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Towing with a 91/93 Octane Tune? Worth it?


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12 hours ago, ic3man5 said:

I get anywhere from 8.5-10MPG towing my trailer and SXS. Its about 3500lbs. Towing 7000lbs I got about 8MPG @ 65-70MPH. This is all with tow/haul mode, I wouldn't tow without that mode enabled as it slows down the shifts and gets rid of the lock up in most points.

If safe, try averaging 55-60 mph for awhile and see what this does to your mpg average.   I find a significant difference in fuel consumption between 60 and 70 mph.  I also calculate my average over 100kms (62mi) and never hit less than the equivalent of 10 US MPG.  I can expect a 12 mpg average pulling my travel trailer over mixed terrain when keeping around 60 mph.

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11 minutes ago, Donstar said:

If safe, try averaging 55-60 mph for awhile and see what this does to your mpg average.   I find a significant difference in fuel consumption between 60 and 70 mph.  I also calculate my average over 100kms (62mi) and never hit less than the equivalent of 10 US MPG.  I can expect a 12 mpg average pulling my travel trailer over mixed terrain when keeping around 60 mph.

From what I've seen mine won't do any better even at 60MPH. I also have bigger tires and disabled AFM though. Even going 70MPH isn't really safe around where I drive, most drive 75MPH+.

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Still own a '12 EC Silverado Z/71 with 5.3, 3.42, and 6-speed auto. I tow a 28.5' Lance travel trailer that weighs between 6,000 & 6,500 lbs, and even with the truck bed loaded, it still pulls fine. Plenty of power, even on steep hills. Roughly 12 mpg while towing in mixed highway/stop & go traffic (up to 24 mpg unhitched). Stock size tires. Only mods are Airraid intake tube, and Borla cat-back exhaust. Run strictly on 93 octane, usually purchased at Shell on Tuesdays (20 cents off). 

 

The only problem I have with this truck is that it is maxed out on rear axle weight, due to bed loading and trailer tongue weight. A new truck is on the way.

 

If you'd like a 6.2 with a 10-speed, don't waste money on your current ride that you can't recoup when you sell or trade, especially if that new truck is in the near future.

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  • 1 month later...

Well, I ordered a refurb Diablo on eBay for $190.  I installed the canned 87 Octane tune with medium shift points. 

 

At first I was ho-hum about it.  It definitely shifted better for acceleration but sometimes it has a pretty hard shift.  But the hesitation the truck always had is gone.  When you floor it, it will move now.  Stop and go traffic is giving me slight worse MPG, but when I average it into my daily commute overall Im getting about 16mpg, slighlty up from mid 15s.

 

But what blew me away was last weekend when I went to go pick  up my new travel trailer.  I set cruise on 70 for most of the time, and my 50 mile trip average reached 25mpg at one point.  I was blown away.  When I pushed it up to 80, I was still getting 21-22MPG.   I had a moderate crosswind, so I cant say that I was getting a tailwind assist.  I was also going uphill generally as I was heading from Houston to San Antonio.

 

I noticed that with the AFM deactivated and the tune, it seems to hold speed in the second overdrive vs the first overdrive that it was using before.  In any case the RPMS were around 1500-1700.

 

Previously I was getting 8mpg average towing my 4500lb camper.  If I had perfectly flat ground and a tailwind I might get 10 average.  This new camper is 5700 lbs.  On the way back home through the rolling hills I got 11+mpg towing it at 70mph.  I did put 89 octane fuel in it when I filled up in San Antonio, but I dont know if that made a difference or not.  When I tried 93 before it did nothing for me. 

 

I was also pleasantly surprised that I could actually pass people now.  When I pressed the pedal hard I could get it up to 80 pretty fast.  Granted, there was downshifting and RPM were up there, but it could do what it did not want to do before.

 

Overall I am pretty pleased.  I am hping these results last for me.  I am still considering the DiabLew tune, or even trying the 93 tune during towing.  But part of me is also afraid to mess with these results. 

 

 

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1 hour ago, TexasGMCZ71 said:

Well, I ordered a refurb Diablo on eBay for $190.  I installed the canned 87 Octane tune with medium shift points. 

 

At first I was ho-hum about it.  It definitely shifted better for acceleration but sometimes it has a pretty hard shift.  But the hesitation the truck always had is gone.  When you floor it, it will move now.  Stop and go traffic is giving me slight worse MPG, but when I average it into my daily commute overall Im getting about 16mpg, slighlty up from mid 15s.

 

But what blew me away was last weekend when I went to go pick  up my new travel trailer.  I set cruise on 70 for most of the time, and my 50 mile trip average reached 25mpg at one point.  I was blown away.  When I pushed it up to 80, I was still getting 21-22MPG.   I had a moderate crosswind, so I cant say that I was getting a tailwind assist.  I was also going uphill generally as I was heading from Houston to San Antonio.

 

I noticed that with the AFM deactivated and the tune, it seems to hold speed in the second overdrive vs the first overdrive that it was using before.  In any case the RPMS were around 1500-1700.

 

Previously I was getting 8mpg average towing my 4500lb camper.  If I had perfectly flat ground and a tailwind I might get 10 average.  This new camper is 5700 lbs.  On the way back home through the rolling hills I got 11+mpg towing it at 70mph.  I did put 89 octane fuel in it when I filled up in San Antonio, but I dont know if that made a difference or not.  When I tried 93 before it did nothing for me. 

 

I was also pleasantly surprised that I could actually pass people now.  When I pressed the pedal hard I could get it up to 80 pretty fast.  Granted, there was downshifting and RPM were up there, but it could do what it did not want to do before.

 

Overall I am pretty pleased.  I am hping these results last for me.  I am still considering the DiabLew tune, or even trying the 93 tune during towing.  But part of me is also afraid to mess with these results. 

 

 

Do a Diablew tune and be done with it

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Those mpgs when towing seem awfully low. I have a 17 CC 4x4 5.3 with 7” lift and 35’s and I pull my toy hauler at close to 9000lbs regularly and I can get close to 10mpg going up hill against the wind. Mine to has 3.42 gears. I got a 89 Diablo tune from Diablew and it completely changed the truck. So yes a tune will make towing much better for you. Not sure you need to go with the 93 tune unless you absolutely want to. Lots of guys stick with the lower octane tune to save on gas money and because the differences in performance arent that significant. 
 
With that said though I am getting my truck regeared on the 27 of this month. I do a lot of towing and hauling and it will be a huge benefit to me. Worth every penny imo if you tow a lot
My truck is similar to your setup. 17 CC 4x4 with a 7" and 35s. Mine is a 6.2 with 3.23s though. With that toy hauler at 9000 lbs are you using a weight distribution hitch? If so what's your setup? I'm looking at a 7500 lb travel trailer and looking for more info.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

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4 hours ago, huntr1117 said:

With that toy hauler at 9000 lbs are you using a weight distribution hitch? If so what's your setup? I'm looking at a 7500 lb travel trailer and looking for more info.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

WD hitch absolutely. I also have Super Springs in the rear. My truck rides level and straight as an arrow. I use a simple Curt round bar WD hitch with chains and dual sway controls. Ive had it a long time and used it with many vehicles and can’t bring myself to get rid of it. Those $400-500 equalizers and Reese hitches are nice but I don’t think I need one. 

 

Dont get much more level than this. It’s hard to tell from the pick but I also have a Polaris Outlaw 50 and CRF 50 in the bed

7058-F62-C-C72-C-42-E6-9-D1-D-E74589-EBA

 

Oh and I also have a 1500lb SxS in the trailer

64-C154-BF-3-D83-4-F33-84-AF-24-CDD0-F44

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Non-Flex fuel programmed truck but I run E-85 mixed 50/50 with premium and can just about pull the front wheels off the ground on launch (no locker).

 

You go above 50/50 mix and it throws a Lean Fuel Code. I run the Hypertech MaxEnergy 2 , premium fuel map code.

 

This engine is 11 to 1 Compression. She was designed for alcohol, not unleaded.

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5 hours ago, Paintor said:

Non-Flex fuel programmed truck but I run E-85 mixed 50/50 with premium and can just about pull the front wheels off the ground on launch (no locker).

 

You go above 50/50 mix and it throws a Lean Fuel Code. I run the Hypertech MaxEnergy 2 , premium fuel map code.

 

This engine is 11 to 1 Compression. She was designed for alcohol, not unleaded.

You’re not benefiting from the E85 in any way whatsoever 

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I put a Husky Centerline TS WD hitch on my truck/trailer for this new rig.  It works great.  No chains to mess with.  Not nearly as much noise as my old E-2 hitch.  Trailer was rock solid all the way home.  I also run rear airbags with about 35psi in them.  I know there are lots of opinions about needing way more expensive hitches for sway control but this one works great for me.

 

 

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I towed my camper loaded down and bed of truck loaded with wood and generator I’d guess around 8400 for my camper with 60 gallons of water and food and ect.. on e85 I was doing avg 10mpg onway back on 87 same but it felt a lot stronger on the e85 going up and down mountain and where I live in Tennessee e85 is 1.97 a gallon 87 is now 2.50

84A8F6D9-9A55-4412-A705-5673A42F4305.jpeg

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On 4/30/2019 at 7:42 AM, Jacoby said:

You’re not benefiting from the E85 in any way whatsoever 

I’ll drag race you at the strip and prove it.

 

You would not believe the beast it turned into with that fuel program.

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On 4/30/2019 at 12:54 AM, Paintor said:

Non-Flex fuel programmed truck 

6 hours ago, Paintor said:

You would not believe the beast it turned into with that fuel program.

 

Confused????

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what fuel program are you using to run this mix with?  E85 is hard to find around her but its possible.  If it was same MPGs when towing I could see it being worthwhile.

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