Hello from Vermont

[vteco]

Hello all. I have had a long standing interest in energy usage reduction, built my own house, heat with wood I cut and split. But unfortunately I do own a low mpg pickup truck, a 1996 chevy Silverado. I do love this truck because it is easy for me to work on myself, parts are widely available, including salvaged ones, it is built to last a very long time, hauls wood, accommodates the whole family and camping gear, handles snow and ice, and driving along the woods path to work on our forest, etc, etc.

BUT, I hate the fact that it uses as much fuel as it does, for all the usual reasons. I do have access to a more rational Subaru car to reduce the truck usage. But I'd still like to improve the truck's mileage as much as practically possible. It presently gets about 16+ mpg driving on our mountain roads, with few stop lights or signs, but speed limits of 35 to 55 mph. I drive with a light pedal to conserve as much as possible.

Longer trips of course are largely 55-65 mph. But happen only occasionally by comparison.

I'm a major DIYer, have built everything from houses to boats to computers (from scratch -- populating printed circuit boards), I've cast every kind of metal including and up to iron. I've built two metal lathes from scratch.

Anyway, this site promises to be super interesting to me, and I look forward to participating.

[freebeard]

Welcome. It is easier to get improvement on 15MPG than 45MPG.

Does your truck have an aerocap yet?

[redpoint5]

#1 factor- Driving behavior

The easy stuff is tire pressure, alignment, grill block, engine block heater, etc. Big improvements require big effort, generally.

I do as much as I can with a 4x8 trailer, so I rarely need my pickup. I could easily gather wood into it with even a Prius.

[vteco]

Thanks @freebeard and @redpoint5.

Redpoint, my truck is stock, presently. No aerocap.

Specs: 1996 K1500 Silverado 4x4: extended 3dr cab, 5.0 liter Vortec CPI, 3.73 rear, electr transfer case, 4L60E, P265/75R16

redpoint5, so far:

tire pressure - check,
alignment - check
driving habits - check
block heater - nope
grill block - nope
effort -- no problem

Is that all you got?

ps. We don't "gather" wood. A Prius wouldn't make it ten feet pulling a trailer up the 67 acres of forested mountain back of the house when we drop timber in the fall. A 4by, yes.

[freebeard]

Is that all you got?

ecomodder.com/forum/google_search_results.php?"aerocap"

'Aero' and 'off-road' don't play nice together.

[vteco]

This is a strange forum. Supposedly devoted to "ecomodding"

I asked how I might improve a vehicle's fuel consumption, and I get negative absolutes.

[vteco]

I don't "off-road" for fun. I get wood for heat before winter. That is yearly in the fall and therefore occasionally. I don't own five vehicles. We own two. A pickup truck and a subaru outback. When my wife needs the Subaru, I do often need to drive to town, in the truck under the conditions and speeds I mentioned in the first post. We also occasionally use it for camping. I also use it for bringing lumber and supplies when I build something. I also use it for towing a lightweight boat at times.

I would like nevertheless to reduce, if possible, my fuel consumption in this vehicle, and one hopes, by doing some DIY changes, which I enjoy thinking about and trying. I do not expect miracles, but I do believe every effort a person makes towards this end is better than no effort to this end.

If I'm in the wrong place for this kind of thing, it's a surprise, but well, okay.

[freebeard]

I asked how I might improve a vehicle's fuel consumption, and I get negative absolutes.

I'm curious what a negative absolute even is. I hope it wasn't something I said.

BUT, I hate the fact that it uses as much fuel as it does...

Back to the basics: You have three avenues to success, drivetrain, aerodynamics, and the proverbial 'nut behind the wheel'. I lean toward aerodynamics, and an aerocap is the single biggest improvement. It's not compatible with all lifestyles.

If you follow the link I offered you might find https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/full-vs-partial-aerocap.

Second place behind the aerocap is the half-tonneau. It seems the most utile to me.

[vteco]

Thanks freebeard, that.s more like the kinds of suggestions and discussion I was hoping for.

Yes, I am considering a half-tonneau. The bed is 80" x 67" wide.

Coincidentally, I have a toolbox in the front which I've often wondered about moving to the back. It is flush with the top of the bed side, and easy to move it's mount. It's not a half tonneau, exactly however. But I am just curious what that simple change could mean, if any.

For a real half tonneau, I was thinking just testing a piece of plywood across the back. At 4 feet wide it would actually be a 60% cover.

Another question I have is whether or not the forward brow extension of the cab (sun shade?) should be removed, or if it is serving some aerodynamic purpose. I bought the truck used with it in place. I have no idea whether it harms or hurts. It does have some slots inside it. I'd be happy to remove it if it is a detriment.

I'd consider an extension in the opposite direction, off the back of the cab.

I have no problem with trying to block the grill off, particularly in winter here, and as long as not towing something heavy over mountains in summer (rarely done).

I'm also interested in at least the ideas behind instrumental engine tuning for economy and discussions of transmission shift points. (a very small taste of which I was reading on the GMT400 forum.)

I've been interested here in things I've found on pizza tin hubcaps, covering rear wheel wells, and on instrumentation.

[freebeard]

I guess I see what the negative absolute was. That is an echo of the Buy a trailer (instead of a pickup truck) thread.

Buy a trailer (instead of a pickup truck) (04-07-2013) -- oil pan 4 -- last post 11-17-2024 08:14 PM
replies 1,335 views 361,300

On the sun visor -- there is a bubble of low pressure air abaft the windshied header. A 45 degree bevel might reduce that, or a comparable curve. Venting the visor probably won't help IMHO.