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Looking For Practical Mileage Increase Mods

Seems like with the reduced weight (no cladding), and sleeker body (no cladding) the WBH should get better mileage. Couldn't prove it by mine. I doubt I'll ever see 20 mpg. And I tend to drive it easier than I did my Sierra. Probably because subconsiously I'm thinking it get's less mpg. :cautious:
 
14-15 is great i am averageing about 11.5 and no hire i drive a 2002 av with 5.3l and 3.73 gears any ideas why it gets such bad miliage i can only get about 310 miles out of a tank please help i cannot get any better and gas in arizona is about $1.89 per gallon
 
stoodge, you're either driving it too hard or there is something wrong with it. Have you had a dealer or other mechanic check it out?
 
!!!!!!! 14-15 mpg!!!! 18-20!!!! Sorry No Way in Hell would I get that Here in NYC, All i do is Stop and Go Driving, My Average % is 10.2 mpg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i spend almost $50 to fill it once a week, Sorry Guys, Im now Jealous!!!!!
 
Well, I rechecked my plug wires, and discovered 3 (yes -THREE) that were not actually clicked onto the plugs! ?:eek: They were just touching the plug contacts! And it was STILL running better than with the stock wire. I re-made the connections (with lots of dielectric grease) and there was an immediate improvement in 'liveliness'.
I restarted the averages. Still only just 100 miles into the new averages, but mileage on my 'standard' daily cycle is now settling down at 16.6 mpg, an improvement of 0.8 mpg over previous avg with stock wires (which included quite a few long (300 mile) freeway runs). Another couple of weeks to draw firm conclusions but it looks like about 1 mpg improvement will be the end result.
That would give an ROI in about six months.... That's not bad at all, and it's a lot pleasanter to drive.... :love:

One additional observation, the instantaneous on accelerating from a stop used to be 3, 4 or 5 mpg, now it's 6, 7 or 8 mpg.
 
I have a magazine article from a few years ago that set out to up the gas mileage on a conversion van. They did a wole bunch of stuff that did not help all that much, lighter viscosity oil (I am a Moblie one die hard), tune up, carburator, and so on. They then installed a full belly pan and saw a significant increase in gas mileage. But the largets increase in gas milage came when they removed the outside rearview mirrors! Oh well.
 
I am driving an essentially stock 03 AV 1500 Z71. Yesterday and today I drove two tanks of gas all on the freeway. Going 78 MPH on criuse control I got 18.2 MPG. Coming home doing the same, I got 18.9.

I like this vehicle. My Dodge Ram might have gotten me 15 if I was going downhill with a tail wind.

I only have 1600 miles on it and I am looking forward to getting better milage in the future.
 
Im with Stoodge, best ever miles was L.A. to Ariz. 20mpg even.
All around town 11.5 sometimes a 12.
 
I will have to say that I was disappointed with the gas mileage. I trade in my Suburban which got a rock solid 13.5 in city driving. My AV gets 12. However, the first long trip, I was pleasantly surprised to get 18 mpg. The burb would get about 16 hwy. Although my wife managed 19.7 mph once, but she was driving with stiff breeze. I am always looking for ways to increase mileage without major expense. It seems, from what everyone says, that the plug wires make a noticeable difference. I may give this a try. Any improvement is better than none.... I still love my AV ;D
 
I bought everything they had at NAPA to improve fuel economy, now I have to drain the tank once a week to keep it from overflowing.
 
I know you had your tongue firmly in your cheek with that post glkssailor..... >:D

In the past 15 years since this thread was last posted in there have been many threads about gas mileage and the AV. (Usually posts start when gas prices go up.)

As posted in many of those threads the AV is a poor starting point for an economy vehicle, it is heavy and has the aerodynamics of a brick.
From your introduction post you commented on gas mileage and it appears you are trying to improve it somewhat. Lots of variables affect gas mileage and the biggest factor is driver input. You need to drive an AV like an old geezer and have slow starts and gradual stops as well as trying to avoid lots of stop and go driving as well as long periods of idling. Then properly maintain the vehicle with tuneups and tire inflation (also try to stick with stock size tires,rims and no lifts etc.)
Things like CAI and exhausts may advertise gas mileage savings but they are usually advertising hype and even if you could save with them it is usually negated by the driver stomping on gas to hear the intake or exhaust noise so there goes the good mileage....
You may get some gas increase by changing the rear gears but at the expense of torque.
Also if you are using the DIC dash display you might not have accurate gas readings since they are know for their lack of accuracy. Only way to know for sure is to do the math over gallons used and mileage traveled. Then you can have differences in type of gas used as well. (winter gas over summer blends, pure gas over ethanol gas etc.)
An last but not least, welcome to the website and hope you have many happy and safe miles in your AV!
 
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