2005 6.0 Performance/gas Mileage Options

jalphin76 · July 8, 2009

He guys I'm new here, I got a 2005 Chevrolet 2500HD with 6.0 recently, what do you guys think about Bully Dog, Superchips, etc, as well as intake and exhaust options. i would like to see if I can increase power and fuel mileage.

Thanks,

Jeff

DBVille · July 8, 2009

Welcome!!

We need pictures!!

Your question has been addressed numerous times - wander through the site some, and you will find tons to answers, and opinions. To get you started, here's mine.

Tune

Get a "flash" from Blackbear, Westers or another board sponsers. Should gain you about 30 hp overall. With a flash, it is custom designed for your vehicle and driving style, not one of 3 or so choices from a programmer.

Intake

If you want more noise, fine, get one. If you want more fuel economy, buy a Civic. Any changes to the intake might net a few hp at specific RPM, but nothing across the board, and nothing to gain any appreciable amount of mileage. If it did, it would have come that way from the factory.

Exhaust

Same as intake - if you want sound, fine. Performance, with a stock engine, you won't get much, except at specific RPMs.

Fuel Mileage

This one is easy to increase. Just driver easier. Yep. You can increase your mileage by 10-50% bh changing your driving style. Otherwise, not much you can really do.

davzog · July 9, 2009

Agreed on all counts....a 6.0 hd is what it is...pretty well set from the factory!!

cbxeric · July 9, 2009

Get a custom tune, forget everything else.

davzog · July 11, 2009

Agreed again.....take it from the voice of experience.

I have a Magnaflow cat back and it sounds great and a K&N CAI that looks cool....

BUt for performance and MPG, I got a Blackbear 87 octane tune...gave me back the performance I lost from the oversize tires and wheels and I picked up about 1 - 1.5 mpg.....

All the other stuff works better on the old throttle body and carburated trucks....today's computers handle things pretty well...

fcknmaw · July 11, 2009

Just did 400 miles round trip with my wife, buddy, daughter, full bed, 65-70mph, 14.5mpg see sig for mods. There is no way my truck would do that stock. The tune is huge.

jalphin76 · July 12, 2009

thanks for all the replies, the reason I ask, is because my truck gets 11.9 miles per gallon. My truck has a leveling kit and 285's along with 4.10 rear end, sounds like a custom tune is the way to go. If i do the custom tune will this help offset the the 285 tires and increase fuel mileage?

Thanks,

Jeff

DBVille · July 12, 2009

Your mileage depends on load and you. I get ~12 mpg in our '05 2500 Suburban (with 285 BFG ATs) with the 6.0 (untuned). Others get a lot better, but they driver slower than we do. 700 mile weekend runs are done at 80 mph on the open road. Others that get better are going slower. Mine has the instant mpg readout, and at 80 mph, you get 12-13 mpg. Add in acceleration, hills, and stop time, and it only gets worse. I say this because if you gas mileage increases will depend entirely on you!! If you use the extra power a tune gives you, your mileage will not improve, and could decrease. If you take advantage of the extra power to stay in higher gears, your mileage should improve.

Get the tune not for the mileage, but for all the other benefits.

cbxeric · July 12, 2009

The 4:10 rear end is more for pulling not mileage, that being said you will get better mileage overall with a custom tune. I went from 12 mpg stock to about 14.5 mpg with my wait4me tune doing mixed driving. I've got the 3:73 rear end which also helps.

Paperboy321 · October 3, 2009

i let my dad borrow my truck (6.0 4spd and 4.10's) for a hunting trip and he got 16.5 mpg w/ a tail wind and 14 mpg on the way out there. just him, a friend and their camping gear. mods are cai and flowmaster 50 series. no tune.