Tips for maximizing fuel economy

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Davco

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i just drove from phoenix to Sacramento... got about 14 MPG on that trip


How fast were you going? I'd be pissed if I went on a hwy trip and only got 14 mpg.

I've taken my in-laws tahoe on a few trips and usually average about 16.7 mpg (according to the info center on the gauge cluster) with the speed set around 80 mph.
 

tybardy

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How fast were you going? I'd be pissed if I went on a hwy trip and only got 14 mpg.

I've taken my in-laws tahoe on a few trips and usually average about 16.7 mpg (according to the info center on the gauge cluster) with the speed set around 80 mph.

about 80 on the way there... air conditioning most of the way... about 100 on the way back
 

jgm74

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On an all highway trip about 200 miles or so with the cruise set at 70 I got 18.4 according to the DIC.
 

JasonFH

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Cali to Montana and back.

2005 LT 4x4 fully loaded with tow package (4.10 gear ratio) etc. averaged 19MPG. I have an AEM intake other than that it's stock. Drove 75-80 most of the way. I have a really light foot with my tahoe and I think that helped quite a bit when accelerating. Currently I average 16.5 with city/highway mix.

I did notice once I put the AEM intake there is a huge difference in a straight line pull when upshifting. Seems to bog down between 2-3K RPM but really pulls above 3K RPM. I'm thinking about getting a custom tuned chip and hoping that the tuner can figure out why the bog-down is happening.

My other debate is if I want a new exhaust and if that will help gas mileage much. If I decide to go that route I would want that before I get the tuned chip. Any suggestions on if I should get an exhaust to help gas mileage or just go for the tuned chip?
 

tenmark262

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Weight. Dropping weight is one of the best ways to improve MPG. 3rd row seat, spare tire, junk in the trunk, etc. get rid of it.
 

tybardy

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Weight. Dropping weight is one of the best ways to improve MPG. 3rd row seat, spare tire, junk in the trunk, etc. get rid of it.

this is for sure! I have been lugging around a few full boxes in my cargo bay and my economy wnt down one full MPG!!
 

empire88

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Will a new exhaust, new air intake, and a superchip raise my average MPG by 3?

My friends huge excursion is getting 15 city, and my stock tahoe is getting 16....
 

tybardy

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Will a new exhaust, new air intake, and a superchip raise my average MPG by 3?

My friends huge excursion is getting 15 city, and my stock tahoe is getting 16....

lol im pretty sure thos super chips are a waste of time and money. most of the time they are nothing more than a resistor.
 

oomindwarpoo

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Whoever said they are running 32 psi in their tires, that sounds a little low... considering I have stock wheels and mine are supposed to be 35psi.

You guys are forgetting a big fuel saver.. coasting. Let the trucks inertia carry you.. I actually let off 1/8 mile or more before my turn because I know I can go that far without hitting the accelerator. The driveline itself will keep you moving and slow you down gradually, I'm not talking about throwing it in neutral.. although...
 

NightOwl

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RazorBack58

Recommend air intake that has enclosed box, any do the same thing but to name a few: Airaid, AEM, and Injen. Airaid offers some air intake tubes, so you can keep your factory box. I would seach online for best price. One thing if you keep your factory air flow sensor, is to gently lift out the air sensor and remove the "restrictive" honeycomb modular piece from within the housing. This will help more airflow come through too. Like the posts above only thing to really save gas is in maintenance, tire pressure, and driving habits.
 

radkon

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One thing that has been overlooked is the fuel filter. If you haven't changed it in awhile (20k miles) do it. I replaced mine last week (60k miles don't know when it was changed last) and got about 1.5 mpg more on the hwy and 1 mpg city. Not much but every little bit helps.
 

NightOwl

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Fuel Filter

One thing that has been overlooked is the fuel filter. If you haven't changed it in awhile (20k miles) do it. I replaced mine last week (60k miles don't know when it was changed last) and got about 1.5 mpg more on the hwy and 1 mpg city. Not much but every little bit helps.
Going to replace mine very soon, amazing how quick those things can clog up, especially if your like me trying to save each precious drip and sucking gas from the bottom of the tank.
Any ideas on sparkplugs or better ignition sets?
 

KSA1

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Thank you very much on this subject is useful
Despite the very fuel Kimpalmnkhvdp in Saudi Arabia, the cost of gasoline to Tanki Altaho car is only $ 10, but that does not mean we are employees of the cars do not underestimate the U.S. in the consumption of fuel, and even contribute to the reduction of pollution

Thanks
Ahmed from Saudi Arabia
 

Fyrcaptain

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The DIC MPG is giving an average......so once you get off the hiway, start, stop, idle etc it is averaging the time you get at a stop light etc.
Best way to get you hiway mpg is as soon as you get on the hiway reset your mpg and before you get off check it, that will be more of a true reading for your hiway mpg.

When you figure the mileage on the tank divided by the gallons at fill-up you are getting the "average" mpg for that tank, again figuring in all of that crappy MPG you get when you idle, come to a stop and restart.

My 05 Denali XL got consistant 16.8 "trip" average MPG which was 80% hiway and 20% city (getting off to eat, bathroom breaks, then city driving to get to the final destination).
My 07 Denali shorty only gets 17.1 for the same, not a big difference by any stretch of the imagination.
 

stella431

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Maximizing Fuel Economy/Minimizing Costs

I know we are all concerned about mileage with these big heavy SUVs we choose to drive, so here are some gas saving tips.

The best fuel economy possible is the direct result of proper maintenance and good driving habits. Listed below are GM's recommendations to achieve the best mileage possible. The first group are things to consider for your vehicle, while the second are tips relating to your driving habits.

Vehicle Considerations:

Tire Pressure - One of the major contributors to poor fuel economy are under inflated tires. Tires low on pressure create drag that the vehicle's powertrain must overcome, wasting dollars in fuel. Always keep your tires inflated to the proper pressure as shown on the vehicle placard. This not only serves to increase gas mileage but cuts down on tire wear, further decreasing your costs per mile.

Air Filter - A vehicle that has a dirty air filter can't efficiently draw air into the engine. This restriction forces the engine to expend energy to "breathe" wasting fuel in the process. Change recommendations are found in your vehicle Owner's Manual.

Proper Viscosity "Starburst" Rated Oil - Always use the proper viscosity oil in your engine. Oil that has a higher than required viscosity will create more drag on the internal components of the engine, causing more work for it, especially when cold. Each Owner's Manual contains information on the proper type of oil for your vehicle. Look for the "starburst" symbol on the front of the bottle, and the SM rating on the API circle on the back label. If you are in doubt, stop by your dealer for an oil change, and any other services required. Most current GM vehicles are equipped with oil life monitors to further assist on the "when" to change your oil. (Aveo/Wave/Optra/Epica currently do not have oil life monitors).

Note: GM Vehicles DO NOT require additional engine oil additives. Some additives may cause harmful effects to the internal seals and additionally void the terms of your vehicles New Car Warranty.

Top Tier Fuels - Some fuel manufacturers provide gasoline advertised as TOP TIER DETERGENT GASOLINE (Chevron, Conoco, Phillips 66, Shell, Entec Stations, MFA, 76, Somerset Oil, QuikTrip, and Kwik Trip in the U.S. and Chevron in Canada. These fuels are preferable when and where available. They help to keep your fuel injectors and intake valves free of deposits. Clean engines provide optimal fuel economy, performance and reduced emissions. When Top Tier fuels are not available, consider a bottle of GM Fuel System treatment PLUS, P/N# 88861011 (in Canada, # 88861012), at oil change time which will remove intake system and injector deposits. GM does not recommend any other fuel system cleaner.

Important: DO NOT confuse Top Tier Fuels with Higher Octane (Plus/Premium Grade Fuel) commonly sold at most all gas stations. Plus and Premium fuels are required in some high performance GM vehicles. However, they do not necessarily represent higher detergency present in TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.

Note: E85 FUELS: Only vehicles designated for use with E85 should use E85 blended fuel. E85 compatibility is designated for vehicles that are certified to run on up to 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. All other gasoline engines are designed to run on fuel that contains no more than 10% ethanol. Use of fuel containing greater than 10% ethanol in non-E85 designated vehicles can cause driveability issues, service engine soon indicators as well as increased fuel system corrosion.

Use the Recommended Grade (Octane) Fuel-
Purchasing higher than required octane fuel is a waste of money. Using higher octane fuels in a vehicle that only required regular unleaded fuel will neither increase performance nor improve gas mileage. In all cases refer to your owners manual and ONLY use the octane rated fuel recommended for your vehicle.

Important: In high performance GM vehicles that DO require Premium (91 octane or higher) fuel, you MUST use fuels of at least this octane. Use of lower octane fuel may result in reduced performance, knocking, and/or permanent engine damage not covered under the terms of the New Vehicle Warranty.

Check Engine/Service Engine Soon Light - Is the Check Engine/SES light on? When this light is on, the vehicles On-Board diagnostics computer has noticed that something is wrong. GM vehicles have many sensors that the computer uses to both control and sense actual fuel usage. When the computer lights the Check Engine/SES light it has lost some ability to run efficiently. This may result in increased fuel consumption, increased emissions, and/or driveability concerns.

Spark Plugs - Even though current GM vehicles have 160,000km (100,000 mi) service intervals for spark plugs if your vehicle is at that point in it's life, have the spark plugs changed to assure proper running and continued efficient, trouble free operation.


Changes In Driving Habits:

Slow Down, Drive Smoothly - Avoid quick/full throttle acceleration from a standstill in town and high cruising speeds on the interstates. While the optimum MPG for highway cruising speed varies from vehicle to vehicle, faster is almost always worse. If your vehicle is equipped with a Driver Information Center that displays Instant Fuel Economy, select that read out and vary your cruising speed while on the highway. The display will change continuously with uphill and downhill sections but you should quickly be able to identify on level ground the speed range that your vehicle does the best in.

Empty Your Trunk - Avoid leaving unnecessary items in your trunk. It takes power to move increased weight and that means more gasoline consumption and reduced performance. While the change may be slight, multiplied by thousands of miles, it all adds up.

Avoid Extended Idling - There is no need to idle your engine till it reaches operating temperature. Idling wastes fuel.

Combine Trips - Your vehicle uses much more fuel when the engine is cold. This is especially true in the winter months when the engine will take the longest to warm up. Combine errands or trips so that the vehicle only needs to warm up once to encompass many different stops.

Thanks for the post, it is informative and i will change some of my driving habits.
 

trisswines

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The synthetic will help with mileage because of less friction on the moving internals. Wear method will certainly slow down and help the engine, trans, and diffs last longer. The liquid doesn't breakdown as quickly as conventional fluids, so liquid alter intervals are longer.


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