Fuel efficiency improvements
- Thread starter rdhenderson
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jthebigjay
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Wow.. i looked here for some advice to improve my 17-18 mpg. Looks like i'm about topped out.
cttandy
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Year/model?
jthebigjay
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99 LT, 4dr, 5.7, 3.43 *or 3.42* 4l60, 148k miles, rear AC, leather.
Stock everything. Just got it about a month ago because it had new front tires.
New water pump, radiator, thermostat, plugs, fuel filter, plugs, dizzy cap and rotor, lower intake gasket set, rebuilt the rear end with new pinion bearings and crush sleeve with Morrie's in the rear, ac compressor, drier, orifice tube, seat leathers, windshield, inside door handles, turned rotors, new brakes, and radio fade and balance knobs...
And i'm still only in the whole rig for under $3000. The body is in PERFECT condition. I practically stole it from the PO because i could rebuild the rear end and AC system my self.
I was hoping to get some advice on getting as much as i could out of this 5.7 MPG wise with measurable results that have a pretty quick return on investment..
If i'm getting 18 mpg now at $3.75 a gallon then i'm paying $.208 a mile.
Say a cold air intake and dual exhaust cost me $400, and my MPG only improves at high end of 20%.
That would move it up to 21.6 mpg ending up at .173 a mile
I would only have to drive about 2400 miles to break even on getting the upgrade.
At the way my wife drives of about 1 tank a week, 27 gallons would get me 486 miles on the old setup at $101.25
The same 27 gallons would get me 583 miles on the same $101.25 on the new setup.
Thats $20.25 a week savings on gas per mpg.
It would take me 20 weeks to recoup the cost of the upgrade.
Is it worth laying out that cash when i will only see a return of that money after 6 months?
Maybe my math is off.
So "is chipping the motor or electric fans or cold air or a Magnaflow cat back WORTH it?"
Just curious............. Its hard to find out for sure..
---------- Post added at 08:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:15 PM ----------
---------- Post added at 09:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 PM ----------
I guess you have to find the break over point, or return on investment
Cost of improvements / (((Old cost per mile X Miles per tank) X Miles driven a week) - ((New cost per mile X Miles per tank) x Miles driven a week)) = Weeks to break even.
y = Cost of improvments
a = Old cost per mile
b = Gallons per tank
c = Miles driven a week
d = New cost per mile
z = Weeks to break even
y / (((a X b) x c) -((d x b) x c)) = z
I think.... right?
Stock everything. Just got it about a month ago because it had new front tires.
New water pump, radiator, thermostat, plugs, fuel filter, plugs, dizzy cap and rotor, lower intake gasket set, rebuilt the rear end with new pinion bearings and crush sleeve with Morrie's in the rear, ac compressor, drier, orifice tube, seat leathers, windshield, inside door handles, turned rotors, new brakes, and radio fade and balance knobs...
And i'm still only in the whole rig for under $3000. The body is in PERFECT condition. I practically stole it from the PO because i could rebuild the rear end and AC system my self.
I was hoping to get some advice on getting as much as i could out of this 5.7 MPG wise with measurable results that have a pretty quick return on investment..
If i'm getting 18 mpg now at $3.75 a gallon then i'm paying $.208 a mile.
Say a cold air intake and dual exhaust cost me $400, and my MPG only improves at high end of 20%.
That would move it up to 21.6 mpg ending up at .173 a mile
I would only have to drive about 2400 miles to break even on getting the upgrade.
At the way my wife drives of about 1 tank a week, 27 gallons would get me 486 miles on the old setup at $101.25
The same 27 gallons would get me 583 miles on the same $101.25 on the new setup.
Thats $20.25 a week savings on gas per mpg.
It would take me 20 weeks to recoup the cost of the upgrade.
Is it worth laying out that cash when i will only see a return of that money after 6 months?
Maybe my math is off.
So "is chipping the motor or electric fans or cold air or a Magnaflow cat back WORTH it?"
Just curious............. Its hard to find out for sure..
---------- Post added at 08:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:15 PM ----------
---------- Post added at 09:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 PM ----------
I guess you have to find the break over point, or return on investment
Cost of improvements / (((Old cost per mile X Miles per tank) X Miles driven a week) - ((New cost per mile X Miles per tank) x Miles driven a week)) = Weeks to break even.
y = Cost of improvments
a = Old cost per mile
b = Gallons per tank
c = Miles driven a week
d = New cost per mile
z = Weeks to break even
y / (((a X b) x c) -((d x b) x c)) = z
I think.... right?
Last edited:
cttandy
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You can always do what I did and try to do some horse trading for parts.
Realistically, change out the muffler for something that flows better. Cold air intake would be beneficial. Electric cooling fans are worth while in my experience.
As far as the chip or programmer, I wouldn't buy a handheld. Get someone to create a tune for you. Their are many that will do it, I think some are even sponsors here.
The less you invest, the better off you are. I did the home work on my current build, and it has paid off. I did as much horse trading as possible. I have invested around $500 and brought my mileage 17 up to 23. My goal is 25 before I stop.
Realistically, change out the muffler for something that flows better. Cold air intake would be beneficial. Electric cooling fans are worth while in my experience.
As far as the chip or programmer, I wouldn't buy a handheld. Get someone to create a tune for you. Their are many that will do it, I think some are even sponsors here.
The less you invest, the better off you are. I did the home work on my current build, and it has paid off. I did as much horse trading as possible. I have invested around $500 and brought my mileage 17 up to 23. My goal is 25 before I stop.
SunlitComet
OBS Jedi-Do Good
and again those websites are.....?
cttandy
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If you get on performancetrucks.net and ask for tuner advice on your particular truck, you will get plenty of responses of who and why. You will likely find someone near you that could possibly tune your truck in person, that would be the best route.
billiam7787
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hey, just did a cross country trip in my 98 2dr tahoe pulling about 4500 lbs and got 15.3 mpg. total weight was 9,317 lbs (i did a dity move, so i had to go to a weigh station) and i even kept all of my gas receipts. and the kicker....it has 247k miles on an original engine and tranny. 
At time of purchase:
Tahoe bone stock = At best 340 miles per tank w/ 87 octane
260 when pulling a 2500lb trailer 5 days per week
After a few changes including ....
aFe intake
Flowmaster cat-back exhaust
Black Bear Performance tune
Mid Grade fuel rather than the low end (now using 89 octane)
Full synthetic RP oil (yes, it makes a difference with the Tahoe as well as my BMW and 4Runner)
475 - 490 miles to the tank when not pulling a trailer
365 - 380 miles to the tank when pulling a trailer
All in all, the tune along with upping the octane to mid grade made the biggest improvement.
Tahoe bone stock = At best 340 miles per tank w/ 87 octane
260 when pulling a 2500lb trailer 5 days per week
After a few changes including ....
aFe intake
Flowmaster cat-back exhaust
Black Bear Performance tune
Mid Grade fuel rather than the low end (now using 89 octane)
Full synthetic RP oil (yes, it makes a difference with the Tahoe as well as my BMW and 4Runner)
475 - 490 miles to the tank when not pulling a trailer
365 - 380 miles to the tank when pulling a trailer
All in all, the tune along with upping the octane to mid grade made the biggest improvement.
atis
Full Access Member
Billiam,
what mods do you have??
what mods do you have??
