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Help to improve my dad's mpg.


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So my dad has a 2019 2500 with the 6.0, I believe it has the midnight package so it came with the duratracs and it has 4.10 gears.  He is really upset about his mileage, gets 13 on the highway and about 10 in town.  Pulling my 8000lb camper his truck gets 5.4.  This is all per the on board computer I wish he would just hand calculate a few.  He traded in his 2009 6.0 which he got 16-18 on the highway and he always wishes he had his old truck back.  Anyways, is there anything that can actually improve the mileage?  I was always under the impression chips and stuff dont do anything for gas powered engines.

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That was my impression about that stuff as well.  He wants to change his gears but I dont think he is going to get what he wants going from a 4.10 to 3.73, about $3000 as well to change gears. Also told him change your tires to a highway tire might help a little but cant guarantee nothing there either.  I wish he'd just listen to me and buy a half ton if he wants better mileage.  I'll just have to listen to him complain about it forever I guess. 

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Put highway tread tires on it, re-gear the truck to 3.73's and you may gain 1-2mpg. But that is not worth the hefty cost to do that.

 

Drive slower too, do 65 instead of 70-75mph. Otherwise good luck, it's a heavy ass truck with a thirst engine.

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30 minutes ago, buckwuk said:

That was my impression about that stuff as well.  He wants to change his gears but I dont think he is going to get what he wants going from a 4.10 to 3.73, about $3000 as well to change gears. Also told him change your tires to a highway tire might help a little but cant guarantee nothing there either.  I wish he'd just listen to me and buy a half ton if he wants better mileage.  I'll just have to listen to him complain about it forever I guess. 

This, if he isn't towing heavy, get a half ton, with the max tow package, hauls like 2,200 lbs in the bed.

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It will take a lot of miles, if ever,  before he breaks even on his mpg's by changing gears, tires or to a new vehicle.  Modifying his driving habits/routines will have the most significant impact.   For example, I am certain his 5 mpg when pulling a trailer is a result of driving too fast or too hard.    Pulling a trailer is when this engine and gear combination should shine.  I also suspect there is a little buyer's remorse that sometimes follows such a substantial purchase.  He's got a very nice truck and tell him to enjoy!  Sometimes I'll run an errand by walking instead of driving.  This makes me feel better physically as well as feeling I've saved myself a bit at the pump!

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On 12/22/2019 at 9:45 AM, i82much said:

was his old truck a half ton?

No he had an 09 2500 with a 6.0, so he is more disappointed same engine same trans and way worse mileage he got 15-17 highway with his.

On 12/22/2019 at 3:50 PM, AJE said:

I tow 7-8000lb car hauler and get a hell of a lot better than 5.4, taking it through the hills of KY and TN.  

 

 

I find it interesting my 15 half ton Denali 6.2 got around 9-10 pulling my camper and cruise set at 70.  Then his pulls like crap compared to my hand ton and can barely maintain highway speed.  Maybe the 6.2 and 8 speed are just that big of an advantage. 

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11 minutes ago, buckwuk said:

 

No he had an 09 2500 with a 6.0, so he is more disappointed same engine same trans and way worse mileage he got 15-17 highway with his.

I find it interesting my 15 half ton Denali 6.2 got around 9-10 pulling my camper and cruise set at 70.  Then his pulls like crap compared to my hand ton and can barely maintain highway speed.  Maybe the 6.2 and 8 speed are just that big of an advantage. 

I am not surprised at all that the 6.2 with the 8 speed has a lot more power than the 6.0 six speed.  From the unloaded mpg that you posted, I am honestly more shocked that your dad regularly got 16-18 highway out of *any* 3/4 ton gas truck than I am by the fact he only gets 13 now.  With winter blend gas, 13 is about what I get on the interstate too, and my truck is not lifted and does not have aggressive tires.  

 

 

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I checked back through my photos and found I got 8.4mpg towing this 335miles through Kentucky and Tennesse (not exactly the Rocky mountains but by no means flat land, either).  I didn't get an exact weight but I believe it was around 7000-7500lbs loaded, maybe a bit more.

 

 

IMG_20190606_080356.jpg

 

I'm sure the 6.2 would seem like a hot rod motor compared to the 6.0 in my truck but there's a lot more to towing than a powerful engine.  

Edited by AJE
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2 hours ago, AJE said:

I checked back through my photos and found I got 8.4mpg towing this 335miles through Kentucky and Tennesse (not exactly the Rocky mountains but by no means flat land, either).  I didn't get an exact weight but I believe it was around 7000-7500lbs loaded, maybe a bit more.

 

 

IMG_20190606_080356.jpg

 

I'm sure the 6.2 would seem like a hot rod motor compared to the 6.0 in my truck but there's a lot more to towing than a powerful engine.  

Thing I find odd is my half ton was a denali with 3.23 gears I believe, my dad's 6.0 has 4.10 and it struggles to pull compared to my half ton, that's what baffles me about it.  He did take it into a dealer and they said everything checks out.  They told him with all the new emmisions compared to his 09 is what is hurting the mileage.  It just blows my mind that with 4.10 gears his mileage is 13-14 empty and towing it drops significantly.  I feel like the 4.10s it shouldn't be that bad.  Towing a 2000lb utility trailer with a 4wheeler he got 9.

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wait and see how it does in the summer, the thinner air and summer gas will help a tad.  i cannot believe you would average 16-18 out of a gas HD truck on the highway.  I get 16 driving like a granny on country back roads, 14 on the interstate, and 12 mixed city/country.  I am thrilled with my truck (2016 6.0 2500HD) but my fuel economy expectations were not high!

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I get better mileage putting back and forth to work...country roads, mostly flat, and the best I typically see is 15.5.  My best 25mi is 18.4, best 50mi is 17.7, and best 400mi is 15.2.  Typically I'm sitting around 13 and change for my last 400mi this time of year.

 

Long trips on the highway do not get any better than 15 if the speed is faster than 65 (I'm not a slow highway driver).

 

I am curious what you mean by "struggles to pull". Is he not expecting the engine to rev?  The most power comes with the engine revving higher, and using tow haul mode will allow the engine to rev higher to achieve that.

 

I can't comment on the comparison to the 6.2 because I've never driven one in a truck, but it baffles me that it would pull better with 3.23 gears than a 6.0 would with 4.10.  Surely the 2500 would provide a more stable ride and braking than a 1500 truck would.  The difference between the ride of my old half ton and newer 3/4 ton is night and day pulling my camper.

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