Mpg?

[Steve_o]

I am possibly looking into getting a 88-98 ex cab short box 4x4, and I was wondering what the typical MPG was for the diesels. So if you could post up your year, engine size, and mpg, that would be great.

THanks guys.

[K5Fury]

'93 one ton 4x4 regular cab long bed with 6.5td and automatic and 92,000 miles, average between 19-21 mpg.

[chrisk1500]

Truck is in sig.....

15 mpg in the city with my foot in it at all times....

16 mpg in the city driving nicely....

18 - 20 mpg on the highway depending on things like wind and load....

[Steve_o]

Sweet, your from sask too...

do you think it would be a better choice to get a diesel, or a gas, based on fuel efficiency? Also what are some advantages of diesel over gas?

[chrisk1500]

Based on fuel efficiency - diesel is the way to go....

Based on cost - diesel parts are way more expensive than gasser parts.....

Personally I will never buy another gasser truck again....the torque the diesel produces can't be touched by a gasser while returning the same mpg....

If you know how to turn your own wrenches the diesel is the way to go IMHO of course....

[red suburban]

Originally Posted by Steve_o

Sweet, your from sask too...

do you think it would be a better choice to get a diesel, or a gas, based on fuel efficiency? Also what are some advantages of diesel over gas?

i say diesel all the way, much better gas mileage (expecially in the older diesel motors or the cummins 4bt). alot more torque as chrisk1500 pointed out, known to last for more miles, and simpler to work on. as far as cost goes, yes parts for diesels are more expensive, but that is usually offset by the amount of money you save by getting better gas mileage, expecially if you make your own biodiesel (as i used to do). getting 25+ miles per gallon from the old 6.2, 6.5, ford 6.9 and 7.3L is not hard to do, and will improve your performance in the process.

[DADDYRABBIT]

what about millage?? im lookin at a 95 2500 sixlugger with 180000, how long will they last??

[chrisk1500]

I am at 320 000 kms on my truck and I have seen someone that had over 400 000 MILES on an original 6.5 block.....

It's like any engine - take care of it and it will last....

[cl1986]

i wastn that impressed with the 6.5 turbo.....my 98 vortec got me 18 mpg on highway....plenty of power i think more torque or it felt like it than the 6.5 and after the $.20 higher diesel price the gasser is the way to go.....mine had 135k miles on it when we traded.....engine was just like new....the tranny on the other hand.....well i believe the 6.5 had the same trany....pretty weak....

Id put the 350 vortec up agianst a 6.5 turbo anyday pulling a load.....although the diesel may get better milage while pulling......not sure....

[chrisk1500]

Originally Posted by cl1986

Id put the 350 vortec up agianst a 6.5 turbo anyday pulling a load.......

lol......

[red suburban]

dont get me wrong i've towed with 350's and they are great, but heres a point for reference. the old 6.2 diesel was better at towing than the 350 gassers of the era, both the carbed and the tbi models, yet the 6.2 would take off very slow and didnt feel powerful at all. same thing with the 6.5 and the 350 vortec. vortec is great, but the 6.5 will tow more and accelerate better under a heavy load than the 350 vortec.

the diesel will get better fuel mileage thats true, i've heard the usual is around 15mpg with a 8000 lbs load behind it, but check with chrisk1500 on that since he has one. the older diesels you dont really feel the torque by the seat of your pants, unlike with the newest ones. also if you want to make more power for towing a diesel is very easy to do that with, and upgrading your turbo (biggest help without changing the pistons to 18:1 compression) will also improve your fuel economy, whereas if you make substantially more power with a gasser you lose fuel economy.

[red suburban]

also i currently have a 94 suburban, tbi 350 4x4 with 3.73 gears for referance. getting 17mpg highway with my current cold air intake upgrade, i hope it will get better when i get my engine to warm up to the right temp of 180-190, i'm at 120-130 F on the highway for trips, so my truck is dumping more fuel than it should be into the engine because of the comp.

[chrisk1500]

Unloaded I have just recorded over 17 mpg on two recent trips running around 75 - 80 mph with the truck in sig....I know I could do a lot better if I kept the speed down around the 60 - 65mark....

I have owned many gm gassers over the years and none of the V8s would even touch that kind of mileage.....(although my 94 4.3 would) - just couldn't pull with it.....

FWIW - I towed a 10 000 lb combine home a few months ago and got 15 mpg doing it.....this was running for 60 miles at around 30 mph (speed rating of combine tires - didn't really feel like risking a blowout).....

[cl1986]

oh i agree with the tbi 350....what a dog....

but the vortec 350 is a totally different animal....

what the 95 tbi was 200hp

my 98 vortec is 255hp.....

i pulled a 10k lb load all the time with my vortec.....never really strained it at all......70 mph on interstate......can the 6.5 td keep up with that??....not sure....maybe.....my guess is the rpms would be maxed out.....my vortec was good for 6k rpm....so running at 4k doesnt even bother it.....will 6.5 td pull over 65 mph??

whats the 6.5 td for hp and tq?? oh...looks like 185hp and somehow 400ftlbs...not so sure about the 400 ft lbs....

Ive driven the 6.5 td......still not impressed so unless you driven a vortec 350 you cant really say much......

i couldnt get any better than 18 with the 6.5 td at any speed it was about the same.....

i also had the 6.2 diesel in my old blazer......that was horrible..... one windy day on interstate i maxed out at 45 mph with my foot on the floor.....probrably in second gear.....

right now im driving a dmax with the edge monitor and theres no comparison with any other motor at all.....ive driven all the chevy motors and pulled with them.......

[chrisk1500]

Originally Posted by cl1986

i pulled a 10k lb load all the time with my vortec.....never really strained it at all......70 mph on interstate......can the 6.5 td keep up with that??

Not sure....haven't tried that yet with mine....check over at the dieselplace.com if you want to find out what people are pulling with the 6.5.....

my guess is the rpms would be maxed out.....my vortec was good for 6k rpm....so running at 4k doesnt even bother it.....will 6.5 td pull over 65 mph??

Huh?

whats the 6.5 td for hp and tq?? oh...looks like 185hp and somehow 400ftlbs...not so sure about the 400 ft lbs....

Ive driven the 6.5 td......still not impressed so unless you driven a vortec 350 you cant really say much......

You are reading 'S' equipped numbers....not 'F' equipped....bump those numbers up a shade.....

Yep driven a 5.7 vortec....I guess that means my opinion is now validated?.....lol....

i couldnt get any better than 18 with the 6.5 td at any speed it was about the same.....

i also had the 6.2 diesel in my old blazer......that was horrible..... one windy day on interstate i maxed out at 45 mph with my foot on the floor.....probrably in second gear.....

right now im driving a dmax with the edge monitor and theres no comparison with any other motor at all.....ive driven all the chevy motors and pulled with them.......

I can barely get into the 20's with my wife's Jimmy (in sig) and that has a 4.3 VORTEC and is a light truck.....

Obviously there is no comparison with a Dmax....nobody said there was one.....


BTW - check out TurbineDoc's k1500 6.5 TD over at dieselplace.com.....he pulls 18000 lb with it......heavily modded of course....

[cl1986]

well...your huh?? question is just what it asks....

my vortec wouldnt pull in OD.....will the diesel?? if not you wouldnt make it over 65 mph.....enough explaination..... if both trucks are in 3rd gear....your diesel would be running 4k....dont think thats possible......

also the vortec has 330 ftlbs torque.....

so you may want to reconsider what ur saying....

more power....almost as much torque......

and i would still put them up agianst each other....would be about the same.....the 6.5 is no amazing discovery.....face it....

[K5Fury]

The 6.5td will pull circles around that 350. Not really even close. Unloaded you might have an agrument. The diesel will never down shift, the gasser will downshift and struggle up every hill. I tow in 4th with a 6.5 and cruise 70 mph and rpm's are about 2,800. Have had it pegged unloaded and although the speedo only goes to 85 mpg I was well over 100 mph. Like Chris says it's no D'max but it will hold it's own and better with a gasser.

[cl1986]

allright i give up.....but i still dont believe it....id have to see the two stock trucks pulling the load to believe it....

im not so sure on the staying in overdrive either....the 98 6.5 td we had would downshift on steeper hills on interstate with no load at all.......

[chrisk1500]

Originally Posted by cl1986

and i would still put them up agianst each other....would be about the same.........

lol.....

I would run circles around your vortec with my truck both being loaded up with around 10000 lbs.....

[chrisk1500]

Originally Posted by cl1986

allright i give up.....but i still dont believe it....id have to see the two stock trucks pulling the load to believe it....

im not so sure on the staying in overdrive either....the 98 6.5 td we had would downshift on steeper hills on interstate with no load at all.......

did it have a new downpipe? boost controller?