I know your sick off it.... 2007 Yukon

[EmmDot]

Hi all! I am just about ready to buy a 2007 Yukon SLT 4x4 5.3L (50k with all the bells and whistles). I absolutely love these trucks... drive, style, options, etc. The one thing preventing me from pulling the trigger is the MPG. I am well aware that being in the market for a SUV like this is not going to save me any $$$ at the pump! I would, however, like to do what I can to make my contribution to the environment and boost my MPG’s. I am sure that this question gets asked all time in this forum, so forgive for "beating a dead horse". I did search and was unable to find anything on this topic for current 2007+ models. Therefore, any advice you can offer would be soooo appreciated! I am realistic and don’t expect to get an extra 30 mpg just by adding a Tornado fuel saver... but if I could add a just a few more MPG... it would make me feel a little better about shelling out $30K+.

Now, I am by no means a auto expert but have few mods in mind to try to help with getting better MPG (listed below). Please add your thoughts or advice (or if this is all BS and there is nothing I can do). Again, thanks for all your input!!!! (And forgetting about the Yukon and going with a Prius, has already been crossed of my list of mods)

1) Cold air intake
2) Exhaust system
3) Using higher octane gas
4) Tornado fuel saver (lol..)
6) Performance spark plugs
7) Computer based tuning??? (not sure with this one, need some help)
8) Monitoring tire pressure
9) Using syn. oil

 

[Modded]

Numbers 1, 3, 4 and 6 will not give you any MPG gains worth how much they will run you.
Also the constant use of higher octane gas on a stock tuned engine can cause bad things for your car.
Exhaust, ECM tuning (notorius BlackBear tune on this forum) and numbers 8 &9 will help MPG to be better.

 

[EmmDot]

Cool... Thanks! Thats pretty much what I thought, with the exception on # 1... That was the one thing I read the most positive stuff about. Anyways, thanks you just saved me from wasting a few hundred bucks!

Is there any certain exhaust you can recommend...? Also, should i stick with 87 oct. 90%of the time and maybe fill it up on every other month, with the good stuff... does that sound right? I am going to keep researching the ECM, I've already found a lot of great info on it. Thanks for your input!

 

[Nickleahy23]

i gained at least 1 mpg with a intake compared to stock just an FYI..aem bruteforce has the bext review..justin also did a test on this and it had the most hp/tq gains as well

 

[Modded]

Cool... Thanks! Thats pretty much what I thought, with the exception on # 1... That was the one thing I read the most positive stuff about. Anyways, thanks you just saved me from wasting a few hundred bucks!

Is there any certain exhaust you can recommend...? Also, should i stick with 87 oct. 90%of the time and maybe fill it up on every other month, with the good stuff... does that sound right? I am going to keep researching the ECM, I've already found a lot of great info on it. Thanks for your input!

I recommend the Magnaflow exhaust if you like your exhaust real free flowing (more perf. gains) and not too loud, if not, then Flowmaster is your way.
Also just get the muffler and have a local exhaust shop weld it in.
Lastly, I do say you should run normal 87, then once in like two months fill up on the real good stuff, which is 91 in my area, thats exactly what I do.

As for the CAI, you will see around 1-2MPG gain, but at +$200 for a good CAI is it worth it?
Also if you live in a real dusty area, those exposed filter aftermarket intakes are not what you want, you will end up having to clean them every 3 months or so just not to lose performance.

 

[05Yukon]

#5 will give you an instant 10mpg gain.

 

[EmmDot]

Okay... one more, totally newbie question... what is a Cat-back system. I am assuming its from the cat. convert back, in which case does getting the convert making any type of difference?

---------- Post added at 12:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:10 AM ----------

Oh yea...#5, thats my secret mod! Guaranteed to give me even more then the Tornado! LOL!!!

---------- Post added at 01:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:17 AM ----------

Based on all of your input and doing all these mods... although $$$, could save me 2-4 MPG. This is perfect!!!! Going from 15-16 to 18-19 is enough for me to to go for it! Another day or 2 of research and a few more test drives and i will be a pround owner, thanks for the help!!!

 

[UofMZ71]

im not sure what you are asking, but yes a cat-back is a system from the catalytic converter away from the engine. i have the magnaflow exhaust on mine, but just the exhaust. it was $100 installed (i left the rear resonator on, its the "muffler" you can see standing behind the truck - i just recently painted mine black)

#5 FTW

a cold air would be fine if you dont care about the $200 and will make your exhaust sound better as well as minimal fuel advantages. BB tune will give you alot of performance as well as mpg gains.

gl with your choices and let us know how it goes!

 

[dheadv8q]

I have a cold air intake, a Corsa Sport cat back, and a BB tune. I can squeeze 15 mpg city and 17 hwy with careful driving. AND I know how to do it!
About the only other thing to do that MIGHT improve mpg is lowering and ditching the 18" Duelers for 20" factory wheels and tires. And I would probably have to drive 2 years to recoup the cost of that!
Be real - its a great truck and the mileage sucks. I traded a TDI wagon for mine - 42 hwy, 37 city. I liked it, but like my truck a WHOLE bunch more...

 

[jee123]

when i first got my truck i put just a kn drop in filter and got a magnaflow muffler..on stock wheels i was getting 20-21 mpg...now after all my mods see sig..i get 17-18...email justin at blackbearperformance.com, he should be able to tune your truck to get better mpg.