Gas mileage
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My first 3 HD 2500 were 6.0 and 11-13 mpg depending on winter/summer.
7 Dmax/alli and run 16-18mpg.
This a mix of local (19 miles on way commute and pulling 10-15K trailer) and very little hiway.
8.1 no idea and I won't try one after having the Dmax.
7 Dmax/alli and run 16-18mpg.
This a mix of local (19 miles on way commute and pulling 10-15K trailer) and very little hiway.
8.1 no idea and I won't try one after having the Dmax.
My 8.1L averages about 13mpg, have gotten as good as 15.5 on a trip from PHX to ABQ. running empty 65mph. With my Lance slide in camper at 65mph it sees about 11mpg. In the winter here they make us run oxygenated fuel so mileage drops on everything about 10%.
Just traded my '02 Suburban 3/4 ton 4x4 with an 8.1 for my '04 Silverado. I absolutely love the truck - but the Suburban was a very nice ride as well. The 8.1 was a real neck-jerker. As far as mileage goes, a solid 11mpg regardless of how I drove.
The only ongoing problem with the 8.1L was it burned oil from the showroom. The burning of oil really frustrated me and was one of my excuses to get rid of it. I baby all my vehicles and to know that I needed to check the oil on a brand new vehicle EVERYTIME I got gas made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. Especially since the wife drove it regularly and she could hardly reach the dip stick. Supposedly, or so the dealer tells me, there is a TSB for the 8.1L's which clarifies the amount of oil they burn and mine was supposedly well within GM spec. Needless to say - I found "the" solution for it buring oil!
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So beware on the 8.1L's for oil consumption. The dealer told me, and I quote, "GM specifies you may burn up to 1 quart of oil for every 100 gallons of fuel and still be within spec". With a 38 gallon tank (pushing 40 with the neck), I could be down 1/2 quart+ of oil at every fill-up.
I'll let you make the call!
The only ongoing problem with the 8.1L was it burned oil from the showroom. The burning of oil really frustrated me and was one of my excuses to get rid of it. I baby all my vehicles and to know that I needed to check the oil on a brand new vehicle EVERYTIME I got gas made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. Especially since the wife drove it regularly and she could hardly reach the dip stick. Supposedly, or so the dealer tells me, there is a TSB for the 8.1L's which clarifies the amount of oil they burn and mine was supposedly well within GM spec. Needless to say - I found "the" solution for it buring oil!
So beware on the 8.1L's for oil consumption. The dealer told me, and I quote, "GM specifies you may burn up to 1 quart of oil for every 100 gallons of fuel and still be within spec". With a 38 gallon tank (pushing 40 with the neck), I could be down 1/2 quart+ of oil at every fill-up.
I'll let you make the call!
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I just traded in my 2002 GMC 2500HD 4wd with 24K+miles on it for my 04 Dmax. Love both of them. Miss some things about the gas. Like I knew more about the engine than diesels. Sure it ate oil and gas but man talk about power off the line. I could smoke the tires with the best of them. It will pull like a mule to.
with my 285's on it I'd get 13mpg empty with the cruise set at 75mph (the real 75mph not my gage) Pulling my 16ft parachute uh I mean Carson toy hauler (4000lbs) it would get 7-8 from Tucson to Phoenix (70-75mph) and 10mpg from Phoenix to Flagstaff in the mountains(50-65mph). When I get up there I'd be a quart low. Dam thing was a champ. I'd buy one if I end up moving away from the diesel. I've chatted with a bunch of 6.0 owners and they do fine till they hitch up to a trailer. If you don't tow then get the 6.0 if you tow any get the 8.1 the gas mileage isn't going to be a big hurt.
But beware the 8.1L eats more in rear tires than oil.
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cmc
with my 285's on it I'd get 13mpg empty with the cruise set at 75mph (the real 75mph not my gage) Pulling my 16ft parachute uh I mean Carson toy hauler (4000lbs) it would get 7-8 from Tucson to Phoenix (70-75mph) and 10mpg from Phoenix to Flagstaff in the mountains(50-65mph). When I get up there I'd be a quart low. Dam thing was a champ. I'd buy one if I end up moving away from the diesel. I've chatted with a bunch of 6.0 owners and they do fine till they hitch up to a trailer. If you don't tow then get the 6.0 if you tow any get the 8.1 the gas mileage isn't going to be a big hurt.
But beware the 8.1L eats more in rear tires than oil.
cmc
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14 Posts
I get about 19 mpg with my dmax doing 70 mph. Towing a 6000 lb trailer I get about 14 mpg doing 65 mph. Mileage has been steadily getting better since new. I now have about 18k miles.
Krash,
I have both, here's the scoop.....
Don't let anyone tell you they're getting more than 10 -11 MPG on the 8.1. Our Yukon XL get 8 -10, and spends more time getting 8 than 10 (city and highway mix)
The oil consumption on the 8.1 is a major bummer...... I have to add a quart at every 3,000 miles
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I will solve this problem as soon as GM comes out with a 2500 yukon XL with the D-max
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The D-max, well since I broke 50,000 miles, 19-20 (city and highway). Before 50,000 the best I could get was 16 to 17 but often got 15 MPG
If MPG is your goal, the D-max beats the 8.1 in the long run..... hands down.Edited by: Blinky
I have both, here's the scoop.....
Don't let anyone tell you they're getting more than 10 -11 MPG on the 8.1. Our Yukon XL get 8 -10, and spends more time getting 8 than 10 (city and highway mix)
The oil consumption on the 8.1 is a major bummer...... I have to add a quart at every 3,000 miles
The D-max, well since I broke 50,000 miles, 19-20 (city and highway). Before 50,000 the best I could get was 16 to 17 but often got 15 MPG
If MPG is your goal, the D-max beats the 8.1 in the long run..... hands down.Edited by: Blinky
Blinky - Don't hold your breath on the Duramax in the 'burb/Yukon XL's. GM has been talking about it for 3 years now. Supposedly, it was going to happen for the '03 - it was a "sure thing". Then they said '04.... yeah, that's the ticket! NOT. I really hope they do, but i doubt they will - especially with the biggest competitor - the Excursion - being put out of its misery with a diesel option (well, they did breath another model year into it... but it is good as gone). The Excursion diesel was one incentive for GM to get thier act together from a competitive perspective - but this is no longer the case.
BTW - the last I was told by a GM employee was that the Duramax 6.6L engine was on "special provision" or some special wording like that, because of its high demand in the pick-ups. Not enough engines to go around in the pick-up world, let alone SUV.
I also heard - maybe even on this site somewhere (?), that there was a smaller "Duramax" being developed by Isuzu/GM that would be fitted for the GM SUV's. Has yet to be seen or confirmed.
BTW - the last I was told by a GM employee was that the Duramax 6.6L engine was on "special provision" or some special wording like that, because of its high demand in the pick-ups. Not enough engines to go around in the pick-up world, let alone SUV.
I also heard - maybe even on this site somewhere (?), that there was a smaller "Duramax" being developed by Isuzu/GM that would be fitted for the GM SUV's. Has yet to be seen or confirmed.
With the 8.1, my truck empty gets 10/13, city/hiway. Pulling 13,000# 5r 7/7.5. With 31,000 miles, it is almost 1 quart low at the 3,000 mile change. Love the quiet power.
Thinking about a Dmax, only because I always like all the power I can have. Expensive decision!
Thinking about a Dmax, only because I always like all the power I can have. Expensive decision!
My brothers have 2 2001 trucks with 8.1L engines.
One is a short bed and the other is a long bed. They both have 4.10 gears. The shortbed averages 13-14 empty and doesn't use any oil.
The long bed one gets 10-11 and I never heard if it uses any oil but I probably would have if it was that bad.
The long bed has 265 tires and the short bed has 245s.
One is a short bed and the other is a long bed. They both have 4.10 gears. The shortbed averages 13-14 empty and doesn't use any oil.
The long bed one gets 10-11 and I never heard if it uses any oil but I probably would have if it was that bad.
The long bed has 265 tires and the short bed has 245s.
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my dad has an 03 8.1. He gets 10mpg (occasionally 11 or 12).What he has found that he likes is,when he"s pulling a heavy load it gets the no worse than 10mpg.The dealership still swears that asit breaks in and the valves seat his mpg shoud increase.I think he's nearing 11000mi on it .He enjoys the truck but is looking for areas to modify to increase mpg (without buying a diesel) Does anybody have any suggestions?
Firehouse4514 03red ext cabsbed w/linex
Firehouse4514 03red ext cabsbed w/linex
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