How To Increase Fuel Mileage On 6.0l

[knightgang]

I have a 2001 Chevy 1500HD with a 6.0L. I do not expect GREAT fuel milage, but I would expect around 14-16, however on the last fillup, I got 11.5 mpg. I did not hotrod that tank of fuel, did not tow anything, and was in very little city traffic. Most o fmy driving is 55mph country roads with few start/stops.

 

I have 181K on this motor and I recently changed the plugs and wires. Seeing how the old ones were really worn out, I thought that this might improve the milage, but I see no improvement at all. I bought the truck with 96K on it and was getting 13mpg without a load, boy was I shocked when I saw 11.5 on the last check.

 

Any suggestions to improving mileage? What are you guys getting...

 

BTW, yes, this is a Crew Cab, 4WD truck...

 

Thanks, Big E

[jro909]

that sounds about normal, the thing has a crap load of drag being its a 4x4, CC let alone all the extra mass being its a 2500...i would maybe try to change the fuel filter,air filter, run some injector cleaner...my 1500 5.3 gets about 17 on the highway on a good day, drops to 13 in town so really the mpg comes with the fact that its a truck....your other option would be to get a blackbear tune and see if they can tweak your tune to squeeze more mpg out...hope it helps, you should be happy 1500hds are kind of rare now a days

[dewfpo]

Do you warm up your truck every cold start?

 

DEWFPO

[jro909]

hm i did not think of that, even so the average for idleing is a gallon per hour, so he would have to be warming that baby up alot

[knightgang]

Do you warm up your truck every cold start?

 

DEWFPO

 

Had some frosted mornings of warming up, not much though. I did nto think of its effect on mpg. However, with a 1 gph burn rate at idle, I bet I did not use over 3/4 of a gallon on warmups....

[knightgang]

that sounds about normal, the thing has a crap load of drag being its a 4x4, CC let alone all the extra mass being its a 2500...i would maybe try to change the fuel filter,air filter, run some injector cleaner...my 1500 5.3 gets about 17 on the highway on a good day, drops to 13 in town so really the mpg comes with the fact that its a truck....your other option would be to get a blackbear tune and see if they can tweak your tune to squeeze more mpg out...hope it helps, you should be happy 1500hds are kind of rare now a days

 

 

Would a synthetic lube in the front Diff set help reduce this drag?

 

I do wish Chevy has stayed with an auto lock hub like Ford so that you can free wheel the front wheels and only lock the hubs when you need them. As it is, I know that I am always turning the front axles and diff set and that accounts for the drag.

 

Is there a kit to change over to a manual locking hub for this year model chevy?

[jro909]

the drag comes from the fact that its a giant metal boulder on wheels, synthetic gear oil isen't going to help...talk to blackbear tune and see about a custom tune man, its the quickest and most effective solution to better mpgs unless you want to invest in a team of clydesdales to pull your truck around, unless theres something mechanical wrong with your ride, also what octane rateing does it call for? are you running an ethanol blend gas? is it good gas or the cheap shit?

[knightgang]

the drag comes from the fact that its a giant metal boulder on wheels, synthetic gear oil isen't going to help...talk to blackbear tune and see about a custom tune man, its the quickest and most effective solution to better mpgs unless you want to invest in a team of clydesdales to pull your truck around, unless theres something mechanical wrong with your ride, also what octane rateing does it call for? are you running an ethanol blend gas? is it good gas or the cheap shit?

 

 

Running 87 octane from good stations that turn alot of fuel (at busy interstate exits). However, most of what we have in our area is 10-15% ethonal blend.

[Stranger ranger]

It is what it is man,

the tune will help tho if you go that route..

[CTM]

It is what it is man,

the tune will help tho if you go that route..

 

I agree, I have a 2004 2500HD w/52,000miles, with the 6.0, and the best I've ever seen, was 13 hwy.

 

I have a 2200lb truck camper, and when I use that, I only see about 8 hwy.

 

I think, even with the tune, the engine is high miles, and you have to decide if 1 or so miles increase is worth the cost of the tune-up.

 

I knew this about the mileage when I bought the truck, I live with it!

 

Not much you can do.

[gjjdemarco]

I just noticed this post and it got me to thinking.

2010 2500HD 6.0L 4x4 Supercrew SB

1292 Miles so far.

I have been keeping track of my fillups since I bought the truck.

I just did the math. I am getting 8.9MPG.

Mostly highway (75/25 highway/city)

How big of an increase can I expect to see from a tune like Blackbear?

I am coming from a 2004 F150 which I was getting more like 13-15.

My boss is gonna hate to see the gas card bills now .

[Imaking]

Holy hand grenades batman! You guys are making me a lot happier about my mileage! I just picked up this 2500HD 2wd and wasn't thrilled about the 13.8-14 city I was getting so I picked up a Diablosport Predator (I had one on my last car and I was sold) - it took a bit more tuning to get much result from the truck but now I'm happy I did.

 

WAY better shifts

Did away with the TQ management (I don't tow)

Did this and WOW - the go pedal has a lot more go and so far I'm getting 15.7-16 city.

[killergixxer]

I have a 2003 GMC 2500HD and I get about 13.5 on the Highway and about 10.5 in town driving normal. If I drive like an absolute grandma (keeping it under 1500-2000 RPM's) I can sqeeze 11.5 in town but You gotta figure it takes alot to get these tanks moving! The best I ever got driving like a grandma with about 75% highway & 25% city was about 12MPG, but I promise it took some serious effort to do this! I too have been thinking I have to save up for a Black Bear tune! I'd love to know what the average tune would gain in MPG. I also wondered if they could tune it for maximum MPG in normal mode and when you push the tow button it changed it to a performance tune, or if that's even possible!

[Pool Runner]

I have a 2008 2500HD 2wd SRW standard cab with a crap load of tools in the bed at all times. The week I got the truck it was empty while I waited to get it insured etc for my business. I did drive it here and there to break it in a little before I started to beat on it for work and I got 14.3 my first fill up. I then have had it loaded up with all my tools probably 900-1000lbs in the box and the best I get these days is 11.3, my worst about 10.2 +/- all things aside long as I'm above 11.0 mpg I'm a happy camper. Just for the record I used to get 14.6 regularly with my 2005 Dodge 2500 4x4 QuadCab diesel with all the tools in the bed, empty I was looking at 16-17 +/- Truth be told, the 6.0L drives a lot easier is a whole lot cheaper to maintain and feels quicker around town than my old Cummins Diesel. I know the diesel would rape it pulling a heavy trailer, but I don't have to pull anything anymore so the difference in mpg between the two is almost parasitic. I know most of you are pro diesel, but in all honestly and BS aside the 6.0 has more than impressed me. Most of my friends with Superduties & D-Maxes a few with Cummins all gave me a hard time, that motor will have no balls, Be worn out before 100K miles and the best mpg you will ever see is about 8 or 9 etc... It's been anything but that.

[The Big Red Enigma]

I have a 2001 Chevy 1500HD with a 6.0L. I do not expect GREAT fuel milage, but I would expect around 14-16, however on the last fillup, I got 11.5 mpg. I did not hotrod that tank of fuel, did not tow anything, and was in very little city traffic. Most o fmy driving is 55mph country roads with few start/stops.

 

I have 181K on this motor and I recently changed the plugs and wires. Seeing how the old ones were really worn out, I thought that this might improve the milage, but I see no improvement at all. I bought the truck with 96K on it and was getting 13mpg without a load, boy was I shocked when I saw 11.5 on the last check.

 

Any suggestions to improving mileage? What are you guys getting...

 

BTW, yes, this is a Crew Cab, 4WD truck...

 

Thanks, Big E

 

Hello knightgang. When I sold my 2001 Silverado that was rated 27 mpg highway (Canadian gallons are larger remember), and bought the Next Generation (first batch) 2007 Silverado 2500 HD monster with the 6. litre, I get up to 45 mpg highway. Perhaps the gas savings would equal the loan payments? Good luck, The Big Red Enigma.