Best MPG for the buck?

[bzbatl]

I've got the S&B CAI installed, yellow-top battery, gapped plugs to 0.60 as suggested on this forum, replaced the O2 sensor with a shiny Bosch one, and gave her all new fluids. This has gotten me from about 320mi to a tank to 380mi average (13mpg to about 16mpg)

What next going to get me the best bang for my buck (mpg the only consideration)?

- catback system
- custom tune
- electric fan and water pump
- new pulley system

Obviously I want to do all these, but my new years budgeting isn't allowing me to splurge all at once :cryin:

What would you mpg pros consider the best plan of attack? I want to see that trip ODO roll over 400 before I have to fill up!

 

[Coastie Kyle]

headers and a cat-back.

 

[GTO2050]

Anything you an do to make the air in volume increase with the air out helps. You have removed a lot of the restriction in but not the exhaust out. Coastie is correct. Cat-back exhaust first then headers. Cat-backs are legal but headers may not be, depending on your state. I swear by the Magnaflow cat-backs. If I could just keep that right foot lighter on the pedal I am sure the mileage would go up! :Chevy:

 

[bzbatl]

I think I'll go with the catback system, I've been looking at that anyway. Headers seems like a project I don't want to budget for (time or money) right now!

Thanks both of you.

 

[boostaholic]

TUNE! A custom tune is the best mileage increase for these trucks, check out www.blackbearperformance.com for a custom tune of just get a superchips flashpaq if you don't want to deal with swapping pcms. The $250-$450 you drop on a tune will net you 1-3+ mpg hwy depending on how rough your truck is running. I love my magnaflow catback, picked up some mileage with my aem intake as well but a tune will always make more power and mileage.

 

[boostaholic]

For the efans run the oem's:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...Sell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget
Plus a nelson harness:
http://www.nelsonperformance.com/products.htm#fans
Buy the exhaust here:
http://www.planetmagnaflow.com
^^^You can actually bid on a system and they will email you an offer^^^

 

[JKmotorsports]

Once you get the intake and exhaust taken care of, the biggest help will be a custom pcm tune like boostaholic suggested. Opening the intake portion allows more air, but in order to keep the afr in the correct range and the correct emissions level sustained, the pcm will adjust fuel trim as well. More air = more fuel as the pcm monitors the MAF, iat, O2 sensors, etc. and tries to keep the afr as close to the optimum ratio as possible.

 

[bzbatl]

Whew, that efan mod is pricey! I had no idea!

Can you really gain much MPG/HP from that mod? Seems like it'd take an age to recoup almost $400 on that.

The pcm tune sounds like a good idea. Would it need another tune after additional mods (efans, pulleys, etc)?

 

[Chuckles]

Whew, that efan mod is pricey! I had no idea!

Can you really gain much MPG/HP from that mod? Seems like it'd take an age to recoup almost $400 on that.

The pcm tune sounds like a good idea. Would it need another tune after additional mods (efans, pulleys, etc)?

Do the math. I figured it would pay for itself in a year. I average 20,000 mi a year.

 

[boostaholic]

It helps clearance for when I put my nitrous on, plus electric fans make way more power and that is honestly all I care about. I'll get a streetbike this summer for mileage.

 

[bzbatl]

You'd be surprised how little mileage a sportbike gets you when you learn to ride properly, lol.

My Ducati got 62 mpg when I first got her. I'm lucky to break 30 now.

Every little bit helps on the truck. I drive it very conservatively, but unfortunately I don't have a trailer that can hook up to my bike to tow my gear.