Mods to improve gas mileage

Hi, I'm new to this forum and was hoping I could find some expertise here.  I've got a '00 Silverado 5300 and I'm looking for ways I can improve my gas mileage.  Right now I'm getting around 15-16 with mostly highway driving.  I'm considering a high-flow air filter such as K&N or Fram Air Hog.  Also, would a cold-air intake help?  I've seen some K&N's for about $250.  Any ideas?  Thanks.

   IVE TRIED AIR BOX, EXHAUST, THROTTLE BODY SPACERS, AND COMPUTER CHIPS. I DID IMPROVE POWER SOME BUT AT THE MOST I MAY HAVE PICKED UP 1 MPG. I EVEN DROVE 400 MILES ON THE HWY WITH MY TAIL GATE DOWN AND ACTUALLY GOT WORSE MILEAGE. GO FIGURE.

you should buy some carberators and air intakes becasue they help greatly.

THESE TRUCKS USE FUEL INJECTION. CARBURATION IS NOT A VIABLE OPTION.

a cold air intake may increase it up to a couple mpg.  and to complement it a dual exhaust flowmaster system will help.

A few suggestions.  First use synthetic oil.  I have a 2000 Silverado 5.3 V8 and noticed about a 1 mpg improvement.  I use Mobil 1 10W30 Extended formula.  The synthetic oil lowers internal engine friction and more than pays for itself.  It is the cheapest oil you can use all things considered and your engine will last forever.  Second, increase the air pressure in your tires.  The manual calls for 36 psi.  Inflate to 40 psi.  I've done that for years and find that the truck rides smoother and feels like it is rolling rather than dragging and tire wear is nice and even.  OEM tires can take up to 44 psi and LT tires(load C) can take 50 psi, but check your tires to see the max...some Michelin P series tires recommend no more than 36 psi.  Use a new air filter...and the high capacity A/C Delco or Fram are fine.  There is little or nothing to be gained by using a KN or AirHog according to real testing...and if used improperly these filters can foul up your air intake sytem with too much oil causing dirt to adhere to the passage ways.  Third, get your alignment checked...make sure it is set properly...and note that for a Silverado not to pull to the right, the settings need to be somewhat asymetrical...the Chevy dealers know about this as well as any other astute alignment facility..an everyday alignment will not be satifactory.   Use a can of BG44K Fuel Conditioner put in about 15 gallons of gas and do this about every ten thousand miles.  This is the best product on the market and cleans out the fuel injectors, cleans the values and combustion chambers of dirt.  The results have been document by using fiberoptic visualization before and after....an excellent product.   Keep the tailgate up!  Tests show that gas mileage is worse with the tailgate down that up.  It you want to lessen aerodynamic drag, get a complete tailgate cover or cap.  A friend has one of those retractable ones and loves it and claims that it improved his mileage on a Dodge about 2 mpg.  Keeping windows closed lessens air drag...use the vents.  Less aggressive tread design tires give better gas mileage...less rolling resistance...and keep your speed under 65 MPH will help as well.  My usual mileage is 19-20 all around driving...and 20-22 on the highway.  Happy motoring.  Jimbo.

a friend used all royal purple lubricants in his truck(trans case -transmission-engine-rear end) and he dyno tested 23 more foot pounds of torque wich translates to better fuel economy. i think he siad he gets 2-3 more mpg

Ratman,
You have to drive with your tailgate up, not down. You actually create more drag with the gate down.

Mike

Cold air intakes don't improve MPG they'll help with increasing HP.
When you increase HP you actually use more fuel ... the laws of physics.

Yes drive with your tailgate up!! It drives me crazy to see people with it down! You are driving a truck, you aren't going to get good millage. The best advice for you is to not try to win every race from every stop. Be light on the gas, if you get to a hill try to keep from letting the truck downshift. RPM's mean more fuel, keep it below 1800 rpms and I will almost garuntee you will pick up 2 or 3 mpg!

I have an 05' Z71 crew cab that gets 18.5-20mpg on the hwy and around 16-17 in town driving. 5W-30 Mobil 1 got me another 1-2 mpg.

I have a 2000 5.3 with several modifiations. The biggest improvement I've seen from any of these modifications came from my Hypertech III power programmer. I calculate my mileage at each fill up and found I gained about 2mpg more than when I was running stock programming. There are a few other nice perks but as far as milage, i'm pretty happy.

Ratman,

There have been engineering studies completed that proved mileage was increased with the tailgate UP.

Yep, it stands to reason, race cars have flat backs. The engineering studies showed how the airflow actually wrapped around the back and pushed on the tailgate to increase performance.

So, for all you guys that drive with the tailgates down, and all the junk blowing all over the place, you are hurting your gas mileage and looking silly in the process.

Jimbo, where do you get this BG44k stuff? and a KN air filter won't help? man, there are a lot of reviews that say it does! I was going to add one til I read your post. and finally what's the deal about the alignment? I've got an lifetime alignment with Firestone, you reckon them clowns know about this, my truck is pulling to the left a tad and was going to get an alignment.

quote:

ORIGINAL: jimbo310

A few suggestions.  First use synthetic oil.  I have a 2000 Silverado 5.3 V8 and noticed about a 1 mpg improvement.  I use Mobil 1 10W30 Extended formula.  The synthetic oil lowers internal engine friction and more than pays for itself.  It is the cheapest oil you can use all things considered and your engine will last forever.  Second, increase the air pressure in your tires.  The manual calls for 36 psi.  Inflate to 40 psi.  I've done that for years and find that the truck rides smoother and feels like it is rolling rather than dragging and tire wear is nice and even.  OEM tires can take up to 44 psi and LT tires(load C) can take 50 psi, but check your tires to see the max...some Michelin P series tires recommend no more than 36 psi.  Use a new air filter...and the high capacity A/C Delco or Fram are fine.  There is little or nothing to be gained by using a KN or AirHog according to real testing...and if used improperly these filters can foul up your air intake sytem with too much oil causing dirt to adhere to the passage ways.  Third, get your alignment checked...make sure it is set properly...and note that for a Silverado not to pull to the right, the settings need to be somewhat asymetrical...the Chevy dealers know about this as well as any other astute alignment facility..an everyday alignment will not be satifactory.   Use a can of BG44K Fuel Conditioner put in about 15 gallons of gas and do this about every ten thousand miles.  This is the best product on the market and cleans out the fuel injectors, cleans the values and combustion chambers of dirt.  The results have been document by using fiberoptic visualization before and after....an excellent product.   Keep the tailgate up!  Tests show that gas mileage is worse with the tailgate down that up.  It you want to lessen aerodynamic drag, get a complete tailgate cover or cap.  A friend has one of those retractable ones and loves it and claims that it improved his mileage on a Dodge about 2 mpg.  Keeping windows closed lessens air drag...use the vents.  Less aggressive tread design tires give better gas mileage...less rolling resistance...and keep your speed under 65 MPH will help as well.  My usual mileage is 19-20 all around driving...and 20-22 on the highway.  Happy motoring.  Jimbo.

Wow, how K&N has done a great job marketing their merchandise. K&N makes the worst air filters made. They SUCK! Don't believe me? Do a search on air filter comparisons. Yes, K&N has the best airflow, I'll give them that, but that increased air flow is at the expense of your engine's loss of compression and cylinder scarring due to all the dirt the K&N is allowing to pass through. Worst filter made for the health of your engine.

quote:

ORIGINAL: flukester

Jimbo, where do you get this BG44k stuff? and a KN air filter won't help? man, there are a lot of reviews that say it does! I was going to add one til I read your post. and finally what's the deal about the alignment? I've got an lifetime alignment with Firestone, you reckon them clowns know about this, my truck is pulling to the left a tad and was going to get an alignment.

quote:

ORIGINAL: jimbo310

A few suggestions.  First use synthetic oil.  I have a 2000 Silverado 5.3 V8 and noticed about a 1 mpg improvement.  I use Mobil 1 10W30 Extended formula.  The synthetic oil lowers internal engine friction and more than pays for itself.  It is the cheapest oil you can use all things considered and your engine will last forever.  Second, increase the air pressure in your tires.  The manual calls for 36 psi.  Inflate to 40 psi.  I've done that for years and find that the truck rides smoother and feels like it is rolling rather than dragging and tire wear is nice and even.  OEM tires can take up to 44 psi and LT tires(load C) can take 50 psi, but check your tires to see the max...some Michelin P series tires recommend no more than 36 psi.  Use a new air filter...and the high capacity A/C Delco or Fram are fine.  There is little or nothing to be gained by using a KN or AirHog according to real testing...and if used improperly these filters can foul up your air intake sytem with too much oil causing dirt to adhere to the passage ways.  Third, get your alignment checked...make sure it is set properly...and note that for a Silverado not to pull to the right, the settings need to be somewhat asymetrical...the Chevy dealers know about this as well as any other astute alignment facility..an everyday alignment will not be satifactory.   Use a can of BG44K Fuel Conditioner put in about 15 gallons of gas and do this about every ten thousand miles.  This is the best product on the market and cleans out the fuel injectors, cleans the values and combustion chambers of dirt.  The results have been document by using fiberoptic visualization before and after....an excellent product.   Keep the tailgate up!  Tests show that gas mileage is worse with the tailgate down that up.  It you want to lessen aerodynamic drag, get a complete tailgate cover or cap.  A friend has one of those retractable ones and loves it and claims that it improved his mileage on a Dodge about 2 mpg.  Keeping windows closed lessens air drag...use the vents.  Less aggressive tread design tires give better gas mileage...less rolling resistance...and keep your speed under 65 MPH will help as well.  My usual mileage is 19-20 all around driving...and 20-22 on the highway.  Happy motoring.  Jimbo.

Yea, the BG44K is great. I have a 1990 c1500 and once i started using it i could really tell a difference in the pulling power as well as how often i was gassing up. You can usually find it at any auto service store or at the site listed below. Also any muffler with a straight through pipe such as Dynomax or Flowmaster will improve the mpg greatly
http://shop.autobahnpower.com/products.asp?category=BG%2044K%20and%20BG%20Products&product=BG%2044K%20fuel%20injector%20cleaner

Programmers seem to help.  Beware though they may void your warranty if you purchased an extended warranty since obviously your original factory warranty is expired.

Fully synthetic fluids in the engine, trans, and rear-end go a long way. Saw 2-3mpg gain at speeds of 80-95mph next day!!