Two years ago I purchased a 2500HD with the 6.0 to pull my boat in Alaska. There were lots of mountains and the power was needed to get up and down the hills. Now I have moved and sold the boat. Still love the truck but it's drinking habits are tough. I have installed duel exhaust, K&N airfilter and use synthetic oil. My mileage in town is around 12.5-13 and on the road its 13.5-14.

Are there any other options to increase my gas mileage? How does my mileage compare with other 2500HD owners?

Open to suggestions

RD

that's about all you'll get. Most of the 6.0 trucks have 4.10 gears,more RPM more fuel used. Sometimes a chip may help but then you have to buy premium gas, if you already buy the good gas then a chip may be a good investment. My Dad has an 04 hd ecsb and all he gets is 14

You might want to consider a programmer or supercharger. I had a 2002 2500HD with 38's on it and I was getting a nice 14-16 mpg. I drove pretty hard too.. Not sure why you are having that problem. I ran a hypertech for a while then switched over to Diablo. I was getting pretty good mileage out of mine.. Might want to consider those options... Good luck

rdinak,

You don't specify what gear ratio you are running. If you are running 3.73s, a jump to 4.10s may actually give you better mileage (it did for my brother). If you currently have 4.10s going to a taller tire (not wider) may help. You mentioned that you have a dual exhaust, is it a name brand mandrel bent system or was it bent at a muffler shop. Pipes that are not mandrel bent can have huge restrictions and negate the gain from the additional exhaust pipe. Also, long tube headers can help, but they ain't cheap and good ones are in excess of 500 bucks!:eek: And last but not least, a good tune on your PCM can help. You have the option to buy a tuner and upload a program yourself or there are companies that you send your PCM to and they actually access the PCM and tweak the parameters specifically to your truck.
JP
P.S. get rid of all extranious weight.

All HD's with the 6.0 came with the 4.10 ratio. Not an authority on the subject but my understanding is your best bet is a custom pcm from somebody like wester's garage.

Hmmm. Learn something new every day. I did not know all 6.0s came with the 4.10s. I sure wish my '04 2500 Sub would have had the 4.10s.:(

JP

Problem is its just the HD's, if you have the regular 8800 gvwr frame like a Sub - 2500, then I believe its 3.73 - maybe an option of the 4.10 - not too sure.

I am running 245/75r/16 tires-Cooper Discover At's. Where do i look to see which rear end came in my truck? The dual exhaust were installed at a local muffler shop while living in AK. Can someone provide more information on tuning the PCM? New guy here-trying to learn as quickly as possible.

Thanks for the information so far.

I am running 245/75r/16 tires-Cooper Discover At's. Where do i look to see which rear end came in my truck? The dual exhaust were installed at a local muffler shop while living in AK. Can someone provide more information on tuning the PCM? New guy here-trying to learn as quickly as possible.

Thanks for the information so far.
What are you driving? Your axle ratio will be listed on the dealer spec sheet if you have it or maybe under the hood.

i thought 3.73s was also an option for 2wds. i know 4.10s is the only choice for 4x4 6.0 HDs.

as for mileage - i get 13.5-14.5 in town and 15 hwy. bone stock. i would like an intake and better exhaust but just cant afford it right now.

4.10's were the only option on the HD's with the 6.0, and it's really a perfect gearset. I'd actually like to be able to get 4.56's, as switching to a larger tire really lowers your highway rpm's.

Your actually getting GREAT milage for that truck. I've only broken into the double digits twice in 4900 miles though I rarely see any highway travel.

You could switch to a 235/85 or a 265/75 tire to lower your highway revs a bit.

The big problem lies in the trucks aggressive throttle response. Just a hair of throttle is equal to 1/2 throttle at the butterfly. Really babying it when taking off would have to help the milage.

My 2002 1500 HD 4x4 came with a 3.73 rear end. I have been getting 12.5-13.5 on my round the town and hwy to work milage. On a straight hwy trip I have got as high as low 16s. Everything is stock on my vehicle.

Just conversed with a non 4x4 owner, otherwise same as mine, and he is getting the same.

Two years ago I purchased a 2500HD with the 6.0 to pull my boat in Alaska. There were lots of mountains and the power was needed to get up and down the hills. Now I have moved and sold the boat. Still love the truck but it's drinking habits are tough. I have installed duel exhaust, K&N airfilter and use synthetic oil. My mileage in town is around 12.5-13 and on the road its 13.5-14.

Are there any other options to increase my gas mileage? How does my mileage compare with other 2500HD owners?

Open to suggestions

RD
Run LC and FP in oil and fuel respectively. Should help mileage some what and reduce soot, black smoke, and better emissions.

we dont get the soot and black smoke on 6.0s ;)

I had a 6.0 before and hated the mileage. You are getting great mileage. I got 10-11 and that was babying her down the road. I added a westers tune and did note a pick-up and go but nothing for MPG. I also added a performance muffler and K&N FIPK kit.
Good Luck
Ben

Had a '97 2500 crew cab and long box 2 WD with the 5.7 engine. Ran beautiful, got 16 to 17 mpg on the road and 14 or so in town. Had 3.73 in the fanny. Don't know why GM went to 4.10 only when the 6.0 became the standard engine. Does not make sense to me but I'm not a engineer.

Don't know why GM went to 4.10 only when the 6.0 became the standard engine. Does not make sense to me but I'm not a engineer.
The 6.0 makes it's power much higher in the RPM band than an old 5.7

Actually with larger tires, 4.56's would be a better option for them.

The 6.0 does NOT like to loaf/lug. It really likes to wind out, and doesn't wake up till 3K+ RPM

lawnboy is exactly right. gearing is all about keeping the engine in its optimal power band. in addition to providing more power on take off for towing, the 4.10s keep the RPMs up. the 6.0L makes the most power from 4400-5200 rpm, the 8.1 makes its most from 3600-4200 and the duramax makes it from 2750-3000.

just from my experience in the few months ive owned my truck, if i am running open 2 lane roads with my cruise set around 60, my truck runs the best, has the best throttle response and gets 15mpg. if i am on the interstate and running 75-80, it is wound up more and though it still runs nice, i only get 13mpg. if i am running slower, <45mph, i also only get 13mpg.

Buy a set of long-tube headers, Dont waste your money on the shorties.

As to whick ratio you have in your truck,

GT4 = 3.73
GT5 = 4.10

look on your options code sticker

In a 9200 gvw truck you can only get the 6.0L with the 4.10 regardless of 2 or 4 wheel drive.

Had a '97 extended cab long box 2500 with the 5.7 engine. That thing pulled well and got good gas mileage with the 3.73 in the rear. Too bad GM deleted that engine from the truck lineup.

Though the 5.7 had the torque down lower in the rpm band, the overall feeling you get from a 6.0 is better in all aspects. Plus, it pulls real hard to 5K+ rpm. Something the 5.7 could never do. They could barely rev past 4K.

I wish I knew what I was doing wrong! I'm getting a consistant 12MPG average on my 6.0 while being pretty conservative in my driving habits. I only have 2400 miles on it, maybe I'm still breaking it in! lol!

I think your doing pretty good if your getting 12mpg. It is a CC.

What were you expecting to get with it?

Actually that is what I was expecting to get with it. The others' posts of 13-14mpg got me thinking though.

It's not so much how you drive it, but where you drive it and for how long.

Long highway type trips at 55-65 mph will surely get you those numbers, while around town, stop and go , AND highway trips at 70-80mph will really drop your mileage.

Better milage? Get a Duramax. With my 6.0, I got 13 MPG going slow and 12 MPG going fast, so I usually went fast!

I didn't mind the engine, but I don't feel its as good a 5.7/350 Vortec. They seem to have nearly the same power but with better mileage and a proven track record.

Not that I'm biased or anything, but I haven't looked back since getting a diesel. When I still had the 6.0, I "raced" a 600 Cummins up a local steep hill. I thought I was really doing something until he pulled out and passed me on the steepest section!

You'll be amazed at how much more power the diesels have.

If you NEED the power of a Diesel, you need it. I see a lot of guys opting for the Duramax that will never NEED it.

You get 245 more ft/lbs of torque for $7900 (6.0 gas vs. 6.6 Duramax) I'll have to put a LOT of gas through my 6 liters to make that money up.

Just remember back.....from 1973-1986 the ever popular 350 engine put out only 175hp and 275 ft/lbs of torque. Lots of towing was done with these once thought powerful engines.




Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the Duramax......But for some, it's just not a worthwhile investment.

It all depends on what your pulling and if you like to keep up with everyone else out there. Also, with Gas/Fuel prices on the rise, that Diesel WILL pay itself back over and over. You get better mileage all around, whether in 4X4 or towing from my experience.

My example:

I'm rounding UP on everything. I won't see more than 6K miles this year on my truck, but I'll be generous, and round it up to 7,500 miles annually.

6.0 GAS: 7,500 divided by 12mpg x $1.80/gal = $1,125.00 in fuel/year.

6.6 DIESEL: 7,500 divided by 18mpg x $2.00/gal = $833 in fuel/year.

Thats $292 less per year to fuel the Duramax.....Again....lets round that UP.... to an even $300 to make it easy.

Take the money required for a D/A upcharge.....Again....lets round that DOWN....to $6000.00

It'll take you 20 years to recover the money you invested in the Duramax vs a 6.0 gasser.

So, you see.....to those that don't NEED a Duramax, .....it takes all but a lifetime to recover your costs. I won't bring up the increased maintenance (fuel filters, extra oil) and the possibility that you may need to replace an Injection pump when your warranty is over.

I can buy a LOT of sparkplugs over the years for that money.


Like I said, I'm NOT bashing the Duramax, it's an EXCELLENT engine. For some, its the only engine for the job......for others, its more of a "want", than a "NEED".

I get 13.8 to 14's with my 6.0 L with only 1300 miles on it now. Crew Cab long bed 4x4. I have a 5 spd manual. I keep the rpms close to 1500, and hardly ever get them above 2k. I think that's the secret to getting closer to 14 mpg with this engine. I haven't had it above 70mph, and drive a mix of freeway/side streets in my commute to work. Its pretty weak in that range of RPMs however, so I'm downshifting if I need a burst of power.

FWIW, I love diesels and would love to have another one (had an '02 Dodge CTD, then a '93 Dodge CTD). But the CTD Dodges are well above $30k, and the DMAXs were even more than that. I got my truck for $24k. That's at least $6k of fuel (at a minimum) before I'd break even on a 2x4 diesel quad cab Dodge. Just couldn't swing it this time... I will miss the smell of diesel fuel. Love that stuff!

Lawnboy..youve got a valid point...theres alot of duramax owners out there that dont necesssarily need it..my brotherinlaw for one..plows some snow..not alot..and the bass boat he pulls is only maybe a ton...no real need as far as iam concerned..but because i was buying one....later

I just wanted to make it clear that I'm not bashing or downing people with the Duramax. My Father now has one, and so far just loves it (so do I!!!). But like I said, buy the engine you need, not something you just want because others have it.

Now if the option to go Diesel was $2-3K (like it was with the 6.5L), then this wouldn't be an issue. But by throwing in the Allison, it really jacks up the price well beyond what most people feel comfortable paying for an optional engine/transmission.

My truck says it averages 12.4, I have an 04 2500 hd 4x4 crew cab. I have not checked it myself just reading what the instrument panel tells me. I have a hard cover on my bed and have been running with an 8' steel snow plow since December.

Im getting a new chevy 3500 in the next few weeks. Im leaning towards the diesel because I drive close to 2400 miles a month, at least. I do landscaping so I do tow, but nothing a gasser couldnt handle, I will also hang a plow on it.

If im driving that many miles, I think a diesel would pay off, just because of the MPG factor, and the extra power I may need when I expand down the road to bigger heavier equipment. Or am I wrong?

Sooo

with the gasser @ 12 MPG @ 1.91 a gallon @ 30,000 miles a year, its about $4475 a year for gas for a gasser...

With a diesel @ 18mpg @ 2.40 a gallon @ 30,000 miles a year, its $4000 a year, however diesel fuel is cheaper in the summer, so I will save about a grand on fuel with a diesel, but spent about $100 more on the truck payment for a diesel. So I'd end up spending about $200 more for a diesel for the year, but ill have the advantage of the extra power and all that good stuff.

So I think its safe to say a Diesel is what I would be better off with, and when I expand ill be safe to tow as much as I want, or need to tow with the extra power. So I think its safe to say I am better off with the diesel. What do you guys think? Thanks again!

if you dont NEED the power, its not worth the money to buy the diesel. heres a fun little math equation for yall with that argument...

due to the demand for dmaxs and the rebates that were offered for non-dmax HDs, it wouldve cost me $10,000 more to get the exact same truck with a dmax/alli. i drive about 15-18k miles a year. my 6.0 gets 13.5 mpg so that means i burn 1111 gallons of gas to drive 15k miles a year. lets say a dmax gets 26 mpg (probably on the high side, but thats ok). i would burn 577 gallons of diesel fuel to drive those same 15k miles a year. lets say $1.75 is the average price of a gallon of gas, that means it costs me $1,944 a year in gas. diesel is more expensive so lets say $1.85 a gallon, i would spend $1,067 a year in fuel. thats a savings of $877 a year. thats it. at that rate, i would have to drive the diesel for 11.4 years (or 171,000 miles) just to cover the extra cost up front. that doesnt include the extra maintenance cost (3x as much oil, more expensive oil and fuel filters & more frequent changes).

those are pure facts, no opinion involved. sure, i would love to have a diesel, but it cracks me up when you guys just say buy a diesel for better gas mileage. could someone please explain to me how "that Diesel WILL pay itself back over and over". sure, for those guys that tow constantly or drive 50k miles a year, it might make more sense, but i used averages. how many of us actually keep trucks for 200k miles anyway?? i did my 89 chevy that i sold to buy my HD, but not many folks do.

lets say a dmax gets 26 mpg (probably on the high side, but thats ok).
Where did you come up with that number? Maybe driving 55mph with a tailwind...:think:

hanley....

I agree if you dont need it, dont buy it. But I tow and plow, and I will be hauling really heavy loads in the near future. Plus, I drive 30,000 miles a year. Also, the diesel isnt even close to 10k more over here in detroit. For an 3500 extended cab, long box, 4x4, diesel with the allison, its $32000 for anyone. I am looking at the same truck execpt an LS, and it is still less than $32000 after rebates and all that.

That is why im looking at a diesel, its worth it for me, because I drive 30k miles a year, I tow, and plow too. Also, the resale value is much higher on diesels. I plan on keeping this truck for 7-10 years too, so the diesel makes more sense for me. :)

But I do agree, if your only driving 15k miles a year, and dont need the diesel power, its a waste of money.

for one thing, i posted mine at the end of pg 3, i didnt even see pg 4 where you had the same idea lawnboy! OOPS!

anyway - as for the 26mpg, like i said, i have no clue. when i was looking i talked to a guy i work with that has a dmax and was asking him how he liked it. he told me he gets 25-30mpg. i thought he was full of it and it was probably closer to 20-22 in reality. using 26mpg though, it would take about 175k miles to make up the difference, so whatever the dmax really gets would just extend that number even more.

another FYI, i looked for my truck for a couple months. for a dmax ccsb ls, they wouldnt come lower than $36k. the same truck with a 6.0 had a sticker of $30,500 and they came down to $26,500. those are real number from my experience (unlike my 26mpg, haha). just figured i would nip any comments in the bud before they popped up. i too would love a dmax, but i just wanted to post this for people to think about before saying get a dmax just for teh mileage.

Premier,

You cant touch an SLT EC/LB D/A 3500 SRW for less than $40K INVOICE.

So, let me know where your seeing them for $32K

The diesel/allison option is a $6510 upcharge regardless of your location.

How much are you planning on towing?

You can't get the VYU snowplow prep with a EC/LB D/A either.

diesels dont get close to 26mpg. Its more like 16-18, but once you break it in (60k miles) they go up. Also, with diesels, anything you usually do to performance, also makes the MPG usually go up, unlike gassers.

Its all on prefrence really, and if your really going to use the dmax and if it will pay off...

Im my case, It would pay off, and I will need it, so that is why im going that route :)

Premier,

You cant touch an SLT EC/LB D/A 3500 SRW for less than $40K INVOICE.

So, let me know where your seeing them for $32K

The diesel/allison option is a $6510 upcharge regardless of your location.

How much are you planning on towing?

You can't get the VYU snowplow prep with a EC/LB D/A either. You are correct. I didnt say slt, i said LS. Your correct again, you cant get a plow prep on a diesel with extended cab, however I am still going to plow with it.

As in my eariler post. The base price for a Ext. Cab, Long bed, 4x4, diesel/allison is $32k.

The LS im looking at, sticker price is over $32k, but after rebates and all, its less than 32k.

I also know the service manager at the dealer, and hes helping me out alot. Also, Im only towing a few mowers with a 18ft enclosed trailer, however, I am also towing a bobcat,skidsteer, around once in a while, and also a dump trailer with a few tons of mulch/rocks/dirt/sod, etc.

Premier,

I'm not hounding you, but the cheapest 3500 SRW EC/LB D/A LS Chevrolet you can get has a $41,953 sticker.

$36,600 invoice price. What are you getting $1500 cash back?

Still not $32K, but it IS a strippo model too. That $41.9K only had the towing package.....no other goodies.

What do you plan on hauling?

Premier,

I'm not hounding you, but the cheapest 3500 SRW EC/LB D/A LS Chevrolet you can get has a $41,953 sticker.

$36,600 invoice price. What are you getting $1500 cash back?

Still not $32K, but it IS a strippo model too. That $41.9K only had the towing package.....no other goodies.

What do you plan on hauling?
Okay. Well, nevermind about pricing or whatever, all dealers are different and I think they're cheaper in detroit.

Anyway, I plan on towing an 18ft enclosed trailer, loaded with landscape stuff (nothing a gasser couldnt pull), but I will also be pulling a bobcat and skid steer, and several tons of mulch/rocks/sod/etc. which the diesel will come in handy. Also the extra torque for plowing will be helpful, and the better gas mileage and better resale value is a plus for me too.

My trucks MSRP (no 2nd sticker) was $35k. Invoice was $29k. I got enough rebates to get that to $24k. And I still didn't qualify for the military discount, nor Olds loyalty. That's a lot of rebates!!
I have seen 1 DMAX locally in the papers (1 of) for $33k, and that price included ALL the available discounts. So I'm guessing you are getting one heck of a good deal to pick one up for $32k.

My trucks MSRP (no 2nd sticker) was $35k. Invoice was $29k. I got enough rebates to get that to $24k. And I still didn't qualify for the military discount, nor Olds loyalty. That's a lot of rebates!!
I have seen 1 DMAX locally in the papers (1 of) for $33k, and that price included ALL the available discounts. So I'm guessing you are getting one heck of a good deal to pick one up for $32k. I did the request a quote from the dealer, and it said it was $32,900 (sorry I think it was 32 even before).

Now, I also know the manager of that dealer, so im sure I can get a little nocked off that price.
Ive known the Chevy manager my WHOLE life, and has known my family forever. Hes kind of like family. So I hope and, think he will help me out.

the resale value is much higher on diesels.
This statement is made so often and it kills me everytime it is made. :)

Of course the resale value is higher...... You paid $5,000+ more dollars for a diesel than a similar gas truck. Something would be wrong if it weren't worth more.

DEWFPO

This statement is made so often and it kills me everytime it is made. :)

Of course the resale value is higher...... You paid $5,000+ more dollars for a diesel than a similar gas truck. Something would be wrong if it weren't worth more.

DEWFPO
When we say that, we mean that it (a diesel) holds its value longer and better than a gas truck. Main reason being, everyone has a gasser, well most people. Therefore, the diesel HOLDS its value BETTER and LONGER than a gasser. :grd:

My 04 2500HD 4x4 extend cab sle with 6-disk changer d-max/ally snowplow prep was 34,145 out the door. I get 17.5-19 mpg on no. 2 and 15-17 on blended fule

The gaser gets 12.5-15 depending on whos driveing it...

In my case I went from a gasser getting 10-12 mpg to the dmax.

I drive sometimes 30K miles a year........

a 30% increase in fuel economy over the gasser and cheaper fuel was the key........

With diesel now 10-15% more expensive that gas it has cut into my savings, but I am still much happier with the diesel......

To each there own..........

T;) NY

Yeah price is bad now, gas is 1.78 and diesel is 2.08 but the dmax is a lot more fun to drive:ro)