Fuel efficiency improvements

[Stresst]

I would like to know how the eff anyone is getting 18mpg with a stock settup?? On the a recent roadtrip I clocked the mileage at every stop. I had my calculator out at every fill up and it was a consistent 13.5 mpg give or take .1-.3 tenths. And driving close to 1000 miles it was consistent imo. But here in NYC its closer to 6-9 mpg. So I would love to know how someone is getting 18mpg. Even the original window sticker only shows 16mpg

Stock 00 Escalade, brand new tune-up, K&N, stock tire size not lifted.

 

[atis]

I have a stock motor, stock sized tires (filled to 35psi), full tune up, and the mods listed in the signature. I dont accelerate hard off the line... I drive like I am driving miss daisy.

 

[cody08]

I get about 8 in town and 11-12 on the highway. But i also have close to 2000 lbs in the back at all times. I would kill to get even close to 18 lol.

 

[sparg93]

I had my stock rims on this winter (winter tires) and I maxed @ 15.5mpg, all highway from NYC to Montreal....

Suspension, motor...alll stock. i only have 97k on the clock and would kill for 18m!g.

This summer i'm going to tune up the rig ('99 4dr 4x4), it will either help or nothing will change...but my wallet being lighter is inevitable!!

 

[992dr]

I get an average of 16.15. Its probably capable of 17 but, I dont feel comfortable draining my tank until the low fuel lite comes on.
That will improve once I install my ignition.

 

[atis]

I towed the trailer for 1200 miles earlier this month. (about 4500lbs). I managed 10.2mpg on the trip, 98% was freeway. Once the new tranny loosened up a little I managed 18.4mpg (mostly freeway with 6 lights and 1 security checkpoint (military installation).

I am very easy on the gas starting out and I coast to stops so once a light turns red I left off the gas and coast, stop if I have to but usually time them decnt enough I dont sit and idle for too long.

Plugs are gapped at .65, new wires, new cap and rotor, clean oil, 195* thermostat, and whats in the sig.

 

[cttandy]

My 97 Tahoe 4 door 4x4 with 3.42's got 19MPG HWY, we got 16 MPG pulling a trailer with a 93 Dodge Caravan home from Virginia.

I have had many MANY GM trucks, and aside from a 03 5.3L/4L80E/4.11 Yukon XL, I have never had an issue getting excellent mileage out of them. I average 16MPG out of the 03 with mods.

First, if you want mileage out of a truck, SCREW the cruise control, isn't going to happen. It constantly accelerates and push's the engine far to hard.
Learn how to drive a vehicle.
You have to learn the art of letting the vehicle drive itself.
Don't strain it at all, take your time and SCREW other motorists, if they want to get in a hurry, they can pay for your fuel.
Just because you are moving, doesn't mean you have to accelerate. Take your foot off the gas and let the vehicle coast as much as possible. It blows my mind when I ride with someone and they either brake or accelerate constantly.
If you are going down hill then up another hill, accelerate maybe the last 1/4 of the down and it will carry you up a good portion of the incline.
Keep the vehicle in high gear as much as possible.
Find your particular vehicles sweet spot, not all vehicles like to be driven the same.

If you were local, I could ride with you. I promise you, if you listen to half of what I tell you, your mileage will leap drastically. If we all leave at once, 9 times out of 10, I will be the first person there, so it isn't about driving slow.

My current ride is a 94 suburban 4x4 with 3.42s. I have an edelbrock performer TBI intake, ultimate TBI mod's, shortie headers, magnaflow Y-pipe with convertor, 3 inch dynomax exhaust. I am averaging 23MPG on my daily commuting, and I know there is more in there as I go.

As soon as I got my license at 16, I put nearly 25K a year on my vehicles. At one point, I was exceeding 85K a year on my vehicles. It quickly became obvious to me that I had to figure out how to get better mileage. I did as much research as I could, then monitored every tank of fuel. I practiced every technique I could until I got it right.

My personal best from a full size truck is out of a 87 GMC Suburban with a 6.2L diesel, 700r4/3.42s/30 inch tires. I got 32 MPG out of it constantly.

I am not some super mileage machine. I am well practiced and disciplined.

I taught my wife drive. If she tries, she can get better mileage then me. Her normal driving is usually within 2 MPG of my best in the same vehicle with only 1 vehicle exception. Our 98 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited, I could get 16.5 MPG if I tried. She could never get better then 13MPG from it. I had converted it from all wheel drive to a regular part time transfer case. You couldn't really blame her; the thing was such silly fun to drive it was hard to be an adult behind the wheel. Even my 63 year old Dad drove it like a teenager. 35-40 foot burnouts were the norm without using the brakes.

 

[atis]

I coast to stops....only break if and when I need to. I excellerate slow and steady. I need to work on my trailer pulling driving and upgrade my stock exhaust and get a BB tune. I think that will help some as well.

 

[Splatmaster527]

I run a stock 03 yukon with a 5.3L with nothing but a K&N CAI and I can get it to around 19 highway without the A/C but you kick on the A/C and there goes 3mpg
thats with 265/70R16 Firestones and they get crap for mileage...I cant wait to try it with some highway tires and some exhaust mods once I get new wheels for ATs

 

[Stresst]

I get an average of 16.15. Its probably capable of 17 but, I dont feel comfortable draining my tank until the low fuel lite comes on.
That will improve once I install my ignition.

Why do you have to run the tank down?? Its very easy and accurately to clock mileage fill up and remember how many gallons, reset the clock, drive to where you need to go, fill up again. Example: If you drove 200 miles and used 10 gallons you got 20 miles per gallon. You can clock mileage at any point, you dont need an empty tank. Try it this way because imo NOBODY is getting 16+ miles per gallon with 100K+ miles on a 5.7 tahoe/escalade. Heck the window sticker shows 16 and we all now these number are *********.

 

[cttandy]

Why do you have to run the tank down?? Its very easy and accurately to clock mileage fill up and remember how many gallons, reset the clock, drive to where you need to go, fill up again. Example: If you drove 200 miles and used 10 gallons you got 20 miles per gallon. You can clock mileage at any point, you dont need an empty tank. Try it this way because imo NOBODY is getting 16+ miles per gallon with 100K+ miles on a 5.7 tahoe/escalade. Heck the window sticker shows 16 and we all now these number are *********.

Really, wow, you think so. I know a bunch of people getting 17-18 MPG from 5.7 denali's and escalades. 100K is nothing on that motor either, won't effect the mileage at all. I have a buddy with one that has 200K+ on his 99 escalade, and he routinely gets 18-19MPG out of his. They actually parked their 02 yukon 2wd because it wouldn't do as well.

The EPA rating means absolutely nothing, research it. It has less to do with what it actually gets and more to do with mathematical equations. It is a rough estimate of what it should be able to do.

 

[Stresst]

I dont want to start a pissing match but I know several people with these early body tahoe, escalade, yukons and no-one is getting that kind if mileage. As far as EPA ratings go I never seen an accurate one until recent years when the gov stepped in. Alot guesstimate there mileage and not accurately clock there mileage the rite way.

 

[atis]

Why do you have to run the tank down?? Its very easy and accurately to clock mileage fill up and remember how many gallons, reset the clock, drive to where you need to go, fill up again. Example: If you drove 200 miles and used 10 gallons you got 20 miles per gallon. You can clock mileage at any point, you dont need an empty tank. Try it this way because imo NOBODY is getting 16+ miles per gallon with 100K+ miles on a 5.7 tahoe/escalade. Heck the window sticker shows 16 and we all now these number are *********.

I would top off the tank, drive 300 miles, top off the tank and divide the number gallons I replaced into the mileage. I was getting 17.5-18mpg with 159,000 miles on the motor. With the new motor and tranny I managed 19.4 on 300 mile highway trip yesterday!

 

[Stresst]

I would top off the tank, drive 300 miles, top off the tank and divide the number gallons I replaced into the mileage. I was getting 17.5-18mpg with 159,000 miles on the motor. With the new motor and tranny I managed 19.4 on 300 mile highway trip yesterday!

What im thinking is there truck's come with differant gear ratio's because there is no way, YEAH NO WAY the same truck's can have almost a 7 mpg differance. JMHO

At 55mph how many rpm's are you cruising at? I will check mine and post back tomorrow. Im sure if I put 3.08 gears in mine I can get 20+MPG!

 

[atis]

I have the 2000 Hoe Limited with the towing package...I dont know my RPM's...maybe around 1900rpms at 65mph. I will look tomorrow. I only pay attention when I tow since I have to select 3 on the tree to prevent the OD from burning up.

And the same vehicle can have a 7mpg swing...bad/poor maintenance and poor driving habits can kill mpg. My 91 Mustang with a heavily modded 306 gets 18 mpg if I behaive...when I am slamming through the gears and spanking imports I get 7 mpg.

 

[Stresst]

What do you have done to your mustang? I had 3 of them. Two 1991 and a 1990 all were supercharged, the second to last one I went 10.11 @ 131mph. Those were the good old days when money wasnt an object.

 

[cttandy]

Usually when someone tells me there is no way a vehicle can get good mileage, I conclude 1 of 2 things, either they know nothing about cars, or they have no clue how to drive.

I am sure you have many friends with these, but I have personally owned MANY of these. My 94 454 suburban with 4.11's got 14 MPG without sweating, and it had 180K on it.

I'm not trying to start an argument, but making a blanket statement about vehicles not being able to get a certain fuel mileage is ignorant. I mean if he said he was getting 65MPG that would be one thing, but what he said is totally believable and regularly achievable.

There are so many variables at play that even 10-15 MPG swings between vehicles and drivers is very normal.


I have a 97 Lincoln Towncar and so does a friend of mine. His has a sunroof, mine has a cloth top. His has 16 alloys, mine has 15 inch alloys, both on the same overall size tire. Otherwise, they are identical. In prime tune up, his car will only do 21MPG HWY with him driving it, and he says it does 17MPG in town . Mine will do 26MPG on the HWY, and a whopping 21MPG in town.

 

[Stresst]

I dont want to argue either but when 5 of us all have the same truck 97-99 either tahoe, yukon or escalade with all similiat mileage 80-145k and all have new tune-ups and no-one gets better then 15 miles per gallon highway im skeptical to believe someone is getting 19mpg.

If we were talking about cars that get 40mpg then yes I could understand a 4-6 mile variance as no two drivers are the same. But when we are battling each other all winter and no one go better then 15mpg it must mean something. Rite?

But maybe your truck does get it, can you tell me what im doing wrong? What can I do or buy to improve mileage? My truck has a new fuel pump, filter, air filter and complete tune-up all no more then 8k miles.

 

[ERIC95TAHOE]

i filled up. did 2 days worth of in town driving (to work and back each day) about 3 miles round trip each day. and the occasional running to the store and back about a 2 mile round trip and about 15 minutes or so of idling total. then went on a 90 mile round trip that was up and down hills and around curves and decreasing speed limits and a few stop signs. came home filled it up right away and i was averaging a wee bit over 15mpg and i have a 95 2 door 4wd tahoe. so i believe if i did straight smooth highway driving i could probably hit 18mpg like that guy was saying

 

[Stresst]

i filled up. did 2 days worth of in town driving (to work and back each day) about 3 miles round trip each day. and the occasional running to the store and back about a 2 mile round trip and about 15 minutes or so of idling total. then went on a 90 mile round trip that was up and down hills and around curves and decreasing speed limits and a few stop signs. came home filled it up right away and i was averaging a wee bit over 15mpg and i have a 95 2 door 4wd tahoe. so i believe if i did straight smooth highway driving i could probably hit 18mpg like that guy was saying

Really cannot compare a 2 door that weighs 1000 less then a 4 door. But again it agrees with what im been saying a tad over 15mpg goes hand in hand with my truck getting 13.5 makes perfect sense due to the weight differance. Now you should ask yourself how is a 4 door getting better mileage then your truck????