Just hit a new best of 32MPG with my 5.3

[mrbflat]

Wow, these are some outstanding numbers for a full size pickup!!!  I think some of my gains are from old age.... you hit 50 and things just change, haha, my driving habits have definitely progressed to the slow lane.  I knew I was over the hill when I found myself riding for days without having the radio on, and I pay for XM!

[redwngr]

6 minutes ago, mrbflat said:

Wow, these are some outstanding numbers for a full size pickup!!!  I think some of my gains are from old age.... you hit 50 and things just change, haha, my driving habits have definitely progressed to the slow lane.  I knew I was over the hill when I found myself riding for days without having the radio on, and I pay for XM!

Some of us seniors never shut the radio off....

 

 

[superhighsierra]

Keep in mind nearly all of these people in this thread have 3.0 diesel. 

 

With a 5.3 and stock tires you can get 22-23 if you absolutely baby it, but then you are stuck with a stock truck. 

 

I have a 5.3 with 34.1 inch Duratracs on stock 20's, removed the lower front valence, have a leveling kit and get ~20-21 if i really baby it around town. About the same on the highway. Unless you want to go 55-60 on the highway in cruise,  you aren't getting over ~21 on flat ground with bigger tires. 

 

Everything is a give and take. Don't want a 3.0L Diesel as that engine makes zero sense, and don't want a stock truck. If you own a half ton pickup truck and are overly worried about the gas mileage, not sure what to tell you. 

[KARNUT]

6 hours ago, superhighsierra said:

Keep in mind nearly all of these people in this thread have 3.0 diesel. 

 

With a 5.3 and stock tires you can get 22-23 if you absolutely baby it, but then you are stuck with a stock truck. 

 

I have a 5.3 with 34.1 inch Duratracs on stock 20's, removed the lower front valence, have a leveling kit and get ~20-21 if i really baby it around town. About the same on the highway. Unless you want to go 55-60 on the highway in cruise,  you aren't getting over ~21 on flat ground with bigger tires. 

 

Everything is a give and take. Don't want a 3.0L Diesel as that engine makes zero sense, and don't want a stock truck. If you own a half ton pickup truck and are overly worried about the gas mileage, not sure what to tell you. 

Most people have different ideas on modifications. Mine were performance related. I stayed with stock size tires. I wanted my truck to blend in instead of the hey steal me look. Even going extreme with a super charger I got advertised fuel mileage. With my 14 having the 355 radio. I got 22 MPG at 72 mph, 23 on 65 mph two lanes. That’s with cylinder deactivation off. I did pull the blocks out to lessen the rake. I like a tad lower.

[BB68]

8 hours ago, superhighsierra said:

Keep in mind nearly all of these people in this thread have 3.0 diesel. 

 

With a 5.3 and stock tires you can get 22-23 if you absolutely baby it, but then you are stuck with a stock truck. 

 

I have a 5.3 with 34.1 inch Duratracs on stock 20's, removed the lower front valence, have a leveling kit and get ~20-21 if i really baby it around town. About the same on the highway. Unless you want to go 55-60 on the highway in cruise,  you aren't getting over ~21 on flat ground with bigger tires. 

 

Everything is a give and take. Don't want a 3.0L Diesel as that engine makes zero sense, and don't want a stock truck. If you own a half ton pickup truck and are overly worried about the gas mileage, not sure what to tell you. 

 

I own a half ton because I have found that a capable S10/Canyon with get less mpg than 5.3/6.2 1/2ton  

[redwngr]

9 hours ago, superhighsierra said:

Keep in mind nearly all of these people in this thread have 3.0 diesel. 

 

With a 5.3 and stock tires you can get 22-23 if you absolutely baby it, but then you are stuck with a stock truck. 

 

I have a 5.3 with 34.1 inch Duratracs on stock 20's, removed the lower front valence, have a leveling kit and get ~20-21 if i really baby it around town. About the same on the highway. Unless you want to go 55-60 on the highway in cruise,  you aren't getting over ~21 on flat ground with bigger tires. 

 

Everything is a give and take. Don't want a 3.0L Diesel as that engine makes zero sense, and don't want a stock truck. If you own a half ton pickup truck and are overly worried about the gas mileage, not sure what to tell you. 

Whether or not certain engine makes sense, depends on performance objectives.

 

Applies to all 4 engine offerings. 

 

Same logic applies to mid-size/LD/HD platform choice.  

[superhighsierra]

On 7/3/2023 at 11:58 AM, redwngr said:

Whether or not certain engine makes sense, depends on performance objectives.

 

Applies to all 4 engine offerings. 

 

Same logic applies to mid-size/LD/HD platform choice.  

 

For the sake of conversation, what would be the performance objectives of a 3.0L Duramax? Genuinely curious as all i can see is: 

 

-More expensive fuel that negate any offset in MPG

-More expensive price tag

-~80 less HP

-Slower 0-60

-Less towing capacity than a 5.8 by over 2,000lbs

-More expensive routine maintainence 

-More expensive long term maintenance

-Harder to work on

-Riddled with problems, newer engine

+80lbs more of torque that means what if it has a a lower towing capacity lol climbs a hill a ball hair faster?

 

Objectively the 3.0L is a "V6 Diesel." Zero performance 

 

Huge fan of Diesel in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. IMHO, never understood the appeal, whatsoever of the baby duramax. 

[BB68]

43 minutes ago, superhighsierra said:

 

For the sake of conversation, what would be the performance objectives of a 3.0L Duramax? Genuinely curious as all i can see is: 

 

-More expensive fuel that negate any offset in MPG

-More expensive price tag

-~80 less HP

-Slower 0-60

-Less towing capacity than a 5.8 by over 2,000lbs

-More expensive routine maintainence 

-More expensive long term maintenance

-Harder to work on

-Riddled with problems, newer engine

+80lbs more of torque that means what if it has a a lower towing capacity lol climbs a hill a ball hair faster?

 

Objectively the 3.0L is a "V6 Diesel." Zero performance 

 

Huge fan of Diesel in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. IMHO, never understood the appeal, whatsoever of the baby duramax. 

 

I guess we would need to know what exact engine youre comparing because the displacement and capacity are incorrect. The premium my 6.2 requires is more than diesel 90% of the time and the 3.0 is pretty equal to it towing wise. 

 

I agree the maintenance is going to much greater and lets face it, if you own a modern diesel past warranty you have some pretty big kahunas. 

 

What I dont understand with the 3.0l baby max is with as low and large as its torque curve is, why does it need 3.73 gears for max tow package? The gas engines with higher rpm curves would greatly improve their ability here...

 

With current fuel prices I considered a diesel but the flashbacks of being a diesel tech for 20 years kept me from doing so with the limited amount of miles I use the pickup during winter months. 

 

Edited July 5, 2023 by BB68