2001-early 2004 LB7 Duramax Fuel Economy Poll

[goodmonkey]

Unfortionatly I'm within city limits and not far from work, so I average 20 city miles daily back and forth in my 2001 Silverado. So that puts me somewhere about 13 mpg. Over the highway though I get between 17.5 and 19, traveling at 70 MPH. I'm sure the camper shell is helping cut into that. But for the size of the vehicle it really isn't bad.

[EZ39e]

2001 3/4 ton, 19 combined 25 highway. These are documented from 0 miles to over 100,000. Highway speed is 70 MPH.

[Cracker65]

With 34,500 miles on the odometer, and towing a 8,400 pound Airstream trailer, I'm getting 13.7 mpg in hilly country at 65 mph and about 14.7 mpg on the level. Solo, I get about 19.1 mpg at 65 mph on the level and about 16.8 in the hills. Around town (---mostly level,) I average about 14.5 mpg running solo. The truck has a hard fiberglass tonneau with a normal 500 lb cargo load in the bed - for an all-up weight of 8,400 pounds (---same as trailer.) These numbers all go down about 1.5 mpg using winter fuel blends in Maine.

2003 GMC 3500 Duramax CC, LB, 4WD

[Driveshaft]

I JUST RECENTLY DID SOME MILEAGE CHECKING. EMPTY WEIGHT IS 7000 LBS. GOT 18.7 MPG CRUISING AT 65 TO 74 MPH. TOWING EMPTY 4000 LB. TRAILER GOT 14.3 MPG, LOADED WITH APPROX 4000 LB. JOHN DEERE TRACTOR, 11.7 MPG. COMBINED TOWING SAME TRAILER LOADED AND EMPTY WAS AN EVEN 13 MPG. THIS WAS DONE OVER APPROX. 600 MILES. TRUCK IS STOCK WITH SWISS CHEESE AIR BOX. ALL HILLY AND FLAT GROUND. TRUCK IS '01 2500 WITH DURAMAX/ALLY COMBO. SPEED WITH LOAD WAS AGAIN 65 TO 74 MPH.

[Driveshaft]

ALSO, FORGOT TO ADD THAT MOST WAS WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. WHEN TRANNY STARTED DOWNSHIFTING ON HILLS I TURNED OFF CRUISE AND DROVE WITH FOOT AND IT DID NOT DOWN WHEN I WATCHED MY SPEED, WOULD BE DOING AROUND 74,75 AT BOTTOM OF HILLS AND AROUND 66 TO 70 AT TOP.

[canucktravellers]

Towing Yes No
US MPG 12.53 16.56
Cdn.MPG 15.05 19.88
L / 100 Kms 18.75 14.19

1.) Done over 50,000 Kms, over two years.
2.) Tires changed to 265 and Speedometer out by 5% ie under running by 5%
3.) 160 Fillups.
4.) Traveled all over eastern Canada, Florida, Texas.
5.) Towing a 37 foot Titanium Fifth Wheel.
6.) Truck is an Extended Cab with a RETRAX Tonneau & Stock Tailgate.
7.) Fifth Wheel weighs 11,400 Lbs.
8.) GCW is 18,400 Lbs

[Cranke578]

Hi I have a 2002 3500 4 wheel drive crew cab dually stock with edge jucie set at 90 hp. I get aprox 440 miles per tank before the feed me light comes on (30 gal.)empty town/city driving or 13 mpg. I tow a 36 ft gooseneck race trailer and get aprox 10 mpg consistanly. I do not baby it and I drive & tow at 70mph.

I have been disapointed in the milage until I see other Duallys in the same "ballpark". Those extra tires and wider areo do hurt rolling resistace.

[BobNelson]

82,000 miles now on six tires, and overall with fairly meticulous records, I have 13.85 mpg. With the camper on and toy box behind, seems like the average is about 11. Best recorded hwy empty is 18.2, but generally about 15.5

[Mark Pearce]

Lead foot Average.
75 MPH Highway
Almost legal around town
Avg 15.5 MPG
All Unladen.

[Olden_B]

I have been amazed by those who post that they are getting better than 15MPG highway or other. I currently own two 6600 durmax's 2004 models, in silverado package Z-71 4X4 crew cab/short box 2500. Both have recently been put through the 30,000 mi program, at a cost of $700 per vehicle. NEITHER of my trucks which are almost exclusively driven on the highway get better than 13.5 almost always 12mpg. with cruise control on at 70. Does anybody have a clue why they are both getting such poor fuel economy. My local dealer has put them both on the computer, replaced the fuel regulator on one and the injectors on the other and still there has been no improvement, and an actual reduction in performance of the other. HELP??
Thanks!
Bill

Originally posted by More Power:
Fuel economy is one of the top 2-3 reasons why most people buy a diesel pickup.

What we want to do here is help determine what people are seeing for non-towing fuel economy in actual on-road use.

Let us know what your truck delivers.... This poll is for owners of the LB7 (2001-early 2004 model Duramax 6600 engines). We are assuming summer blend fuel.

You will need to vote before viewing the poll data. If you don't own an LB7, but would like to see the poll data, you'll need to first vote in the poll using the "Don't Own an LB7" selection for both the local driving and highway driving sections.

Round your fuel economy averages to the nearest whole number. For example a 16.4-mpg would be 16, a 16.8-mpg would be 17.

MP

[Driveshaft]

I Got My Problem Solved And Now Am Able To Login. Thanks.

[ricksofla]

2005 Ford E250 van 5.4 liter, 85,000 miles, 11/12 mpg, 2002 Chev. 3500 LT crew cab, 4x4 dually, 317000 miles - 17 / 18 mpg. priceless!!!

[Dustdevil1]

I often pull a trailer weighing around 10k lbs. Under those conditions, I typically see 10mpg while climbing from sea level to the Mojave Desert (around 2800 ft). 16 mpg on the way home. 13 mpg on flat freeway.

Without the trailer, I see about 16 combined, and about 21 on the highway. But I usually drive past 70 mph. Fuel mileage varies dramatically with rpm on my truck. I would imagine it does with all of them. I have 3.73:1 axles, and it's a 4X4 with oversized tires. I'm sure that has a little something to do with it. Plus, I don't often specifically drive for fuel mileage.

[redrider#1]

Olden, I am in the same boat as you. I just purchased a 2004 Silverado, D/A, crew cab, 4x4, long box and even though I have put few miles on it, I am getting nowhere near the mpg that everyone else has been reporting. So far I have been getting about 13-14mpg totally unloaded highway miles at 75mph. As I have a broken leg right now I have not been able to investigate further(air filter, fuel filter, etc.) What gives?

[Mudflap]

Around town I can't keep my foot out of it 15-16 mpg tops. On the road I set the cruise between 1800 and 2000 rpm 19-20 mpg all day, drops off a little in the mountains. 107,000 miles

[FireMedic]

Received Truck Dec 9, 2000 7 miles on OD
As of 7/15/05:
Mileage: 93,262
Hours: 2704.6
MPG Average: 16.6
(SF Bay Area Commute Traffic Range from 15.6 - 19.0)
Best Tank: 22.0 Road trip on cruise at 69mph

[hotwelder5]

names tony
I have a 2003 2500 with the edge extreme ,6"lift 35" tires 4" magnaflow exhaust & K&N filter & in town i get about 18 & 21 on freeway at 80mph, Im a happy camper, also 16mph towing my 21 foot boat up hill.Again very happy

[dmaxster]

with 124,075 on it I get an average of 19.2-20 hwy if I taker easy....driving around 60. at 70 i get 18.5 and city hwy I get 17.9 .... all and all I am really pleased. when I towed my buddy's gooseneck we weight GCVW 22,500 LBS then I was getting around 12 maybe 10 if Windy and Hilly but usually 12 MPG. All I can Say is SMILE EVERYTIME I start this BABY !!!!!

[chrisinkanata]

With very conservative driving i.e. 100-105km/h (62-65mph) unloaded over long distance consistently 26.5-26.9 Imperial mpg (22.4 US mpg). I have repeated this many times in the warm summer months with the stock 245's. BTW...speedo out by 2-3 mph according to my GPS. Understandable though since the tires are almost done and will be replaced over the winter while the snows are on the truck.

Towing - 7000lbs travel trailer (truck has a cap tapered up towards the rear and acts as a very good windbreak) ---- again very conservative driving and 18.3 to 19 Imperial mpg depending on terrain. (15.2 US mpg).

City summer driving same as towing.

I do notice that when I put the snows on (265's) the milaege takes a substantial hit. Empty hwy falls to 21-22 Cdn (17.5 US mpg). Two parts to that I think....larger tires (I use the GPS to record distance, not the odometer) and far colder temps. I wanted to replace the 245 summer tires with 265's but don't think I will based on that difference. I should put the snows on now while it's still fairly warm and see what the mileage is like.

Chris

[AlaskaDmax]

2002 CC/LB
Best HWy --- 21mpg normal is 19.5 to 20.
Day to day driving is about 22 miles each way, half hwy at 80 mph and half city stop and go = 16.5 to 17 mpg. I get 540 miles out of a tank if I push it to fumes on an average tank. I drive like an idiot, hard acceleration (2800 - 3000 rpm)from almost every red light. I have tried to keep it under 2000 rpms for a full tank, just to see what kind of economy I could get but I can't do it...I am too weak.
Lowest I've ever seen is 14 mpg on the Hwy...bro in law was drafting me through Nebraska...he said it was the best mileage he ever got!!!!!