New 2016 2500HD 6.0 gas mileage question

[Mark Mortenson]

Same loaded ^ ^ ^ ^

[2106gmc2500hdwt]

I'm getting about 15 mpg. Has anyone thought about changing the gears from 4:10 to 3:73? I've been thinking about doing it for better gas mileage

[sdeeter19555]

I have factory 3.73s...best I got was 18mpg on flat ground, most times I average 15-16mpg. The money spent and performance lost changing gears wouldn't be worth it to me...

 

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[2106gmc2500hdwt]

What motor do you have in your truck? You have to buy a duramax to get 3:73's now

[SouthpawHD]

What motor do you have in your truck? You have to buy a duramax to get 3:73's now

3.73 used to be available for general order until I think 2015 on the 6.0L. They are still available for Fleet vehicles.

[Cowpie]

I have factory 3.73s...best I got was 18mpg on flat ground, most times I average 15-16mpg. The money spent and performance lost changing gears wouldn't be worth it to me...

 

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Have to agree here. Even with 4.10, I use the manual mode frequently and only M5 on a lot of rural, hilly, curvy roads to keep from shifting too frequently. It helps to understand where the 6.0L best operating RPM for general use is. In the 1800 to 2200 RPM range, which puts it at about 90% of available torque. I Only get a 1 mpg less average, across the spectrum, compared to a previous 1500 5.3 with 3.42. i have been a solid 4.10 diff ratio fan for my pickups for decades. Best overall ratio for a great balance of performance and mileage. I have consistently pulled off 14 lifetime mpg with my 2015 2500 and gotten 17-18 mpg on road trips. And that primarily on E15 fuel.

 

The driver has more of an influence on fuel economy than most any other one item. According to several studies done by commercial fleet concerns, 1/3 of fuel economy hit or improvement can be directly attributed to the operator of the vehicle. I would never be motivated to go to a taller diff ratio in my pickup. I wish 4.10 would have been an option for my previous 1500.

[sdeeter19555]

What motor do you have in your truck? You have to buy a duramax to get 3:73's now

It's a 2012, 3.73s were standard...there's going to be little difference between a 12 and 16 since the drivetrain is largely unchanged.

 

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[2018GMC]

Keep the 4:10's. You can put a slightly taller tire on that will improve looks, clearance and is usually a wash or helps mpg on highway. I went from 31.5" to 32.8" on my 97 with 3:73 and get 1 mpg better highway. It effectively turned my 3:73's into 3:42

[newdude]

30/70 city/highway I can usually run 12-14mpg per fill. 12 more in the cold season, 14 in the warm. Highway trips with some city (say 100-300 mile trip) average 15-16mpg.

[Big Whiskey]

I'm getting about 15 mpg. Has anyone thought about changing the gears from 4:10 to 3:73? I've been thinking about doing it for better gas mileage

If you're getting 15 now, then don't change a thing!. You can buy a lot of gas for the cost of a gear swap, and you'll have to drive a whole lot of miles to pay for the .03 MPG improvement, haha.

 

Great work horse trucks but they do eat a lot of hay LOL.

LOL! I'm stealing that one!

[Sirspeedy]

Been driving my new 2016 CCSB Denali 2500, average is 14MPG first 1k miles. My 2002 1500 ECSB with the 5.3 and 3.73 rear averaged 15.8MPG. Way bigger truck, I am happy.

[Rvduck]

Compared to my 1988 F250 460 and my 05 F350 V 10, my 2016 High Country DRW CC 4x4 6.0 is an economy vehicle.

For a truck that weighs 7800 pounds with me and a full tank, I am happy with my 10 miles to the US gal in town and 14 on the highway. My 08 Duramax DRW was only 16 on the highway. These are work trucks, not little passenger cars. When I want good mileage I drive my 15 Mazda 3.

[Kent2500]

On my 2015 2500HD 6.0 Z71 4x4 (stock tires), getting 16mpg (if the stars align) on the highway and 8-10 in local (a little hilly) diving. Actually matches my old 1999 Tahoe 5.3 Z71 4x4.

[carkhz316]

I have a '12 CCSB with 4.10s. The best I've ever got has been right around 15-15.5 on nice, unloaded highway cruises. Combined average is usually around 10-11. Meanwhile, my brother has almost the same truck, albeit ECSB and has gotten 17-18. Did some looking at his RPO codes and realized his has 3.73s, which explains the mileage difference. Oh well, I was happy (and suprised) that the towing increases from 9K-ish (I think somewhere around there) lbs with his 3.73s to 13900 with the 4.10s.

[Cowpie]

My '15 DCSB with 4.10's gets similar to your brother's highway numbers. I don't think that diff ratio gives the total reason. Driving style also plays into it somewhat, since according to many fleet studies on this, a driver accounts for over 30% of fuel economy improvements or declines. We see this all the time in commercial truck environment. You can take exactly same spec'ed trucks and different drivers will get wildly varying mpg numbers. Rotate around the drivers and the mpg numbers seem to follow them. That once poor performing truck, now with a better driver, is getting much better mpg numbers. And the good mpg truck, now with the less capable driver, is now getting worse mpg. Have seen the cycle repeat itself for decades.

 

The 4.10 equipped pickups are capable of decent mpg numbers in many circumstances. I have the snow blade mounted on my 2500 now for winter, and I still get 13 mpg for general running around stuff. Not sure about highway, as I have no desire to have a snow blade on the pickup for a highway trip somewhere. Oh, I only leave the snow blade on because I drive a semi during the week and the wife may have to push out the 900' driveway we have if we get a snow so I can get the big truck in. She isn't really up to speed on how to install or remove a snow blade package. She just knows how to use it.