2019 GM trucks get smarter fuel-saving cylinder deactivation

[ShinerBock]

Interesting bit of tech in the new GM V8s to increase fuel economy. These definitely aren't your traditional V8s with all of the added moving parts and computers needed to operate them.

It is also interesting how each truck make has different ways to increase/decrease the effective displacement of their truck engines to conserve fuel. GM and Ram's approach is to start out with a larger displacement engine and deactivate cylinders to make it a lower displacement when power is not needed while Ford's Ecoboost approach is to start with lower displacement and add turbos to it to increase it's effective displacement when more power is needed.

2019 Chevy, GMC Trucks Get Smarter Fuel-Saving Cylinder Deactivation

[trail-explorer]

THis is for the 1500 series, which are all new for 2019.

The HD trucks sound like they will be unchanged for 2019.

I WANT A 1500 WITH THE BABY DURAMAX.

that is all.

[wilber1]

Oil prices don't have as much to do with gas prices any more. Gas supply and cost is dictated by refinery output, not so much by the price of oil.

[drsteve]

ShinerBock wrote:

Groover wrote:

travelnman wrote:
Gas is on its way up again. They drop it to get the gas hogs sold then when things look sold they allow it to rise again. Check this out over the years,
they need to reduce the size of those unsold pickups that get 15mpg. Watch if unsold vehicles pile up on the lots you will see gas come down. Wish it was not so. This way we all share in the manufacturers costs and keep the plants open. Tricky but looking around my neighborhood it looks like it is working again.

The oil producers, including OPEC and others countries, do manipulate prices to keep volume at a comfortable level for them but as you go on to observe "looking around my neighborhood it looks like it is working again." This basically means that we do our part in the cycle. I could not even begin to tell you how many statements I have seen online by people that seem to have disdain for fuel economy. Anytime anyone suggests buying a truck that is not overkill for what they need people jump all over them telling them to buy a bigger, more fuel hungry truck. The only people that we can control is ourselves and when our actions contribute to a bad outcome we need to correct ourselves before trying to blame others. And certainly don't act surprised that history is repeating itself again.

By the way, the only reason that fuel got down to $2/gal was that OPEC lost control for a while. Sometimes the market changes faster than they can adust their production. Once you have suck several billion $ into drilling wells and building refineries it is hard to just shut everything off. The best thing that we can do is keep producing oil here. Even if we can't fully control the price we can at least enjoy the good jobs and wealth that have stayed in this country instead of going overseas, often to people that want to kill us.

The reason why oil prices dropped so low was due to OPEC trying eliminate it's US shale competitors from taking more market share. In their annual meeting in November 2014, they decided to continue pumping at higher than demand levels to purposely flood the market with increased supply. Their goal was to lower the price per barrel below what their US competitors can produce it at and still make a profit. Then they planned to increase it once they have eliminated the competition. Many big companies practice this very same tactic when up against competitors that do no have their buying power especially companies like Walmart.

What OPEC did not count on is the resilience of the US energy companies, and instead of eliminating them it made most of them that did survive more efficient lowering the price per barrel cost that they can still be profitable at. Back in 2012 when we had our meetings with many of these energy companies, such as Halliburton and Baker Hughes, the price per barrel needed to be profitable was around $70-$80. Now due to reducing waste, new technology, and the industry as a whole becoming more efficient it is around $30-$40 per barrel. This means that OPEC does not have the power to control prices like the once did, and I doubt they ever will again.

The major reason why prices are going up right now is because demand has gone up, and the supply in places like Venezuela and Nigeria have gone down.

OPEC's power has been waning for years. One factor usually not mentioned: the Saudis are, generally speaking, the only ones who don't cheat the quotas. As prices rise, smaller producers usually cave to the temptation to pump a little more, then a little more, and there goes your cartel.

[hone_eagle]

I read that as of last month north america is out producing the saudis or OPEC ? anyway .
The old structure and 'trueizums' are no longer true.
All the fall back 'stories' about the way prices do what they do are in disarray .

[ShinerBock]

Groover wrote:

travelnman wrote:
Gas is on its way up again. They drop it to get the gas hogs sold then when things look sold they allow it to rise again. Check this out over the years,
they need to reduce the size of those unsold pickups that get 15mpg. Watch if unsold vehicles pile up on the lots you will see gas come down. Wish it was not so. This way we all share in the manufacturers costs and keep the plants open. Tricky but looking around my neighborhood it looks like it is working again.

The oil producers, including OPEC and others countries, do manipulate prices to keep volume at a comfortable level for them but as you go on to observe "looking around my neighborhood it looks like it is working again." This basically means that we do our part in the cycle. I could not even begin to tell you how many statements I have seen online by people that seem to have disdain for fuel economy. Anytime anyone suggests buying a truck that is not overkill for what they need people jump all over them telling them to buy a bigger, more fuel hungry truck. The only people that we can control is ourselves and when our actions contribute to a bad outcome we need to correct ourselves before trying to blame others. And certainly don't act surprised that history is repeating itself again.

By the way, the only reason that fuel got down to $2/gal was that OPEC lost control for a while. Sometimes the market changes faster than they can adust their production. Once you have suck several billion $ into drilling wells and building refineries it is hard to just shut everything off. The best thing that we can do is keep producing oil here. Even if we can't fully control the price we can at least enjoy the good jobs and wealth that have stayed in this country instead of going overseas, often to people that want to kill us.

The reason why oil prices dropped so low was due to OPEC trying eliminate it's US shale competitors from taking more market share. In their annual meeting in November 2014, they decided to continue pumping at higher than demand levels to purposely flood the market with increased supply. Their goal was to lower the price per barrel below what their US competitors can produce it at and still make a profit. Then they planned to increase it once they have eliminated the competition. Many big companies practice this very same tactic when up against competitors that do no have their buying power especially companies like Walmart.

What OPEC did not count on is the resilience of the US energy companies, and instead of eliminating them it made most of them that did survive more efficient lowering the price per barrel cost that they can still be profitable at. Back in 2012 when we had our meetings with many of these energy companies, such as Halliburton and Baker Hughes, the price per barrel needed to be profitable was around $70-$80. Now due to reducing waste, new technology, and the industry as a whole becoming more efficient it is around $30-$40 per barrel. This means that OPEC does not have the power to control prices like the once did, and I doubt they ever will again.

The major reason why prices are going up right now is because demand has gone up, and the supply in places like Venezuela and Nigeria have gone down.

[SoundGuy]

travelnman wrote:
Gas is on its way up again. They drop it to get the gas hogs sold then when things look sold they allow it to rise again.

Ah yes, the infamous, never identified "they" ... how naive. :R

[Groover]

travelnman wrote:
Gas is on its way up again. They drop it to get the gas hogs sold then when things look sold they allow it to rise again. Check this out over the years,
they need to reduce the size of those unsold pickups that get 15mpg. Watch if unsold vehicles pile up on the lots you will see gas come down. Wish it was not so. This way we all share in the manufacturers costs and keep the plants open. Tricky but looking around my neighborhood it looks like it is working again.

The oil producers, including OPEC and others countries, do manipulate prices to keep volume at a comfortable level for them but as you go on to observe "looking around my neighborhood it looks like it is working again." This basically means that we do our part in the cycle. I could not even begin to tell you how many statements I have seen online by people that seem to have disdain for fuel economy. Anytime anyone suggests buying a truck that is not overkill for what they need people jump all over them telling them to buy a bigger, more fuel hungry truck. The only people that we can control is ourselves and when our actions contribute to a bad outcome we need to correct ourselves before trying to blame others. And certainly don't act surprised that history is repeating itself again.

By the way, the only reason that fuel got down to $2/gal was that OPEC lost control for a while. Sometimes the market changes faster than they can adust their production. Once you have suck several billion $ into drilling wells and building refineries it is hard to just shut everything off. The best thing that we can do is keep producing oil here. Even if we can't fully control the price we can at least enjoy the good jobs and wealth that have stayed in this country instead of going overseas, often to people that want to kill us.

[travelnman]

Gas is on its way up again. They drop it to get the gas hogs sold then when things look sold they allow it to rise again. Check this out over the years,
they need to reduce the size of those unsold pickups that get 15mpg. Watch if unsold vehicles pile up on the lots you will see gas come down. Wish it was not so. This way we all share in the manufacturers costs and keep the plants open. Tricky but looking around my neighborhood it looks like it is working again. Two bucks a gal just was to good to last. We enjoy camping and currently are looking for a new tow vehicle with the understanding four bucks or more could be a reality. The solution may be to buy a old truck that has had the oil changed more than every ten thousand miles and if gas prices go ballistic I'm not out much. Camping may become a rich mans activity with prices jumping to sixty grand for a pick up and $80grand or more for a RV plus fuel.I can remember our fist tow vehicle an older model Cadillac sedan with a 400V8 we paid $2500 for and a used TT for $5grand. Those were the days.

[Grit_dog]

mkirsch wrote:
My 2015 4x4 with 5.3L and 3.08 axle ratio gets slightly better fuel mileage than my old 2003 2WD with 4.8L and 3.42 axle ratio.

Clearly they have made some improvements.

Agree.
Actually, my 2016 5.3 work truck gets the best mileage out of any gas pickup to date, which has been 90% ford gassers. All of them in the last 20 years except Eco boost.
Next best was the Fox 5.0.
I am actually averaging 15mpg or more, commuting and over the road with the 5.3.
Cyl deactivation is seamless although not sure how much it contributes to mileage. The "V4" light seems to only come on downhill, coasting, or very light throttle at moderate speeds like 50-55.
The random deactivation sounds interesting, but more moving parts.
Although I'm warming up to new tech in vehicles. Wife's new SRat is seamless with 8 speed, cyl deactivation, active suspension, steering and shifting, elect brakes and steering and all the fancy traffic monitoring like adaptive cruise, lane keep, active collision avoidance, etc. Hoping it stays trouble free or someone else will own it!

[larry_barnhart]

what about the new ram 1500 engine? That thing is pure technology. Our 05 is so simple I like it more every time we drive.

chevman

[ktmrfs]

Groover wrote:
"I'll agree, many onboard mileage numbers tend to be optimistic. On my 2015.5 duramax, it is consistently about 0.5mpg high.
so, 2-5% high. Close enough for me. On our daughters car, similar experience, somewhere around 5% high."

My understanding is that on most gas engines the computer is not able to actually measure fuel usage but they do have sensors for measuring how much air is going into the engine. It then uses a simple calculation to determine how much fuel is required to be mixed with that amount of air and considers that to be the amount of fuel used. I am wondering if the calculations are based on using pure gasoline and lose accuracy when alcohol is mixed in. You lose about 3% of the energy per gallon when burning the standard 10% alcohol mix and most reports that I seen are that the computer calculations are off about that much. Has anyone checked their computers with different amounts of alcohol in the fuel?

on a gas engine ideal air/fuel ratio is around 14.5:1 don't recall the exact number and it is dependent on the fuel. with modern fuel injected engines other than WOT and maybe startup, the ECU is able to hold very close to the ideal number for the fuel in the tank. energy density of the fuel and what the exact fuel is will have an effect on the ideal ratio. In fact different blends of gasoline (summer vs. winter) vary in BTU/gallon, add the % alcohol just adds more variability. But for doing an onboard fuel calculation it is probably easier to assume 14.5 and calculate rather than measuring the precise amount of fuel consumed.

For a diesel, it's another story. you can't assume a static A/F ratio. It will vary between 200:1 or more down to 6:1 or less. so it means trying to calculate quantity of fuel used. For a DI diesel if they monitor fuel pressure, and injector duration time and number of injections/cycle you can get reasonably close. At least my Duramax gets with 5% or so.

[ib516]

ktmrfs wrote:
it would be interesting how this would work on a diesel. the duramax has way more power and torque than needed in most driving, especially in town. and with direct injection it would be pretty easy to deactivate cylinder(s).

My 2002 Ram/Cummins had cylinder deactivation. It came with a hidden 3 cylinder idle mode that would kick in after really cold starts.

Here's a video of one in action. It kicks in at about 1:45 in the video, so I started the video link at the 1 min 30 sec mark.
VIDEO

When it kicks in, it sounds like the Cummins has rocks bouncing around in the cylinders. :E I bet this guy's neighbors LOVE him :B

[JIMNLIN]

the wifes 2016 1500 chevy crew cab 4wd 5.3 (355 hp/383 torque) 6L80e tranny 3.42 axle gets a good 2-2.5 mpg better than her old '06 same truck (295 hp/330 torque) only difference is the '06 had the 4L60e tranny and 3.73 gears.
The newer '16 5.3 has much better towing performance across the rpm range... especially in lower rpms.
I really don't care for the rumble sound out on the highway when the 5.3 goes into deactivation mode....but recon it is what it is.

Every truck I've owned the dic mpg was always lower than actual pencil figures....maybe because I only reset every 4th or 5th fill up and I'm all rural/highway with no city driving.

[Groover]

"I'll agree, many onboard mileage numbers tend to be optimistic. On my 2015.5 duramax, it is consistently about 0.5mpg high.
so, 2-5% high. Close enough for me. On our daughters car, similar experience, somewhere around 5% high."

My understanding is that on most gas engines the computer is not able to actually measure fuel usage but they do have sensors for measuring how much air is going into the engine. It then uses a simple calculation to determine how much fuel is required to be mixed with that amount of air and considers that to be the amount of fuel used. I am wondering if the calculations are based on using pure gasoline and lose accuracy when alcohol is mixed in. You lose about 3% of the energy per gallon when burning the standard 10% alcohol mix and most reports that I seen are that the computer calculations are off about that much. Has anyone checked their computers with different amounts of alcohol in the fuel?