Better Gas Mileage Mods

[Tom2015]

Last summer cruising in the Banff National Park In Alberta at 111KM/H (69MPH) I averaged 6.5L/100KM (36.2MPG) over 10000KM (6200 Miles). This year on major highways at 125KM/H (78MPH) I'm averaging 8.7L/100KM (27MPG) I mainly drive highways only about 15% city driving. I have a Borla catback from my Dealer and tow mirrors, 3.42 rear end and 18 inch wheels. I typically use cruise on the highway and now have 64000KM on the odo. However when using Autotrac or 4wd my mileage jumps to 16.4L/100km (14.4MPG). Overall I love my truck and will keep it forever, may buy a car for the summers as I miss having a manual transmission.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Tom2015

[gtbigup01]

On 11/15/2017 at 8:53 AM, KARNUT said:

I’m a butt head so I’ll say it first. If you don’t need a truck for work drive a car. I’m retired I save 10$ a week driving a car. I have a truck not my daily driver. My car averages 30 miles per gallon, my truck average 15. It faster, easier to drive, it has a high safety rating. So if gas mileage is a problem buy a used truck for fun a car for work.


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None of us "NEED" any of this so your point is moot. Bet you don't "NEED" two  vehicles do you? Opinion  is a hell of a thing isn't it?

[KARNUT]

None of us "NEED" any of this so your point is moot. Bet you don't "NEED" two  vehicles do you? Opinion  is a hell of a thing isn't it?

Bad mood huh? I have 5 for different moods and needs. Gas mileage was the topic so there was a point, guess you missed it.



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[gtbigup01]

4 hours ago, KARNUT said:

Bad mood huh? I have 5 for different moods and needs. Gas mileage was the topic so there was a point, guess you missed it.



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Bad mood? Not at all. My response was directed to the quote of “not needing”. It seems like every truck forum has the same response whenever someone asks about better gas mileage. There is always that one guy or more who will respond if you’re worried about gas mileage you should have gotten a car. I guess we forget that just a few years ago every V-8 truck got between 12-17 MPG. Today, just about all V-8 1500s (except Tundra 13/17) gets around 15/20, 16/21, 15/19 depending on brand. So, the point is, it is not outside the realm of possibility to get better gas mileage out of these V-8s, nor is it unrealistic for someone to expect or look for ways to get better. So, when someone responds with “not needing” a truck if we ask about better gas mileage, the question is does anyone “NEED” a truck? How many of us use our truck to make money? Not just transporting tools etc, lots of people use cargo vans to transport tools, equipment for their jobs. See the correlation now?

[KARNUT]

Bad mood? Not at all. My response was directed to the quote of “not needing”. It seems like every truck forum has the same response whenever someone asks about better gas mileage. There is always that one guy or more who will respond if you’re worried about gas mileage you should have gotten a car. I guess we forget that just a few years ago every V-8 truck got between 12-17 MPG. Today, just about all V-8 1500s (except Tundra 13/17) gets around 15/20, 16/21, 15/19 depending on brand. So, the point is, it is not outside the realm of possibility to get better gas mileage out of these V-8s, nor is it unrealistic for someone to expect or look for ways to get better. So, when someone responds with “not needing” a truck if we ask about better gas mileage, the question is does anyone “NEED” a truck? How many of us use our truck to make money? Not just transporting tools etc, lots of people use cargo vans to transport tools, equipment for their jobs. See the correlation now?

If there was a way to get better gas mileage out of these trucks other than drive slower, the builders ( manufacturers) would do it. Soooo the obvious response would be if you don’t need one buy something that gets better gas mileage, right? I drove a truck daily for 40 years for work, nice ones I’m a business owner. My wife drove a car. Can’t imagine why a person would daily drive a truck that didn’t need to.



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[gtbigup01]

2 hours ago, KARNUT said:

If there was a way to get better gas mileage out of these trucks other than drive slower, the builders ( manufacturers) would do it. Soooo the obvious response would be if you don’t need one buy something that gets better gas mileage, right? I drove a truck daily for 40 years for work, nice ones I’m a business owner. My wife drove a car. Can’t imagine why a person would daily drive a truck that didn’t need to.



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I'm fine with your response, but, about this statement: If there was a way to get better gas mileage out of these trucks other than drive slower, the builders ( manufacturers) would do it.

Do you think someone made that same statement 7 years ago? Look where we're at now. So yeah maybe next 5 yrs or so :-)

[Grumpy Bear]

2 hours ago, KARNUT said:

 

 Can’t imagine why a person would daily drive a truck that didn’t need to.
 

I'm a life long bike guy whose wife bought him two hours in a PT-13 Navy Trainer. After that experience I told her she should be happy she didn't do that 40 years ago. It would have been biplanes instead of Harleys: a much more expensive endeavor. 

 

Sometimes something puts a smile on your face that logic hasn't an answer for.  My truck give such a smile. 

[Sierra706]

I'm fine with your response, but, about this statement: If there was a way to get better gas mileage out of these trucks other than drive slower, the builders ( manufacturers) would do it. Do you think someone made that same statement 7 years ago? Look where we're at now. So yeah maybe next 5 yrs or so :-)

 

 

I don’t think any of the mods we have at our disposal can compete with the billions the car manufacturers spend on r&d. We can’t even come close

 

 

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[KARNUT]

I'm a life long bike guy whose wife bought him two hours in a PT-13 Navy Trainer. After that experience I told her she should be happy she didn't do that 40 years ago. It would have been biplanes instead of Harleys: a much more expensive endeavor. 

 

Sometimes something puts a smile on your face that logic hasn't an answer for.  My truck give such a smile. 

I hear you, 20 years ago my wife sign me up for the Richard Petty driving experience for our 25th anniversary In Vegas.[emoji106]

 

 

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[gtbigup01]

8 hours ago, Bushleaguechew said:

 

I don’t think any of the mods we have at our disposal can compete with the billions the car manufacturers spend on r&d. We can’t even come close

 

 

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Oh I agree, yet so many of us swear by aftermarket claims, instead of just admitting we just simply like it but no gains lol.

[KARNUT]

I remember back in the seventies and eighties you could increase mileage with mods. Vehicles had exhaust that didn’t flow very good. Changing carburetors could give you improvements in mileage, if you kept you foot out of it. We did it for performance, mileage did improve at cruising speeds. The argument could be made on the length of time it would take to see a return on the investment. My goal was purely performance.


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[Donstar]

14 hours ago, KARNUT said:

 Can’t imagine why a person would daily drive a truck that didn’t need to.

 

I have owned several cars, vans and SUV's.  I find a pickup truck the most practical and enjoyable format for a daily driver.  The downside for me was always the horrible gas mileage that came with driving a truck. Wasting gas was hard to justify when my income took a dive after retirement.  I was seriously looking at economy SUV's when the EcoTec line of engines were introduced.  I bought a nicely appointed CC with leather and an economical 4.3.  I put a canopy on it and have the ultimate retirement daily cruiser, imo.

[KARNUT]

I have owned several cars, vans and SUV's.  I find a pickup truck the most practical and enjoyable format for a daily driver.  The downside for me was always the horrible gas mileage that came with driving a truck. Wasting gas was hard to justify when my income took a dive after retirement.  I was seriously looking at economy SUV's when the EcoTec line of engines were introduced.  I bought a nicely appointed CC with leather and an economical 4.3.  I put a canopy on it and have the ultimate retirement daily cruiser, imo.

I guess the fact I spent over 40 years daily driving a truck for work and always had a performance car for weekend driving and loving it, my brain see work equals truck. Then you add for what you pay for a truck, you can get fine performing auto and great gas mileage to boot. And finally my old butt can get in and out of a car real easy.



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[Grumpy Bear]

56 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

 And finally my old butt can get in and out of a car real easy

Boy howdy! Drove the 2,000 mile round trip to see my daughter a few years ago in my Civic. OUCH. Came home and bought a Lacrosse CXL for the trip this year. WOW!! What a difference. Age changes perspective, eh? I think this spring though it will be the pickup taking that trip and at a slower pace on the state roads. The truck will get about the same mileage or a bit less at 50/55 than the Buick does at 70/75. Neither can match the Civic in mileage by over 30% but I can still walk when I get there. 

[Donstar]

12 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Boy howdy! Drove the 2,000 mile round trip to see my daughter a few years ago in my Civic. OUCH. Came home and bought a Lacrosse CXL for the trip this year. WOW!! What a difference. Age changes perspective, eh? I think this spring though it will be the pickup taking that trip and at a slower pace on the state roads. The truck will get about the same mileage or a bit less at 50/55 than the Buick does at 70/75. Neither can match the Civic in mileage by over 30% but I can still walk when I get there. 

We digress a little but you and KARNUT speak to one of my reasons for preferring my truck. My back is such that after an hour or more of driving the challenge of standing can take a lot of effort.  Getting out of a truck allows me to depart vertically!