MPG numbers from 5.3L Silverado 1500?

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Looking for some real world mpg #'s from Silverado/Sierra 1500 owners that have the 5.3 engine.

I would not expect great numbers from around town but anything I have read has been people getting 10-14 mpg and that is including highway.

I drive 100 miles a day r/t almost 99% highway, just looking for some stats from people who actually own this vehicle....currently looking at with a 2000 Silverado and a 2004 Sierra 1500 SLE


Goose
 
I have a 01 Silverado with a 5.3 and I average 18mpg. It depends on how you drive. if my wife drives my truck, it gets 12-13 mpg.
 
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My truck has a 5.7 and 33" tires on a 3/4 ton truck and I get 12-15 MPG. I have a buddy who has the 5.3 and says it gets about 13-18 on a very good day
 
06 silverado 4x4 33 inch tires
I have a garmin gps and have a fancy thing i plug into the OBDII port that displays a bunch of real time info on the gps. On a flat road I get a steady 20 mpgs going 60mph. Sometimes 21 mpgs.

If these trucks are 4x4 you will get less mpgs than a two wheel drive. (parasitic power loss through transfer case).
 
2006 GMC K1500 Z71 5.3L I track every fill:

Highway - Consistently 17 miles per US gallon cruise control on at 72 MPH.

City - Heavy stop and go 14 MPG (US).

Combined (roughly 80/20 city highway ratio) - 16 MPG (US).

Towing - No data yet.

This truck gets about 1.2 better MPG (US) than my previous 96 with the 5.7 Vortec. I attribute that to it being newer technology and a slightly smaller engine. Both were 3.73 geared trucks and 100% stock. I prefer the torque curve and drivability of the older Vortec but I can live with the changes.
 
What do you want the truck for? Winter beater? I see you have a fit. I'm the guy in the std cab grey ranger xL on 93south and 111W.

hey neighbor
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Will the Fit listed in your signature work for the same role? A good set of snow tires will let it go through some NASTY winter weather with flying colors. A 14" snow tire/wheel package will run about $500 for the Fit. The gas savings alone will pay for it.

Assuming the Fit will average 30 mpg (ours does on its snow tires doing a 60 mile round-trip commute going 75 mph the whole way) and gas is $3.40/gallon, that's about $11 in gas a day with the Fit. Assuming 17 mpg from the Silverado, gas will be about $20/day. The snow tires will pay for themselves in about 50 days in gas savings alone.

Just trying to offer an alternative instead of shelling out for another vehicle.
 
Anybody have experience with the newer 5.3s with active fuel management, and know if they actually get better mileage than the older engines?
 
I had a 2004 and had a local guy do a tune. He leaned it out a bit as they run rich from the factory, he changed a few other things as well. On the Highway before the tune I would see anywhere from 16 to 20 mpg depending on conditions. After the tune on a few flat streches on the way to portland I would see close to 22 mpg with cruise on 70.
I generally saw 19 mpg after the tune on the highway.
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
I had a 2004 and had a local guy do a tune. He leaned it out a bit as they run rich from the factory, he changed a few other things as well. On the Highway before the tune I would see anywhere from 16 to 20 mpg depending on conditions. After the tune on a few flat streches on the way to portland I would see close to 22 mpg with cruise on 70.
I generally saw 19 mpg after the tune on the highway.
22mpg in a big v8 gasser truck is extremely impressive. Pity they didn't map the truck's computer like that from the factory - probably some chicken emissions requirements forcing the car to run rich to keep the cat lit off.
 
It was really rich from the factory and I do believe, someone correct me if I am wrong is it is for the CAT. He adjusted timing and shift points too. It sure ran better than with the factory tune. I did the same thing to current truck and picked up 1 mpg towing. Sure dosen't sound like a lot but it is the difference between 10 and 11 mpg consistantly, which when towing over long distances adds up. I get about 17 mpg on the highway and 11 mpg towing with the 6.0 3/4 ton truck with 4.10 gears.

22 mpg was empty, on the flats with the cruise on. IDEAL conditions. After the tune though it was easy to pull down an average of 19 to 20 mpg in normal driving on the highway.
 
We have Silverados in our fleet. They are typically a 15-17 mpg city and not too much more on the highway as we drive too fast!

Not an economy car but when I drive my 2005 carefully it will get 18 with the 5.3 and 3.73 gears. It's better than our Dodge or Fords ever did.
 
Originally Posted By: hisilver
06 silverado 4x4 33 inch tires
I have a garmin gps and have a fancy thing i plug into the OBDII port that displays a bunch of real time info on the gps. On a flat road I get a steady 20 mpgs going 60mph. Sometimes 21 mpgs.

If these trucks are 4x4 you will get less mpgs than a two wheel drive. (parasitic power loss through transfer case).


Also I have 3.43 gears
 
My 2000 Silverado 5.3/4L60E/3.23 gear regularly got 21 MPG highway and 15/16 around town. The 2005 Sierra I own now is identical and got the same highway until I put some wider aspect tires on for greater towing capacity. I lost 1-1.5 MPG highway to the tires. I get 12 MPG with the GMC towing a 4500 lb 5th wheel. Both 2wd.

A guy at work with a 2007 Silverado with the 5.3 and engine management reports seeing 22 MPG on trips but I don't know if he calculates it or just believes the dash readout. Also 2wd.

I put an AIRAID intake and Magnaflow exhaust on the GMC, no difference except louder. Wasted money.

FWIW I drive pretty easy.
 
Thanks for the replies guys....yes I do have a Fit and I get high 30's and low 40's at times.....it is a great little car...a little underpowered when trying to pass and climb hills sometimes but if I time it right I can do it without getting killed lol


BUT I have never been able to get comfortable in it...I don't know what it is but if I ride for any amount of time I get a shooting pain in my right side....feel like I've been shot..well for lack of a better term in the butt

I'm deploying early next year and probably moving when I get back...so I was planning on a truck anyways...

I'm looking at a 2000 Silverado with the 5.3.....owner wants 8K for it...for a 11 year old New England truck it looks to be in pretty good shape...body is solid although pockets of rust are forming on the rocker panels under the doors...bubbles are forming and a little bit above one wheel well...no rot though

107K on it which is pretty low mileage....truck is pretty loaded up as well...z71 pkg..power seats, rear defroster looks like a new drive shaft as well?

The only real negative I can find is the rear bumper has a rust/rot spot on it and the appears to be some sort of gas leak perhaps...the bottom of the tanks has gas on it...I'm not sure if it is a leak....do the tanks have some sort of expansion valve that gas can vent if it need too? Nothing on ground under to indicate a steady leak...truck has been in same spot for a while too.


So bottom line and this is painful as it sounds lol..I want a truck and I want to lose car payment before I deploy. 100 miles a day commute almost all highway....we are a 2 Fit family right now

Arco- I do Rt 3 on a daily basis
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Goose
 
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Pity they didn't map the truck's computer like that from the factory - probably some chicken emissions requirements forcing the car to run rich to keep the cat lit off.
They are all closed loop lambda when at light throttle cruise - not rich (the 02 sensor forces perfect AF ratio). If any programming was done was for open loop under mid to heavy throttle. Truck are programmed some what rich to provide increased torque and reliability under load.
 
The new ones get about 15-17 in the city and pretty close to 20 or right at 20 on the highway.

Not terrible for full size trucks.
 
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