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Gas Mileage

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Comments

  • chevy4mechevy4me Member Posts: 203
    Pharmasea What engine is in your truck?
  • gwvinsongwvinson Member Posts: 27
    You have the exact options that I have ordered, thanks for the info.

    Gregg
  • pharmaseapharmasea Member Posts: 25
    Sorry, I have the 5.3L

    Jim
  • RichRich Member Posts: 128
    I saw a comment about 'with the air conditioning on'.

    Back during the gasoline "shortage" and contrary to popular opinion, we were advised to drive with the air conditioning on and windows closed. It seems that the aerodynamic drag caused more fuel usage than the air conditioning. With todays more efficient air conditioning I expect that the mileage improvement is even more by using the A/C.

    Rich
  • sichenzesichenze Member Posts: 8
    I have a 97 2dr tahoe sport (it is the z71 package) that will get 18 mpg on the highway the best I have done is 19 in the midwest. It is the 5.7 engine with a 3.73 rear end. I also have a 99 superduty 250 sc 4X4 PSD that gets 20+ on the highway and 17+ in mixed driving. It has plenty of power and I have a tonnue cover for it which rasied the MPG about 1. I also found out that I get about 2 MPG less in the Tahoe when I fill up with the OX gas for the winter so I fill up trying to avoid it or get premium gas and get the same. The PSD is really great.
  • huntmanhuntman Member Posts: 25
    99 GMC Ext Cab 4x4 5.3L 3.73 Auto. 1200 Miles
    15 MPG average thus far
  • chevy4mechevy4me Member Posts: 203
    99 Silerado ext cab 2wd 5.3L 3.42 auto 600 miles 18.1 mpg 70% freeway 30% city
  • dave40dave40 Member Posts: 582
    99 2500 Sierra 6.0 reg cab 4wd 4.10 auto
    all city 10mpg
    Who cares the company buys the gas!
  • goldwing1goldwing1 Member Posts: 4
    Had a '98 Ranger XLT 2WD which got about 21 hwy and 16 city. Traded in for a "99 F150 SC , LB, 5.4L 4WD. The F150 now has 3500 miles and the hwy mileage is about 14, up from about 11. Still runs about 11 in the city. I hope the hwy mileage still goes up as the engine gets more broken in.
  • daveydavey Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone know what the mileage is for a ford superdudy 250, 4x4, crewcab with 5.4 engine.
  • sd99sd99 Member Posts: 65
    Davey

    My 5.4 F250 4X4 3.73 rear axle with 2,000 miles on it is getting 13 in the city and 16 on the highway, mostly city driving. I expect the mileage to get better as the engine breaks in even more.
  • todd15todd15 Member Posts: 4
    I have the 1999 5.4L, F150 extended cab, Off Road and towing package, with a limited slip 3.73 rear end. It has 1000 miles on it. The last two tank fulls I have filled up with 23 gallons, and had 260 miles on the trip odometer. That calculates to 11.3 miles per gallon.
  • goforitgoforit Member Posts: 6
    Todd sorry to hear that.Thats not very good.Are you driving with your foot into it? Was that around town mileage? Besides the poor mileage hows the power with the newley designed heads?
  • fish6fish6 Member Posts: 50
    4.8 liter, club cab, 4x4, 3.73 , 2000 miles on truck, 75% highway 62-65mph.....17.9 mpg
  • todd15todd15 Member Posts: 4
    I have been breaking it in slowly I have not been putting my foot into it. I drive at 25 mph for about 5 minutes to the freeway, get on the freeway and go 55 miles an hour for about 8 minutes. Besides this mostly in town driving. It does have a lot of get up and go but i have not really checked it out. Once I reach 1500+ miles I will step into it hard and check it out. I will then also be towing a stock car and check out its towing capabilities.
  • nowickslnowicksl Member Posts: 20
    99 Sierra 5.3 4wd, 3.73 gears extended cab.
    Drove 1000 miles this weekend. Best mpg:19.6. Average for trip:18.03
  • huntmanhuntman Member Posts: 25
    Nowicksl how many miles on the truck now and how fast were you driving. My truck just like yours has 2100 miles on it and has only gotten between 14 and 16 mpg. I have had it for a month and love it but I hope it losens up over time. Thanks for any advice or response.

    Huntman
  • nowickslnowicksl Member Posts: 20
    Huntman.
    I started with 800 miles on the clock. I was driving about a steady 70-75 mph, maybe 30% on cruise control,. The road was flat, no wind and about 65 degrees outside. I am not driving a sports car so I am light on the throttle and know how to move through traffic without much fanfare and at a steady speed. I am amazed this truck can get such mileage. Where are you located? I will report my drive to work mileage when I have a bit more experience with the vehicle. I drive 40 miles to work and 40 back, all but 3 miles on the freeway...
  • SteveSSteveS Member Posts: 2
    99 Sierra SLE 2500, Ex cab 4wd, auto track, limited slip, trailer tow package, Z83,3.73, 285x 75 BFG All Terrain TA's. 950 miles.
    11.5 to 12.5 Mixed driving with a somewhat heavy foot. Was hoping for 14 Oh well. Love it so far.
  • huntmanhuntman Member Posts: 25
    Steve
    That is pretty good gas milage, but it is very believeable. On my truck I have been driving mostly five to twenty-mile trips usually about 65 MPH. Every engine is different and some losen up sooner or just get better gas milage. I have to say that my foot does tend to find some lead in it occasionally but not usually. I have also found in my previous car that what octane or even what brand of gas can make a two to three mpg difference. What octane and what brand of gas do you usually run. Thanks for the info.

    Huntman
  • SteveSSteveS Member Posts: 2
    Huntman
    Have been using 87 octane Cheveron. The 6.0L seems to like it OK so far, no pings or knocks. I live in an area,(Houston- Galveston)that has MTBE additive gas for reduced emissions. I have found the gas to give about 10%- 15% less gas than non MTBE. The feds say 2%-5% less HA HA. Had a ford with a 302 that would get 15 mpg with gas from Houston. When I traveled to Corpus Cristi and filled up I started to notice better mileage like 17.25 with the non MTBE. This is about 100mi more range on the 43 Gals. So on the way home I always filled up both tanks at the last station that sold the good gas before the houston metro area. Also my ford ranger with a 3.0L went from 17.5 to 19.5. Have not gone far enought with the new truck to get the Non MBTE but I expect the same results. Have also found that higher octane rating has not increased MPG on any of my vechiles. Althought some do run better. Another intresting fact with the MBTE Reforumulated gas, the Higher the octane the leaner it runs,(more O2). This is real bad for 2 stroke engines and 4 strokes with carbs. The outboard boat engine manufactures now recommend using 87 octane RFG only.
    P.S I think your right about the breaking in and the different mpg of the same motors.
    SteveS
  • glengleglengle Member Posts: 57
    1999 Dodge 1500 2WD Shortbed
    5.9L auto
    1800 miles
    50-50% city/highway driving
    average about 16 mpg, up from 14 when brand new.
  • fleetmaster1fleetmaster1 Member Posts: 18
    1999 Dodge 1500 4x4 shortbed
    5.9 gas w/auto
    200 miles
    intown 14.5 mpg
    up from 13.9 first 150 milse
    i plan on going on vac. the first of May hopeing to have a 1000 miles on the truck so i'm able to change the oil at home myself, it looks like it will be a 3000 mile trip, when i strat the trip it will be the first time i will have the truck over 50 mph. what do you think? should the eng. be broke in enough to go over 50 mph and should i change the oil that soon?
  • todlaketodlake Member Posts: 48
    1999 Ford F250SD XLT - V10, Auto, 3.73LS, 4X4, Crew, MPG info on first 1400 miles. City - 11.7 MPG avg. 10.2 lowest tankful. Highway - 14.3 MPG avg. 15.2 highest tankful. Highest reading at 65-70 MPH Ohio to Tennessee on I-75.
  • garthrgarthr Member Posts: 11
    fleetmaster: You will be OK as you are doing,though I'd check your manual.My Ford manual says nothing about what to do or not either.I have 600 miles on my F150,and just keep the revs under 2500-3000,which is pretty easy,except steep hills.Ford recommends city driving as an exellent way to break everything in.Dodge shouldn't be so different.1000 mi. oil change sounds good,do you use synthetic or regular oil?
  • huntmanhuntman Member Posts: 25
    Well my 99 GMC Sierra Ext Cab 4x4 SLT 5.3L 3.73LS, Auto, Autotrack, 265x75R16 now has 3000 miles on it. I am very pleased with the truck overall. I just took it on a two-hundred and fifty mile trip with four people and got my best gas milage yet. I drove an average of 64 mph and did frequent passinf and some city driving. Got 18 MPG on that trip. My average has been about 15 mpg with tanks as low as 13 with lots of five mile trips. It seems to me you can drive two miles for one after the first five. Best of luck.

    Huntman
  • pathomppathomp Member Posts: 25
    I'm planning to buy a GMC or Chevy 2500 Ext Cab SB 4x4. I will occasionally tow a Jeep on a trailer weighing 5500-6000 lb. Should I order the 4.10 or 3.73 axle? What mileage can I expect?
  • huntmanhuntman Member Posts: 25
    I just talked to a guy over the weekend with a 6.0L 4x4 Automatic Ext. Cab. He can't break 10mpg and he says it doesn't have enough power to pull his 18000lb trailer with backhoe. His old 350 pulled it without a problem. I guess he should have gotten a manual.

    Do you really need the 6.0L, If you are going to get an automatic you might as well get a 5.3L and add helper air shocks for about $400 that are good for up to 5k lbs.

    Best of luck
    Huntman
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    Not air shocks, air springs. Air shocks put too much stress on the shock mounts, which were not designed to support a load. Air springs push on the frame, instead. You can get them for less than $200 for a 2500 lb rating.
  • pathomppathomp Member Posts: 25
    The 5.3L is an option I am considering. I test-drove one with the 3.73 axle pulling 6000# and thought it was a little weak on hills, but it might be ok with a 4.10. I don't have any personal experience with the 350, but everybody says it does ok. How does the 5.3L compare in mileage and pulling power?
  • bogradybogrady Member Posts: 7
    99 Silverado 1500 LT w/5.3L, Z71, 3.73 locking diff rear, trailer package, Firestone P265/75R16 all terrain tires. After 900 city miles I'm getting 15mpg. Still waiting to do the highway bit.
  • todlaketodlake Member Posts: 48
    Just a quick note on my F250SD CC SB 4x4 6.8L V10 3.73LS with cabhigh cap. Approx 1500lbs bodies and cargo. 272.8 miles flat highway, 72mph, 16.137 gal = 16.905 mpg. (actually had about 20 miles of stop-n-go city driving in there) I love my truck!
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    My Silverado 1500 LS Reg Cab 4x4, 5.3L, 4.10 axle was getting about 14.6 in town, and about 17.5 on the highway.

    I have 6500 miles on it now, and those numbers have improved. My last highway tank was 18.6, and my last city tank was 17.1 mpg.

    I modified my cooling system thermostat to lower the operating temperature by 13 degrees from 204 to 191. Not sure if that helped the mileage, but it definitely runs smoother.

    It seems though like something has helped the mileage, if not my thermostat mod, then maybe some seasonal factors, like re-formulated fuels, or perhaps it's just fully broken-in now. But I'm very happy. With my 34 gallon tank (standard on long box), I can go 600 miles before re-fueling.
  • RichRich Member Posts: 128
    The last couple of tanks have been hitting 18+ MPG. That is about 50/50 freeway at 65-75 MPH and city at 30-40 MPH. (Different commute routes, freeway morning and city evening.) The city route has 6 long traffic lights and 7 stop signs.
    '99 F-250 SC 7.3L PSD and 3.73 rear end.
  • k0onck0onc Member Posts: 1
    I'm getting 18mpg on the road (mountain driving)
    Have a LT 4X4 5.3 and 4.10,s. 55mph is about 1750rpm. Am very happy with truck.
  • hindsitehindsite Member Posts: 590
    99 SR5 4WD extended cab Tacoma with V6 getting about 22 mpg highway.
  • fish6fish6 Member Posts: 50
    4.8 liter, 4x4, club cab, 3.73 12.5mpg pulling my 2000 lb boat load. Would the 5.3 get alittle better than this pulling this load???????
  • nuwonuwo Member Posts: 63
    Silverado, 4.8, 4x4, ext cab, 4.10 rear end, standard transmission. 18.2 mpg on first tank. Driving included about 50% highway (45-55 mph) and 50% city driving. So far, so good. I'll see what happens after the break-in period when I'll be a bit more heavy footed.
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    Silverado 1500 LS 4x4, reg cab, long bed, 5.3L, 4.10 locking axle, automatic transmission, P265 tires, autotrack. Has 7200 miles on it.

    Best tank highway was 18.6 mpg. Worst tank city was 14.5 mpg. Last tank, went 498 miles, took 30.772 gallons, 16.2 mpg in the city with about a 50/50 mix of freeway cruise, stop 'n go.

    Mileage improved after about 5000 miles.
  • gashoggashog Member Posts: 10
    Don 't seem to be too many full size Dodge Ram owners braging in this topic. I can understand why - my 99 1500 5.9L 3.5 gears, automatic 4X4 has 7500 miles and finally broke 13mpg on a highway trip. Usually is around 11-12mpg. Everything on this truck is factory stock. Obviously this is nothing to write home about.
  • RichRich Member Posts: 128
    gashog,
    Every time I bump into a Ram driver at the diesel pumps, they always throw 22 MPG at my 18 MPG '99 F-250 PSD.
    Rich
  • smcpherrsmcpherr Member Posts: 114
    Here's some interesting $.02 for you. I drive a '97 F-150 4x2 4.6L V8. Currently am a student in LA, so I spend the school year here in California, and summers at home in Nebraska. While in LA, I'd be lucky to get 10-12 mpg in town. (I'm not kidding) I have made the trip between LA and Sacramento several times, and NEVER had above 15 mpg, all interstate, no stopping. While at home I regularly get between 16 and 20 mpg, in town. I've gotten as high as 22 mpg on long trips around Nebraska. I know Nebraska isn't as hilly as LA, but the distance from my apartment in LA to school is about the same as the distance from my home in Nebraska to where I have interned for the last three summers. My driving habits are the same both places, same gas (87 octane), same truck, same everything. I have tried to think of a reasonable explanation for the difference, but I truly can't explain it. I hate to think that the reason is LA smog, but it is the only major difference I can think of.
  • jcmdiejcmdie Member Posts: 594
    The gasoline sold in different parts of the country varies as does the mix that they provide for different seasons. Los Angeles is all gasahol and Nebraska likely does not require it, hence better fuel economy.
  • cowpokescowpokes Member Posts: 33
    Well here is my .02 cents
    Nebraksa and the dakota's being big corn states alcohol/gasahol is pushed for motor fuel year round so that may not be the difference.

    My numbers for a F350 V10,CC,4.30 rear, with 8800 miles, has been 10-11 in town and 13-15 on the highway, but it is tough to keep it under 75 out on the wide open highway of Wyoming.

    Cowpokes
  • smcpherrsmcpherr Member Posts: 114
    Interesting. I think I have seen mention of an ethanol (would this be a replacement for the gasahol you were referring to?) being used in the fuels back home in Nebraska. I'll check it out this summer. I have wondered about the difference for quite a while, but I never would have guessed that the fuel was different. I always thought 87 octane was 87 octane, regardless of what it was made of, kinda like an available power rating for the fuel. I always thought my neighbors were stealing my gas at night (just kidding). Thanks.
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    Not the same at all..... Ethanol probably 1/4th the BTU's per gallon of gasoline.
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    Ethanol is from corn. Methanol is wood alcohol. Octane is a chemical compound.
  • ande157ande157 Member Posts: 23
    Actually, Nebraska (I live in Omaha) does not require the use of ethanol in gasoline ("gasohol"), although you can get "gasohol" at almost any service stations here. It usually carries an octane rating of 89. In NE, unless specifically stated, 87 octane regular contains no ethanol. Gas pumps here are required by law to have a sticker on them indicating whether or not the gas contains ethanol. In CA, all gasoline there is required to contain oxygenates as an anit-smog measure. The oxygenate most frequently used in CA and elsewhere is MBTE (methyl butyl tertiary ether), otherwise known as methanol. In fact, methanol is derived from crude oil as a byproduct of the refining process. The reason fuel mileage would be worse in CA than in NE is probably due to the oxygenated fuel containing MBTE. Since MBTE (and ethanol) has a lower specific energy content than pure gasoline, it takes more oxygenated fuel to put out the same amount of energy as straight gasoline, thus the higher fuel consumption.
  • stoogesstooges Member Posts: 2
    I just purchased an 1996 silverado e-cab z71 with the 5.0L engine. What type of gas milage should I expect. I know that the 5.7L is 15 to 17 mpg.
  • irishpairishpa Member Posts: 1
    I have a F 150 4X4 with a 351ci. I'm looking for a smaler p/u that I could tow up to 3500# but mileage is inportant too. Also what could I expect from a small p/u for mileage and performance?
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