Better gas milage out of my truck?

Question

I have a 1997 gmc sierra with a 350 vortec and i was wondering what everyone else is getting for gas mileage and wich would give me the bes horsepower for when towing and gas mileage when not. either a chip / programmer or adding a throttle body spacer and cold air intake and exhaust. plus product reccomendations are more than welcome

Answer 1

If you want better mpg's...
change your intake to a cool air intake...
Put on a more free flowing exhaust/bigger diameter pipe
put in a performance chip...not too wild though...
that should bump you up a few mpg's, but after all is said and done, you will have spent about 1,000.00 modifying your truck...are you going to keep it long enough to get your money back from saved fuel???

Answer 2

I have a 97 2500 chevy silverado with the 350 vortec as well. I usually got around 16 mpg highway with automatic transmission and 2-wheel drive. I've looked into the throttle body spacer add-on and the theory is sound. It reduces the size of the intake port under the tbi which speeds up the airflow into the engine and causes the air to swirl when entering the combustion chamber and thereby causing better atomization of the fuel. Ultimately causing better power and mpg. Personally, I'd just look for a better air filter rather than a cold air intake, but thats personal choice. I put on a Fram highflow Airhog in my truck. The Catback exhaust system is supposed to be the best free-flow exhaust.
Hope this helps.

Answer 3

K&N cold air intake -250 - 300 $ 15hp 2-3 mpg

Bosch Premium Spark Plugs and wires 90-100$

shorty headers -15-20 hp 200- 250$ 2 mpg

exhaust - glasspacks arent bad cheap and loud [but theres better mufflers out there]

Electric Fans will replace your cluch fan and that helps free up some power [10-15 hp and costs like 135 -160$]

as for chip not sure what to get for your truck

as for were to get this stuff

intake - fans shucks is a good place

summit.com is good for the rest

Answer 4

No it would not. They coated this on the instruct mythbusters, the position they took 2 similar trucks and drove them at similar speeds to make certain which truck stopped first. The truck with the tailgate down truly ran out of gas swifter (someplace between 30 and 50 miles) than the truck with the tailgate up. Then used a water tank with a small truck and cutting-edge flow to instruct precisely why the truck with the tailgate up truly receives extra perfect gas mileage. sturdy instruct; examine it out your time.