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What's your fuel economy?

12114 Views 55 Replies 30 Participants Last post by  ChevyFan, 
ChevyFan
Just curious what type of fuel economy people are getting here.

Please list the year of your burbon, the type of engine and what you do with it.
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G
1993 K2500 w/454 about 12mpg. I'm only using it to drive to/from work. (about 11miles roundtrip)
I won't take it on the highway anymore with these gas prices, but it was doing about 14-16mpg highway.
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ChevyFan
That's about what I have found myself. About 12 MPG. Towing is less, sometimes as little as 8 or 9!
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R
I just picked up my "new" (ebay) suburban. From 250 miles away. 2500, 5.7 auto (4L80E). Got better than 16 Mpg.
I'm impressed. That was driving 70 mph. Now I'll have to see how it tows my 26 ft enclosed race car trailer?
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84fiero123
86 with 350 carb. 2 wheel drive auto overdrive around town 10 or 12 mpg. Highway around 18 but I could be wrong it's been a while and my memory is shot :roll:

94 5.7 L, I hate the new engine designations. TBI, auto overdrive 4 wheel drive. 14 around town, but I really have never checked it, now with the stock tailer behind it you can figure on half that.
On the highway keeping it under the speed limits, and we never do that. Around 20 but we have never really checked it.
I feel if you need to check it you shouldn't be driving the Burb. The truck is made to work with and as such the mileage is just secondary to having the power to do the job.
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ChevyFan
Wow, 16 MPG is pretty impressive for the 5.7 in a suburban.

Let me just tell you that the 7.4L 454 doesn't quite get that. :)
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J
I have a '78 'Burb 4wd with the 350/th350 and 3.42 gears that gets about 9mpg. I also just bought an '01 'Burb 4wd with the 5.3/ 4l60E combo that gets about 12. Has anyone used a throttle body spacer or an intake tube with the 5.3, if so have you noticed any difference in power or fuel economy?
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ChevyFan
Hey, another '78 owner! :) Welcome aboard!
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J
I also have a '76 truck that is just used for plowing, an '83 shortbed, stepside that is in show condition and a '95 full size truck for a daily driver.
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Aeropagus
I usually get somewhere in the mid-teens when I'm just tooling around town.
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P
I have a 1999 6.5TD 2500 HD Suburban and get around 13 to 14 mpg (UK Gallon).
I think I have a diesel injector problem not that the truck runs rough or anything.

Anyone else got a Diesel Burb?

Regards
Jess
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ChevyFan
What's the difference between an US Gallon and a UK Gallon? Does one speak in proper english and one not? ;-)
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C
my new (yippee I finally got one) 2005 seems to be getting around 17-18 highway, and about 15-16 local :D
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ChevyFan
Hey CJ, welcome to the site. What type of engine do you have in your Burban?
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D
I have been averaging around 18MPG I have been very happy! :D
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ChevyFan
Well, I guess that's what I get for having a 454.
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D
LOL! Yeah I got the 5.7 and it has been better than expected everyone kept saying 7-9 and you dont want that but I havent looked back!
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G
The all-time best mileage I got out of my '99 GMC 'burben was 20 (highway). I do a lot of driving up and down the I-5 corridor between Portland, OR and Tacoma, WA (135 miles approx. one way) so that's always been a great way for me to consistently monitor my mpg's.

This, of course, is the result of a few aftermarket parts like a K&N cold air box, MSD box/wires, SLP 160 deg. thermostat, Headman headers / Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, etc. I think the HARDEST part about achieving a consistent 20 mpg was trying to stay below 65mph to keep the aerodynamic drag to a minimum. Apart from those few lucky times of hitting 20 mpg, a majority of my mpg's have been more realistically around 18 mpg... which I am always more than happy with.

To be honest, for as big and powerful Suburban's are, I think they get pretty decent gas mileage when compared to most other trucks out there on the roads.
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ChevyFan
G22C said:
The all-time best mileage I got out of my '99 GMC 'burben was 20 (highway). I do a lot of driving up and down the I-5 corridor between Portland, OR and Tacoma, WA (135 miles approx. one way) so that's always been a great way for me to consistently monitor my mpg's.

This, of course, is the result of a few aftermarket parts like a K&N cold air box, MSD box/wires, SLP 160 deg. thermostat, Headman headers / Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, etc. I think the HARDEST part about achieving a consistent 20 mpg was trying to stay below 65mph to keep the aerodynamic drag to a minimum. Apart from those few lucky times of hitting 20 mpg, a majority of my mpg's have been more realistically around 18 mpg... which I am always more than happy with.

To be honest, for as big and powerful Suburban's are, I think they get pretty decent gas mileage when compared to most other trucks out there on the roads.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's pretty good mileage. I've done that drive between Portland and Tacoma, of course I went further north to Kirkland/Bellevue.

How's the investment in that aftermarket stuff paid off? With $3/gallon fuel it probably paid for that stuff more quickly, just wondering how long it too to pay it off. I think other people are putting a pencil to it to see how much money they have to spend to get 2 MPG difference.
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C
Steve my 454 get's about 12 also. I may my truck payments at the pump.
I don't mind one bit. I love that engine.
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