What to buy? V6 OR V8??? (for Silverado Z71)
 

Looking to get a single cab silverado z71 between 99-04 model soon, i am looking for PURE FUEL ECONOMY. I do not tow anything i dont need any power and will be running a stock size tire. Once again, all i care about is fuel economy i will be installing aftermarket parts such as a cold air intake and exhaust (dont care what it sounds like just want it to breath better) and possibly a bully dog or something. Thanks alot guys.

Man you need to do some research here first.

aaron you say you are not towing but are you 4 wheeling? if not why looking for a Z71 off road package Looks? if fuel is your priority then look for a 2wd lowered truck. Power programmers are great but not much is out there for the 6 I would look for a 5.3 if I were you. or change your mind and move toward a colorado instead of a silverado.

Good luck and Like Frank mentioned read up i am learning alot in here.

Welcome.

If you want good fuel economy, you'll have to choose your vehicle wisely.

What do you want to use the vehicle for ?
That question determines the sort of vehicle to buy.

Do you really need a truck ?
They don't return great fuel economy.
If you're not hauling lots of heavy stuff on a daily basis, a van, MPV or station wagon will give better fuel economy on a daily basis.
A trailer can be used to handle an occasional oversized or heavy load.

First off, the mods you mention probably won't improve your fuel economy at all.

As for which engine to get, smaller is generally better.

If you average the "real world" MPG of v6 vs. v8 Chevy pickup owners, I bet you'll find that the average v6 MPG is better than the average v8 MPG: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG....make=Chevrolet

And before you dismiss "a few MPG" difference as inconsequential, realize that the difference between 16 and 18 mpg* over 20,000 miles a year is 139 gallons. At 3 bucks a pop, that's $417 a year. Every year.

*(I don't know if the numbers will show you actual averages of 16 and 18 mpg - that's just an example based on a quick look at the lists at that link. You can crunch the numbers yourself.)

In Europe, pick-up trucks are usually sold with a 4 in line (diesel) engine, with 2L to 2.5L displacement, 3L at worst.
Over 3L is a very marginal market of expensive toys.

It suits us, why wouldn't it suit Americans :confused:


PS : get a manual rather than automatic transmission.

2 words: Fuel prices.

Oh wait, 2 more words: cultural differences.

(Not defending, just saying.)

This is where more information is needed by AaronMiller. People like myself that need to pull a 5,000lbs trailer could not afford the cost of a diesel engine that is offered here. I have less than $1,500 invested into my tahoe and have the luxuary of a 4x4 for the snow and rated 8,000lbs towing.

Mid size diesels are few and far between and I can hardly recall one. If by some stroke of incredible luck I did, the price will certainly be a premium compared to the gas version. Does anyone know of a 6cyl diesel available for a pickup in North America? I don't think the Inline cummins turbo 6 counts as a mid size diesel 5.9L and up only other one that comes to mind was the Jeep cherokee 3.0 turbo diesel but price + economy it gets doesn't make sense

Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel Review

Hey I learned something new today :)

I'd add a third. Emissions regulations. They've been a lot more stringent on passenger cars than light and medium trucks in the past. This has made it even harder to develop small 4 and 6 cyl. diesels.

First of all i would like to thank all of you for being critical of my question, you just lost a forum member as this will be my last post, i asked a simple question and i get ZERO results. NHRABill i want a Z71 period there is no reason behind it that matters, i will have one i am trying to accomplish better than average fuel economy with it same goes for your comment euromodder. As for you MetroMPG the comment about those mods not improving my fuel economy is absolute garbage. I have 2 different trucks with these mods and have performed a log of the economy on before and after mods, both vehicles gained a minimum of 4 mpg average. Thanks for nothing hope you guys have fun on this useless forum.

Sayonara - no great loss.

Bye bye.

No reason to be angry Aaron, you sound not much different then me. I enjoy my big truck and am looking to do what I cna because Mpg. are a fact of life now if you don't want to go broke. I believe as I stated earlier that a 5.3 would be your best bet there are many programmers out there with a economy mode you can switch back and forth when you are in different situations.
I don't think you could get a Z71 package on a 6cyl. so that will push you to the v8 also the higher suspension of the z71 will allow more air to go under the truck maybe a loweriung kit may be more in order for your future mods this will help grreatly.

Don't sweat the comments look at the location of where people are from not everyone is familiar with your surroundings or needs. I never understood the logic of many small car owners that rather have 3 vehicles that one truck can do but have learned to understand some of their reasoning by hanging around here for past couple months. lurk around for a while and read some of the articles you cna pick up a few tips that will get you a couple MPG better... best of luck in your search f or a truck.

Hi. I'm new. I'm going to buy a Navistar CXT. I don't haul or tow anything. I commute 1 mile and cruise up and down main street evenings and weekends. I'm going to add a 12" lift and dragster-style zoomie pipes. Will an HHO generator tripple my fuel economy?

I'm all about fuel economy. Period.

I live in Arkansas as well, and while a truck is nice for hauling stuff, for bad weather I would prefer a front wheel drive car with good tires or an SUV. A truck does poorly in bad weather compared to an SUV; the rear tires just don't have that much traction without adding a ton of stuff in the back. Even at that, if a truck is necessary, an s-10 with a 4 banger will do quite well in bad weather with sufficient weight in the back, yet still fetch 25-30 mpg if its a stick and driven well.

One must wonder how young this guy was; very is my guess.

the v6 is epa rated at 17/23 and the v8 is rated at 16/20 for the 5 speeds, the automatic needs the bigger engine and looks to have a higher top gear so it gets 16/21

Then you'll have to pay the price for it.
Bye.

A couple MPG simply won't cut it when starting out with a gasguzzler.

Aaron, don't get upset, folks are just offering responses to your question. NHRABill, myself, and Frank Lee all have full-size trucks/SUV, totally understand the need for em. However you did say you were in it for pure fuel economy, if you don't tow and don't need power, why get a Silverado for economy? The Z71 option (at least on mine) is just decals and a skidplate - not really essential. The v6 and v8 get almost identical mpg, figure in the v6 gets driven harder to perform the same, its a tie. As others said, a 99-04 S-10 4 cyl will be better on gas, and way cheaper to buy.

Cuz we like big trucks - little motors don't suit us (except for commuting!). Dream ride would be a 3/4 ton 4x4 diesel with chrome stacks. Sad thing is it would get better mpg than some cars/most SUVs.

Don't forget that when you're talking about a 16 MPG vehicle, 1 MPG is a significant difference in volume/cost of fuel used. See post #5.

I see this repeated often, and I'm skeptical. Sounds like a truck drivers urban myth /slash rationalization.

- The EPA test cycles run the engines at the same rates of acceleration and same speeds (ie. "perform the same"), and the smaller displacement engines win out over the bigger ones.

- For "real world" results (if you assume the sample size is big enough and representative), check the "Your MPG" numbers on the www.fueleconomy.gov site and I bet you'll find that smaller displacement engines also get better MPG as reported by real drivers

Pre-emptive point: anecdotal stories (lacking solid methodology) don't count!

I bought new my 2007 Chevy Silverado with 5.3 litre and 315 HP to pull my Nash travel trailer. When not towing, the V8 will beat any V6 offered in MPG. Taking advantage of the offered fuel management system is the key. On the dash, the display will indicate when you switch up or down in cylinder cutout. With a simple glance at the dash you can control your foot to keep the engine in 4 cylinder operation. You cannot feel the changeover. It is flawless in its operation. That is how I could easily bring in 26+ MPG on the highway brand new on the New Jersey Turnpike at 65 MPH and even on small country roads it is easy to hit mid twenties. The next training feature as I call it is the instant MPG display. Once you have trained your foot to not be a lead weight, the next step is to maximize the MPG. Instant MPG is accurate. The trucks's computer always knows exactly how much fuel is entering the cylinder. It also knows exactly how far you have traveled. So as I'm traveling down the highway, the majority of time I am in instant MPG mode on the dash. My method works and I can always beat the EPA rating by a wide margin.

For those who like to coast, the instant MPG readout really makes you feel good. Instant gratification 99 MPG going downhill coasting.

The V6 did not offer this feature of fuel management. Plus is could not tow my Nash trailer or more correctly was not designed to tow so much weight.

GM has had the best design for economy for several years. They don't get enough credit for this.

Not that I did this but this engine can really haul A**.

I dont know why you guys bothered with this kid. He's obviously too immature to take in any advice you might give him, he only wants to hear what he WANTS to hear. Like get a big lifted V8 truck and it will automatically get 30 mpg when you put loud exhaust and a cold air kit on it. If you disagree you are WRONG!

Big Truck Ego. Thats all. *spits dip*

woody: your story illustrates how your truck would benefit from aerodynamic mods (aero shell! partial grille block) much more than a non-cylinder-cutout version, since you'd be able to enter 4-cyl mode sooner, and hold it longer. (Assuming it's a load-dependant thing.)

And it suggests that a 4-cyl truck would be even better than a 6- or 8-cyl one. :) (Ducks for cover!)

Oh, I think most of us gave up talking to him after his 2nd post.

Think we're talking amongst ourselves at this point. Nobody here but us chickens!

I gave up after I heard cold "air intake and exhaust" and fuel efficiency in the same sentence.

Well, I'm in the process of figuring out how to streamline my Class A motorhome. It's GVWR is 18000 lbs and the GCWR is 26000. It's got a Ford V10 and currently averages 10 MPG. That's at 55-57 MPH on the highway. It's 32 feet long and there is all kinds of stuff sticking out of every surface top, bottom and sides. I know here 10 MPG is considered horrible but I can remember way back when a Ford pickup with a crew cab would get 8 MPG. First I want to make skirts for the rear tires and second some type of air deflectors for the tires front and rear. The front tire air deflectors I'm thinking to be part of a pan across the bottom down as low as the front axle height. The front tire air deflector would also streamline the front axle. In order to do this, I have to keep the coach looking good. My wife is not going to tolerate cardboard panels as we travel. I have already posted about this motorhome on this site. The rear needs work to smoothe out the air flow. I carry a 250 cc scooter on back so it has to accommodate the scooter's being taken on and off the rack.

My underside is aerodynamically a nightmare. My idea is to keep the air moving around rather than under the motorhome.

The Chevy is only driven intermittently and streamlining it might not happen. Over a three year 4 month period I only drove it 19000 miles. Which by the way is the best way to economize. To NOT drive unless necessary. This happens to be contrary to my overall driving record. The 1999 Mazda B 4000 which the Chevy replaced currently has 195,000 miles on it. That's a lot of fuel I purchased. The best I ever got in MPG was 19. It still gets 19. When I could get fuel without ethanol it would just clear 22 MPG. Even though the Chevy beat it by a wide margin, I still stopped unnecessary driving and even then the scooter is my first choice.

My opinion about the OP getting upset is he just wanted to know what to choose. He did not want to justify the type of vehicle. Maybe he got help from what I did with the Chevy. My son with the same year truck from GMC doesn't give a damn about economy. It has all the same features but he just doesn't seem interested. When in his truck with him driving, he can't stand my questioning his driving habits as far as economizing goes. So to see someone interested enough to ask questions is a good thing.

Yep, I just generalized they are a tie for purpose of saying he won't save much with the v6. But I checked fueleconomy.gov after your post, it does list 1mpg EPA rated difference for the auto 4.8l v8 vs auto 6, but same avg mpg for manual 6 vs manual 4.8l 8. Under $180 savings/yr if he went with the auto 6cyl. Thats less than 10% saved going with the auto 6, nothing saved for the manual 6. I still say its a wash, a gas truck is just plain bad mpg

I wonder what an inline 4 diesel with a 10 gear manual would do for mileage. Or even a 4 cyl gasser with an electric motor for power assist and start stop technology.

Something is better than nothing I am 25% better than EPA chart saving 39 gallons in the past 2300 miles I have driven.

I guess a couple gallons is better than none at all :thumbup:

It is better but when considering the big picture it's kinda pathetic.

Adapting the nut buying the car, is a bigger mod than trying to adapt that nut when driving a hugely inefficient vehicle.

What's the purpose here?
 

Are you trying to make everyone else conform to your way of thinking or are you trying to help? You did not offer a more "efficient" engine suggestion. I did with the advantage of first hand experience. That's how you get things turned around. Your method kicks him out the door. Why don't you say something about my big fat gas guzzling motorhome while you're at it. Maybe you want me to ride a bike with a little trailer and a tent. Why are you even driving a car? Maybe you should get a more local job so you won't need a car. Travel isn't even necessary anymore. We all have TV.

Don't know if you get my point or not. I don't even care if you change your mind about how to influence change. I think you're forgetting what's important. Every little bit of change matters.

woodydel: don't over-react, please. ("Why don't you say something about my big fat gas guzzling motorhome while you're at it.")

I think asking if a driver has really considered their vehicle choice is a legitimate question. Though obviously this can rub some vehicle owners the wrong way (some people are more defensive than others).

Having said that, it's the questioner's responsibility to do it in a way that isn't abrasive or insulting, and doesn't completely ignore the O.P.'s original question.

It's all about keeping things respectful & civil.

But I also think you're right: a small change is better than none.

What I don't get is why he asked the question in the first place. If it's all about the MPG, then buy the vehicle with the best MPG, which I'd suspect given the choice between a V6 and V8, is probably going to be the V6. Otherwise, he's trolling for approval (or a fight), not actually looking for information.

I've been involved in a lot of online forums over time and there's always a balance between chasing off the trolls and playing nice to encourage new users. Frankly, playing too nice ends up making a place where nobody wants to be fast. Conform to the teenagers and soon enough they'll be running the place. There's a reason I don't go to Chuck E. Cheese anymore and it's not because I didn't like the pizza.

We've had lots of cases where the O.P. was obviously trolling - moreso when gas was > $3.50 / US gallon. I recall more than a few "incursions" from truck & traditional performance car forums. (I assume when they're mad at the amount they have to pay for fuel, they decide to take it out on this forum.)

But those ones are a bit more obvious when they happen. Personally, I didn't get that vibe from this guy until his 2nd post.

Though I'll admit I thought it was odd he was looking for full size truck advice after stating his upfront concern was "PURE FUEL ECONOMY".

Haha, brace yourself then, gas is getting back up there. This weekend it was $3.13 here in good ole taxed-to-death NY, $3.01 if you went to the local Natives station (which I do). Some market people saying it may push $4/gal before Christmas... :eek: The OP may be back soon enough asking for advice in a more desperate tone.

Oh my!
 

On one 2009 trip to Alaska, we did 12000 miles in three months. We had a celebration, my wife and I, when we pulled into Alaska and the price for gas had dropped down to $3.33 /gal in Tok. I remember, we couldn't get our credit card out fast enough. It was like a year end sales event. Gas sticker shock takes place in Canada. There you get your gas by the liter. So let's say you pull into pokey little Watson Lake in the Yukon and you need gas (real life). First gas station you see pull in and fill er up, that's 75 gallons worth. Back on the road, travel 1 1/2 miles and see the gas 40 cents less. That's per liter. So times 3.8 that's $1.50 per gallon less at the other end of town. Repeat process getting there and coming back 15-16 times.

Low 3's is not too bad. Filling up the 250cc Chinese Reflex clone is pure joy.

Rewind to post #1 in this thread.
According to the OP, fuel economy was important.
He's not gonna get anything like decent FE in a truck like that. Ever.

He hasn't got the truck yet, and it doesn't look like he really needs it at all.
It's the obvious moment to make someone reconsider the options.


Apparently, fuel is still far too cheap in the US to make (most) Americans come to their senses regarding their choice of cars.

euromodder, don't forget the likelihood of someone considering your position has much to do with the way you communicate it.