Gas Prices Are Crazy!

Touch · April 4, 2008

I'm in desperate need of new tires... and I want to go a bit bigger than the stock 245's. I was thinking about either a 285/65/18 or a 305/60/18

I already have nice open exhaust that gets me better gas milage... and im lookin for anything else that i could do. A guy i work with swears that he gets better gas milage after he put on a throttle body spacer and k&n cai on his ECLB Sierra with the same engine as mine (6.0L)

Any thoughts on those combined with the exhaust i have? Or anything else that may help? I drive between 750 and 1000 miles a week when im on full time work, so I need ALL the help I can get to save on fuel. I have a very gentle foot on the gas when im on the highway, so that definitely helps

~Darrin

P.S. Any Input is greatly appreciated

Draenor · April 4, 2008

The way I go would be to get a custom "economy" tune. It probably net the best results. Other than that, get a car.

I'm in desperate need of new tires... and I want to go a bit bigger than the stock 245's. I was thinking about either a 285/65/18 or a 305/60/18

You could go 265 or 285, any thing more will hurt the bottom end RPM's. Unless you do all hyw miles, then the 305 will help a smidgon.

A guy i work with swears that he gets better gas milage after he put on a throttle body spacer and k&n cai on his ECLB Sierra with the same engine as mine (6.0L)

Spacers dont work, he's full of IMO, stay away from the K&N.

I already have nice open exhaust that gets me better gas milage... and im lookin for anything else that i could do.

Open exhaust..meaning no cats or muffler?

dewfpo · April 4, 2008

The way I go would be to get a custom "economy" tune. It probably net the best results. Other than that, get a car.

I'm in desperate need of new tires... and I want to go a bit bigger than the stock 245's. I was thinking about either a 285/65/18 or a 305/60/18

You could go 265 or 285, any thing more will hurt the bottom end RPM's. Unless you do all hyw miles, then the 305 will help a smidgon.

A guy i work with swears that he gets better gas milage after he put on a throttle body spacer and k&n cai on his ECLB Sierra with the same engine as mine (6.0L)

Spacers dont work, he's full of IMO, stay away from the K&N.

I already have nice open exhaust that gets me better gas milage... and im lookin for anything else that i could do.

Open exhaust..meaning no cats or muffler?

X2,

Custom economy tune, near stock sized tires, no spacer, and you need some back pressure in the exhaust system in a gasser. No BP will cause you to loose some torque down low which is where most of your driving probably is.

DEWFPO

Touch · April 4, 2008

I have an electronic exhaust cutout system... dumps the exhaust 8" before the muffler. Plenty of pipe for it to travel through, i have tested it open/closed and i get about 1.5-2 mpg better. I do drive mainly highway... and 15-17 mpg isnt too bad for a 6.0L CCLB with a bed full of tools

I definitely want to do a slightly wider/bigger tire and I am going with 18" ProComp rims. Most of my driving is all highway... in 2007 I drove 39,000 for work alone. Mainly highway, and driving a few backroads to get to neighborhoods.

My brother hates me because he has a bit of a heavy foot/drives a little different. He's got the same truck, same tires and same exhaust... he said he's never seen better than 14.5 mpg on his guage haha :-D I win

And ur saying the cold air intakes dont do anything for these engines??

I'm a bit ignorant when it comes to tunes/programmers. How would i go about getting an economy tune that you two were talking about?

wellinghurst · April 4, 2008

If you are getting 15-17 now then I'd be afraid to touch anything. Is it 2wd? I've never seen a CCLB get anything near 15-17 unless it's downhill @ 55mph. I average 11-12.

GMSVCMGR99801 · April 4, 2008

Besides a Toyota, it will be tough to significantly improve what you are getting now.

I would stay away from really big tires, maybe 265 as someone already said.

The break even point for 3.55 or 3.73 gears would be a ways in the future. Is it a 4x4

or 4x2 ? Obviously a 4x2 would cost less than 1/2 to change over to a higher ratio.

You'll have to do the math, 750-1000/week is alot of miles. You would reach break-even

sooner than most. Maybe a wrecking yard for less expensive parts.

sam5828 · April 4, 2008

hell i have a 07 silverado 4x4 with 5.3 with 3.73 i get about 21 @75 and a 08 av with 6.0 with 4.10 and get 19-20 @75 both are stock

Zembonez · April 4, 2008

ANY larger tire will result in some loss of MPG. It may be small but it will be there. Taller tires will change the overall gear ratio and the increased weight and width will have more rolling resistance. Unfortunately there is no way around that if you want to upgrade tire size. The difference isn't HUGE if you don't get too crazy with size.

I'm not saying don't do it... just that there will be a cost. When I went to my 20s the drop in MPG was almost 1 full mile per gallon. I sure do like the look though!

I like my K&N.

My whole family has used them for hundreds of thousands of miles on everything from dirt bikes, motor homes, to sports cars and trucks... with never a problem. There are those in here that think they are the devil. Go figure? They act like the engine will ever know there might be one ten billionth of a grain of dirt coming through due to the added airflow. That might make a difference at the 500,000 mile mark... who knows (or cares) I think they are a great product. Everybody gets an opinion and many are not alike.

SPACERS?

There doesn't appear to be any science to back up any improvement claims. Mostly wishful thinking (and high profits) I believe.

sam5828 · April 4, 2008

the spacers are like running a tornado. only time they will be useful maybe would be a carb engine

BlackSilver · April 4, 2008

I think anything larger than 265's will reduce your mileage. I went from 245s to 265s on my 03 and saw just a smidgen reduction in mileage, but that was a diesel with 3.73s.

The spacer is pure snake oil. It might help a TBI engine, or an old carbed engine, but direct injection doesn't care about anything upstream of the cylinder.

Touch · April 4, 2008

Thank you to EVERYONE who has given me some input on this. I am fairly set on going a bit larger on rims/tires

And as for the stated questions... I have a 6.0L with 4.10's

I originally was getting 12-13 mpg when i first got it. Then i learned to drive a little easier, and listen to the engine. Let off of it just a tad so it wouldnt downshift when i didnt need it to on the highway

Then I got that exhaust cutout system... greatest thing ever in my opinion. I can flip a switch and close it up when i wanna be quiet at night, or pickin up a date haha. Or i can flip the switch and open it up and scare people when i drive by, set off car alarms with normal casual drivebys lol

It jumped me up a few mpg's.... and since i could hear the engine even better, I mastered the neutral drift. On the highways I drive, i know every spot where the decline is great enough that I can pop it in neutral and coast for a while and not lose any speed. REALLY saves gas. Trust me, I would know... on full work weeks im spending about 200-250 a week in gas. I drive more that a cop haha