'05 1500 crew gas mileage

[mikez]

I just picked up my 2005 Sierra 1500 crew cab on this past monday. I got the Z71 4wd with the 5.3L and 4.10 gears. I love the truck but I'm beginning to worry about the gas mileage. So far the truck has about 900 miles on it and I am averaging 13-14 mpg. I realize that the truck is currently breaking in and the gas mileage isn't going to be too good while breaking in. Would you guys mind posting and let me know what kind of gas mileage your'e getting? I had a 2003 Sierra 1500 ext cab with the 5.3L and 3.73 gear and it averaged about 15-16 mpg. With the 2003 I felt like it always needed more gear because I had to drive in drive around town to get better gas mileage because in overdrive it seemed to lug the truck down taking off.

[lrymal]

I'm getting about 17 - 18 mpg in combined city/freeway, and 20 - 21.8 on the freeway at 65 mph. 3.42 gears. Gets about 3mpg overall better mileage than my '03 with its 3.73 gearing.

[Rammer]

Using the DIC for milage at evry fill up, I've gotten as good as 19.2 to a low of 14.8. Running around hilly western PA, I average about 16 with 3.73 gears. This equals my 02 Xcab 5.3 4X4 w/ 4.10's I had before.

[psu05]

i get 17-19 on city/highway on 3.42's...haven't done strictly highway driving yet

[GM Dude]

Sure wished I knew what I'm doing worng. You guys are getting great milage and my last tank was around 11.5 mpg. I do pull a 18' Bayliner every now and then but even if I don't pull it, I get aroud 12.5 mpg.

[SierraCrewGuy]

I have almost 3000 miles on my 2WD crew cab and am averaging 15-16. About 1,000 of those miles were pulling my '66 Mustang Fastback. I'm pretty happy with that.

[Ape0r]

There's a reason them 4.10's don't come on every truck =). It will improve, but you won't get what you used to either - you've got a heavier truck with deeper gears. Simple fact of the matter is that it takes more energy to accelerate a larger vehicle, in addition to the fact that deep gears cause the engine to eat gas!