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Fuel Mileage Expectations for Chevy Truck

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
Looking at a used truck and I'm wondering what a fella could expect for gas mileage.

The truck is a:

2004 Chevrolet 2500 4x4 extended cab
4 speed auto trans
3.73 rear axle ratio
6.0 liter Gas V-8

That 6.0 liter engine is about the only thing I don't like. Any ideas as to what a conservative driver could expect for mileage?
 
I had a 2004 with the same engine and ratio and I averaged around 13-14 with it on highway..When pulling a trailer I got about 10 or so.
 
I do not know about the 6.0, however my 04 Chevy has the 5.3 engine and I get 17 MPG around town and between 19-20 on the highway. Two problems with the '04 trucks to watch for.

One is the guage cluster. If you see any twitching in the speedometer needle, it is going out. There is now a recall to fix this problem, but I do not remember what the mileage limit is on it. I had to pay to have mine replaced, but after the recall was issued I was reimbursed for the total cost.

Second is the intermediate steering shaft. There is a problem with these, and it is referred to as a "policy" instead of a recall. If there is a knocking/bumping feeling in the steering, have it checked by a dealer. If it is determined to be bad, it is replaced free of charge.
 
I have a 2001 2500 with the 6.0 liter. I do not think anything changed from 2001 to 2004. I also get 13 - 14 MPG highway and light city driving and 10 MPG when pulling my 8,000 pound trailer. I have the crew cab with the long box. Love the truck. Hate the gas pump, but for my needs a smaller truck will not work.
 
Get it to a shop that does alignments, have the tie rods and ball joints checked. They seem to be hard on inner tie rods. Same tie rod for 1500-3500. Upper, lower ball joints and tie rods can add up to a $1000 plus bill.
 
I have a 96 Chevy, 4x4, 4sp auto, ext cab, 5.9l engine, don't know what gears. I get 14-15 on the highway with no load. Towing, depending on load, mpg can drop to 10. My truck has the thermo activated 4wd, which is totally useless (almost never engages). If the one you are looking at has that, the part to change it costs about $85 and if you're mechanically inclined, you can change it out yourself.

I've had a lot of repair on mine. I bought it in Nov of 2000 and have replaced A/c, water pump, radiator, pwr brakes, idler arm & pittman, internal fuel lines, multiple alternators & batteries, Chevy battery cables ($200), exhaust system. Perhaps more, but that's what I can remember right now. I may have just wound up with a lemon.
 
Hey, Nancy, your thread on the Supreme Court decision may hold the record for shortest duration on this board- It simply vanished, even as I was trying to reply!
 
Just what I have. 14-15 highway and driving sensibly. On the other hand, that 6.0 will really haul the goods when you need it to. That's what it's designed for. A Prius can't do that.
 
Just what I have. 14-15 highway and driving sensibly. On the other hand, that 6.0 will really haul the goods when you need it to. That's what it's designed for. A Prius can't do that.
 
Nancy,
You bought a 4(maybe 5) year old truck, now 7 1/2 years later, I wouldn't consider anything you have replaced to qualify it as a lemon.
 
HEy into deep ,
Get a Ford F250 diesel 97 model, 7.3 I get 17- 19 babieing it and depending on the load not less than 13. I have 280,000 miles on it and it still purrs like a kitten. Best dang truck i-ve ever owned.
By the way how are them mosquitoes up there!!!! ? LOL

Farmer
 
It really makes no differance if the truck has the 5.3, 6.0, or 8.1 engine. Granted, the 8.1 might not get the fuel mileage of the other 2, but it won't be much worse. Basically it is the size, weight, and axle gear ratios of the truck that determines the miles per gallon. Has very little to do with the size of the engine.
 
Re: the "service bulletin" on the gauge cluster...it"s not a "recall" per se. What that means is that it"s up to the dealer as to whether it"s warranteed or not. IF you"re a good customer, they"ll cover it. If they don"t know you, they"ll send you packing. 75K miles is the general limit...
 
6.0L is the 366 cubic inch engine. Conversion is roughly liters x 61= cubic inches. 6.0=366, 5.7=350, 5.3=327, 8.1=496 and so on.
 
I am gonna guess you have a 5.7L and not a 5.9L. There is an update to the thermal linear actuator that is all electric and engages within seconds. Little more money but well worth it.
 
I'd say you have a lemon if you have a 5.9 liter in a 96 Chev K1500.

(Sorry,couldn't resist)
 
2003 crew cab 4X4 6L with cap and brush bar. 15mpg US on trips and 12mpg knocking around local .
Not babying it at all, keep telling the wife to quit holding throttle to the floor. She likes the roar the truck makes and ticking me off at the same time.
As previously stated the engine size makes little to no difference in economy. In fact the small engine can burn more fuel.
If you are purchasing a truck fuel efficiency is not the issue. If economy matters then an mid sized AWD econo box with a 5X10 trailer will haul more for load for less $$$.
 
Mixed driving:

2002 K2500, ext cab, short bed, auto, 6.0, 3.73, 8600 gvw, average 17 mpg.

2003 K2500HD, ext cab, short bed, auto, 6.0, 4.10, 9200 gvw, average 14 mpg.

Joe
 
So after reading all the responses you should get about 12-13 mpg. About the same as a 1965 chevy,or a 1975, or a 1985, or a 1995, or a 2005, or a 2015. Is there some sort of pattern forming here? Perhaps a recipe to build a truck. Take 5500 lbs of plastic and steel, shape it in the shape of a big box, put a big 300 hp gas engine in there and WHAM! 12-13 mpg forever.
 
Whoa! Just a minute there! Depends on what 5.9! Definately a lemon if it is a Dodge 5.9L. Whole different world if it is a CDC 5.9L. Most definately one of the best engines EVER produced. None the less very highly unlikely that it is a 5.9L under her hood.
 
The whiners have it. Too many whiners on here reporting to the mods. So if your own gets deleted, oh well. If you don't like it, don't read it.
 
13-14 mpg, if you drive like me.

BTW, here in Michigan, the 70 mph speed limit is reserved for school zones and sidewalks. You're likely to get pulled over for obstructing traffic if you're doing less than 85 on the freeway. If you live in a state populated by normal people, you might see 15 mpg.
 
I bought a new one like that in 2000. Best I got was 19 0n 55 mph road. 5 to 10 pulling 30 ft fifth wheeler. Bernie Steffen
 
I bought a new one like that in 2000. Best I got was 19 0n 55 mph road. 5 to 10 pulling 30 ft fifth wheeler. Bernie Steffen
 
I bought a new one like that in 2000. Best I got was 19 0n 55 mph road. 5 to 10 pulling 30 ft fifth wheeler. Bernie Steffen
 
I bought a new one like that in 2000. Best I got was 19 0n 55 mph road. 5 to 10 pulling 30 ft fifth wheeler. Bernie Steffen
 
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