6.0 Cam MPG Feedback Needed

[02Yukon2500]

Like many others, I'm thinking about a cam swap. However, I'm looking for a piece of info I haven't really seen anyone talk about - MPG...

I'm about to do a BB tune, and like many projects, it seems to be suffering from scope creep. I'd like to do a cam eventually, so I'm seriously considering just going ahead and doing it now. My truck is an 02 Yukon XL 2500 and is currently stock and 143k miles. I'd like a little more power for fun/towing. The truck is my daily driver, so I don't want the increases in power to come with a major hit to MPG. Being the 6.0, it's not great to begin with so I'm hoping not to make it any worse...

I'm reaching out to the main cam vendors people seem to be using, but I'd like some real-world feedback from guys on here for what cam they're running and what MPG they're seeing. I'm mostly interested in average highway numbers as I live in a rural area so city driving is much less of a concern for me.

Thanks,

Danny

 

[S33k3r]

There are three ways to save fuel when dealing with these vehicles:

1) Tuner for higher octane will typically give you a bump in MPGs, but at a cost of higher fuel prices.
2) Stay off the skinny pedal
3( He a high MPG beater to drive when you need to save gas.

Good luck in your plans though -- always happy to be proven wrong in that list.

 

[MassHoe04]

Seeing that the average MPG is somewhere around 10 or 11 MPG combined...

I am confused as to why MPG is even entering the conversation on camming-up a 6.0L.

Maybe do a benefit/cost analysis...

Ask:
Is the upgrade necessary to do what you need to do with the vehicle?
If not a required necessity, is money spent on the upgrade worth whatever extra I will get out of it?
How many gallons of gas could you buy with the money being spent on cam/performance upgrades?

If either of the first two answers are Yes, then MPG should not be a concern and you would probably ignore the third question completely.

If either the first two answers were No, you probably did look at the third question.
If you looked at the third question, then maybe a 6.0L 2500 is not a good fit for you.

Of course, I am making light of this a little... I am not slamming your vehicle or decisions for performance upgrades.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Just for my own entertainment--I have a cammed 6.0 in my 03 Tahoe. I only use premium, and we don't have E85 in NJ. When I drive it I get an average of 10-11 mpg. That's combined local and highway mileage. My gf gets a little better but not much more. I also have a 3000 stall converter which doesn't help. It was built with the intentions of running it hard--occasionally--lol. Ain't no Prius, and I don't drive it like one.

 

[Mudsport96]

I will never understand why GM crippled the 01 and later LQ4 with the LS1 cam. It was designed for a light sports car.
I cant find back to back dyno charts of a 6.0 with the early and later cams, but i found tests of a 5.3 with both cams and the early cam in the 5.3 wiped the later cam all over the floor in the low end. Now it did give up about 20 hp up top, but it gained 20 to 25 at 2500 and stayed above the lq4 cam until 4400. Now a cam is going to do what a cam does, so a 6.0 should do the same but produce more tq. It will peter out a bit sooner in a 6.0 so maybe fall off about 4000, but still tq would be way up over the LS1/LQ4 cam. Im sure gms thought was let it rev to pull the hills at the expense of cruising mpg empty.
So, any better design cam would help in my opinion i think there is even a YouTube guy that did a Truck Norris mpg video and it did a bit better. In a 2500 i (personally) would do the BTR Torque cam since i wouldn't be racing a big 2500.
Anyway ill end my rant with a pic of the early vs late cam. Like i said it gave up 20ish hp but down in the "driving" area it gained tq.

 

[swathdiver]

 

[ivin74]

View attachment 377801

We can't read the table, can you repost and add the description to the exhausts

 

[tom3]

I'd guess duration at 50 intake then exhaust, then lift for intake and exhaust, then lobe separation? Looks like some stump puller cams but I suppose the head design and flow make up for it.

 

[Rocket Man]

The reason you don’t find that info is because when you throw a decent cam into a 6.0 and add a tune, it becomes pretty much impossible to drive in the conservative way that results in decent mpg because it’s actually fun. Good luck keeping your foot out of it if you go this route.

 

[swathdiver]

We can't read the table, can you repost and add the description to the exhausts

How's that? It's not been peer reviewed so double check the specs before relying on it.