Avalanche/Suburban 2500 with 8.1 towing mpg
Anyone who has one or had one, please chime in as to what kind of mpg you got while towing. I hate the idea of having 496 CI, but I'm planning to sell my 03 Suburban 1500 Z71 and am looking for an Ex...
Forum Discussion
Good towing attributes vs high MPG is almost an oxymoron, IMO
If high MPG is high on the list, then get a smaller displacement with lots of
tranny gears. So that it can spin up and stay in it's sweet spot
Gearing can do it up to a point. For me, I don't like high rev'ing ICE's for
towing heavy. Why I own a big block
Two other routes
#1, get a higher BTU per volume fuel...diesel engine
#2, get a small displacement that has a forced fed system. It must be designed
for that (turbo/super charger). Over at one of my boy racer forums. There are
two guys with 1500's towing heavy. They insist that the MTWR is absolute and
both are now looking for a 2500 TV after spending tons of money on turbo's
and tranny fixes. One even went and had a customer 4L60E rebuilt and it also
blew towing up the Grape Vine
My Sub was a daily for about 5 years and just lived with the MPG. It
is also a pleasure to drive and tow with. Ride quality and high MPG
isn't on my have to have and are on my nice to have list
10MPG all around and pure highway 12.5 to 13 and every once in a while
15.5. Towing my 8.5K boat up to Lake Tahoe get 7-8 MPG, but I have a
very heavy foot. Lots of small blocks get similar towing similar loads.
Towing a trailer to Lake Tahoe is about the same, but it can drop to
6-7 MPG when pushing it up some inclines.
If high MPG is high on the list, then get a smaller displacement with lots of
tranny gears. So that it can spin up and stay in it's sweet spot
Gearing can do it up to a point. For me, I don't like high rev'ing ICE's for
towing heavy. Why I own a big block
Two other routes
#1, get a higher BTU per volume fuel...diesel engine
#2, get a small displacement that has a forced fed system. It must be designed
for that (turbo/super charger). Over at one of my boy racer forums. There are
two guys with 1500's towing heavy. They insist that the MTWR is absolute and
both are now looking for a 2500 TV after spending tons of money on turbo's
and tranny fixes. One even went and had a customer 4L60E rebuilt and it also
blew towing up the Grape Vine
My Sub was a daily for about 5 years and just lived with the MPG. It
is also a pleasure to drive and tow with. Ride quality and high MPG
isn't on my have to have and are on my nice to have list
10MPG all around and pure highway 12.5 to 13 and every once in a while
15.5. Towing my 8.5K boat up to Lake Tahoe get 7-8 MPG, but I have a
very heavy foot. Lots of small blocks get similar towing similar loads.
Towing a trailer to Lake Tahoe is about the same, but it can drop to
6-7 MPG when pushing it up some inclines.
