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[Oleksy]

What's the best single mod to improve gas mileage?

I was going to order a cold air intake, but after doing a lot of surfing, this doesn't look like the best mod to improve gas mileage.  Would a Superchip programmer be better?

[MyBigToy]

Buy a 4-cylinder car! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

From my experience you won't improve your mileage much along the way when you start modding. If I was going to pick one mod it would probably be a programming suite like HPTuners or EFI Live. They aren't cheap but they give you complete control over adjusting your pcm and tcm. If you aren't up to lots of reading and learning neither one of these programs is for you. Next on the list, I guess I would try either  dyno tune or mail order tune, making sure I explained to the tuner that my goals were greater mpg. Next would be a canned programmer but they are limited in the amount of adjustments you can make.

Realistically, you need to do something to the pcm, the intake, and the exhaust to see the full effects. You have to be able to pull more air in and remove air out more efficiently. You can do a drop-in K&N filter for the stock airbox pretty cheaply and it will gain you probably 80% of the benefits of a CAI.

[ltxi]

Best single mod in my opinion is a competent, tailored tune. Second, depending on your existing shoes, may well be a carefully chosen, new set of tires.

[Hugz]

As easy as it sounds, and VERY hard to do for a lot of people..  Go the speed limit..  It makes a HUGE difference, that and like i was brught up before the size of you rims etc makes a big difference.  I went back to my stock setup and gained between 2 and 3 MPG..

Good luck.. 

[ltxi]

As easy as it sounds, and VERY hard to do for a lot of people..  Go the speed limit..  It makes a HUGE difference, that and like i was brught up before the size of you rims etc makes a big difference.  I went back to my stock setup and gained between 2 and 3 MPG..

Good luck.. 

Good concept, but as you point out, sometimes hard to do. And even then....truck gets great mileage at around 65, not quite as good at 70, really starts to fall off at/after 75. Twenty miles of my 25 mile one way commute is in free flowing, 75 mph speed limit, traffic. Eighty is the norm and under 75 you'll get run over/are clogging up the flow.

[chAVey]

Sorry to say, but reality is the stock system is probably the best for MPG.  Yes, programmers, etc can get slightly better MPG, but I don't think you'ld really earn your money back.  I have a CAI, Dual Exhaust, and programmer and my MPG is way WORSE than stock.  I got the Edge Evolution Programmer and it acts as a gauge cluster while running.  I can tell you that avg MPG is MUCH better at 55 than 75.  But I know it's hard to stay off the pedal when you hear that throaty roar!

[ygmn]

brick under gas pedal....

[MooseAlanche]

brick under gas pedal....

And an egg on top of the gas pedal 

[BCmountaineer]

Rig up a SAIL panel... heheheuhuhuheheh...

[MyBigToy]

Sorry to say, but reality is the stock system is probably the best for MPG.  Yes, programmers, etc can get slightly better MPG, but I don't think you'ld really earn your money back.  I have a CAI, Dual Exhaust, and programmer and my MPG is way WORSE than stock.  I got the Edge Evolution Programmer and it acts as a gauge cluster while running.  I can tell you that avg MPG is MUCH better at 55 than 75.  But I know it's hard to stay off the pedal when you hear that throaty roar!

With something like a Predator programmer or a tuning suite like HPTuners it's pretty easy to fix. If you're really serious you could set the speed limiter to, say, 70 mph. You couldn't go any faster than that. It's probably not a good idea but if you really wanted to you could.

[chAVey]

True.  But I think that's the point of programmers - I don't WANT to limit it.

[Oleksy]

Thanks for the input.  I do tend to drive like an old lady, and coast a lot, but I'll still like to get better MPG.

If the CAI negatively impact MPG, would a drop in result in lost mpg too?  I'd be willing to go the drop in route ...

Also, I'll look at a programer.

[MS03 2500]

I have to ask what kind of mileage are you getting now.

[Hugz]

Good concept, but as you point out, sometimes hard to do. And even then....truck gets great mileage at around 65, not quite as good at 70, really starts to fall off at/after 75. Twenty miles of my 25 mile one way commute is in free flowing, 75 mph speed limit, traffic. Eighty is the norm and under 75 you'll get run over/are clogging up the flow.

But its much harder to run over an avalanche.. 
 Same here on the LONG commute as I am at 33 miles..  But I also knew that keeping the av was going to create a higher gas bill each month..

[ygmn]

Buy another car and only use Avy when you need it...

[PerfectReign]

Buy another car and only use Avy when you need it...

Looked into that. Way too expensive.  Even with a 100% increase in mileage (30 mpg), your second car/truck/motorcycle is going to run more because of insurance and general maintenance.  I seriously thought of this for my 20-mile commute, but dropped it because it just wasn't worth it.  After my dad passed away, I even drove his sub-compact Chrysler Sebring for a few months. It was a PITA to try and coordinate when I'd need the AV (for baseball crap for my kids) and not.  After a month or so, I decided to simply sell it.  The extra gas mileage wasn't worth the insurance cost or feeling like I was a sardine.

I vote for the brick idea!

[avalonandl]

Thanks for the input.  I do tend to drive like an old lady, and coast a lot, but I'll still like to get better MPG.

If the CAI negatively impact MPG, would a drop in result in lost mpg too?  I'd be willing to go the drop in route ...

Also, I'll look at a programer.

A dyno tune with the emphasis on economy will be yyour best bet. A programer will do the same but a dyno tune has more parameters to adjust.

Avalon

[Oleksy]

Right now, with a mix of driving, I'm getting 15.9.  I have made a few trips pulling my light boat, which lowered the mileage.

Of course, I'd like to get a little more....

[chevyguy83]

So I was really interested in increasing my MPG and PowerBlockTV had a special they did on a mid 90 Dodge Ram 1500 with lifted tires.  I have started to do much of what they tested and it does work.  I don't know all of them but this is what I have done and intend on doing in the future to increase the MPG of my 03 Avalanche 1500.  When I started the quest for better gas milage I was high 10's low 11's on a weekly basis.  Without changing my driving I am now at high 15's and that is not highway driving.  Highway I have been upwards of 20 MPG. 

1. BIGGEST PAYOFF- buy a computer programmer.  I have a hypertec and it increased my milage 2-3 mpg.  It does cost but if you look at it like this, after you re-coupe the savings of the cost of gas, you will then be saving money.  Mine cost around $300 and I bought it a few months ago.

2. CAI- Just with that I was able to get another 0.5 MPG out of it, don't need to buy an expensive AFE, I have had one of those on a 05 GMC and it was great, bought a cheap on on other cars... just a good.  The one I have on the AVE is a ebay special.  I love it.

3. Make sure your vehicle is tuned up and maintenance is done. i.e. tire pressure, good oil....

TO BE DONE:
1.  Change out the mechanical cooling fan for an electric cooling fan.  Cost is about $100, only a few wires and then you get around 2 MPG. 

2. Make sure that there isn't any extra weight on the vehicle that isn't needed.  i.e. loading straps, oversized spare tire, junk, toolboxes that aren't needed, additional hitches... just make sure you don't have a bunch of crap that doesn't need to be riding around costing you MPG.

3.  Driving style is a big deal, PowerBlock TV installed a vacuum gauge in order to help control the gas pedal, shutting off your vehicle doesn't help t stop lights, and definitely don't shift to neutral going down hill.

4

[PerfectReign]

those are all good tips.

What if you buy a 60 MPG Toyota Prius and put that in the bed?

[misura]

 Why not use neutral down long hills? Out of my drive, I can coast for 6.3 miles. Adjusting RPMs before engaging tranny, what does it hurt?

[ygmn]

Why not use neutral down long hills? Out of my drive, I can coast for 6.3 miles. Adjusting RPMs before engaging tranny, what does it hurt?

transmission.

[LornesAV]

I tried shell v power lowest octane without realize it before my research and got better mileage. I viewed this site and found ethanol free gas and got better milelage with considerable city driving. 2-3 mpg estimated,I typically get less than 16 with very much city driving and driving highway 55 in Missouri I get 16 or less. Last tank 17.4 including that city driving. http://www.pure-gas.org/extensions/map.html

I filled up today with shell v power 93 octane and I will let you know how that goes. $.24 more per gallon. It was not marked no ethanol.

I have a rough idol and I hope it clears that up, on other sites there have been some great increase with the 4 cylinder engines.

Here is a site that help you track your mileage   http://www.Fuelly.com/car/

[LornesAV]

18.5 on the way back from Cape Girardeau mo. 93 octane not sure about the ethanol in the gas or not. I will finish the tank tomorrow or thursday to see what the DIC  calculates. Highway 70 is usually by best mileage unless the head wind is high.

[stogen]

gas weighs a lot especially a full tank if you don't drive far every day just keep the tank half full or even just above a quarter tank, it  got me a little better mileage