8 MPG?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

shiftpro

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Posts
4,855
Reaction score
6,092
Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
Tell me how! I've changed over to EFI and still only get 7mpg if I'm lucky. I have a feeling I've got to tear it down and rebuild it.
And so many think that EFI = more power and better fuel economy... EFI is good for cold starts and... that's about it imo.
 

Vbb199

B-rate Hillbilly Customs
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Posts
9,042
Reaction score
15,333
Location
Salisbury NC
First Name
Vince
Truck Year
89, 79
Truck Model
89 Suburban R1500, 79 C10
Engine Size
350, 502
Th400. Not sure about gear ratio

Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk
If you're sporting a carb 350, th400 with a 4x4 truck, and more than likely a 3.73 with the 35" tires, I don't see real big mpg numbers in your future anyways.

But this is small tire sbc guy problems.

Step into the world of big tires and big blocks, and you forget mpg, it's more gpm lmao


A fresh new ignition system surely helps,
But how fresh is the internals of your motor?
Loss of compression can contribute to some of it.

Those vacuum readings arent incredibly great.

If the gauge is bouncing, you could have yourself a vacuum leak.
If so,
GENTLY spray carb cleaner around your motor (mainly intake area) and if you have a vacuum leak.

If it's a steady low vacuum, you could have a loss of compression possibly?

Have you checked leak down on your cylinders before?


Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 

Vbb199

B-rate Hillbilly Customs
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Posts
9,042
Reaction score
15,333
Location
Salisbury NC
First Name
Vince
Truck Year
89, 79
Truck Model
89 Suburban R1500, 79 C10
Engine Size
350, 502
And so many think that EFI = more power and better fuel economy... EFI is good for cold starts and... that's about it imo.
Exactly why I bought mine for my 502.....
Who tf wants to fight that when it's cold

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 

CoggedBelt75

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Posts
40,359
Reaction score
166,148
Location
Oklahoma
First Name
Joe
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
383
I can squeeze 10 mpg on the highway. In town....not so well. Sb with a few bolt-on parts, 33 tall rear tires, 4.56 gears. Ran efi for several years and didn’t get any better mileage.
 

Chevyguy

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
Posts
186
Reaction score
60
Location
Eugene,OR
First Name
Clayton
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V20
Engine Size
5.7 Litre
One thing I noticed not mentioned. Have you corrected the speedo for the 36' tires? If not , you are putting more miles on than indicated, hence lower MPG.
With 35's and 4:10 gears/turbo 400 I'm 5 miles faster than what my speedometer reads in my 87 V-20. I average 12 miles per gallon.

Clayton

Sent from my LM-V350 using Tapatalk
 

80BrownK10

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Posts
1,878
Reaction score
1,247
Location
Greenwood, SC
First Name
Nate
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350
That’s about right

I’ve bought several trucks that were stock and lifted them
My experience has been

Figure 13-14 mpg bone stock with no lift and 225 28” tires

And you will lose 1/2 MPG for every inch of additional tire diameter

and 1/2 MPG for every inch of lift

So if you do a 6” lift you’re gonna lose 3 MPG and if you go from 28” tires to 35” tires , you’re gonna lose another 3 MPG

The engine makes a difference too
When we did the LS swap and had it tuned , with a 4” suspension and one inch hockey puck body lift and 35” tires with 3.73 axles
It went from 8.5 with the old worn out TBI 350 to 15 with a tuned LS

We also had a 02 4wd Jeep Liberty bone stock with tiny tires and it gets 14
Well then I do pretty good then. I normally get about 10mpg normally if I drive like a grandpa and go very slow and slowly accelerate I will get 12 and towing my 16ft dovetail loaded with my tractor and implements and ATV I will get 8mpg.

I have an 80 with a 350/350/205 combo. It's lifted about 3" and running 33s. 3.07 gears.

Edit: I'll add that I have a quadrajet on an edelbrock intake. And an Edelbrock chrome air cleaner the kid with a top and bottom plate but the actual air cleaner exposed 360 degrees between them (just didn't want people to think it was through the stock setup)

The little thing busted on the speedometer cable that screws into the transfer case (or was it transmission , I don't remember now) it's some sort of adapter for the speedo cable. I need to order a new one I just screwed cable back in but it's a good bit off without that adapter. I found some company online that makes them. I needed to give them various speed reading both gauge and actual speed they said to make it.

Anyone know of places for this part? I think this company would correct for my larger tires with a new one so that was appealing. I'd have to look to find what website it was I was looking at.
 
Last edited:

lcfman

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2018
Posts
63
Reaction score
16
Location
Murfreesboro, Tenn
First Name
Geary
Truck Year
1977
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
If you have a mechanical fan you could go to a clutch fan or electric fan. This might help.
 

Raybo135

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2019
Posts
296
Reaction score
310
Location
Arvada, Colorado
First Name
Raymond
Truck Year
1976
Truck Model
K10 Silverado
Engine Size
400
And so many think that EFI = more power and better fuel economy... EFI is good for cold starts and... that's about it imo.
It does improve Gas mileage. I got a 50% increase in MPG. I went from 4.12 to 6.85. It is other stuff wrong with the engine that is preventing better fuel economy. But hey, I don't call it 6.85 Miles per gallon, I call it 6.85 SMILES per gallon.
 

Red Rex

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2014
Posts
334
Reaction score
562
Location
Middle Ga
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K 1500 4 WD shortbed
Engine Size
350
84 GMC 4wd short bed
350 quadrajet on weiand intake
3.08 gears
Th350 transmission
MSD pro billet dizzy w6a box
30 inch tires

10 mpg @55
 

78C10BigTen

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2017
Posts
15,948
Reaction score
25,339
Location
pennsylvannia
First Name
Ted
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 BIG TEN
Engine Size
350
Are you talking about a gauge like this? This is the best I could get it adjusted a few weeks ago when I did it
You must be registered for see images attach


Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk
Where do you have that hooked too?
 

QBuff02

I like Big Blocks and I cannot lie
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Posts
867
Reaction score
1,598
Location
Central IL
First Name
Quincy
Truck Year
1982
Truck Model
K30
Engine Size
454
And here I was happy with roughly 6 mpg in the ol 8-Deuce. Some of you guys are doubling or tripling me! I'll take my Big Block, Big bore 4 barrel carb sucking cool night air just about any night. But there are some guys that have tweaked and tuned and worked out every mpg possible and make these things do quite well. But it's gonna take you some parts and some patience to see any noticeable gain.
 

dvdswan

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2014
Posts
2,366
Reaction score
2,036
Location
Port Orchard, WA
First Name
Dave
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350
Frankenchevy said:
From what I’ve seen, 3/4 ton trucks don’t come with full floats, but rather a sf.

You must be registered for see images attach

IIRC, it depended on what GVWR/brake system was ordered for 3/4 Ts. Could have been either SF or FF
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,166
Posts
950,716
Members
36,282
Latest member
Doug Hampton
Top