need help 100$ fillups every 2 weeks

[bigd7315]

I have a 92 3500 454 with 4.10 rear end and auto overdrive trans looking for all info to better milage I only get 8 around town and 14 on the hwy but cannot sacrifice power or torque any suggestions

[blue4X4]

Sounds about right for what you have. I get about 16-17 gallons, about $35-40.00 a tank and lasts about a week at 17mpg in my 350. You would have to reduce gear ratio, weight, Cubic inches, compression ratio, TBI size, Fuel flow, usually manual transmissions get better milage but hard on the leg around town a lot. Could change over to Diesel fuel. Nothing would help much that wouldnt be costly and something you dont want to sacrifice.

I had a 66 chevelle I customised with a 408ci BB Chevy and tunnel ram w/4.11 gears that got about 8 miles a gallon on Cam 2 fuel. Big motors with big gears get little fuel milage-just the way it is! sorry, I wasnt much help, but if you want better milage you have to give up something a little bit anyway. I would go with some 3.73 gears and next time you buy tires get bigger diameter tread. Some of the other guys in here may know what to change to reduce fuel flow into the TBI. Good Luck!

[Tall]

Put a high flow exhuast on it, and an upgraded intake. I get 20mpg with my 350 on the free way, with a flowmaster, and a K&N Drop in...and I was hammering it...

[dsltb]

My 98 454 dually 4WD gets 6-7 towing and 10 empty.

[bigd7315]

well I have noticed that all the other duallies run a 215 75 r 16 where I am running a 235 85 r16 and I also get the same towing as empty no matter how heavy I pulled a ford backhoe to viginia through the mts and still avg 13 on hwy and some in town I have got headers true duals and a kand n is nextI would like to get a little closer to the 20 mpg mark on the hwy since hwy is my main driving on it and also has anyone tried one of those 502 ht crates are they any worse on gas since i am at 218k now i know a motor is in my future

[cycowrencher]

You drive a 5500 lb truck with a 454 and 4:10 and you are complaining about 13 mpg. The only way you are going to hit 20 mpg is to get a new diesel.

[Repo_agent]

Exactly why I went with a 2500 with a 350. Add some airbags and I tow anything you do with better mpg.

All you can really do with your current set up is drive it lightly and maybe give a tune up.

[blue4X4]

If you increase your cubic inches to a 502 you will use more gas! Old tow trucks used the Chevy 400 small block because it was built for low end torque(pulling motor). You will still get a good top end and less gas usage. Also, was a good reccommendation to open up the exhaust. The less the backpressure from the exhaust the more Horsepower you gain ( this is why racers of all types run with headers only). First go with biggest pipes that will fit and a flowmaster. Good Idea.

[goinbig]

Blue4x4...how would higher gears (numerically lower) and bigger tires get you better fuel milage?? If anything, go with like 4.56 gears or put slightly smaller tires on. I would not do both though.

And again, I don't think you know much about exhaust. You need to have some backpressure on regular engines. If it was turbo'd, then you'd want little to no backpressure...but that's another topic. And not all "racers" run straight headers. Most of the time you are required to have at least some type of muffler. Huge pipes are just as bad as pipes that are too small.


bigd7315, that milage really isn't all that bad for the type of truck you've got. I'd first do something with the air filter (like a K&N) and a GOOD exhaust system with new mufflers and Catalytic Converter(s)

[bigd7315]

i have true duals now with glasspacks on 2 1/2 in pipes with cats and running 235 85 16 tires and getting thr kandn tommorrow

[lacarman]

Options are as follows:

1)Get a new President that isnt in the Oil business.

2) Get another vehicle

Good luck.

[Repo_agent]

A new president isnt going to give you better gas mileage.

And if you get another vehicle you will then be paying to put gas in two vehicles not to mention insurance and maintanance.



Anyone know what it takes or how much he would need to spend to add the Propane option to this truck of his? My neighbor ran propane in his car for 3000 miles and his oil is still real clean. He said finding a place to fill up is the hard part though.

[craigix]

I've successfully got my 3500 7.4 running on propane via drilling and fitting 8 injectors + 2 vaporisors and a 230litre tank in the bed. Works perfectly.

I can get propane for next to nothing in bulk...

Extreme but it saves me a fortune!

-Craig

[Repo_agent]

So what did the set up cost and how much is it to fill that 230liter tank? How many miles on a tank?

[lacarman]

I was just joking dont take me seriously.

Actually though I own a car lot and I have had many customers with SUVs and Trucks, coming in and buying $3-6,000 4 bangers just to save some money on commuting.

A Year ago At $1.20 A gallon commuting in a truck was reasonable. At $2.30-3.00 a gallon it is a waste of money and a 2nd car to commute will pay for itself a hundred times over.