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View Full Version : MPG whos got the best and how



arrowheadracing
11-03-2004, 14:48
Just wondered what MPG everyone gets. I am currently 100% stock with 3.73s and averaging 17.5-18 per tank ( which is usually around 50-70 mph driving city/country roads , so basically a mix of highway and stop and go but without being on the highway ).

Todd

n3qik
11-03-2004, 16:13
City driving 16.5 to 17.5 MPG . Only mods are glass pack mulffler and hollowed cat with by-pass inner pipe.

matt-max
11-03-2004, 16:33
two extremes:

1999 tahoe weighing 5800# gets about 20mpg at a steady 60-65mph on the highway with 3.73 gears and 32" tires

1997 3500hd weighing 10000# when empty (which it never is) and often over 20000# with a load plus trailer gets about 7mpg with 5.13 gears and 225-70r/19.5's

matt

catmandoo
11-03-2004, 17:19
92 1/2 ton ext cab 2wd with 6.5n/a 5spd 3:08 gears and a banks turbo.i have run a best of just over 27 mpg running a religious 55 mph and egt's under 400,but the way i usually drive which is 60-65 and foot into it quite often (man turbos sound nice)it's usually about 24-24.5.

Dihrdbowti
11-03-2004, 17:32
20.5 65-70 highway empty
16-17 city and towing 6000 highway no hills
265/75R16
not sure about gears either 3.73 or 3.42
Hey Matt-Max you get any reading on MPG with the Westers re-flash yet??

[ 11-03-2004, 06:04 PM: Message edited by: Dihrdbowti ]

moondoggie
11-04-2004, 06:43
Good Day!

My 95 pickup: What's your fuel mileage with a load? (http://forum.thedieselpage.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=004439#000014) (Click in colored text.) It averaged 19.64 in 2003; best tank ever was 23.0 on a trip to northern MN.

My 82, when I 1st got it, gave 26-something or 27-something every tank during the summer. I never recorded it or figured it out any more accurately than that - that's so high I didn't care.

Our 95 Sub runs about 21.5 (highway) in the summer if it's not pulling anything.

Blessings!

Brian Johnson, #5044

turbovair
11-04-2004, 07:08
Real world 15-17 MPG, got 18 once and dont know how I did it. 16 about average.

JohnC
11-04-2004, 07:44
My '93 2WD with 3.42 gears and 5 speed got about 22 mpg at 65 on the highway and 15-17 towing a 5000 lb horse trailer. The '95 4WD 3.73 auto is a little heavier and gets 19.5 on its best days and 12.5 - 13.5 towing the same load.

matt-max
11-04-2004, 12:54
dihrdbwti

nope, not yet. may take a roadtrip with it soon to give it a try. i usually drive the 2004 dmax for work and the boxster for fun so the tahoe winds up sitting most of the time until the weather gets cold....which is today i think!

matt

Dihrdbowti
11-04-2004, 21:00
Matt-Max Yep I'd be playing with the others too. =) Let me know about the MPG when you get a chance. Real quick I picked up a L65 ECM but it's a 97 Savana for my 96 L56. you think it would be worth swapping in?

matt-max
11-05-2004, 04:34
it's worth a try! i've been told that it's real important to have the vin for your new vehicle in the ecm so that everything works like it should. not sure if that's actually the case.

i had great luck grabbing the vin off a vehicle whose power i wanted to try and having the gm service tech program it into my factory ecm.

you should be able to swap boxes with 1996 and 1997 ecms just fine once you disable your egr system. be sure to modify your upper intake per kennedy's web page tips too.

let us know how it goes!

matt

Keith Richards
11-07-2004, 12:51
Man you guys get way better than me.I only get around 13-16 unloaded loaded whatever.High rpm,s are the culprit,i'm afraid.

matt-max
11-07-2004, 15:20
hey keith,

is that a factory six cyl. in that 4wd crew cab? how does it do for mileage? i had an 83 flatbed dump crewcab with a 350 4bbl and 4.10's....can't imagine much less motor than that with a load or trailer!

on the other hand, a buddy with a tree service used to run a crew cab medium duty ford (f700?) of early 70's-ish vintage with no a 300cid 6 and manual trans with no two speed rear. had a flatbed dump on it too.....he claimed it did just fine for power......?

matt

Marty Lau
11-08-2004, 15:27
best I've done that I checked is 24.5 hiway on a 2 lane road posted 55mph set cruise at 55 and drive. It was a Arizona Indian Reservation and didn't want to get pulled over as a white boy speeding as I was loaded with guns and dogs and didn't want ANYTHING to do with Tribal Police.

catmandoo
11-08-2004, 15:42
here ya there man they can be s.o.b.s in a hurry

Keith Richards
11-08-2004, 16:13
matt max,I get pretty poor milage because it's a full time 4wd with 4.56 gearing. Around 10 mpg I beleive.I want to put a diesel in.

matt-max
11-09-2004, 03:28
we put warn lockouts up front in ours. it made a difference in rolling efficiency and eliminated the crab walk while taking sharp turns....if their is such a thing as sharp turns in what we affectionately dubbed 'the school bus' as it was indiana state govt highway safety yellow. great truck though!

best of luck with yours, diesel install or not!

matt

Keith Richards
11-09-2004, 17:17
Matt max,you mentioned putting lockout hubs on a full time 4wd.Thats exactly what I need to do.I'm wondering how big a job that is for a do it yourselfer,or should I pay a shop to do it,since its going in anyway for some front end work.thanks.

Adam
11-10-2004, 15:15
I get 15.5 MPG all the time when not on a freeway trip (mostly mountain driving). On a trip, it gets 17.5 MPG. Seems to be fixed and not really affected by anything. I have 3.73 gears and thinking about installing a Gear Vendor to reduce RPMs by 20%. There seems to be plenty of extra torque for it. I figure though that it will take 90,000 miles for me to pay for the Gear Vendor with better mileage. Suburban has 147,000 miles now and I am not sure it will go another 90,000??? It has been a very reliable vehicle so far but I always gets scared when looking at the posts on this board. :rolleyes:

matt-max
11-10-2004, 17:22
hey keith

as i recall it was pretty basic, but if the shop is pulling off the hubs and all anyway, that would be the best time to do it. it helps a bunch on mileage and reducing front end wear and is more bulletproof to boot

matt