1993-Sierra-Z71
Pontiac & GMT400 Nut
** I originally posted this on FullSizeChevy and imma put it on here as well. There has been some Criticism on which methods work and which don't, but i'm happy to hear about it and edit the OP so it is 100% accurate for you guys, Enjoy!! **
I've seen alot of threads on here asking what can i do to get better gas mileage. well, im going to tell you how to do such a thing.
1) Easy on the gas pedal!
Don't stomp on the gas everywhere. it is fun to floor it and if you did the air lid flip on your OBS, the noise it makes is cool to hear, as im guilty of doing that myself. It's simple, The less Throttle you apply, the less gas you use to get up to speed. you may have a totally BA lifted or lowered truck and the easing on the throttle may make you feel like a grandpa, but it saves gas, right?
2) Intake and Exhaust
Intake and exhaust Mods are usually the most common mods out there. A Engine is basically a big air pump. The more Air it can easily take in and push out the better flow is, and the better the flow is, the better gas mileage is, and you get a bonus of more power! a simple K&N filter or CAI kit and a free flow exhaust system can be used. If you have more Money to spend, a Top-End kit is the choice for you. if you got a Pre-Vortec engine in your OBS, swapping to the stock Vortec Heads, they drastically improve the power and fuel economy of your vehicle. also getting a better flowing Intake Manifold is a great investment for power and fuel consumption. even stepping up your Carb or Throttle Body can improve that number. To a certain Point, The more power a engine has, the better economy it has. this is true because if you have some extra power over stock, you give less throttle to get up to speed in some cases. this might be true or not, but alot of people seem to think that it is a valid idea. If your not into the loudness your truck will become you can get some Hushpower mufflers or the Dynomax VT muffler with the sound dampening valve inside of it. they also make High-Flow Catalytic converters out there to keep it Smog-Legal. There are also those Throttle Body Spacers, They have to be the most controversial product out there. some say they work alot, some say they don't do a thing, and some of those products say that their rifle bored bores on their spacers and worth 10-15% better than stock for power and economy. its a love it or hate it mod. Another controversial product is the injector pod spacers. i haven't found many people using these spacers, and they wouldn't even bother to buy them and install them because the gains wouldn't be noticeable at all. it all comes down to what you wanna believe about the throttle body spacers, the injector pod spacers, and even the "salad bowl" mod. I've read a story where they took a OBS C1500 and put shorty headers, a mandrel bent y pipe and a high flow cat and a mandrel bent cat-back kit on it and it gained around 25+ HP as well as a noticeable mileage increase. these mods may be expensive, but they pay for themselves at the pump.
3) Preform Regular Maintenance Tasks
You will use less gas if you keep your engine running right, the way it should. this means Tire inflation and under inflation creates drag that lowers you economy. Wheel Alignment is also important, you wont get optimum gas mileage if your truck isn't rolling straight. Also using products such as Seafoam every time you do a oil change can help also. you can pour it into your Throttle body ( or into your vacuum line for the NBS and NNBS guys, and down the Carb for the OOBS Guys) and it will go directly into the combustion chamber and clean up your Valves in the heads and it will clean up the piston head. you can pour it into your oil to help clean the sludge out. you can also pour it into your gas tank to clean the fuel pump, the fuel filter and the fuel lines out so the gunk from the cruddy gas out. also, any liquid additives can help such as octane booster and transmission fluid additive. also doing a basic tune up, E3 Plugs, Quality Name Brand plug wires, Also getting a High-power coil, a Superior "no arc" rotor, a Coil dust cover, a Low-saturation control module, an Adjustable vacuum advance unit, and a High performance advance spring and weight set are all in a Distributor tune up kit you can get from any parts store can help tremendously at making your motor run better than stock. since most Vehicle makers recommend running 87 octane gas in you vehicles i would seriously run some gas additive like octane booster or diesel fuel additive. some say it isn't worth it, but you can also once in awhile fill up with the highest octane fuel like V-Power (And not Turbo Blue race gas, i got that at my local Shell) can help get the gunk from lesser quality gasolines out. one controversial product i know of is running Royal Purple oil in your vehicle. it does help with the lubricating surfaces to keep wear down and keep parts cool. also a Oil Filter with No cardboard internal parts such as puralator filters can also help protect you engine to keep it running smooth.
4) Maintain Good Aerodynamics
This is a controversial topic i think. I was watching Mythbusters once and they did a test on trucks with a tonneau cover on, no tonneau and tail gate up and no tonneau and tailgate down and a net or mesh tail gate. the Myth was that " Will Driving with your tailgate up increase fuel consumption? There finding was "Busted." The most fuel efficient way to drive your truck is with a Mesh Tailgate, with a improvement of almost 5% over tailgate up, tailgate down, Tonneau on and no tailgate. Just Tailgate Down is the worst for fuel economy. heres the video from the episode http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3aqHbD-O9E . Roof Racks should also be avoided. As for all you Lowered Guys, you have a slight advantage due to your trucks lower amount of exposed area, your front tires are hidden, the front suspension and the whole underneath is blocked by your front bumper or air dam. this prevents a big amount of air going under the truck and swirling and getting stuck underneath the vehicle.
Edit: #5 Was Deleted due to incorrect facts. keep em coming!
6) Turn the Truck off when you can.
This is the most simple way to use less gas. If you live in a big city and encounter traffic jams on a daily basis where your sitting in one spot for 10 minutes then shutting you truck off is alot better on gas and better on the engine than letting it idle for 10 minutes. Also avoid Drive-throughs, Drive up ATM's, Banks, Pharmacy's, go walk into the business. it may be more convenient to go through the dive up window at your bank but you idle there unless you shut your truck off, but usually for me the service in the bank is faster than out in the drive up. Also Plan your Route. avoid the stop and go traffic if you can. when work lets out at 5 P.M. don't leave your house to go shopping at 4 or 4:30 or 5. go at 1 in the afternoon if you can or you can wait in your vehicle after work and read the paper of read your magazines you have with you if u do. wait a half hour or so before you leave so you can try to avoid the traffic and it also gives you more time away from the wife or girlfriend haha. if you don't, you will encounter alot of traffic and will need to wait and let your truck idle and waste gas.
7) Use the A/C less!
We all may hate the 94 degree F. day with 80% humidity but using the A/C Makes your truck use more gas and use the Vents only or if your lucky enough to have a OOBS with the vent windows on the front use them, they are very helpful. Also Reduce the A/C's load by parking in the shade so that the truck doesn't heat up as much during short stops or at home if you can. also parking in a home garage helps it stay cool through out the day. Leave the windows or sunroof cracked slightly if you'll be right back or if you're close enough to run out and shut them if a rain shower erupts.
8) Don't haul items you don't need
You'll improve your gas mileage if you lighten up the load. I admit that I'm often guilty of carting around extra tools and supplies -- things that would be just as well left at home, unless you attend swap meets all the time, then the fun factor of buying things you either want or need override the worry of fuel economy. We can all improve our fuel economy by removing unnecessary weight from the truck bed or cargo area.
9) Combine Trips
Try to combine your errands so that you can get everything you need during one trip, Even if it means dealing with your kids who happen to be very annoying that day and your cranky wife or girlfriend, especially if you live a distance from shopping areas.
10) Carpooling Or Ride a Bike
It's not always possible, but carpooling can save you a lot of dollars in fuel bills. You don't need to take 2 vehicles to go out and meet up with friends. Have them come and pick you up or pick them up and go out to eat or drink. Use the most Fuel Efficient Vehicle also for meeting up, if you got a big NBS Silverado crew cab on a 4 inch lift with 35's and a dinky little Minivan, take the van. it takes way less gas to drive, but you will need to sacrifice the bada$$ nature of your truck, unless your out trying to score girls at the bars or clubs, then by all means use the truck!!! Carpooling drivers are allowed to use less congested Interstate highway lanes in many cities during rush hours, so you might even get to work faster, hopefully, that is. Consider public transportation if you live in a city or town that provides it. Ride a bicycle for short trips, or if you got a Harley or even a Moped, ride them on work days and use the trucks for scoring girls or offroading, sort of a weekend toy. Or you can walk to your destination. You won't use any gas at all and you'll be a step ahead with your daily exercise, as long as McDonald's isn't one of your stops!!
Hope this has helped you figure out what you can do to use less gas and get better mileage, and if you have any more ways of doing so, post below and i will add them to the list above!! Keep it between the ditches and the shiny side up!!!
I've seen alot of threads on here asking what can i do to get better gas mileage. well, im going to tell you how to do such a thing.
1) Easy on the gas pedal!
Don't stomp on the gas everywhere. it is fun to floor it and if you did the air lid flip on your OBS, the noise it makes is cool to hear, as im guilty of doing that myself. It's simple, The less Throttle you apply, the less gas you use to get up to speed. you may have a totally BA lifted or lowered truck and the easing on the throttle may make you feel like a grandpa, but it saves gas, right?
2) Intake and Exhaust
Intake and exhaust Mods are usually the most common mods out there. A Engine is basically a big air pump. The more Air it can easily take in and push out the better flow is, and the better the flow is, the better gas mileage is, and you get a bonus of more power! a simple K&N filter or CAI kit and a free flow exhaust system can be used. If you have more Money to spend, a Top-End kit is the choice for you. if you got a Pre-Vortec engine in your OBS, swapping to the stock Vortec Heads, they drastically improve the power and fuel economy of your vehicle. also getting a better flowing Intake Manifold is a great investment for power and fuel consumption. even stepping up your Carb or Throttle Body can improve that number. To a certain Point, The more power a engine has, the better economy it has. this is true because if you have some extra power over stock, you give less throttle to get up to speed in some cases. this might be true or not, but alot of people seem to think that it is a valid idea. If your not into the loudness your truck will become you can get some Hushpower mufflers or the Dynomax VT muffler with the sound dampening valve inside of it. they also make High-Flow Catalytic converters out there to keep it Smog-Legal. There are also those Throttle Body Spacers, They have to be the most controversial product out there. some say they work alot, some say they don't do a thing, and some of those products say that their rifle bored bores on their spacers and worth 10-15% better than stock for power and economy. its a love it or hate it mod. Another controversial product is the injector pod spacers. i haven't found many people using these spacers, and they wouldn't even bother to buy them and install them because the gains wouldn't be noticeable at all. it all comes down to what you wanna believe about the throttle body spacers, the injector pod spacers, and even the "salad bowl" mod. I've read a story where they took a OBS C1500 and put shorty headers, a mandrel bent y pipe and a high flow cat and a mandrel bent cat-back kit on it and it gained around 25+ HP as well as a noticeable mileage increase. these mods may be expensive, but they pay for themselves at the pump.
3) Preform Regular Maintenance Tasks
You will use less gas if you keep your engine running right, the way it should. this means Tire inflation and under inflation creates drag that lowers you economy. Wheel Alignment is also important, you wont get optimum gas mileage if your truck isn't rolling straight. Also using products such as Seafoam every time you do a oil change can help also. you can pour it into your Throttle body ( or into your vacuum line for the NBS and NNBS guys, and down the Carb for the OOBS Guys) and it will go directly into the combustion chamber and clean up your Valves in the heads and it will clean up the piston head. you can pour it into your oil to help clean the sludge out. you can also pour it into your gas tank to clean the fuel pump, the fuel filter and the fuel lines out so the gunk from the cruddy gas out. also, any liquid additives can help such as octane booster and transmission fluid additive. also doing a basic tune up, E3 Plugs, Quality Name Brand plug wires, Also getting a High-power coil, a Superior "no arc" rotor, a Coil dust cover, a Low-saturation control module, an Adjustable vacuum advance unit, and a High performance advance spring and weight set are all in a Distributor tune up kit you can get from any parts store can help tremendously at making your motor run better than stock. since most Vehicle makers recommend running 87 octane gas in you vehicles i would seriously run some gas additive like octane booster or diesel fuel additive. some say it isn't worth it, but you can also once in awhile fill up with the highest octane fuel like V-Power (And not Turbo Blue race gas, i got that at my local Shell) can help get the gunk from lesser quality gasolines out. one controversial product i know of is running Royal Purple oil in your vehicle. it does help with the lubricating surfaces to keep wear down and keep parts cool. also a Oil Filter with No cardboard internal parts such as puralator filters can also help protect you engine to keep it running smooth.
4) Maintain Good Aerodynamics
This is a controversial topic i think. I was watching Mythbusters once and they did a test on trucks with a tonneau cover on, no tonneau and tail gate up and no tonneau and tailgate down and a net or mesh tail gate. the Myth was that " Will Driving with your tailgate up increase fuel consumption? There finding was "Busted." The most fuel efficient way to drive your truck is with a Mesh Tailgate, with a improvement of almost 5% over tailgate up, tailgate down, Tonneau on and no tailgate. Just Tailgate Down is the worst for fuel economy. heres the video from the episode http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3aqHbD-O9E . Roof Racks should also be avoided. As for all you Lowered Guys, you have a slight advantage due to your trucks lower amount of exposed area, your front tires are hidden, the front suspension and the whole underneath is blocked by your front bumper or air dam. this prevents a big amount of air going under the truck and swirling and getting stuck underneath the vehicle.
Edit: #5 Was Deleted due to incorrect facts. keep em coming!
6) Turn the Truck off when you can.
This is the most simple way to use less gas. If you live in a big city and encounter traffic jams on a daily basis where your sitting in one spot for 10 minutes then shutting you truck off is alot better on gas and better on the engine than letting it idle for 10 minutes. Also avoid Drive-throughs, Drive up ATM's, Banks, Pharmacy's, go walk into the business. it may be more convenient to go through the dive up window at your bank but you idle there unless you shut your truck off, but usually for me the service in the bank is faster than out in the drive up. Also Plan your Route. avoid the stop and go traffic if you can. when work lets out at 5 P.M. don't leave your house to go shopping at 4 or 4:30 or 5. go at 1 in the afternoon if you can or you can wait in your vehicle after work and read the paper of read your magazines you have with you if u do. wait a half hour or so before you leave so you can try to avoid the traffic and it also gives you more time away from the wife or girlfriend haha. if you don't, you will encounter alot of traffic and will need to wait and let your truck idle and waste gas.
7) Use the A/C less!
We all may hate the 94 degree F. day with 80% humidity but using the A/C Makes your truck use more gas and use the Vents only or if your lucky enough to have a OOBS with the vent windows on the front use them, they are very helpful. Also Reduce the A/C's load by parking in the shade so that the truck doesn't heat up as much during short stops or at home if you can. also parking in a home garage helps it stay cool through out the day. Leave the windows or sunroof cracked slightly if you'll be right back or if you're close enough to run out and shut them if a rain shower erupts.
8) Don't haul items you don't need
You'll improve your gas mileage if you lighten up the load. I admit that I'm often guilty of carting around extra tools and supplies -- things that would be just as well left at home, unless you attend swap meets all the time, then the fun factor of buying things you either want or need override the worry of fuel economy. We can all improve our fuel economy by removing unnecessary weight from the truck bed or cargo area.
9) Combine Trips
Try to combine your errands so that you can get everything you need during one trip, Even if it means dealing with your kids who happen to be very annoying that day and your cranky wife or girlfriend, especially if you live a distance from shopping areas.
10) Carpooling Or Ride a Bike
It's not always possible, but carpooling can save you a lot of dollars in fuel bills. You don't need to take 2 vehicles to go out and meet up with friends. Have them come and pick you up or pick them up and go out to eat or drink. Use the most Fuel Efficient Vehicle also for meeting up, if you got a big NBS Silverado crew cab on a 4 inch lift with 35's and a dinky little Minivan, take the van. it takes way less gas to drive, but you will need to sacrifice the bada$$ nature of your truck, unless your out trying to score girls at the bars or clubs, then by all means use the truck!!! Carpooling drivers are allowed to use less congested Interstate highway lanes in many cities during rush hours, so you might even get to work faster, hopefully, that is. Consider public transportation if you live in a city or town that provides it. Ride a bicycle for short trips, or if you got a Harley or even a Moped, ride them on work days and use the trucks for scoring girls or offroading, sort of a weekend toy. Or you can walk to your destination. You won't use any gas at all and you'll be a step ahead with your daily exercise, as long as McDonald's isn't one of your stops!!
Hope this has helped you figure out what you can do to use less gas and get better mileage, and if you have any more ways of doing so, post below and i will add them to the list above!! Keep it between the ditches and the shiny side up!!!
