Another MPG project (will update regularly.)

[cabletech]

I'm looking at doing some upgrades to my work truck for MPG boosts/pulling power/longevity/reliability improvements also.

My issue is weight. I have an extended cab four door with a 80 lbs shell, 100 lbs of ladders, 50 lbs of tools, 60 lbs of equipment, 200 lbs of cable, and 60 lbs of fittings and such. for a total of 550 lbs of added weight. say 600 to be conservative.

I put about 120 miles per day or more on this truck. and on the highway I see the downshifting that many people have mentioned here. I do turn the O/D off on the hilly part of the highway but as some have said it feels like the engine is racing. I thought that was never a good thing. so I turn it on for flat ground and city driving, of which I do a lot.

On my best tank I got 16.02 MPG! Something's gotta give! I am stuck with this truck for a few years or so, so I want to make the most of it before looking into the 4.3 or something that can pull without killing the MPG like this.



Here's what I have in mind so far:

K&N drop in filter (done, long life benefit.)

Iridium plugs 0.6 or so diameter (still gathering advice on benefits there. read some stuff about platinum on this site, but not iridium. I beleive that they would improve longevity and keep a hotter spark for longer. thereby improving MPG.)

Underdrive pulleys (will do after reading mountaineer's post. never thought of them as a MPG booster.)

Performance chip or obdII flash (need more info on that.)

8mm plug wires. (seems like the right thing to do.)

Electric fan. (I've heard mixed reviews, but I'll give it a shot.)

A friend reminded me of the old dryer hose from the air box down to the front valance trick (sort of a ram air thing could help get colder air in there. cheap mod so worth trying.)

K&N full system (PRICEY, but 9 more HP may help get the weight moving.)

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I will also start a thread to monitor my progress with the MPG mods. Perhaps a section dedicated to just this sort of thing would be a nice addition to the site. I see alot of MPG questions on this forum.

Corey the cable guy

 

[fixizin]

I haven't been around here very long, and am no RKI, but long enough to have learned:

You're avoiding the BIG MAJOR mpg increaser: swapping out that automatic waste-heat generator for a manual tranny. That will beat ALL of your other items COMBINED, and many of those items have downsides, including wasted $$. Many on this board have done the auto==>manual swap-ola... apparently all the holes are already in the truck.

Grind your own coffee and your own gears, and you'll be happier and get WAY better MPG.

(My 4x4 w/ stick gets 25 hwy @70mph with a couple hundred pounds tucked under the 65 lb. decklid!!)

 

[Bob Ayers]

Driving habits will improve your MPG way more than all the useless mods on your list!

In addition to no MPG or performance benefit, you risk a contaminated MAF sensor, and gummed up IAC valve and throttle body from the K&N air filter!

 

[cabletech]

don't forget I'm looking for longevity also here. I understand that the K&N filter is not a magic mpg booster but it lasts forever.

 

[cabletech]

The holes are already there huh? I'd really like to check that out. I don't mind the manual. Thanks for the good input fixizin.

 

[Bob Ayers]

don't forget I'm looking for longevity also here. I understand that the K&N filter is not a magic mpg booster but it lasts forever.

How about MAF sensors, IAC valves, or engine?

This is part of K&N's warranty staement from their website:

"K&N will not be responsible for any other expenses incurred by the customer under the terms of this warranty, nor shall it be responsible for any damages either consequential, special, contingent, or otherwise; or expenses or injury arising directly or indirectly from the use of the K&N Air Filter."

 

[fixizin]

Bob's got a point. My IAC acted up, ohmed out as bad, cheapest I found (GP Sorenson) was $52... easy to swap out though. Hope my MAF stays healthy 'cause they're about $110, which will get you one whole tank of gas... D'OH!

Not sure what these K&Ns are supposed to do... seems like my stock airbox w/ a FRAM has as much or more breathable area. You still got that long CORRUGATED connector hose to deal with.

I don't like getting hosed on consumables either, but every so often there's a 2-fer or some kinda deal where the Frams are basically $5 each... I stock up... it's not like they're perishable food.

 

[bobbywalter]

baggin on a k&n is silly if filter oil is a suspected culprit. sure the maf can get hosed and will when over oiled but a blast of contact cleaner ends that.


all the other shit is downstream of the cc breather. talk about nasty filth covered shit. if anything k&n oil will clean that up...i work on alot of engines and the insides of the intake of a properly maintained 5.0 with 60 k and stock filters would be shocking to someone that thinks k&n filters are some sort of oil sludging scam.

i have two filters run on my rig outside in the mud and rain for over 750 k combined....on two engines and a half...350k on a well used 302 with a k&n on it the whole time....not luck, just works. in normal conditions paper filter costs would have been @ 175-200. but i dont operate in normal. many weekends i would have fragged half a dozen paper filters.

if a guy operates in normal conditions a good fram paper is just fine too.


dont run underdrive pulleys with an e fan without upgrading the alternator.

 

[Bob Ayers]

dont run underdrive pulleys with an e fan without upgrading the alternator.

A higher output alternator won't put out any more than a regular alternator if the RPMs are too low.

It's totally stupid to put more load on an electrical system, and then cut the RPMs on the alternator! With the increased current into the field winding from the voltage regulator trying to reach the proper voltage (and can't), the alternator will put a higher load on the engine anyway!

 

[bobbywalter]

thats true to a point, though you can have the alternator setup to work with the underdrive pulley. this is common practice with the guys running round detroit anyway.... using a 130 over a 95 still will help, as its putting out alot more off idle and at peak stock for stock.. setup to just over 100 helped my rig out big time as i used to regulary for 10-16 hrs a day idling with the fan on and running the air compressor. i was running down and sulfating my batteries in summer and the alternator guy made some adjustments and ended it. i usually take them in still and have em tweaked. but its not as necessary cause that is a rare thing to happen these days.


this is unless his alternator is already a 130. in that case he is probably good to go.

 

[fixizin]

Bobby, good point about the oil breather, then there's the EGR soot too. Guess I'll give the K&Ns another look... once I work through my backlog of Frams... lol.

How often do the K&Ns need re-cleaned, re-oiled, re-whatever? Big hassle?

 

[bobbywalter]

well. thats just it. they are a big hassel. the average guy will fawk those right up. i myself have overoiled, of course it didnt hurt anything but i did it cause i am an impatient fawker when it comes to dumb shit like that. you know...wash it up all nice for 20 minutes when you get home from work and throw it on the washer to dry overnight pissing off the ol lady and then remember at the last minute before you leave for work to go get it and oil it and put it back on....


yeah....its a sat night thing to do when you do it if possible.

finally i just got another filter so i could take my time. but that is costly as hell right up front. my panel filters were easier to deal with then my cones too btw.

so if you do mostly normal driving, and have a 2wd then a k&n isnt worth the hassel. but if you have a race car your floggin 7 g per pass or do alot of off roading then a k&n is the shit.

 

[bobbywalter]

oh yeah, as to clean and reoil, mine get covered in goo before normal cleaning intervals...

but, after you oil it and install it, say 300 miles later take a good look at it. then a 1000 miles later. it like.....dries up. when the red starts to fade its time to clean it, unless its black from dirt ofcourse

 

[mountaineergreen]

subscribing to this- looking forward to seeing what works for you.

 

[fixizin]

I have a very flat low-profile flush-fit Gemtop steel decklid (not some fabric tonneau flappin' in the slipstream, and not a fiberglass one that "humps up"), and it's good for 1.5-2.5 MPGs at hwy speeds. Added proper weatherstripping to the tailgate, and that's one clean and dry compartment back there.