Improving Gas Mileage

[bookermorgan]

I am doing a trip from Calgary, AB to Peachland, BC in September. I am wondering what I things I can do to improve my gas mileage while towing?

This trip will take us through a lot of mountains, and normally we stick to the rolling foothills.

I have a 2004 Silverado 2500HD Gas.

Would something like a Bully Dog help?

[Desert_Captain]

"Get a Scan Gauge. It will show your miles per gallon and let you pick 3 other things to monitor, like trans temp. You can check and see which gear at what RPM does the best. I found that cruise on my truck is easier on fuel and I still have a hard time accepting it but the proof is when I put in around 90 gals."


By far the best advice. The Scan gauge will do lots of things very well but addressing mileage is one of its strong points. Set the display to show average mpg and real time mpg. This leaves two additional displays, I like coolant and trans fluid temperature but that is just me. Try and keep your real time mpg higher than your average as you cruise along and soon it becomes second nature as your right foot gets its education. You can easily see an 8 to 10% improvement in your mileage and frankly the game is kind of fun. :B

[Desert_Captain]

Peg Leg wrote:
Get a Scan Gauge. It will show your miles per gallon and let you pick 3 other things to monitor, like trans temp. You can check and see which gear at what RPM does the best. I found that cruise on my truck is easier on fuel and I still have a hard time accepting it but the proof is when I put in around 90 gals.

By far the best advice. The Scan gauge will do lots of things very well but addressing mileage is one of its strong points. Set the display to show average mpg and real time mpg. This leaves two additional displays, I like coolant and trans fluid temperature but that is just me. Try and keep your real time mpg higher than your average as we cruise along and soon it becomes second nature as your right foot gets its education. You can easily see an 8 to 10% improvement in your mileage and frankly the game is kind of fun. :B

[bimbert84]

bookermorgan wrote:

I am wondering what I things I can do to improve my gas mileage while towing?

As others have said, speed has a greater impact on fuel economy than any other factor by far.

Aerodynamic drag goes up with the square of speed. Required horsepower goes up with the cube of speed. In other words, if you double your speed, you'll create 2*2=4 times the drag and need 2*2*2=8 times as much power.

In real-world terms, slowing down from 70 to 55 is 76% as fast. It creates only 62% as much drag, and requires only 48% as much power.

-- Rob

[sayoung]

downtheroad wrote:
Sure you can have your cake and eat it too....RV'ing AND good gas mileage..

Amos & Andy tv show had an episode where the "Kingfish" attempted to pull rev with a Vespa motor scooter,hilarious

[bmanning]

goducks10 wrote:
Get a diesel.

Unless he wants a 15+-year-old Cummins he's not going to save a nickel by going to diesel.

Going diesel strictly to save on fuel costs went away quite a while ago.

Of course if ALL his miles are towing then it would make sense, but otherwise there's no savings to be had.

[ghostrider42]

bookermorgan wrote:
I am doing a trip from Calgary, AB to Peachland, BC in September. I am wondering what I things I can do to improve my gas mileage while towing?

Drive 55

[BenK]

Ditto what others have said...

Slow down is the biggest bang for the buck

Next is to super tune and maintain your setup, including airing up
the tires on both TV and TT

Sell your TV and Trailer for lower class TV, say a half ton with a tiny ICE for
the MPG. Smaller trailer and look for one with a better aero architecture...like an
Airstream

Some have found out the hard way that lower class, half ton, towing
the same trailer will get worse MPG, as the lower class truck/SUV
has to work much harder than the higher class TV did

Or just understand that is the price to pay to play...

[CKNSLS]

Get rid of your trailer?

[wintersun]

Best you can do is try to keep the wind at your back and your speed under 65 MPH. Air drag increase is the square of the change in velocity so driving 20% faster increases air drag by 44% and will drop your MPG accordingly.

There is something also to be said for avoiding routes that require a lot of elevation changes where you gain elevation and then go down and then have to go up again as there is extra work involved for the engine which takes more fuel. The truck routes usually are in the less scenic areas where the terrain is flatter and fuel economy is better. Just need to decide whether it is worth it or not.

Even so the best you can probably due is a 15% improvement and so instead of burning 120 gallons of fuel to go 1000 miles and spending $500 you burn 102 gallons and spend $425 to go 1000 miles. I would rather pay the extra $75 to go the scenic route.

[goducks10]

Get a diesel.

[benalbert]

You might want to think about changing your oxygen sensor(s). Don't know how much it runs for on a chevy, but I did my ford a month ago. Gained almost 1 mpg for a cost of $80.

[recycler]

keep it under 60 would be a start..air foils seem to help..i put a chin spoiler under the front of a f250 4x4 it helped alittle..make sure your rig is lined up right too..i know that makes a good bit of difference on milage and tire life..if you get 2 to 3 mph out of any mods you'll be doing great..1/2 to 1 mph is about average improvement..the mountains kill your milage no matter what you do

[Peg_Leg]

Get a Scan Gauge. It will show your miles per gallon and let you pick 3 other things to monitor, like trans temp. You can check and see which gear at what RPM does the best. I found that cruise on my truck is easier on fuel and I still have a hard time accepting it but the proof is when I put in around 90 gals.

[MCIbus]

Air tabs and or a wing on the TV can help a lot. If not done right it can heart a lot. Might get you .3 MPG.
Your driving style will be the biggest issue with MPG. If your current driving sucks improving it could save you 1 MPG.
Fixing and properly lubing everything can also save you MPG.

Just remember is is a brick wall in MPG that you hit will not be able to pass. Thanks physics.