Towing mileage

[Jackle1886]

What's everyone getting towing with your hoe? 2004, 5.3, 113k miles, 3.73 with tow package, stock tire size and Airaid jr. I've only had it about a month now. Was getting 12.3-13.6 unloaded for mileage. Did an oil change, air filter, plugs, wires, and topped off fluid in the rear end. Mileage went to 15.6 on the half tank of mixed driving. I was happy. Then I hooked up our 3,000lb single axel 17ft camper. I drove through northern Indiana to Ohio. Pretty flat land. Ran 65mph and drafted when I could. Mileage is 9.06 and 9.66 hand calculated.

It accelerates up to speed just fine but to maintain speed requires a lot of throttle. 65% according to torque app. 17.5* timing at 65mph and a little under 2,000rpm.

No stored engine codes. Is this normal? A friend thought I might have a bad knock sensor and it's pulling back the timing under load.

Could it be the crappy gas we get? Maybe run midgrade. Premium is about 30% more $$ here.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Jackle1886]

Anyone?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[whitey hoe]

05 tahoe Lt,5.3, tow package ,285/70/17,cold air,hypertech programmer,and yes I only get about 10 mpg towing and 15 highway . BUT at least I haven't had any of the problems that 3 of my neighbors have had w their newer flex fuel chevys,bad news and big money to fix those. I will stick w good old 5.3 pig

 

[4WDTRK]

Wow those numbers are really low. I tow an 18.5' boat on a 1000 mile round trip 2-3 times per year and I've never seen numbers that low. Lowest have been the the 12mpg range, but don't think I've ever dipped into the 11's. I have tow package, but 3.42 maybe that's why I do a little better? Wish I had 4.10's though, I know it would tow so much better.

 

[jdpber]

No one has mentioned the type of road. Is it hilly, is it flat at Miley Cyrus chest, is it stop go? What speed. What altitude. How heavy the tow is. Where I live we have very old roads with steep hills and when on the hwy towing camper or boat I FILL UP WHEN EMPTY lol.

Camper I get about 8-9 @ 65mph
Boat is 12 @65
When on flat land boat is 13-14
Flat camper is 11

 

[DenaliEd]

Towing a camper is a lot different than a boat, even if it's the same weight, camper has a lot more surface area. Does your truck seem to get up to temperature? If you have a thermostat that's stuck open and the truck doesn't get to operating temp that would hurt mileage a bit.

Also, maybe try towing in 3rd? Are you using Tow/Haul mode if your truck has it? 65% throttle should almost be commanding a downshift. It seems against logic, but running at a higher RPM with less throttle input will use less fuel than lugging the motor if that's what it's doing.

 

[Jackle1886]

This was very flat roads in northern Indiana. Per original post 65mph. Yes, lots of air drag on a camper vs a boat. Yes, truck gets to temp and holds right at 210 on the gauges.

I tried a half tank with and without tow haul mode.



Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[DenaliEd]

I'd try 3rd in T/H. Might just be lugging you too much in 4th. I wouldn't think a little camper would give such a headache though. You don't smell rotten eggs or anything while driving, do you? I wonder if you don't have a cat that's partially plugged and causing a restriction that gets more pronounced under load. My mom had to have the cats replaced on her 02 Suburban and that made a major difference in mileage.

 

[Jackle1886]

It runs pretty dang good with no load. Only 113k on it. I understand the wind resistance is the same as a trailer twice as long. But, just seems like something is off. I thought maybe it was a bad head wind. But I got the same mileage going both directions.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[rjackson]

nothing wrong, very typical for any gas engine towing a camper. have had 4 different tow vehicles over the years. and depending on wind, terrain, 8.5 to 11 normal