Increase MPG

Drive slower, and highway tires aired way up.

the bear II wrote:
The most MPG gain I have seen anyone report is an increase of 5 MPG. The guy spent over $5000.00 to reach that gain. Most folks report a gain of 1 to 2 MPG after spending from $1000 to $2500 (programmers, turbos, banks or other setup).

I'm perfectly happy with the 10 to 12MPG I get with my Duramax versus the 6 MPG I used to get with my old 7.4L Chevy gasser. But that cost me $60,000.

And, of course, he spent all that money, so he had to report a substantial gain, right?

I'm in the same corner with those who doubt there is much that can be done to improve mpg. Increases would be minimal, and the risk of voiding warranties and cost of parts/installation would outweigh the potential gain to me.

Don,

He mostly drove the Chicago area tollways and expressways where traffic moves at 70 MPH (speed limit is 55 MPH).

camperpaul wrote:
The previous owner never reset the trip odometer or the MPG calculator.
He got an average of 7.1 MPG for the 38,000 Miles he drove this truck and never towed a trailer.

In the past few months, I have driven it ~4000 Miles.
Without my trailer, I get ~14 MPG.
With my 7700 lb. trailer, I get ~9.5 MPG.

It's mostly how you drive ...

I think I would have had to pass on that. If the average for 38,000 was only 7.1 without any towing, then the previous owner either drove mainly city or beat the crud out of it. Either way that 38,000 miles in reality was X2 or more.

Don

buck n duck wrote:
I have a 2014 GMC Sierra 2500HD with the 6.0 gas burner. I have been looking at computer programmers and air intakes. Has anyone done any of these mods and did it increase your MPG any?

Hi Brain.

Lets talk about some of the things you are looking at.

Programmers.
The CPU from the factory is as good as it gets for gas mileage for the parameters the factory has to work with. They have to meet fuel mileage requirements, HP requirements and smog requirements.
That being said, can someone mod the CPU to get "slightly" and I do mean "slightly" better fuel mileage? Sure. But the gains are super, super small and usually no where near what some people report.

CAI, K&N filter etc.
The CPU's keep a gasoline engine's air to fuel ratio right at 14.7 to 1. It's very amusing to me that some people with K&N filters claim better mileage. This is impossible because of the CPU keeping the air/fuel ratio stoichiometric. If you get more air inside of an engine the CPU will know and give it more fuel to keep it stoichiometric.

In the old carb days, close was good enough. A K&N filter might have given you a bit better fuel mileage because it might have been set a little rich and the filter got things back to where they needed to be. Not so with modern EFI. A/F are set right where they need to be and "if" a K&N filter gives you more air the CPU will give the engine more fuel and that means you will burn more fuel.

In short, be very careful of crazy claims of great fuel mileage improvement by gadget X. It's not like the good ol days. All the low hanging fruit is gone.

2014 Truck...don't even think about a programmer, different air filter, or changing the intake and exhaust...

or...you can kiss your warranty GOOD-BYE.

Tuners and cotton air filters that let more dirt through will not gain you any mpg that will make up for the cost of the add ons. A driving style change will get you the most gains.

the bear II wrote:
I'm perfectly happy with the 10 to 12MPG I get with my Duramax versus the 6 MPG I used to get with my old 7.4L Chevy gasser. But that cost me $60,000.

:)

donn0128 wrote:

Dannyabear1 wrote:
THERE IS NOTHING THAT WILL INCREASE THE MPG On A 6.0 gm

Well, there are two things.
Slow down,
And......
Reduce weight!

I recently purchased a "new to me" 2011 6.0L GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali.
The previous owner never reset the trip odometer or the MPG calculator.
He got an average of 7.1 MPG for the 38,000 Miles he drove this truck and never towed a trailer.

In the past few months, I have driven it ~4000 Miles.
Without my trailer, I get ~14 MPG.
With my 7700 lb. trailer, I get ~9.5 MPG.

It's mostly how you drive ...

The most MPG gain I have seen anyone report is an increase of 5 MPG. The guy spent over $5000.00 to reach that gain. Most folks report a gain of 1 to 2 MPG after spending from $1000 to $2500 (programmers, turbos, banks or other setup).

I'm perfectly happy with the 10 to 12MPG I get with my Duramax versus the 6 MPG I used to get with my old 7.4L Chevy gasser. But that cost me $60,000.