Suburban/Yukon XL 2500 8.1L Gas Mileage

[ktmrdr85]

I am thinking about getting a Suburban/Yukon 2500 with the 8.1 Liter. What I expect to be doing with the truck is towing a 21 foot toy hauler every weekend. But this truck would also be my daily driver as well.

What are your guy's opinions on what I am thinking about and what kind of gas mileages could I expect to get in a Sub/Yukon XL with the 8.1L?

I don't want to see gas mileages for pickup trucks because as far as the research that I have done, it seems that as a general rule that the SUVs seem to get a little bit better mileage due to aerodynamics.

[justy]

Not true, Acutally pickups I've checked with on http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ always have better mileage. Thats as long as you keep your tail gate up. Most pickups are usually a little lighter then a big suv like a suburban. And if your worried about mileage. I wouldn't even think of a 8.1. I would get a duramax. Better mileage, and fuel is cheaper at the pump. Towing a 30 foot camper I get right around 20-22 a gallon depends if I'm bucking wind. Or towing a atv trailer behind the camper then I get about 17-18 a mile.

[98GreenMachine]

6-8 MPG is average with the 8.1

[ktmrdr85]

Whoa! Wait here a minute guys. I want to know from some people who have subs. I have an uncle that used to have an 8.1L pickup that (and I saw it for myself) got around 15 mpgs. My dad has a 1996 Sub with the big block that gets 15 mpg towing a 2000 Mastercraft X-STAR. I would never think that an 8.1 Liter would ever get 8 mpg unless completely maxed out.

[firerescue_one]

i have a 01 yukon xl 4x4 8.1 that i ride every day to work and pull a small trailer some weekends and i avg. 12-16 and 16-18 on the hyw only.

[98GreenMachine]

Whoa! Wait here a minute guys. I want to know from some people who have subs. I have an uncle that used to have an 8.1L pickup that (and I saw it for myself) got around 15 mpgs. My dad has a 1996 Sub with the big block that gets 15 mpg towing a 2000 Mastercraft X-STAR. I would never think that an 8.1 Liter would ever get 8 mpg unless completely maxed out.

I don't personally have one so I'm only going on what others have posted on here. Most members that have the 8.1 says its an absolute power house for towing and whatnot, but that the gas mileage is pathetic. Your wallet will be taking a serious beating if this will be your DD, especially with gas at $3 /gallon.

[claviz13]

i have a 01 yukon xl 4x4 8.1 that i ride every day to work and pull a small trailer some weekends and i avg. 12-16 and 16-18 on the hyw only.

I call The 8.1 is a pig. 16-18 my arse.

[justy]

8.1 probably a good engine, but I look at the cost at the fuel pump, the way it looks to me, diesel is always going to be cheaper. Just like honda quit making the hybrid, and now going to make diesels. So I figure diesel is going to stay lower price for a very longtime, unless some new fuel comes along to take it's place. My older brother has a 3/4 ton with the 8.1 he gets about 11-12 in town, not sure what he gets highway. But he also tows a mini excavator bobcat 435 with it. So the 8.1 does have the power. But personally I'd never buy a gas engine. Especially when they are saying gas is going to be 4 dollars a gallon next year.

If gm made a suburban diesel, I probably would of bought one, But because they don't I got a pickup instead.

[$gmoney$]

And I thought the 5.7's 10 mpg was bad...I feel for you guyhs with the 8.1

[JoshS]

I have an '04 Suburban 2500, 2WD, with the 8.1L and 4.10 gears.

I'm getting about 12.1 around town without my trailer (and there's a lot of highway driving mixed in there), and about 7.8 with my 24' enclosed car hauler (about 7500 lbs loaded.)

Prior to this setup, I'd been towing a larger 40' gooseneck car hauler (about 13K loaded) with a couple of different Duramax trucks.

I'm really impressed with this Suburban. It pulls pretty much just as well as the diesels did, seriously. But it definitely sucks the gas down while doing it.

[ktmrdr85]

8.1 probably a good engine, but I look at the cost at the fuel pump, the way it looks to me, diesel is always going to be cheaper. Just like honda quit making the hybrid, and now going to make diesels. So I figure diesel is going to stay lower price for a very longtime, unless some new fuel comes along to take it's place. My older brother has a 3/4 ton with the 8.1 he gets about 11-12 in town, not sure what he gets highway. But he also tows a mini excavator bobcat 435 with it. So the 8.1 does have the power. But personally I'd never buy a gas engine. Especially when they are saying gas is going to be 4 dollars a gallon next year.

If gm made a suburban diesel, I probably would of bought one, But because they don't I got a pickup instead.

There is a small problem though. GM does not make diesel suburbans and I'm not about to pay "just a little more thatn a cadillac ESV" for a vehicle that has had one put in it. I'm sure as heck not going to take on that project, and even though it would be nice, I'm not sure it's worth it for me. Don't get me wrong, I like pickups, but for my next vehicle, I want a suburban.

This thread sort of turned into a debate, I don't want that. I don't want opinions on what others get, I want to hear from people who have the 8.1 and what they are getting. I believe that an 8.1 could get 16 mpg. Just b/c its a big block doesen't mean that it has to get crappy mileage. My dad has a '96 454 suburban that gets 15 mpg-and I calculated it-on more than one occasion. Although I will give you this-it is his vacation vehicle and it doesen't EVER run for 15 minutes without hitting the highway right after that.

[kenaiking]

I just sold mine for a 04 5.3l ecsb due to the fact I was only getting 10mpg in town and 13 on the hwy. The nice thing was no matter what I pulled I got that. Camper or not. I had a westerstune, flo 40 duels and a k&n.

Now I get 17mpg pulling my camper and 20 the rest of the time. I really loved the big block but it is a gas guzzler

[JoshS]

I don't want opinions on what others get, I want to hear from people who have the 8.1 and what they are getting. I believe that an 8.1 could get 16 mpg. Just b/c its a big block doesen't mean that it has to get crappy mileage. My dad has a '96 454 suburban that gets 15 mpg-and I calculated it-on more than one occasion.

Well, some of us told you exactly what you asked for, our own first-person facts, not opinions. Sorry you don't like the answer. We have Suburbans with the 8.1L, and we don't get anywhere near 16mpg.

There's also a thread here you might be interested in:
http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/inde...howtopic=54424

With 390 replies to the poll about 8.1L mileage, you can see a clear bell curve centered around 10-11mpg.

So you can believe that it'll get 16mpg all you want, but real owners are telling you otherwise. What more do you want us to tell you?

[firerescue_one]

I do get 16 mpg on the highway with my 01 yukon xl 8.1 4x4 and I have goten 18 once. and mine has 187000 miles on it.

[ChevyMan02]

I'm thinking about getting a 2500HD 4x4 ECSB with the 8.1 ? If I could get 12-14 I'd be more than satisfied.

[Torquer]

I have an 8.1 pick up, sorry its not the Sub. but its probable about the same as far as gas mileage. I get maybe 13-15 average. its actually better than my old s-10 4.3 tbi, that got about 8-10 mpg. its a very efficient engine for its size. Thats mostly highway driving though and in town roads with a 50 mph speed limit

[thecodeman]

I average 11 MPG in the 2500 avalanche ( 8.1 4x4 with 4.11s ). I wish I could get 16, the tahoe gets that in the city!

[MikE2]

6-8 MPG is average with the 8.1

You must have a lead foot. I drive mine the fun way and I still avarage 13 and 15 on the highway

[c180drvr]

Stick with the gas engines...diesels are loud, they rattle, they stink, and it will take you 300K miles to pay off the initial investment for the duramax. I wouldn't have one on a bet unless I towed everyday...then the duramax kicks butt!!!

[NateDiggity]

Towing a 30 foot camper I get right around 20-22 a gallon depends if I'm bucking wind. Or towing a atv trailer behind the camper then I get about 17-18 a mile.

No way in hell your dura is getting 22 with a 30 camper behind it, or 17-18 pulling doubles, Im assuming you also have your edge turned all the way up, and your stacks blowing black unused fuel over everything behind you?


let me guess your reading that off of your DIC?

Or are you just trying to puff up your diesel muscle.... I test drove a few dura's, according to the DIC, I was only pull 16.5 avg on the hwy, and with the injector problems in the years we were looking at, I decided it wasnt worth it.... Not when I can pull 15.5 on the hwy in my 6.0 and I dont tow anything super heavy (24' enclosed is the biggest, 7500 pds)... Not to mention the extra cost of maintaining it, or the fact that when a deisel has parts fail, they are 97% of the time more expensive to fix than a gas......

Going to the dunes a few weeks ago, similair weight trailers, going the same speed, my 6.0 pulled 1.8 mpg less than the 06 cummins behind me....and I have 87k miles, he has 46k....and I was in front most of the way.....

Sure, diesels are great for the right application, but Im tired of people thinking they are the end all be all thing out there.... especially the people trying to tell me they are pulling 26+ mpg empty, or the one guy trying to say he got 35+ with his camper in tow (co-worker)