mpg

[DAVE FERENCZ]

What is good mpg. on burb. I get between 14-16 mpg. I used to get close to 20, before rebuild. Thats US gal. for us Canadians.

[AndyL]

Hi Dave,

We need more information: year, read gear ratio, what was "Rebuilt", tire size, mileage, etc.

[DAVE FERENCZ]

Sorry, Its a 1997. I had engine, injectors, turbo,
Rad was pressure check. Same injector pump. The block is out of a 2000,I don't think that matters.
Rear end is 373. Tire 245/75/16

[slagona]

I'd say that you are in the right range for a 3:73 with stock tires. Driving habits are a big contributor to mpg. I can range from 16 to 21 mpg, depending how I drive. I normally get between 17 and 18 with a 3:42, 75% expressway driving at 75-80 mph. I can get 21 mpg if I'm willing to keep it under 65 mph - I'm not. My 4:10's all got between 13-15 mpg.

[turbovair]

I routinely get between 16-17 MPG with my pickup. I drive it sensibly and keep it under 70 most of the time. I do this with tailgate up and 4:10 ratio.I got slightly over 18 once. Thats the BEST I ever did.

[cruzer]

I did get 17mpg B4 I put a stainless steel bug deflector on the front. Now I get 15.5 mpg empty and around 11 loaded. 4l80e 4.10's. I'm pretty heavy on the thin pedal.

[Cowracer]

I put on Kennedy's exhaust system and immedeatly lost about 3 miles per gallon. Not because of the system, but because I keep whipping the crap out of it just to hear it roar!

But officer! Just listen to this.... :D

Tim

[freddys]

Stock 1997 6.5TD 3.73 gears, 235/85/16 tires and Iam getting 21mpg on the highway and 16mpg in town and thats in cdn gal.

[ 11-25-2003, 12:37 PM: Message edited by: freddys ]

[Shad]

15-16 mpg 3.73 gears and 245/75-16 tires staying under 70mph 18 mpg at 60mph

[john8662]

16.5 MPG on 1995 4x4 burb with 4.10 gears. This is driving 70mph on flat ground with cruise control set.
245/75 R16 tires (stock size).

Things that improved my mileage:

Amsoil foam air filter
easy on the go petal.

These are heavy rigs, the extra equipment associated with the 4x4 is also a fuel eater.

[sailun]

Sad to say, I'm only getting around 15, 15.5. Thats combined, 70 on the hgwy, and around town, and about 2 hours idling per tank. Very light on the pedal. Must be somethin wrong here.

[john8662]

sailun,

Sounds like your getting average fuel mileage considering how your burb is being run. The numbers above (especially mine) are runs strait on the highway, no in-town driving. My combined mileage varies between 13 and 15 and thats with 4.10 gears. I don't let it idle that much, just look at my gauges before I turn it off and make sure the exaust temp is below 300 degrees F. 2 hours of idle is a lot of idle. These engines don't need to idle all the time, they tend to start well enough not to have to idle all the time. My advice concerning shut down after a drive is just let it run for about 45 seconds, then cut it off, if you ran it hard, a little longer. I just use the pyrometer I installed as a mod to the rig. Considering your numbers, I would say everything was in check, Next time you get a chance to run strait on the highway for a full tank then check (flat ground preferably). A 4x4 suburban with 3.42 gears should get near 20-21mpg on the highway.But more realistically probably see 19 mpg somewhat consistantly with highs near 21mpg. Wish I had 3.42's!

[dieselhumvee]

Just as a reference my 6800 pound, 5.24 geared, non overdrive, shaped like a brick 93 hummer with 6.2 NA/TH400 gets 13-14 MPG no matter if I am in town or screaming down the highway at 3500 RPMs doing 70. In no way should any GM truck get worse than that unloaded in my opinion. I wish I could get more but hey, I bought it to go off road, where it actually does quite well, I can wheel for an entire day on one tank of fuel.

[Courtableau]

I have a 1995 Z-71 pickup, An I only get around 12 mpg. I wonder what gears I have? turning about 2200rpm@70 mph with 285/75/16 tires.

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

For my pickup mpg, you might want to look at my post in What's your fuel mileage with a load? (http://forum.thedieselpage.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=004439#000014) My Sub has never been accurately checked, but seems to get a little less than the pickup.

Blessings!

Brian Johnson, #5044

[Spindrift]

I consistently hit 15mpg on a recent, long trip to southern Virginia. My Burban has a 4.10 rear end. I've got a set of Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo, 265/75 R16 (fairly aggressive tread). I use Red Line 85 Plus fuel additive at every re-fueling.

The OEM tires for my truck were 245/75 R16 and my speedo was never re-calibrated for the new Bridgestone tires. Someone once told me that I could add 15% to my current reading of 15mpg in order to calculate "true" mpg. This would give me a true mileage figure of 17.25mpg. Is the 15% add factor an accurate percentage to use?

[britannic]

I'm a lead foot and torque addict, so 15.5mpg mountain driving with 285/75-16R tires, 4.56 diffs mainly in 3rd gear, with a mechanical IP, 6.2L "J" engine and customized Banks turbo set up.

On long freeway runs with the .7 OD ratio, average is 18mpg, with a best of 21mpg when I tried really hard to keep at or below 65mph. Truck weighs approx. 5500lbs with a full tank.

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

Oops! I forgot - our Sub has 3.42 gears.

Blessings!

Brian Johnson, #5044

[cruzer]

Spindrift, Do 10 mile runs using the mile markers along side of the interstate for the 10 mile measure. Take odometer readings at the begining and end of each run. Now do the math.

[Scooby]

Originally posted by Cowracer:
I put on Kennedy's exhaust system and immedeatly lost about 3 miles per gallon. Not because of the system, but because I keep whipping the crap out of it just to hear it roar!

But officer! Just listen to this.... :D

Tim TIM-- I am thinking about getting Kennedy's system for my '96 1500. I dont want a lot of noise INSIDE the truck. How much louder inside is John's system than stock ?? This truck is my cruiser- I have a mud truck when I want that adrenaline rush from stomping on it !!! :D

[Cowracer]

Mainly, the noise level is directly connected to the throttle. Lightly loaded, or driven with the patience of a saint (staying below 2500 rpm), the noise is purely diesel. But when in a strain, or driven hard, it sounds remarkably like a big-block gasser.

If you have ever ridden in a gas truck with flowmasters or similar aftermarket exhaust, it is almost the same sound and level. Turning up the radio a little, and the noise is not noticable.

With the windows down, the greatest increase in noise is a wonderful diesel grow/turbine whistle from the end of the exhaust pipe that refects back off solid objects, (fences, buildings)

To me it's inoffensive. I love the bass-profundo of a big engine. The JK muffler is straight through with minimal louvers and no baffles. A kitten could crawl into the exaust at the turbo, and walk all the way out the other end.

I highly recommend the system. If you find the noise too much (and honestly, its not THAT much more than stock), I'm sure that any number of quieter mufflers could be fitted.

Tim

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

Our Sub, with factory exhaust, you never heard the exhaust & were always aware you were in a diesel, although as speed increased this awareness decreased. With Kennedy's exhaust (which I would otherwise highly recommend), you are almost unaware it's a diesel due to exhaust noise. It's probably not that loud, but it covers the normal diesel sound pretty effectively. I know I'm weird that way, but I got tired our loud exhaust 25 years ago; I think my hearing has faded some from the normal diesel noise of my '82.

If anyone knows where you can get a 3 1/2" muffler which is marginally louder than stock & significantly quieter than Kennedy's, I'd sure be grateful to know. I've only found 3" & 4".

Blessings!

Brian Johnson, #5044

[Spindrift]

Cowracer,

Do you have a cat in your system and if so, did you bore it out so that you can run your 3.5" pipe thru it, or is the cat unmodified and part of the entire exhaust system?

[Cowracer]

No emmission check for diesels in missouri, so the converter is gone.

Had I required a converter (or a conveter shaped empty containter :D ) I would have torched out the stock inlet and outlet pipe, and welded in pipes sized to slip over JK's pipes.

I forgot to mention that nearly everone that mentions it has a favorable response to the sound, except for the dog up the street that still howls when I take off.

T

[jlog]

spindrift
using a gear ratio calculator that calculates tire sizes the adjustment factor for your milage should be 3.88 percent
john

[Spindrift]

jlog...thanks for the conversion. Certainly not 15% but every little bit helps.

[catmandoo]

jeez cowracer i thought i had the only truck dogs howled at .people with cell phones don't much like it either.

[Cowracer]

its only the one dog. There is a fire station about 2 miles from the house. When the trucks pull out on a run, and the firemen lay on that big ol' Federal 'Q' siren, the dog howls like its being electrocuted. it dont howl that bad with me, but it is still comical

How does you truck affect cell phone users? I've never noticed it bothering them on mine. Although I do have to admit that I love it when those brain-dead morons with the thumpity-thump stereos pull up to the right side of the truck at a stop light. With the tuning on my truck, I can get a lot of black smoke from a dead start until the turbo spools up. I figure if he wants to share his bass with me, then he would want me to share my soot with him. :D

Tim

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

Cowracer: wow, do I wish I had time for a mod to my truck! I'd definitely put a vac dump valve on my Wastegate Actuator vacuum line so I could do the same.

Blessings!

Brian Johnson, #5044

[catmandoo]

plant that big old pipe right by their window at stoplites kinda cuts down the conversations .ya know a friend of mine has a powerstroke and he's smoked a few of them punks,wish my truck sat higher sometimes, give em a little dose of my bass pedal byproducts.