Things to check for low mpg

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Brians4x4

TYF Newbie
Joined
Jul 19, 2012
Posts
5
Reaction score
0
I have a 2005 5.3 and have gotten around 14-15mpg in town since new. Recently I've been getting around 7.5-8mpg. I have no check engine light and am wondering what I can check. I had a bad injector on another vehicle that caused a severe change in mpg but it was blowing loads of smoke out the exhaust.

Thanks.
 

swathdiver

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2017
Posts
19,145
Reaction score
25,168
Location
Treasure Coast, Florida
Plugs, wires, parking brake shoes, brake pads, rear drums hangning if you have them, fuel trims messed up, O2 sensors, stuck open thermostat, crummy fuel, winter fuel, etc. etc. etc.

Have any trouble codes? Access to a good scan tool to monitor various engine functions?
 

6speedblazer

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2017
Posts
92
Reaction score
42
to be that low i would check the fuel trims. get a scanner on it and see what the oxygen sensors are doing. sensors can get pretty "lazy" before they throw a code.
 

BlueCollarTahoe

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2016
Posts
538
Reaction score
112
if you figure it out im in the same boat with this 8 mpg ********. please let me know.

2004 5.3 v8 no CEL codes.

got a tune up 18 months ago with all ac delco stuff.

changed out the 02 sensors on driver side. was getting rough idle and misfires. fixed it.

had the computer reprogrammed. diagnostics said this is the issue not fuel injectors as there is no code and the numbers were all off on the scan due to old programming. waiting to see a couple tank fulls see if it worked.

what are normal fuel trims?
 

Rocket Man

Mark
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Posts
25,965
Reaction score
50,651
Location
Oregon
I can't believe you guys are getting that kind of MPG; I just got 7.8 on my last tank and I have a cam, longtubes and a blower and I drive with a heavy foot all city driving. In boost half of the time.
 

BlueCollarTahoe

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2016
Posts
538
Reaction score
112
I can't believe you guys are getting that kind of MPG; I just got 7.8 on my last tank and I have a cam, longtubes and a blower and I drive with a heavy foot all city driving. In boost half of the time.

wtf is boost? lol all i got is like 75 lbs of accessories on the car so far everything else is stock. keep about 50 lbs of crap in the back without the last row in there.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
129,114
Posts
1,810,638
Members
92,202
Latest member
Phoenix2k9
Top