Outstanding Highway MPG...

Daubs · April 18, 2005

I'm talking about an 04 Crew Cab 4x4 with the 8.1/Allison combination. 3.73 gears and 285 Revo's. Volant cold air and Westers.

Pre-Westers I was getting 8.5-9 MPG city and right around 12-13 Highway. Got the Westers this winter, but never had chance to let her roam on the highway. Got that chance this weekend. Loaded the kids up and headed to Lincoln for the Red-white game.

Filled the tank in town and got right on the highway. Watched my DIC average mpg go from 12 to 13...then to 14 MPG. I was hoping for a 14 MPG highway reading....

Then the DIC kept creeping higher and higher. I wasn't pushing it hard, probably going between 60-65 MPH on two lane roads in NW Missouri / SW Iowa / Nebraska. And that DIC kept creeping up...

Rolled in to Lincoln and the DIC was showing 15.7 MPG!!! Freaking amazing. Hit the fuel stop right in town and calculated the numbers (miles divided by gallons). Fifteen miles per gallon! @ an average of 58 MPH for the trip. (strange the DIC showed 15.7, but calculations only did 15).

Had to share my joy. I'm thinking about cranking up the PSI on my Revo's (from 45 PSI to 55 PSI) and seeing if I can squeeze another MPG out of her.

Butch 02 Denali · April 18, 2005

Excellent! Your getting up there with small block gas mileage now!!!

Wester's new 3Dmapping has a learning function that will learn your driving style and keep turning up the fuel economy based on sensor readings as you drive! Pretty amazing!!!! I've found 60-65 is the best speed for mileage in mine too!

chadlyt · April 18, 2005

hey, thats not bad at all. I did a test a month ago to see what i could get out of my 2500HD 6.0. I didn't do anything other than lay off the gas and not take her over 60mph. I usually get 11mpg all around. after 4 tanks, i averaged almost 15mpg.

I think the main thing is to never take your rig over 65mph if you want to save gas.

XTOAK · April 18, 2005

Daubs, do you feel it was the Westers or the Volant or both that gave you the boost? Which was first installed? Did you notice any difference with the Volant? Or would you recommend going with the Westers and not mess with the airbox?

jeb · April 18, 2005

Good stuff. Did you take the bigger tires into consideration for the mileage calculation?

Daubs · April 18, 2005

Good stuff. Did you take the bigger tires into consideration for the mileage calculation?

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I think the Westers made the biggest difference. Got Volant last spring and noticed a little increase in MPG. I'd recommend doing both. I'd like to upgrade my exhaust, but can't see tossing the factory stainless setup and speding loads of $$$ on something I already have (of course I did that with intake and PCM, but they don't rust out and need to be replaced)

I knew the 285's were messing up my MPH, MPG numbers and DIC. The best I ever did pre-Westers was 13.6 MPG highway. And I used my GPS to get correct mileage, then calculated based on gallons used. That was coasting down hills, keeping it below 60 MPH, really babying it.

I had Westers re-calibrate for my 285's, and now my spedo is dead on. At first the Westers didn't make a difference city or highway. But it was winter and I spent a lot of time sitting with engine running to keep it warm for kiddos, warm it up in morning, etc.

Now that it's warm I'm spending less time sitting and seeing my MPG numbers go up.

Wingnut · April 18, 2005

I agree with keeping it under 65. I did this about a year ago, and (with AC on) averaged over 21 mpg on the highway. This is in my '02, which normally gets 13.9 mixed driving.

dewfpo · April 18, 2005

Daubs.... which Wester's tune did you get?

People really don't fully grasp how much wind resistance plays in fuel economy. Wind resistance goes up exponentially with speed. It's goes up something like the square of speed IIRC.

It cracks me up to see some folks bragging that their driving their 7,000 lb HD work truck at 80-85 mph and then complaining about the MPG. They just don't get it.

DEWFPO

Haulin' 8.1 · April 18, 2005

Dang that's some good Big Block mileage, way to be. I've got the same truck and so far my best is 10 city. I'm going to New Orleans at the end of the month and taking the truck so I'll have a chance to get some real highway numbers. I just built my own bed cover so that should help.

Vernon

silver-rado · April 19, 2005

Daubs, do you feel it was the Westers or the Volant or both that gave you the boost? Which was first installed? Did you notice any difference with the Volant? Or would you recommend going with the Westers and not mess with the airbox?

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My friend with an 05 Denali and Outlaw CAI has gained over 2 1/2 MPG increase from stock, he said it keeps increasing started at 1.5 increase the first couple days and has slowly increased. It has been 1 week now.

I am getting a gain of 1.75 MPG on my Silverado, but I drive like a maniac on the weekends. (Also with only an Outlaw CAI)

I think it is time to call Wester's for my second upgrade. Saving up now. Does anyone have any MGP with just intake and after they included the tune?

Are there any future upgrades Westers will be making to the tunes?

snoman · April 19, 2005

Daubs.... which Wester's tune did you get?

People really don't fully grasp how much wind resistance plays in fuel economy. Wind resistance goes up exponentially with speed. It's goes up something like the square of speed IIRC.

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Very true indeed. it start climbing rapidily after 50 or 55 and above 70 or so it starts to skyrocket. Through in a head wind the the drag can get ugly fast. I have few freinds that used to work computer shows on weekend in several states and they used to race out late friday after work or early saturday morning traveling up to 500 mile one way at times. One of them was really upset that his new (then) Ford 7.3 power stroke 2wd dualie would get about 6mpg pulling a 8w x7t x 24 long enclosed trailer at 80 to 85 and other weekend workers with GM 454 big block trucks were getting the same or better and could walk away from him too at those speeds with simular loads.

Daubs · April 19, 2005

Daubs.... which Wester's tune did you get?

People really don't fully grasp how much wind resistance plays in fuel economy. Wind resistance goes up exponentially with speed. It's goes up something like the square of speed IIRC.

It cracks me up to see some folks bragging that their driving their 7,000 lb HD work truck at 80-85 mph and then complaining about the MPG. They just don't get it.

DEWFPO

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I told Lydon about my tire change, Volant and all the standard stuff he asks for (ratio, engine, trans, etc.). I didn't make a specific request for the tune aside from 87 octane, just told him I'd like to see more MPG. Asked him to do what he needed to make my mileage go up (and give the Big Block some life!).

I've been very pleased.

I think I could eek more MPG out of my truck by putting on a bed cover and jacking the PSI up on tires...but I'm not a bed cover kind of guy, and higher PSI mean's rougher ride. The best part about this is watching people's faces when I tell them I pulled 15 highway. Granted, it's 10 around town, but still, fifteen highway is pretty awesome.

Side note: My kindergardener had a transportation fair at school last week. There was this Kodiak flat bed delivery truck in the parking lot along with fire truck, ambulance, dump trucks, etc. The Kodiak was from a lumber yard and had dualies and probably a 16 foot flat bed on back. Really a big truck. I asked if it had the D-max or even a Cat under the hood. He said no, it was a gas engine. I asked him to tip the hood...low and behold, there sat the Big Block 8.1! I pulled my wife over and let her know that big delivery truck had the same engine as my crew cab! She was impressed.

Superman TNT · April 19, 2005

Hey Daubs (anyone else),

What are Westers? Is that just another computer chip programmer like Hypertech?

I just bought a 04 ext cab 4x4 w/ the 8.1L, Allison and 4:10 rear end. I drove it home from Missouri to northern Vermont (yup, lots of miles). While doing this I watched gas mileage. I knew it was going to suck but I need a tow horse and power. The dmax isn't a good option in Vermont where deisel can be hard to find. Anyway I tried going 65, 70, 75 and even 80 mph and it didn't seem to make much difference in my gas milage. Maybe a 0.1 or so one way or the other but no big deal. I got about 12.5 or 13mpg all highway. I don't drive it much (at all) around town but guess when I do I'm getting around 10mpg. I have a car I normally drive the truck just works (towing) mostly.

Once home I started the mods and upgrade. One of these is a N&N air intake, not yet installed. I am also trying to wait for Magna Flow to release a performance exhaust for this truck. I have not considered a programmer because someone told me not to mess with the Allison tranny and the shift points.

Ok, what is/are Westers? Does it help with HP or just MPG? How does it do it? How much does it cost? Where do you get it?

Thanks for any info,

Daubs · April 19, 2005

Hey Daubs (anyone else),
What are Westers? Is that just another computer chip programmer like Hypertech?

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Check this link for information on Westers:

http://westers_garage.eidnet.org/Index2.htm

Also do a search on this forum for "westers" and you can learn a lot.

If you are getting 10 around town and 12-13 highway, that's pretty good for the 8.1, especially with 4.10's. You may be able to do better with Westers. The Big Block ain't going to win any MPG awards, but it will throw you back in your seat and out-pull about anything out there. And you don't have to hunt around for fuel. My crew cab is my daily driver (I know, I'm crazy), and I love it. Adding an intake and exhaust are great ways to increase power and MPG. After you have made all those mods, then check out Westers. They custom tune the CPU to match what mods you have made to your truck. Cost about $500, but you can sometimes get them on group purchase. I think I paid something under $450 for mine.

Look around and search this forum. Good luck and welcome to the Big Block club!

Trouttrooper · April 19, 2005

I've got a whopping 2,200 miles on my 8.1/allison/4:10 so far. It's been hanging just shy of 13 mpg, no mods.

I made a 80 mile trip with my 23 foot camp trailer this weekend and it dropped to 11.5, HOWEVER that included climbing a 14% grade for 6 miles. I was just grinning ear to ear going up the hill. My old 6.0/4:10 could do it, but it was definitly working hard. The 8.1 didn't even hesitate, I could actually accelerate after going around the 15 mph corners

Like other's have said, I don't go past 65 mph. It's a truck, not a race car. If I want to go 80, then I use my car.