Ok, is 17MPG bad?
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Ok, is 17MPG bad?
I have a 94 4x4 V6 pickup that I drove 2700 miles and average MPG was 17. I have had this truck since 96 and have added the basic items for better efficiency K&N intake, custom exhaust, 2 1/4 into freeflow CAT and FLowmaster 40 muffler, cleaned throttle body, replaced fuel filter and just installed O2 sensor and a Flexalite electric fan. I did send my ECU to JET Performance for chip upgrade and that might be some reason for my drop in MPG, I thought that I was getting close to 19 or 20 MPG before I sent for the chip replacement. Has anybody experience the same problem with drop in MPG or is this a result of winter fuel? I am planning a drive from East Coast to West Coast this summer and a couple more MPG would be helpful. I'm sorry about this thread, I know it has been pretty much beat to death, but I could use some enlightenment on this subject. Thanks Steve
#2
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Yes, you will get a little bit worse mileage on winter blend fuel. "Winter blend" has more ethanol mixed into it to reduce emissions, but because of this the fuel's specific energy content goes down and you end up having to burn more of it to get around.
#3
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well for the 3.0, i would have to say that 17 is good. Some people claim 22+ but maybe they live at high altitiude or cant divide 2 numbers. If I still had my 92 I would be happy with 17. Is this highway, town, or mix? Not totally sure but the Jet chip doesnt have the best reputation around here. Your other upgrades are spot on for mpg rise.how are the plugs and plug wires? distributor cap and rotor? oh is it an auto or stick? i notice a drop with my auto in the winter. negative 30C kills mpg.
Last edited by Godzilla; 01-16-2007 at 05:25 AM.
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I got close to 21 miles per gallon with my 3.0 on a dead-wind day from San Antonio to College Station, TX (150 miles or so). Set the cruise at 70 and did pretty well. I get about 16-17 in the city with pedal to the floor driving daily, but being in Texas, we don't have winter blend gas.
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Yes, the cap, rotor & plugs are new the plug wires are MSD 8.5 super conductor. I do get on it a little more because now I can actually pass people even at 70mph it will get up and go pretty quick up to 80. But if I had to list the worst mods that I have done to this truck the JET chip has tobe 1 of the most disappointing. This truck is a 5sp and 4.30 rearend pushing 31x10.50 AMSOIL in diffs, transfer case and trans. I figure the mileage out over the drive to Minnesota from Baltimore and back pretty much kept the cruise control lock in at 70-72 and would do the math at every gas stop and the total for the whole trip-total gallons used vs miles driven. I was looking forward to a small increase with the new O2 sensor, but pretty much has been the same.
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i just went to tahoe and back and i got almost 21mpg on the freeway. of course when i hit the usual stop-and-go it dropped back down to 15 or 16.
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Yeah, 17 is pretty good for these rigs..in town it's real good. I get that if I'm sweet to the pedal. When I haul or tow it drops to 14. Ain't complainin' too much.
#15
well for the 3.0, i would have to say that 17 is good. Some people claim 22+ but maybe they live at high altitiude or cant divide 2 numbers. If I still had my 92 I would be happy with 17. Is this highway, town, or mix? Not totally sure but the Jet chip doesnt have the best reputation around here. Your other upgrades are spot on for mpg rise.how are the plugs and plug wires? distributor cap and rotor? oh is it an auto or stick? i notice a drop with my auto in the winter. negative 30C kills mpg.
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I used to get 25 mpg out of my 89 xtra cab 4x4 4.56 gears on 32 inch wild countries with the 3.slow and the 5-speed, thats freeway mileage, now with the 3.4 and auto and 33's I am lucky to get 17, but hey, it is a lot nicer and better to drive now, gotta compromise somewhere.
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#18
i live in the colorado rockies at 7000 feet. higher altitude is bad for your gas mileage. when i drive to lower elevations i can tell a huge difference in power and gas mileage. that is because there is more oxygen at lower altitudes. more oxygen means better combustion and better gas mileage. my extended cab 3.0 with auto tranny, stock tires, 500-600 pounds of tools in the bed, a fiberglass topper, and full lumber rack gets 8 or 9mpg. and is extremely slow.
#19
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i live in the colorado rockies at 7000 feet. higher altitude is bad for your gas mileage. when i drive to lower elevations i can tell a huge difference in power and gas mileage. that is because there is more oxygen at lower altitudes. more oxygen means better combustion and better gas mileage. my extended cab 3.0 with auto tranny, stock tires, 500-600 pounds of tools in the bed, a fiberglass topper, and full lumber rack gets 8 or 9mpg. and is extremely slow.
When I lived in Tucson, I would get about 14mpg in the city, and 17mpg on the highway; Tucson is at about 2500 ft above sea level. When I moved to Los Alamos (7500ft asl) my mileage jumped up to about 17mpg in city, and 20-21mpg hwy.
#20
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About 17 City and 20-21 US MPG, with a cracked head too. My old 5.3 chev was about the same. I'm turboed so I'm not so affected when I go to the mountains :-))