How to improve Gas Milage on 1998 C1500 ext cab?

[jtotexas]

I have a 1998 Chevy C1500 Ext cab pick up truck that does not get horrible gas mileage but it only gets about 350 to the tank. Most of those miles are highway since I run around doing installation jobs in the DFW metroplex.

I would like to know what I can add to the truck to improve gas mileage. I'm sure I can add a K&N air filter or exhaust or something that would improve this. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[stumpuller454]

#1 Get a cat back exhaust system

#2 Get a custom ECM tune (check out WESTERS, WHEATLEYS, BLACKBEAR, NELSON, etc,etc,)

# CAI, (cold air kit) * one that "truely" brings in cold air, basically not one that has an open element air filter.*

I noticed the most mileage gains from exhaust, then the tune the most, and everything else made some impact, but not as much as these two.

[smilexelectric]

Take the extra seats out of your truck, upgrade to carbon fiber, take the tailgate off haha.

Please note do not take this post serious!!!

[batty1214]

350 miles to a tank???? thats horrible? huh...... I thought I was doing really good getting 250 someodd out of my 1995 5.0..........

[hotrodpc]

I am not a big fan of K&N, UNLESS you are putting the other stuff with it and getting a proper tune as Stump suggests. Many people go out and buy a K&N filter and depending on the the application will determine how bad or worse fuel mileage you get. I have a story to go along with this as proof it you want to read it.

My son in law bought a new Jeep Compass, yes, I tried like crazy to talk him out of it. So he gets this thing and starts buying accesoireis right away, one being a K&N filter, for a Jeep 4 cyl world motor. I told him and told him, NO don't do it. Think he listened? Let me remind you he is 19 at the time, so there is your answer if he listened. On the highway, he is getting 16mpg and he is jealous of me as crud, because I am getting 38-42 in my Yota depending on how I drive it. He has it in the shop under warranty for poor fuel economy and the dealer keeps telling him they won't work on it for poor mpg because of the K&N. So my daughter, his wife, tells him, put that original filter back in. So he does. (yeah right), Still getting bad mileage forever, like 20,000 miles. The daughter and son in law come to OK to visit one weekend from the the AFB in TX where they are stationed. He again complains 15mpg on the way here. I told him again about the K&N. My daughter says, NO, he finally put the stock filter back in after I beeched and beeched about it. They are over at his parents house visiting them, my daughter see the K&N box in their garage. She says here, take this box and sell that K&N on eBay. She opens the box and guess what. The orignal filter is in it. So he is busted, then admits he only said he put the original filter in to shut her up that he could not find it. Hahaha, she made him put that filter on right there, right now while she watched. Guess What???? They got 29mpg going home that weekend. They didn't even stop for gas. Now he is 20, and maybe just a little bit smarter and he may listen to me occasionally now. You just don't go changing parts on a computer controlled vehicle and expect great things, if you don't have them properly tuned. I have a word that I invented, I get to use it often on the kids. That word is TOADJA. They say they are putting it on my headstone when I kick off.

[hotrodpc]

Oh, and in that story, I forget to metion they had a rough idle problem with the Jeep too, the dealer could never find anything wrong to cause it. The rough idle problem is now fixed too since going back to the original filter. I have a feeling this K&N may have been driving the MASS and/or MAP sensors crazy, and they were telling the computer to do bad things.

[gmctrucks]

Well my buddy that has a shop doesn't like them for the reason is oil has messed with mass sensor or one of them and it quit doing it after he took it off. Now on my 93 F/S GMC Ext/Cab 5.7 it hasn't done nothing to cause problems maybe less sensors I don't know.

[hotrodpc]

I agree with that oil issue too GMC. I am not going to say K&N are bad, becuse they are good. But do you homework first and be sure you application is going to benefit from it instead of get hurt. Also, just don't go changing parts on a computer controlled vehicle if you are not going to do it right. If I were to modifying a computer controlled vehicle, I think I would get all my modification layed out on paper, be sure they match and work good together, not put them on 1 at a time. Bolt or install all my mods, then have the chip reprogramed as necessary then all should be wonderful. I am thinking 350 might be able to be improved by some maintenance. I am trying to remember, but I think in my 96 which should be the same drive train, I would get close to 400 miles out of the 26 gallon tank, and that was not running it to bone dry either. Not positive though, that was along time ago, and I only kept the truck about 10 months then it was time for a new one.

[jtotexas]

What are your thoughts about adding Acetone to the fuel? I have heard that if you add 2 oz. to every 10 gallons of gas it will boost your fuel economy by about 15 MPG or 20%. Apparently, acetone evaporate easily and because of this, it vaporizes the fuel and allows better compression in the cylinders.

There is plenty of proof that this is a good way to boost economy and it does not damage your engine or fuel system.

[hotrodpc]

huhhhh??? Thats a new one on me. Never ever heard of that one. Be worth checking into for sure.