GM 5.3 gas mileage

[deerefan]

deerefan:

We have a 2009 GMC 1500 crew cab with same motor & rear end. Trip from NH to Buffalo was 18.5 mpg but only about 15 locally (never got to 5th & 6th gears).

Two thoughts: my mileage was low iniatially ; ensure your air filter is clean.

I wanted to post a rather positive update. I do not drive the truck much so it took me a couple weeks to get to my next fill up. I made it a point to drive 65 mph or less, tried not to brake hard or accelarate hard. Not much different than my normal driving habits. My mileage went up from 15.8 to 17.1. I also just turned 6k miles, so maybe a little more broken in. My coworker has the exact same truck, 3.42 gears/4x4/5.3, and is seeing 18-19 mpg but he has 15k miles on his. He started to notice an increase around 6k also.

 

[RandyT]

2011 Ram 1500 regular cab 4x4 Hemi 5.7 3.92 gears averaging 15 pulling my 12 foot utility trailer with 4 foot gate (parachute) flat highway 2 lane driving on flat ground at 55 averages 21 per gallon

 

[hawkeye08]

I wanted to post a rather positive update. I do not drive the truck much so it took me a couple weeks to get to my next fill up. I made it a point to drive 65 mph or less, tried not to brake hard or accelarate hard. Not much different than my normal driving habits. My mileage went up from 15.8 to 17.1. I also just turned 6k miles, so maybe a little more broken in. My coworker has the exact same truck, 3.42 gears/4x4/5.3, and is seeing 18-19 mpg but he has 15k miles on his. He started to notice an increase around 6k also.

I don't know if this applies, but it may be how you are filling up... I have not experienced this, just read about it. There was another thread that did not mention E-85, but rather flex fuel models but I could not find it.

E-85 Refueling Events - GM-Trucks.com

 

[Dargo]

Don't feel bad about your GM none of the new trucks from anyone do well from what I hear some are even worse the Titan or Hemi comes to mind.

IE my 02 Tundra 4.7 v8 4wd gets 15 not loaded and with quite a bit of tailwind if I am lucky and about 10-11 in town.

It will pull a house and rides like a car runs like hot rod but it sure loves gas $80-90 fill ups not uncommon right now.

Yeah, like you, I'm extremely doubtful of some of these quoted average MPG claims. I worked in car dealerships for years and got a brand new vehicle every month or so to drive and have probably owned over a hundred different vehicles on my own. Based on my actual experience, I have to run the BS flag up on some of these claims on fuel economy "averages". I know for a fact, because I've owned some identical models, that some of the claims are pure BS and their vehicles wouldn't get over 20 mpg running 40 mph down hill with a 30 mph tail wind!

For a modern full sized 4X4 gas powered pickup without the smallest V6 they could put in it, I've only managed about 13 or 14 average overall MPG. I don't call highway only except to pull off to fill up "average". My "average" driving has about 70% city driving and 30% highway driving. With that being the case, I can tell you that in 4000 miles my '04 Excursion with a 6.8 V10 has averaged 12.4 mpg. That's about the exact same as what my '98 Dodge Durango with a 5.9 averaged for 180k miles.

Heck, on only highway, I can get just over 34 mpg with my '08 Acura TL. In city only driving it drops all the way down to 16 mpg. My '06 F350 4X4 dually with a 6.0 PSD gets about 10 mpg in town and maybe 15 on the highway if I'm not pulling anything. That's almost identical to the '96 Dodge 4X4 dually with the 5.9 Cummins I had. The only way I can see getting over 20 mpg with a crew cab 4X4 dually diesel pickup is running highway only at about 30 miles per hour on flat ground with no head wind. Probably the worst POS I ever owned was a 2002 Chevy Suburban with the 5.3 and it averaged maybe 11 mpg while everything in and on that vehicle squeaked, rattled and fell apart. Based on the complete lack of quality in that $50k vehicle, it's no wonder GM went bankrupt!

 

[timswi]

The mileages I stated are facts, not BS. My wife's 01 tahoe averaged 16MPG in mixed driving. My 04 GMC 5.3 and my 11GMC 6.2 both average around 16 mixed. Can get 19 taking it easy on a dedicated highway run.

Easy on calling the rest of us liers just because you don't have the same experience. You're not an oracle after all.

 

[Dargo]

The mileages I stated are facts, not BS. My wife's 01 tahoe averaged 16MPG in mixed driving. My 04 GMC 5.3 and my 11GMC 6.2 both average around 16 mixed. Can get 19 taking it easy on a dedicated highway run.

Easy on calling the rest of us liers just because you don't have the same experience. You're not an oracle after all.

You are not far off of what I said. What is your "mixed" driving??? I stated that mine is 70/30 city to highway. If it were reversed, I could see your figures. I'm talking about the people who claim to get 23 mpg on the highway running 75 miles per hour and towing a trailer. BS, and I'll always stick to the BS on those claims. I'm a realist and I go by what I observe; with my own equipment and equipment of others I know and trust.

 

[timswi]

You are not far off of what I said. What is your "mixed" driving??? I stated that mine is 70/30 city to highway. If it were reversed, I could see your figures. I'm talking about the people who claim to get 23 mpg on the highway running 75 miles per hour and towing a trailer. BS, and I'll always stick to the BS on those claims. I'm a realist and I go by what I observe; with my own equipment and equipment of others I know and trust.

I run 50/50..The wife is all rural roads, not much city or highway....I'm with you then.

I can get as low as 13-14 if I'm puttering in the city or towing for extended periods.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I run 50/50..The wife is all rural roads, not much city or highway....I'm with you then.

I can get as low as 13-14 if I'm puttering in the city or towing for extended periods.

That is the issue. What one calls rural and highway is not always the same. Rural to a guy living in Philly is different to a guy like me in the corn belt.

My gas 1/2 ton gets 14.4mpg day in day out. 9.4mpg towing 9,700#. Best tank all highway was about 18mpg.

My Diesel averages 17mpg tank to tank day in day out. 15mpg pulling my boat. Best tank all highway was 23.6mpg.

Neighbors diesel that I maintain averages 13mpg day in day out (lots of short driving and lots of idling). Best tank is 21mpg on the highway. 12mpg pulling a 5th wheel.

Chris

 

[deerefan]

That is the issue. What one calls rural and highway is not always the same. Rural to a guy living in Philly is different to a guy like me in the corn belt.

My gas 1/2 ton gets 14.4mpg day in day out. 9.4mpg towing 9,700#. Best tank all highway was about 18mpg.

My Diesel averages 17mpg tank to tank day in day out. 15mpg pulling my boat. Best tank all highway was 23.6mpg.

Neighbors diesel that I maintain averages 13mpg day in day out (lots of short driving and lots of idling). Best tank is 21mpg on the highway. 12mpg pulling a 5th wheel.

Chris

My driving route changes from time to time as I work in construction and start a new job about once a year. One thing is consistent. The first 25 miles of my commute have 1 stop sign and 1 red light. I average 55-60mph the whole way. The last 15 are more city where I average 35-45 mph with more frequent stops. To give you an idea, my wife had an 07 civic that did not requie a brake job until it hit 100k miles in late 2010.