1988 s-10 question

[dime]

hey guys,i've been lurking around for awhile and finally decided to join and post. i'm just looking to see what you guys think of my truck. its a 1988 s-10 with a 2.8(had a 2.5 from the factory) and the t-5 5-speed. the truck has 293,000 mi,engine was pulled from a truck with 35,000 but the odo wasn't working so who knows the true mileage.

just some quick history,i'm only 23 but i'm a "semi-retired" mechanic,i worked in several dealerships and independent shops after graduating from a trade school for auto tech but due to the economy i'm back working in a walmart TLE.

i'm currently using mobil 1 suv 5-30 with the napa gold filter, it runs great with this of course. i know i have some sludge in the engine so i'm only running 3,000 mi oci's right now. i changed the rear diff fluid in september(first time its been changed since it was built) to the walmart supertech semi-syn 75w-90 and i have just regular atf dex 3 in the tranny.

i'm looking to get the best MPG from my little truck,currently i'm getting 20-21mpg with the winter fuel. this is causing me to spend about $350/month in fuel costs anyone have any bright ideas to help me?

p.s. check engine light is off so the engine is running perfectly since i'm ocd about dash lights

 

[panthermike]

I would say your routine is a good choice, maybe the high mileage flavor if you want.

Those short OCI's should help clean the sludge as well.

 

[JT1]

So your traveling roughly 2500 miles a month?

 

[Robenstein]

I had a 87 S-10 with the 2.8. Mine never did better than 15mpg on the highway with a 700R4 transmission. Mine was four wheel drive and the engine and transmission were fresh.

I ran 10w30 Castrol GTX in it. Of course that was in the days of SJ oil.

 

[genynnc]

Dime- I had a 84 2.8-4speed manual s-10. I knocked down 21-23mpg on ST Syn 5w30. Rear end fluid was never changed nor MT fluid and that was with 304,000 on the clock. (Engine was rebuilt at 160K). This was a carb'd engine as well.

I've heard many people say the final gear (5 speed trans) is too tall for the 2.8.

As for your plan to get more milage out of it... I think you are doing your best without breaking into the engine or altering the exhaust.

I traveled 80-90 miles round trip for work, which was almost 3,000 miles a month.

 

[CourierDriver]

the s 10 was never good on mileage, I used to sell s10's and one of the complaints was lower mileage then expected. to save on gas u need to move closer to work.

 

[dhise]

My '91 s10 always got 25mpg on the highway, 2.8 v6 and 5 speed tranny. It didn't have air conditioning though. On one vacation the planets aligned just right and I came pretty close to a 600 mile tank. My buddy had one with the 4 cylinder and would get 30mpg on the highway.

 

[CourierDriver]

ok,,I guess I was wrong,

 

[dime]

sounds like i'm sol without some engine mods,i swapped this engine in to replace my 2.5 due to low power. it got great mileage though,i didn't think i would lose almost 10mpg with .3 more liters.