[SHROP]

I tried searching with no real luck. (the search function hates me apparently.)

Just bought my z71 4wd colorado a couple weeks ago and im about on empty on my second full tank. the first tank was a lot of city driving and i barely got 14.8mpg. 2nd tank was about 2/3 hwy and im looking at about 16mpg. is this average? I expected a lot better. I bought a small size pick up for the fuel economy among other reasons but the fuel economy was right up there. my buddies hemi ram is getting almost the same mpg. what gives?

truck is all stock. I will be adding a camper shell to reduce drag (and increase weight :/ ) a new retro fit intake and possibly an exhaust depending on price. hoping to squeeze a few more mpg's out of it. any advice is welcomed, thanks!

 

[Merica!]

What engine? Trans? Lifted? aftermarket wheels/tires? I have an 04 reg cab 3.5 auto trans 4X4 w/ cap and got just under 20 mpg doing around 80 on the highway.

 

[SHROP]

same truck but 06 crew cab and currently no cap.

 

[Az2006z71]

I usually average around 18 around town. Mixed streets with freeways. All highway I only average 21.5 mpg.
Mine is a stock Z71 2wd crew cab 3.5 with 31x10.5x15 all terrains. I also have K&N CAI, Jakey Headers, and Borla Pro XS muffler.
I've only had the truck during winter months where there is a lot of ethanol in the gas for smog problems in Phoenix. So hopefully summer gas will do better.

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[SHROP]

hmm im going to have to check a few things on it that could be robbing the mpg. im going on a little road trip this weekend and want to get the most i can. 14mpg just isnt going to cut it lol.

 

[Merica!]

What's the mileage? May be time for a tune up.

 

[08Canyon]

No luck? There are 5,429 MPG threads. Most are titled MPG. haha

First of all, don't compare your vehicle to any other vehicle. It's pointless. A guy at work as a Prius, and he gets way better mileage than my gas truck. Maybe I need a bigger battery. LOL Sorry - couldn't resist.

Please list your truck specs. And any

How many miles on the truck.
What engine?
Are your tires stock size (compare physical tire against manufacturer on driver door jamb)
How are you calculating mileage, with math or based on the fuel gauge needle?
Do you have any maintenance records?

Don't identify your truck against somebody else but with 'this change' tell us everything about your truck that you can think of.

Stop thinking about upgrades for now. A cap isn't going to be the MPG king. Neither is an exhaust or intake. Get the truck running well and efficient first - then consider changes the GM design.

14 is low for a stock truck. I get almost up to 15 with my Z85 with a little bit of lift and larger tires (+10%).
I expect stock you should be 20 avg. A tick under if it's mostly city. I can reach 22 highway avg but my running around is about 14.8.....


In the mean time I betcha a dollar you can find at least 12 threads before I go to lunch on the Pacific Coast. haha

 

[Uncanny355]

Have you tried cleanong the throttle body and mass air flow sensor. Just a thought

(mobile)

 

[Az2006z71]

My mileage actually went up after K&N and headers and muffler. Maybe because it responds better and I don't need as much throttle to move it along.
I'm going to do a tune but 50% mileage and 50% power so hopefully it'll get a tiny bit better, who knows for sure.
I don't believe adding performance stuff will hurt unless you are the person who does jack rabbit starts all the time.
I would definitely do as Uncanny said and clean MAF and throttle body and also a sea foam cleaning as well. Check your plugs as well because they will tell u alot about what is going on

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[Skizzo]

http://www.355nation.net/forum/cont...s/54348-best-worst-gas-mileage-contest-4.html

will have some numbers for you to compare to

 

[SHROP]

The truck is a an 06 3.5l auto crew cab 4x4 with 140,000mi. My last tank was surprisingly higher at around 17.1mpg. Still not where I had hoped. I think a throttle body cleaning and at the least pulling the plugs will give me a better idea. I put a camper shell on today, not necessarily for mpg but I've been wanting one. I have a cai on my s10 and I think it's helped some. The comparison to a full size with more power that gets better mpg makes me regret the truck a little. Over all is really like the truck, it's everything I've been looking for, minus the mpg. Hopefully I can clear it up a little and restore a little.

 

[LLV.MA5]

My mileage greatly increased after a Lime-Swap tune.

Might be worth looking into.

 

[Portland ORado]

If you don't mind me asking, but what were you expecting in MPG? GM only say that your truck get 16 city and 20/21 hwy. Not sure what your driving habits are, but that effects your MPG, as well as extra weight in the truck, tire pressure, etc......

Try the cleaning suggestions, at 140k, you may to do a complete tune up. Good luck and keep us posted with what you do to increase your MPG.

 

[SHROP]

I drive the truck pretty conservatively. I'm not in the gas a bunch. I drive 20mi ea way to work and another 20 mi to school 2 days a week. It's all hwy driving. I was expecting to get 21/22hwy but I'm barely getting 17. I guess maybe I'm a little spoiled from having driven a Honda to work the last year. 1988 w/ 60k mi and 37mpg. Lol I don't expect to see that in the truck obviously. I also have a '12 camaro that I'm seeing about 18mpg in the city. Like I said I just hoped for better but I'm no stranger to tinkering with a truckload I'll update as I can. Thanks for the advice guys.

Also, is a lime-swap tune just what it sounds like, a new tune on the computer? Thanks.

 

[rjpoog1989]

Ya I would suggest a tune as well as some new spark plugs and cleaning the tb and MAF. Another thing I would look at is your o2 sensors, if they are original they should be replaced. Those control how much fuel is being used and they go bad after about 100k miles. Before I lifted my truck I was getting close to 23 on all highway so yours does sound a little low. Now I get around 15 lifted on 33's.

 

[08Canyon]

Still haven't answered if you have stock size tires and if you are using real math to calculate the mileage.

Under normal circumstances, it is not unreasonable to expect 20-22 for highway driving. I can get 20mpg with my dog of a truck over a 20 mile drive.

 

[SHROP]

I'm not sure what the stock tire size is but the truck has stock rims and 31x10.5 inch tires. My mpg calculations are dirived by dividing the gallons used by the miles traveled. If I added 16 gallons to full and travelled 300 miles I can pretty accurately gauge the mpg.

 

[08Canyon]

Tire size is on the driver side door jamb. Mentioned in my first response.

The math looks good at least. You keep referencing a tank of gas, but not numbers. So that's good at least.

31's on a Z71 is about stock.

 

[LLV.MA5]

Also, is a lime-swap tune just what it sounds like, a new tune on the computer? Thanks.

My mileage went from 23mpg to 28.8mpg (freeway cruising at 65mph) with a header and a tune. About half the increase was due to the header and about half was due to the tune.

Here's the thread:
http://www.355nation.net/forum/i4-i5-engine-drivetrain/101746-gas-mileage-solved.html

Jeremy at Lime-Swap.com is a great guy to work with. He goes by Limequat on here.

 

[IanDV]

My v8 Canyon is getting better mpg than this. Something needs cleaning. I get 20.5 going 70 and 16-17 city. My mpg doesn't change at all with a lot of weight in the back.

My mpg dropped by 4 in New York using that shitty gas.