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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: pitt meadows bc
Posts: 88
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Fuel milage
I have a 69 chevy pick up 1/2 ton with good running 350 was overhauled before I bought it a year ago and it is stock. I have headers with flow master exhaust, HEI ign.,600 vacuum sec. Holley on Edlelbrock manifold, and a large K&N filter. It runs great every day cold or hot, just if I could get better fuel milage with out spending a lot on Fuel injection that be great. I was thinking of going with stock TBI swap but dont know if I will improve the milage a lot. In Canada we are paying over $4. a gallon we get hosed up here. If I have to spend thousands whats the point. Any thoughts? Thanks
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#2 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Porter Ranch, CA
Posts: 978
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Re: Fuel milage
Quote:
![]() Seriously, though, let's think about it. Brand new trucks today aren't even getting 20 MPG. They advertise 20 or 21, but real world is more like 16 - 18 in most cases. With our trucks, the main thing to work on is dialing in the gearing. Most are taching too high on the highway and use too much gas. If you add gears or change the rear end gears, you can make some decent changes in mileage. But unless you get hooked up with a lucky junk yard find, you'll be spending quite a bit to do anything that will net you a noticeable difference. You've got it running as well as you can with the parts you've listed. The TBI won't do squat. I'll take a 600 Holley any day. It's a 40 year old truck. Just drive it easy and enjoy it. I mean heck, you don't have payments, right? |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 2,696
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Re: Fuel milage
Qjet, as always will give you better mileage
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#4 |
I am a Referee of life.
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Greensboro N.C.
Posts: 13,993
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Re: Fuel milage
Fairly cheap and somewhat effective way to better milage is to go easy on the throttle.Another factor is tire size.A taller tire will help to increase milage a little.Other than that an OD tranny or rear gears is about the only way to get much better milage.Just go up a series in tire when you need new ones.
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The 47-present Chevrolet and GMC Truck Message Board Network,it's owners,moderators,members,and associates of any type should not be held responsible for my opinion. You can't fix stupid,not even with duct tape. "My appearance is due to the fact that "GOD" does punish you for having too much fun!" Barrett-Jackson has perfected alchemy,they make rust into gold! "You can lead a horse to water but you can't saddle a duck" "Cleverly disguised as a 'Responsible Adult' "Sometimes your Knight in shining armor is just a retard in tinfoil" |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: pitt meadows bc
Posts: 88
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Re: Fuel milage
Well said no it's paid for and it runs better than some new trucks. I do have 3:08 gears with t350 so maybe what I have ant so bad. I have heard of the TPI getting up to 25 to 28 mpgs. Thought TBI to keep it looking old school.
One thing with the holley carb, it is only 9months old and if I drive it too long with out getting into the 4 barrels the gas must get old because it will flood like crazy from the secondaries until I drive it hard than it runs like a champ again. I drive in heavy traffic every day so some time hard to get on it. Plus milage goes in the tank. Thanks from your commets. |
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#6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: daytonabeach
Posts: 22,956
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Re: Fuel milage
what are you getting for fuel milage and what are you looking to get as far as increase?
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71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY |
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#7 |
70 Chevrolet=Obsession
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: nice ca
Posts: 1,067
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Re: Fuel milage
X2
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![]() ![]() ![]() I'm Just like my truck. Old, Ugly and Grouchy. Except my truck starts easily in the morning and doesn't smoke! IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN! -Kermit the frog 1970 Chevrolet C-10 Longbed Stepside : 350, Muncie M20, 3.08 GM corp. positraction Forest green exterior/light green interior(Where all my money goes) 1996 Toyota Corolla (Parts runner) |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: pitt meadows bc
Posts: 88
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Re: Fuel milage
well being old school and we use the damm metric system I have to convert everything over and I think if I did the convertion right around town 10 to 12 mpg. Not sure what I want just would like it to be better.
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#9 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: pitt meadows bc
Posts: 88
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Re: Fuel milage
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#10 |
its all about the +6 inches
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
Posts: 2,693
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Re: Fuel milage
10 to 12 is dead on average http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=172346
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#11 |
What?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 7,617
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Re: Fuel milage
How much of your driving is on the open roads? I meen highway speeds?
If you spend a lot of time in the highway speed, then maybe consider installng an overdrive unit or a newer transmission with more gears?
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Chris 1968 K20 Suburban 1972 K10 LWB PU |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: pitt meadows bc
Posts: 88
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Re: Fuel milage
Not much time at highway speeds some days I crawl to work,on the highway traffic in the Vancouver area sucks
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#13 |
Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires
![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 23,090
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Re: Fuel milage
You're not going to see much of a difference with a 700R. I "average" about 11-12mpg with my 700R "in town." I do get 15-16 highway, but like you, I don't drive highway often. For a 700R to work well in these trucks the cheapest rear gear option is the 3.73. The 3.08 is too high for a 700R in my opinion (and quite a few others). So you really wouldn't see any improvement at all during your typical drive. For what you drive, in my opinion, your current set up is about the best it can be.
Anyone getting 25-28mpg (in US measurement) with a TBI is completely full of crap. I don't know the converstion, but I know the Canadian gallon is bigger than the US gallon, even so, that seems high. 10-13mpg "city" is just about normal for ANY full size truck with a small block V-8 with just about any trans/rear end combo. The big difference is highway.
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Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride ![]() American Born, Country by the Grace of God ![]() 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications! Last edited by 67ChevyRedneck; 10-22-2009 at 12:28 AM. |
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#14 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: pitt meadows bc
Posts: 88
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Re: Fuel milage
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Take Off
Posts: 1,908
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Re: Fuel milage
Drive as if there was egg under the accelerator pedal and your goal is to not crack/break it.
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#16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lake Stevens, WA
Posts: 623
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Re: Fuel milage
Ya, biggest thing that saves gas is driving habits.
From there you can play with gearing, tire sizes, etc. Here's what I did to mine, just for a comparison. - 350 engine - q-jet with the mains jetted two sizes smaller - 700-r4 trans - 3.73 rear gearing - stock tire size. No wide tires - all synthetic fluids. (it does matter. Sometime you can see from 2-4mpg improvement just by doing this) All this gives me about 14mpg in town and 17-18 on the highway... no better than the newer trucks get. ![]() |
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 2,696
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Re: Fuel milage
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#18 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: pitt meadows bc
Posts: 88
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Re: Fuel milage
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: OKC OK
Posts: 489
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Re: Fuel milage
Q-Jet x4
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"You can put lipstick on a pig, sure it's pretty pig, but it's still just a PIG... ![]() 71 ![]() |
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Northern Arkansas
Posts: 1,136
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Re: Fuel milage
An aftermarket multiple spark type ignition is usually good for a couple mpg. Also I have found the higher dollar spark plugs help too. I'm talking 5$ and up a piece. In my last 5 engine builds, all have received performance street cams and aluminum intakes, and all have done better than stock in the mpg dept. The engine doesn't have to work as hard to pull that heavy mass around. Also, I'm still waiting for my neighbor to put some mileage on it, but I recently installed a hydrogen gas system on his '97 Lexus SUV. He had been getting 13/14 mpg every day in town. I'll make a post about the outcome when he brings me some numbers in 1000 miles or so. We're hoping for around 19mpg.
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#21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Porter Ranch, CA
Posts: 978
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Re: Fuel milage
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#22 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Porter Ranch, CA
Posts: 978
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Re: Fuel milage
Quote:
Yet we all still kid ourselves and keep putting more perfume on the pig... And I include myself on that too. It's kind of like Homer Simpson grabbing the electrified donut. He gets shocked, and drops it. Sees it again, grabs it, gets shocked, drops it... and keeps doing it... Same thing. We can keep putting more perfume on the pig, but it's still going to shock us and drink the petrol like crazy... But they do look damn good doing it, don't they?!?! Last edited by 69GMCLonghorn; 10-23-2009 at 04:27 PM. |
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#23 | |
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hideaway, TX
Posts: 4,950
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Re: Fuel milage
Quote:
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71 Suburban 350/700R4 Project Trixie 72 CHEVY,Highlander,SWB,396,T400 |
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#24 | |
Never Ending Projects
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 3,836
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Re: Fuel milage
Quote:
Biggest advantage of the Firebird is that is was very aerodynamic, unlike our bricks (or most any) of a truck. I had a program at one time that would tell you how much power it took, at what speed based on how much frontal area there was. It was amazing how much more power something like a truck took to push thru the air then a streamline car did. It was even more surprising as you went up in speed. Something like twice the speed took four times the power.
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#25 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Porter Ranch, CA
Posts: 978
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Re: Fuel milage
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