Mpg When Towing

[twh7mm]

Ok so heres my question, what kind of mileage are you guys with 2500HD 6L getting when pulling a Trailer. I have a 2011 2500HD with the 6L 3.73 rearend and 18" rims today I pulled my camper about 250 miles at 60-65 mph and on essentially flat ground a few hills here and there but nothing major there was about a 5-10 mph crosswind. My camper weighs 6800 lbs loaded (I weighed it at the elevator) and I got an average of 7.1 MPG and the pickup would very rarely come out of 4th gear. Any ideas why this thing eats so much gas, my 2001 1500 that I traded for this one pulling the same camper would get like 9.5-10 on the same trip.

 

thanks

[jandersinc]

See my write up a few posts down about towing with my 2010 Yukon 2500 with the 6L. You'll see I got fairly decent mileage while towing about 9,000 lbs. I know it's not the exact same vehicle, but should be a fairly good comparison.

[twh7mm]

I read your post the other day (good post by the way) along with several others around the net that is why I am wondering why my mileage is so bad towing this small of a load

[07 CC Sierra]

Sounds about right unfortunately. I got into the 8s once.

[ILH]

I'm towing a 34' travel trailer weighing in around 10,000+ lbs. I've only had two short short weekend trips (one tank trips) - and so far I'm getting about 11mpg (US gallon). I was hoping for more.

[rgv]

Ok so heres my question, what kind of mileage are you guys with 2500HD 6L getting when pulling a Trailer. I have a 2011 2500HD with the 6L 3.73 rearend and 18" rims today I pulled my camper about 250 miles at 60-65 mph and on essentially flat ground a few hills here and there but nothing major there was about a 5-10 mph crosswind. My camper weighs 6800 lbs loaded (I weighed it at the elevator) and I got an average of 7.1 MPG and the pickup would very rarely come out of 4th gear. Any ideas why this thing eats so much gas, my 2001 1500 that I traded for this one pulling the same camper would get like 9.5-10 on the same trip.

 

thanks

 

 

my 2010 2500HD CC 4x4 with 3.73's gets right at 10 with either a 23' travel trailer weighing around 7000 loaded, or my 20' car trailer similar weight. I did not notice any significant change after break-in, like I have with various diesels in the past.

 

Your 2011 is a few hundred pounds heavier, though that wouldn't account for 30% less mpg. I keep it around 55 when I have something boxy behind me.

[wavery]

I just posted this on another thread. I guess it doesn't hurt to post it here too:

 

I log every fill-up. I only use my truck for towing. On our last trip, we towed 766 miles round trip from Los Angeles to Bridgeport CA. had 2 summits over 8,000'. We got 14.6MPG driving @ 62MPH, towing 4,000# trailer, 2 passengers and ~ 550# cargo........all hwy of course.

 

Of course, my trailer is a lot lighter and low profile makes a BIG difference.

[TP@CLNC]

I'm towing a 34' travel trailer weighing in around 10,000+ lbs. I've only had two short short weekend trips (one tank trips) - and so far I'm getting about 11mpg (US gallon). I was hoping for more.

 

 

Dang, that is with the Duramax? I always read of others with the Duramax doing a lot better.

[xanth]

I get around 8 towing a 8k fifth wheel. Dossent seem to matter what I do. That's driving between 60 and 65. 6.0 3.73's.

 

11 in town no matter my driving style.

[Stevens03]

I think theres a misconception that you'll get better mileage in a 2500 than you would with a 1500 (unless its a Diesel). The 2500 obviously will tow better, but that also comes with a price (Bigger injectors and heavier starting out). I always got decent mileage out of my 1500 while towing. 13-16mpg depending on conditions and thats towing close to 6500 lbs. I got similar mileage with the Vmax too.

[ILH]

I'm towing a 34' travel trailer weighing in around 10,000+ lbs. I've only had two short short weekend trips (one tank trips) - and so far I'm getting about 11mpg (US gallon). I was hoping for more.

 

 

Dang, that is with the Duramax? I always read of others with the Duramax doing a lot better.

 

 

 

Yes, its with the duramax. Like I said, I'm only breaking it in - but so far the mpg isn't too good. My first long trip isn't until the July 1st weekend. By then the engine will certainly be broken in - and I should be getting consistent figures. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

One thing I will say is that despite the mpg figures, there is NO comparison in terms of pulling power. Tons of power - in fact it almost never gears down, even up reasonably steep hills. I also love the factory exhaust break. With or without the mpg, I wouldn't trade back to a gas engine.

[Derekmd]

I have 2010 2500hd with 6.0l & 4.10 rearend, My trailer, is about 6500 pounds loaded. I get 9.5-11 on flat ground. My truck usually stays in 5th gear. Possibly the 3.73 forces your truck into a lower gear raising the rpms using more fuel. I usually drive around 60-65mph or 100-110kmh running between 2000-2300rpm. One thing i noticed recently which seems impossible to me by everything ive read, but i accidentally filled my truck with premium and by the DIC i seemed to gain almost 2 miles per gallon. I am gonna test this theory again at some point as i still cant believe that would be true on a motor tuned for the cheapstuff.

 

Ok so heres my question, what kind of mileage are you guys with 2500HD 6L getting when pulling a Trailer. I have a 2011 2500HD with the 6L 3.73 rearend and 18" rims today I pulled my camper about 250 miles at 60-65 mph and on essentially flat ground a few hills here and there but nothing major there was about a 5-10 mph crosswind. My camper weighs 6800 lbs loaded (I weighed it at the elevator) and I got an average of 7.1 MPG and the pickup would very rarely come out of 4th gear. Any ideas why this thing eats so much gas, my 2001 1500 that I traded for this one pulling the same camper would get like 9.5-10 on the same trip.

 

thanks

[wurgs]

wavery is right. weight makes less of a difference than the profile, more wind resistance kills gas mileage

[twh7mm]

thanks for all of the posts, my camper is not extremely tall I think to the top of the A/C is like 10.5 ft. Maybe the mileage will get a little better when I get some more miles on it right now it only has 2000

[SWDoodle]

I'm towing a 34' travel trailer weighing in around 10,000+ lbs. I've only had two short short weekend trips (one tank trips) - and so far I'm getting about 11mpg (US gallon). I was hoping for more.

 

 

Dang, that is with the Duramax? I always read of others with the Duramax doing a lot better.

 

 

 

Yes, its with the duramax. Like I said, I'm only breaking it in - but so far the mpg isn't too good. My first long trip isn't until the July 1st weekend. By then the engine will certainly be broken in - and I should be getting consistent figures. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

One thing I will say is that despite the mpg figures, there is NO comparison in terms of pulling power. Tons of power - in fact it almost never gears down, even up reasonably steep hills. I also love the factory exhaust break. With or without the mpg, I wouldn't trade back to a gas engine.

 

 

That's what I get my with my 6.6L. That's what about every body I know gets, if not less. The regen cycle on these things really hurts overall mileage per tank. If you get rid of that stuff it will go up. I've had a 2005 2500HD 6.0 and it got about 2-4 mpg less than my duramax towing. Difference is the duramax pulls with no effort the 6.0 spent most of it's days in 3rd gear. The duramax rarely downshifts out of 6th. I have no idea why the mileage isn't better than it is over the gasser other than the emmisions stuff. It would be hard to go back to gas unless I didn't tow heavy loads like I do now.