MPG help?

[curtisb]

So, I'm not getting the best MPG, last I checked it was 14.5 mix of city/highway.

I have the following mods;
2" BL
31"x10.5"x15
Specter CAI
Throttle Blade Mod
Trimmed front air dam

At 174,XXX miles I am working on a full tune up. My next tunes will be cap rotor, plugs and wires.
I already did the fuel filter. Any tips are welcome.
Or just tell me that my MPG is average and I need to suck it up

[HenryJ]

Your MPG is average. Sorry, but true. Today's fuel is not helping you.
No investment you make is going to pay for itself. You are better to just suck it up and buy the best fuel you can. Keep things in good tune. Keep the truck clean and monitor tire pressures closely.
You might try adding a scanguage as a visual reminder to ease up on the skinny pedal.

[LMs10CrewCab]

Hey there!

I did some research on the following too:

Replace thermostat ( makes truck run low which causes bad MPGS)
replace coolent sensor ( senses when to open coolent loop )
Replace oxygen sensors ( determines air fuel mixture, replace every 70K, )
Clean MAF ( mass air flow ) it helps with fuel mixture ( right after air cleaner )
And replace air cleaner.

Hope that helps! - Levi

[curtisb]

Thanks guys, i think I'll do a full high end tune up and clean up when my tax money comes in. And probably switch to premium gas, hopefully all that helps. I'm debating doing the electric fan mod as well.

[LMs10CrewCab]

I actually been calculating my gas mileage every time,
I tried premium twice and it actually gave me the exact same MPG's the first time and .5 less the second - plus it made my truck run way too rich. Medium grade is the best IMO.

Needless to say I yet have to do the O2, coolent sensors ( still too cold here, have icicles all over my frame still )

If you replace the Oxegen sensors a good tip is to heat the engine to 120 degrees and don't forget to put a little anti seaz on the new ones.

For the coolent sensor don't put Anti seaz any lower than the 2nd thread. Otherwise you could mess up the sensor area.

Hope that helps - BTW your gas mileage is good this winter I got an average 11 , (city only)

Have a great day

[curtisb]

11mpg

Man I guess I am doing well at 14.5.

I was breaking 17 hwy before the lift, tires, and air dam.

[HenryJ]

Did you correct the speedometer after the larger tires? If not you are going further than it shows.

[curtisb]

No i didn't, i don't have a programmer. Is there another way to adjust for the larger you're size?

[HenryJ]

No i didn't, i don't have a programmer. Is there another way to adjust for the larger you're size?

You can take it to the dealer and have them reprogram it for 31" tires. It was an option for the ZR2, so that should be possible. However, it may be less expensive and a better investment to buy a programmer and make your own adjustments. I like that option better. Not to mention that you can dial it in correctly and get the speedometer exactly right.

That is what happened to your mileage. If your speedometer is off 10% , that is 1.4 MPG you can add to your calculated 14.5 MPG. That puts you right back close to your 17 MPG

[curtisb]

That much? 1.4 MPG? I feel allot better about that kinda mileage.

Most likely I'll just deal until I get a I find a deal for an '04 progammer.

[rlrnr53]

I've been tracking my milage this year as I've been doing some contract work. I usually have to drive at least 40 miles one way any where in elevation from 2400 ft where I live to as high as 3300 ft, and as low as 1100 ft. I've been averaging from 16 to 18 mpg on these runs. If I do much driving locally, my average can drop as low as 12.5 if I've not done any long runs. I'm trying to get the coins to change O2 sensors, distrubutor, spider and some work on the cooling system. I hope to improve the local mpg with these repairs'

[PoconoCrew]

try the lucas etheonal treatment works good for me

[ApproachMedium]

Im getting about 14MPG now that I been using it to go to and from the train station all local driving. When I was doing 100 miles a day driving from the shore to the train up north I was getting 18-19MPG highway. Best I have gotten is 20mpg with PA gas which has less ethanol. Running all stock pretty much other than the throttle blade mod and as of a few weeks ago the modified stock air box with k&n.

[Hartleybl]

Ouch all the sudden I'm only getting 48 miles to a quarter of a tank 18 dollars for 5.125 gallons to go 48 miles I have put a new fuel pump in it a few weeks ago put a new fuel filter in today maybe it will help... Last week I was getting 70-80 miles on same amount of gas plenty of air in tires.... New brakes on rear don't think they are sticking.. But I'll re check tomorrow please help also no service engine light runs fine plenty of power...

[ApproachMedium]

Def check those brakes. I had put new pads on and thought i fixed my slide pins but they got worse. Ran thru a set of pads in a matter of weeks. Killed my MPGs good. Best thing to do with these trucks when they get old just get a loaded caliper with the new bracket pins and everything.

I get about 50 miles to a quarter of a tank with the V8 engine doing all local driving. The V6 would do almost the same. Highway you can go 70-90 miles on a quarter with both my old 4.3 and the 5.7.

[12bridn]

Ouch all the sudden I'm only getting 48 miles to a quarter of a tank 18 dollars for 5.125 gallons to go 48 miles I have put a new fuel pump in it a few weeks ago put a new fuel filter in today maybe it will help... Last week I was getting 70-80 miles on same amount of gas plenty of air in tires.... New brakes on rear don't think they are sticking.. But I'll re check tomorrow please help also no service engine light runs fine plenty of power...

1/4 tank, 5.125 gallons? I have only ever fit 17.5 or so in my crew. Do you have a larger tank?

[ApproachMedium]

The gas gauge on these trucks is not proportionate to the gallons in the tank. The crew cab tank is 17.8 gallons, and trust me, i have put 17.8 gallons in it once not that long ago. Ran out of gas in ohio outside of pittsburgh on a trip with friends.

[roadrunner]

The gas gauge on these trucks is not proportionate to the gallons in the tank. The crew cab tank is 17.8 gallons, and trust me, i have put 17.8 gallons in it once not that long ago. Ran out of gas in ohio outside of pittsburgh on a trip with friends.

All crew cabs are not created equal in respect to fuel tanks. My owners manual says regular and extended cabs are supposed to hold 18.5 gallons and crew cabs are listed as 19 gallons. My 01 has the metal tank and on more than one occasion I have put more than 20 gallons in it and it was not out as it was still running at the time I filled up. Note that I fill clear up to the cap when filling. I know people will jump all over this but it's my experience with my truck which I've owned for 9 years now.

[ApproachMedium]

Interesting, the owners manual is from 01 also? I have an 02 and the manual says 17.8. I wish i had 20 gallons. Like i said I ran out of gas with it recently and thats pretty much what it needed to fill up. The stupid DIC that I put in said I had only used 14.8 gallons of gas about. Now i know that thing is a lie lol. Its usually off by a gallon and a mile per gallon. I am thinking that is because its calibrated for the V6 engine still and not the v8.

[roadrunner]

Interesting, the owners manual is from 01 also? I have an 02 and the manual says 17.8. I wish i had 20 gallons. Like i said I ran out of gas with it recently and thats pretty much what it needed to fill up. The stupid DIC that I put in said I had only used 14.8 gallons of gas about. Now i know that thing is a lie lol. Its usually off by a gallon and a mile per gallon. I am thinking that is because its calibrated for the V6 engine still and not the v8.

Yes the manual is an 01 that came with the truck. I'm only the 2nd owner and know the first one personally who bought the truck new. DIC??? What's that. I use the Scangauge I in mine and also have one (Scangauge II) in my 2011 Hyundai. I can adjust for tank size and correct for actual fuel used when I fill at the pump with both. Wish I could get a computer like I bought for my 94 Sentra for these two. I can even adjust initial timing and fuel injector on-time with it. Kinda helpful as I currently run it at 10* advanced and 15% lean. Really helps on the mileage on the mail route. Avg lately 27-28mpg on route and to and from work (11miles round trip). It also can be set for either % or voltage readings. Really helpful to have running track of what the O2 sensor, TPS, and Air fuel sensors are doing along with a convenient clear engine light on the fly. Also reads instant and Avg mpg along with bat voltage and RPM as well as MPH and avg MPH as well as engine temp. I e-mailed the company that made it and asked them to let me know if/when they might produce one useable on OBD II vehicles but they said they had no plans to at this time.

[ApproachMedium]

Driver Info Console. The overhead console that is normally just a compass and temp, i have the upgraded one from a bravada. Shows MPG/average, MPG instant, distance to empty, gallons used, average speed etc.

[Hartleybl]

thanks for the info... i didnt think it was dead accurate for fuel gauge to actual tank amount ratio... i used to have a 2wd ext cab w/4.3 2003 and i put 18.2 gallons in it once... way below the red line on gauge... ive not ran the crewcab 2004 that low but ive never been able to put over 16.? in it i guess maybe 17.8 sounds right the CC tank looks physically smaller then the tank under my ext cab the rear of the tank isnt quite as wide on the crew its a plastic tank also... i'd love to swap the console in mine but all the blazers and bravada's are missing the consoles in my area.. i got lucky and got the bravads axle and tube for 21$ tho

[laxman21]

[ApproachMedium]

And how did that math account to your real world math? Mine seems to be right on the money on highway trips. Usually getting 16-19mpg with the V8 crusing at 70-75. Mixed driving+city the display will show 14-15mpg and is usually off by a whole MPG, and it is also off by almost a whole gallon of gas used.