normal, per GM. The truck seems to just struggle to move. The LMM motor is powerful but by far the worst duramax I ever had mileage wise. My cat is not very heavy, but the best ever mileage with this truck was 8.3 mpg. Others are getting 10-11. I usually got in the 7's if I was at highway speed.
Well, I spotted an 06 with 66,000 miles. It was locally owned and in excellent condition. This Chev dealer wanted my 07 and put decent money in the deal. Considering my 07 had to be a Friday PM or Monday AM truck, I decided to do it. Same truck old body style. Has LBZ motor. Not LLY but should get much better mileage. 06 truck seems to roll with ease. I think this will work much better for us. Not sure what I'll do in years to come. Hopefully something better comes by then. I heard Dodge will be the towing truck of the future.
Will get the hitch installed Monday and be camping by the weekend. Can't wait to see the difference.

azandy700 wrote:Well, I have to chime in on the truck mileage issue. Two days ago I traded down from my 07 duramax dually to the exact same truck in an 06 model......Will get the hitch installed Monday and be camping by the weekend. Can't wait to see the difference.

As you can tell from my signature, I have an '06 Duramax which I love. In '09 I averaged 12.6 MPG towing on over 7,000 miles of towing including the hills and mountains of WV and western MD four times. The truck has great power which is helped by the Banks chip system the first owner installed. I expect that if I take care of this truck I will not be able to wear it out. Enjoy that truck!

I have a 07 lmm, love it !! if you not getting what ya want out of it check the spec on the 2011's GMC boy did they make some sweet changes !! the 07 I get avg. 13.7 towing 2 x what i got out of the hemi!

ULSD had a lot to do with killing mileage too. My 03 Cummins would get 24 mpg solo highway (hand calc ~ stupid overhead said 26!) but with this new fuel, I barely get 21-22 and towing I lost a solid 1 mpg.
I had to get about 15k on it before we saw that kind of mileage though.