RV Repair: fuel mileage, fuel mileage, fan clutch

Question
I have a 1988 Allegro 31' with a 454 motor. What can I do to increase my mileage? As of now I get an average of 4.5 to 5 mpg.

Answer
Hello:
There are some simple things to do. First is to make sure the engine is well tuned, good ignition parts (plugs, wires, distributor etc). Do a compression check, make sure the engine is fine mechanically. Set the correct timing. You should, at best get about 5.5 to 6 mpg. Make sure the transmission is shifting well and that the brakes, including the e-brake is not too tight. Make sure the tires are in good shape and inflated correctly. Make sure the fan clutch is working ok and not too tight. Add some antifriction additive to both the engine and transmission. If all of that is ok it becomes more difficult and spendy. You could try to run larger tires and gain sort of an overdrive particularly if you do a lot of highway traveling. You could install a 3 or 4 inch exhaust system (one made by Banks is probably the best), you could install a Browning overdrive box behind the transmission, you could install a two speed differential. Good luck and good traveling.
Bill