Gas Mileage

[swathdiver]

Okay, so I got my 2001 Tahoe about a year ago. ...it is the Z71 setup (not sure if that means different gearing too). Also has the 5.3 L. It gets MAYBE 14 MPG. Many times when I fill up is 11 or 12 MPG.

It does have BFG K02 tires on it.

Check your O2 Sensors for laziness and your Cats/Muffler for restriction.

Your truck's adjusted ratings are 13 City and 16 Highway and 14 Combined. Eighteen years later still delivering about the same with KO2s.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Check your O2 Sensors for laziness and your Cats/Muffler for restriction.

Your truck's adjusted ratings are 13 City and 16 Highway and 14 Combined. Eighteen years later still delivering about the same with KO2s.

How do i check for the restriction?

And how do i test O2s?

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[Matthew Jeschke]

4x4. 5.3 continental adventurer a/t tires. 136,000 miles. i did see 22.2 on a 120 mile one way trip, but wasn't sure that was believable.

you could just have crappy gas in your area.

Gd pt maybe i will try 89 octain. I am using 87... i buy pretty much exclusively shell gas.

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[Matthew Jeschke]

Couldn't tell you what mine is. Don't care what it is. It needs to be completely overhauled at some point, not really much point in me wasting time digging into it when the only difference is whether or nor I need to replace the gear set, which I can't tell until I get it apart anyway LOL. Apparently all of the previous shops who maintained it never checked the front diff fluid. Passenger side output shaft seal leaking. Was just the side of bone dry when I got it.

My output shaft bearings are OK. It's only a nasty noisy thing in 4wd under load.

I think the passenger side diff bearings are first to go... is just an asumption as i see so many youtube videos replacing them.

Mine fluid was nasty when i drained it... but it did have fluid. When i changed it i used some addatives.. it is MUCH quieter although still noisey :/

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[swathdiver]

How do i check for the restriction?

And how do i test O2s?

- 3:40 to 5:45 = Any scan tool that can graph

Gd pt maybe i will try 89 octain. I am using 87... i buy pretty much exclusively shell gas.

I can always count on Shell gasoline to deliver less mpg than Mobil, Chevron and Sunoco where I live. Switch brands for 2-3 tanks while watching the mileage.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Gd pt maybe i will try 89 octain. I am using 87... i buy pretty much exclusively shell gas.

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Run the 89 at least, for sure.

- 3:40 to 5:45 = Any scan tool that can graph

I can always count on Shell gasoline to deliver less mpg than Mobil, Chevron and Sunoco where I live. Switch brands for 2-3 tanks while watching the mileage.

Yes, me too. I switched from shell this year, and gained at least 1.5 mpg consistently from Mobil.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

All stock ‘05 Tahoe. 20.9 on long hiway trips, 15.5-17.0 mixed driving. According to the DIC.

Same for me with my 2006 Tahoe 5.3L 2WD. I drive with a light foot.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

That is wild :[emoji50] we dont have many mobile stations where i live... just ahrm ****** circle k.. and shell [emoji53]

Run the 89 at least, for sure.



Yes, me too. I switched from shell this year, and gained at least 1.5 mpg consistently from Mobil.

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[swathdiver]

That is wild :[emoji50] we dont have many mobile stations where i live... just ahrm ****** circle k.. and shell [emoji53]

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Get the Gas Buddy app. There's a Chevron on E. Sahuarita and S. Houghton and another in Green Valley.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Okay, so I got my 2001 Tahoe about a year ago. I didn't expect it would get great mileage, however, I am utterly surprised at how poor of mileage it does get.

When I was a kid my folks had a 1996 Chevy Suburban 4x4. We used it on long trips. It got 18 to 20 mpg NO JOKE on the highway. I was so surprised. Had a small block 350.

Now I have this smaller tahoe, it is the Z71 setup (not sure if that means different gearing too). Also has the 5.3 L. It gets MAYBE 14 MPG. Many times when I fill up is 11 or 12 MPG.

It does have BFG K02 tires on it. Although I'm assuming that's only partly why it's so poor mileage.

Curious, what kind of mileage are you guys getting with your Tahoe and suburbans?

Are you comparing apples to apples? I can believe (barely) that a 1996 Suburban would get 18-20 on the highway on a long, relatively flat road driven at moderate speeds (65 and under.)

I've gotten 18.5 and 19 mpg on my '04 Suburban on long highway trips.

It's stop-and-go that will kill your MPG. That Tahoe weighs more than 5,000lbs. That means every time you stop and start again you have to get 2 1/2 tons (or more) moving. In urban/suburban driving I rarely break 12mpg.

So are you getting 14mpg on the highway? And if so, what kind of highway driving are you doing? Is it a lot of stop and go? And what speed - consider that over 60mph MPG drops off sharply (most vehicles get their best mpg at 55mph.)

Next, how are you measuring your fuel consumption? Are you going by the gauge on the DIC? That may or may not be accurate but the only accurate way to measure is to calculate actual miles driven and divide by actual fuel consumed.

Finally, are you running stock tires? If your tires are oversize then your MPG is not as bad as you think it is - it's just that your oversize tires are 'under reporting' the miles driven. Measure distance with a GPS and compare it to what your odometer shows and then you will know what error to plug into your "miles driven" calculation.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Interesting points... It's a bit of stop and go but mostly highway. I would love to take for a pure highway drive, but it's got too many issues to fix at this point.

Partly my mileage is improving I believe due to me not accelerating as quickly. I don't drive it hard, but now I'm trying to accelerate at old lady pace and see what happens.

Additionally, I changed a bunch of fluids. I believe the tires are stock height but a bit wider. I can do GPS test though.

Another probably larger item I'm not taking into consideration is altitude. I live at around 2,500 ft. The Suburban was driven at much lower altitude when it got that mileage.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Interesting points... It's a bit of stop and go but mostly highway. I would love to take for a pure highway drive, but it's got too many issues to fix at this point.

Partly my mileage is improving I believe due to me not accelerating as quickly. I don't drive it hard, but now I'm trying to accelerate at old lady pace and see what happens.

Additionally, I changed a bunch of fluids. I believe the tires are stock height but a bit wider. I can do GPS test though.

Another probably larger item I'm not taking into consideration is altitude. I live at around 2,500 ft. The Suburban was driven at much lower altitude when it got that mileage.

Acceleration is definitely where you burn it. I can easily gain a couple by old ladying it, too. The drivers door jamb will show stock tire size. You can use the calculator at www.tiresize.com to compare with what you've got on it.