new truck/ new setup= good gas mileage (goal)
04-07-2011, 07:51 PM
#12
Cranking the torsion bars to raise the front end will cut your MPG's by itself, with no other change. When I raised the front of our Yukon 2.5 inches, I lost 2 MPG on the highway.
Keeping the big tires and raising the truck are contradictory to the goals you outlined in your original post. Lowering the truck's drag coeffiency is the best, easiest, and cheapest way to increase fuel economy.
But it's your truck, and it's a nice looking one too.
Keeping the big tires and raising the truck are contradictory to the goals you outlined in your original post. Lowering the truck's drag coeffiency is the best, easiest, and cheapest way to increase fuel economy.
But it's your truck, and it's a nice looking one too.
04-07-2011, 08:42 PM
#13
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Cranking the torsion bars to raise the front end will cut your MPG's by itself, with no other change. When I raised the front of our Yukon 2.5 inches, I lost 2 MPG on the highway.
Keeping the big tires and raising the truck are contradictory to the goals you outlined in your original post. Lowering the truck's drag coeffiency is the best, easiest, and cheapest way to increase fuel economy.
But it's your truck, and it's a nice looking one too.
Keeping the big tires and raising the truck are contradictory to the goals you outlined in your original post. Lowering the truck's drag coeffiency is the best, easiest, and cheapest way to increase fuel economy.
But it's your truck, and it's a nice looking one too.
i never seen a noticeable MPG decrease in my 2000 or the 2003 z71s when i cranked the t-bars. i know what your saying and im sure that it hurt the MPG but not anything that i noticed.
04-07-2011, 09:59 PM
#14
Here's what I'd say.
Smaller tires(narrower=less rolling resistance)
cam the 5.3 for torque
stock mani's & cats(can get into closed loop faster)
CAI of your choice
87 octane tune(BB is good, discuss your goals with him)
consider lowering the truck and put a lip under the front bumper(reduce drag)
Install a vacuum gauge, try to stay in as much vacuum as possible at all times
basically, teach yourself better driving habits.
The e-fans won't improve your mileage(in my experience), but will cost $$
built trans isn't necessary, unless yours goes ****-up
TB converter will hurt your mileage
Smaller tires(narrower=less rolling resistance)
cam the 5.3 for torque
stock mani's & cats(can get into closed loop faster)
CAI of your choice
87 octane tune(BB is good, discuss your goals with him)
consider lowering the truck and put a lip under the front bumper(reduce drag)
Install a vacuum gauge, try to stay in as much vacuum as possible at all times
basically, teach yourself better driving habits.
The e-fans won't improve your mileage(in my experience), but will cost $$
built trans isn't necessary, unless yours goes ****-up
TB converter will hurt your mileage
04-07-2011, 10:05 PM
#15
ive got the same exact truck with mods in sig. i get around 16-19 mixed driving. i dont drive it too easy either, nor do i set it on kill all the time. the 3.42 suck trust me, mines tuned, and it still down shifts on the interstate at 75-80 every time on an incline even the slightest one itll unlock the converter. i just shut the crusie off and use the skinny pedal to keep it from kicking down all the time. from a 40 roll its a beast anything below its a turd, 75 roll it does decent to till it shifts into 3rd at 104... i plan on 4.30's and a converter soon anyways and some toyo mts 295/70/17's.
04-07-2011, 10:27 PM
#16
One of these days it will work out to where i can meet up with Corey and get my exhaust done and Ill be able to give you an accurate opinion/info on the tq cammed LQ4. Ive got a gt2-3 cammed LQ4, reworked tb converter with 3.73s and 32" semi all terrain tires, K&N filter and thats it. Ive got LPPs and full 3.5" exhaust sitting in the garage just havent been able to work out a time to meet up to get it all welded on. Seems quite a few people have had good luck with the EFI lean cruise tunes but Im afraid with the high gears and big tires in conjunction with the heavy weight of your truck that it wouldnt be able to get into a low enough load for it to activate.
If it were me Id upgrade to 3.73s and either do a turbo or swap in a LQ4 with a baby cam no bigger than an LS6 or gt2-3 cam. I love the way my truck drives right now but it only manages slightly under 15mpg running 75-80 on highway but the tune isnt perfect and Im running stock exhaust all the way from the engine to the tailpipe
If it were me Id upgrade to 3.73s and either do a turbo or swap in a LQ4 with a baby cam no bigger than an LS6 or gt2-3 cam. I love the way my truck drives right now but it only manages slightly under 15mpg running 75-80 on highway but the tune isnt perfect and Im running stock exhaust all the way from the engine to the tailpipe
04-07-2011, 10:39 PM
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ive got the same exact truck with mods in sig. i get around 16-19 mixed driving. i dont drive it too easy either, nor do i set it on kill all the time. the 3.42 suck trust me, mines tuned, and it still down shifts on the interstate at 75-80 every time on an incline even the slightest one itll unlock the converter. i just shut the crusie off and use the skinny pedal to keep it from kicking down all the time. from a 40 roll its a beast anything below its a turd, 75 roll it does decent to till it shifts into 3rd at 104... i plan on 4.30's and a converter soon anyways and some toyo mts 295/70/17's.
One of these days it will work out to where i can meet up with Corey and get my exhaust done and Ill be able to give you an accurate opinion/info on the tq cammed LQ4. Ive got a gt2-3 cammed LQ4, reworked tb converter with 3.73s and 32" semi all terrain tires, K&N filter and thats it. Ive got LPPs and full 3.5" exhaust sitting in the garage just havent been able to work out a time to meet up to get it all welded on. Seems quite a few people have had good luck with the EFI lean cruise tunes but Im afraid with the high gears and big tires in conjunction with the heavy weight of your truck that it wouldnt be able to get into a low enough load for it to activate.
If it were me Id upgrade to 3.73s and either do a turbo or swap in a LQ4 with a baby cam no bigger than an LS6 or gt2-3 cam. I love the way my truck drives right now but it only manages slightly under 15mpg running 75-80 on highway but the tune isnt perfect and Im running stock exhaust all the way from the engine to the tailpipe
If it were me Id upgrade to 3.73s and either do a turbo or swap in a LQ4 with a baby cam no bigger than an LS6 or gt2-3 cam. I love the way my truck drives right now but it only manages slightly under 15mpg running 75-80 on highway but the tune isnt perfect and Im running stock exhaust all the way from the engine to the tailpipe
04-08-2011, 12:42 AM
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Something to really think about.
Do you want a toy or do you want good gas mileage?
Not saying you can't do both, but there is something big many people overlook. If you have spent or are spending money to get better mileage, how long will it take you to get your investment back. I sat down and did a cost analysis on my fuel mileage build. With very careful planning and doing a lot of horse trading, I will see a return on my investment by the end of summer. As of now, I have $450 invested in my search for fuel mileage, with my current gains and typical driving, I should save around $800 a year at the pump.
Buying a new vehicle to save fuel, then spending more every month on a payment for the vehicle then what you saved in fuel doesn't add up. Even if you paid cash, how long will it take you to see a return in fuel mileage? 6-10 years maybe, will you still have the truck then? If that is the case, spend the $2,000 on a old honda and park the new truck for the weekends with the family.
If you are building a toy, or wanted a nicer more family friendly truck, then the real concern is, I want to add power but still maintain decent mileage. With that said, less would be more.
Small cam that doesn't need a convertor.
I am a fan of a good built transmission with 3.42 or 3.08 gears. (my pickups was built for pulling, but the lack of gear hunting since the build improved the mileage from 17 to 20MPG, when it was on stock tires)
A good intake and exhaust to compliment the tune. I saw nearly a 5MPG gain in dumping my flowmaster in favor of a better muffler. We saw the mileage go south when we put the flowmaster on, so I don't think it was a gain over stock, just a gain over flowmaster. I think I would leave the cats on or replace them with some good aftermarket cats. My experience with mileage has been better with cats then without cats.
LS motors don't seem to like being lugged, for some reason optimal mileage seems to be had around 2200RPM. If you gearing or tires isn't getting you near that, it might be something for you to consider. My old TBI motors on the other hand, like to darn near idle on the interstate and sip on fuel.
If you can get non-ethanol gas, you will see a gain over the ethanol mix. My Dad's little van jumped 4 MPG just filling up with non-ethanol. I don't know what my old truck gained as the speedo hasn't been accurate in a few years, but my fill ups took me about a week further then before (36 gallon fill-ups though). Everything else I have, has only had non-ethanol since I got it including my mower.
I am half asleep so if any of this doesn't make since, I am very sorry.
Do you want a toy or do you want good gas mileage?
Not saying you can't do both, but there is something big many people overlook. If you have spent or are spending money to get better mileage, how long will it take you to get your investment back. I sat down and did a cost analysis on my fuel mileage build. With very careful planning and doing a lot of horse trading, I will see a return on my investment by the end of summer. As of now, I have $450 invested in my search for fuel mileage, with my current gains and typical driving, I should save around $800 a year at the pump.
Buying a new vehicle to save fuel, then spending more every month on a payment for the vehicle then what you saved in fuel doesn't add up. Even if you paid cash, how long will it take you to see a return in fuel mileage? 6-10 years maybe, will you still have the truck then? If that is the case, spend the $2,000 on a old honda and park the new truck for the weekends with the family.
If you are building a toy, or wanted a nicer more family friendly truck, then the real concern is, I want to add power but still maintain decent mileage. With that said, less would be more.
Small cam that doesn't need a convertor.
I am a fan of a good built transmission with 3.42 or 3.08 gears. (my pickups was built for pulling, but the lack of gear hunting since the build improved the mileage from 17 to 20MPG, when it was on stock tires)
A good intake and exhaust to compliment the tune. I saw nearly a 5MPG gain in dumping my flowmaster in favor of a better muffler. We saw the mileage go south when we put the flowmaster on, so I don't think it was a gain over stock, just a gain over flowmaster. I think I would leave the cats on or replace them with some good aftermarket cats. My experience with mileage has been better with cats then without cats.
LS motors don't seem to like being lugged, for some reason optimal mileage seems to be had around 2200RPM. If you gearing or tires isn't getting you near that, it might be something for you to consider. My old TBI motors on the other hand, like to darn near idle on the interstate and sip on fuel.
If you can get non-ethanol gas, you will see a gain over the ethanol mix. My Dad's little van jumped 4 MPG just filling up with non-ethanol. I don't know what my old truck gained as the speedo hasn't been accurate in a few years, but my fill ups took me about a week further then before (36 gallon fill-ups though). Everything else I have, has only had non-ethanol since I got it including my mower.
I am half asleep so if any of this doesn't make since, I am very sorry.
Last edited by cttandy; 04-08-2011 at 12:48 AM.
04-08-2011, 12:19 PM
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I have the ISKY 215/215 .566''/.566'' 114*+2 in my stock LQ4 and with the 4L80e 3.42s and 265/65/17s it has no problem pulling a hill in OD with the converter locked even with 1200# of welding stuff in the bed. im at 2050rpms doin 70.
I havent gone on a long trip in quite some time but ive been averaging 15mpg most of that is goin 45mph on the backroads and the converter doesnt lock till 55.
The vacuum gauge is a really good idea, or if your use to tuning Speed Density and watching the VE talbe, you know the slow transitions help mileage.
I havent gone on a long trip in quite some time but ive been averaging 15mpg most of that is goin 45mph on the backroads and the converter doesnt lock till 55.
The vacuum gauge is a really good idea, or if your use to tuning Speed Density and watching the VE talbe, you know the slow transitions help mileage.