5.3L fuel mileage

[matathonman]

I'm looking at getting a 5.3 L Chevy and am curious what kind of mileage anyone is getting. I am getting about 14 mpg in my 5.9 L Dodge with 33" tires and 3:73 gears.

[blackpheasant]

I get around 18-20 mpg if I keep my foot out of er....great engine...

[Boss442]

I had a 5.3 in a 05 Avalanche, the best it would do was 23mpg. Your Dodge I assuming is a pre 07 5.7 without the MDS, from the sounds of you mpg? I have an 07 Dodge 5.7 best it will do is 21-22 and would pull circles around the 5.3, both had the same diff ratio 3:73.

[Silverado]

In the 2001 1500 that I had, I got about 14mpg in the city, and about 18 on the highway.

[camshaft]

I have a 05 1/2 ton sierra 4x4 with the 5.3 and 4.10 gears. I have had the pcm flashed and have 33" tires. I absolutely baby the truck and the very best I have averaged over the "course of a year" was 17.69mpg.

I have tracked my mileage since 05 and yes it is accurate. The problem is not many people know how to accurately keep track of their fuel mileage. U really need to track it over the course of a full year (every single fill up) to have a good average. Sure I've gotten a hair over 20mpg on the highway a few trips (20.56mpg was the best), but I have also gotten as low as 11mpg during the cold winter.

I can assure you that no 5.3 or 5.7 4x4 will "average" near or above 20mpg. Do some research and I bet u will find most numbers will be in the 14-18mpg range.

[Sheepcrazyguy]

I get around 18-20 mpg if I keep my foot out of er....great engine...

I have a 99 Silverado with the 5.3 great engine. 375,000 on it. Gave it to my daughter and it's still going strong. Doesn't burn a drop of oil. About the same for mileage too.

[Boss442]

I can assure you that no 5.3 or 5.7 4x4 will "average" near or above 20mpg. Do some research and I bet u will find most numbers will be in the 14-18mpg range.[/QUOTE]

Well I've owned both and going by the digital readout thats what I was getting! Both vehicles did the exact same trip to Manitoba with the cruise set at 100kmh With 4:10 gears you would notice a difference. My MPG were not averaged, that was the best it would do at the time, heck my 5.7 will get 5.6 MPG if I'm ragging on it!

Note: The 5.7 Hemi is the best pulling gas engine I've ever owned. Pulling the largest trailer I've ever had.

[artie]

I can assure you that no 5.3 or 5.7 4x4 will "average" near or above 20mpg. Do some research and I bet u will find most numbers will be in the 14-18mpg range.

Well I've owned both and going by the digital readout thats what I was getting! Both vehicles did the exact same trip to Manitoba with the cruise set at 100kmh With 4:10 gears you would notice a difference. My MPG were not averaged, that was the best it would do at the time, heck my 5.7 will get 5.6 MPG if I'm ragging on it!

Note: The 5.7 Hemi is the best pulling gas engine I've ever owned. Pulling the largest trailer I've ever had.[/QUOTE]

Not to steal this thread but what kind of gas mileage do you get on the hemi?

[camshaft]

Unfortunately that is the problem, people use their overhead display thinking its accurate.....trust me it isnt. It will give a brief estimate based on your current driving or a rough average over longer trips, but it is far from accurate.

The only way to know how much fuel u have used is to fill the tank completely to the point where u cant add any more fuel in the neck. This takes time, but by doing it this way, and always doing it this way....that is the only way to consistently measure how much fuel u have used over a certain number of km's.

My display for example said I used an average of 16.1 ltrs/100km for my last trip. I put on 450km, therefore I shud have used only 72.45ltrs. Yet I actually used 83.42 (cuz thats how much I put in). So, my display on my last trip was saying I was getting 13% better mileage than I actually was. :)

Go figure!!

[Aim Low]

Unfortunately that is the problem, people use their overhead display thinking its accurate.....trust me it isnt. It will give a brief estimate based on your current driving or a rough average over longer trips, but it is far from accurate.

The only way to know how much fuel u have used is to fill the tank completely to the point where u cant add any more fuel in the neck. This takes time, but by doing it this way, and always doing it this way....that is the only way to consistently measure how much fuel u have used over a certain number of km's.

My display for example said I used an average of 16.1 ltrs/100km for my last trip. I put on 450km, therefore I shud have used only 72.45ltrs. Yet I actually used 83.42 (cuz thats how much I put in). So, my display on my last trip was saying I was getting 13% better mileage than I actually was.

Go figure!!

Wow, its nice to actually meet one of the 5 other people (other than myself) that actually know how to get a decently accurate mileage calculation.

I've had guys tell me that their 5.9 Hemi will get 30+ MPG...:rolleye2:

[Stinky Buffalo]

Ah, remember too, MPG in Canada our makes your mileage sound even better!

For instance, my F-150 gets over 20 MPG on the highway... In Imperial gallons. It's more like 17 US MPG.

[Boss442]

I understand what your saying about averaging your mpg. I'm just saying thats the best reading that I had for any streach of road under idea conditions "Not Averaged". Which was the average reading under idea conditions:lol: If I happen to hit a slight wind/incline etc of course its going to change, as I suspect no two tanks of fuel are going to be the same as well! I'm not trying to "BS" anyone here, I just saying thats what it reads.

[matathonman]

Well by the looks of things switching to the 5.3 all I'm really gaining is around 40-50km to a tank with a higher geared rear end.Seems hardly worth it to me, and to be under powered even more than I am with a 5.9 when I'm loaded.
Baby it and I get close to 15mpg but normally I'm getting 14. I figured out what I'm getting in my Chevy 5.7 loaded with gear and I mean loaded and I'm getting 15mpg. I thought it was pretty good considering.

[elkhunter11]

Unfortunately that is the problem, people use their overhead display thinking its accurate.....trust me it isnt. It will give a brief estimate based on your current driving or a rough average over longer trips, but it is far from accurate.

I have compared the fuel consumption as indicated on the computer of my 07 Tundra to actually calculating it myself from the fuel consumed and the km traveled,and the difference is always within .1 or .2 liters per 100 km.The same is true if I use miles per U.S. gallon.

I am not talking about the instantaneous fuel consumption reading,rather the fuel consumption indicated since the computer was last reset.

Perhaps your vehicle does not have an accurate system of calculating average fuel consumption,but I have verified the system on my 07 Tundra to be quite accurate.

Note: The 5.7 Hemi is the best pulling gas engine I've ever owned.

The 5.7 Tundra pulls harder than the 5.7 Hemi.

[madatter]

I'm looking at getting a 5.3 L Chevy and am curious what kind of mileage anyone is getting. I am getting about 14 mpg in my 5.9 L Dodge with 33" tires and 3:73 gears.


Not sure what year 5.3L you are looking at getting but any of them are pretty good MPG wise.....probably the best as far as 1/2 tons go.
The newer body style(07 and newer) have active fuel management that helps a bit but lots of people don't like the way it kicks in and out of V4-V8.
Yes you can get 20MPG with them.
Heck my 07 VMax (6L engine and 4.10 gears)averages around 16-17mpg combined driving and I drive it a little on the hard side!!

[Boss442]

The 5.7 Tundra pulls harder than the 5.7 Hemi.[/QUOTE]

Sorry I have never driven a Tundra, that vary well maybe for my model year. I think they were rated 360hp I believe the 2009 Ram 5.7 is rated at 390hp, should be comparable to a new Tundra at 380hp.

The 2005 Avalanche was overall a very nice truck, just would'nt have wanted to pull anything with it! Now if it was a 2500 with 8.1L I'am sure I would have a different opinion.

[madatter]

Unfortunately that is the problem, people use their overhead display thinking its accurate.....trust me it isnt. It will give a brief estimate based on your current driving or a rough average over longer trips, but it is far from accurate.

The only way to know how much fuel u have used is to fill the tank completely to the point where u cant add any more fuel in the neck. This takes time, but by doing it this way, and always doing it this way....that is the only way to consistently measure how much fuel u have used over a certain number of km's.

My display for example said I used an average of 16.1 ltrs/100km for my last trip. I put on 450km, therefore I shud have used only 72.45ltrs. Yet I actually used 83.42 (cuz thats how much I put in). So, my display on my last trip was saying I was getting 13% better mileage than I actually was. :)

Go figure!!

Different trucks are probably more/less accurate than others.
My 07 Silverado actually has a pretty accurate reading all the time,not perfect but maybe up to a 4L difference in fuel used say on a tank of gas.
These gizmos just give a guy something to look at all the time.....

[elkhunter11]

Sorry I have never driven a Tundra, that vary well maybe for my model year. I think they were rated 360hp I believe the 2009 Ram 5.7 is rated at 390hp, should be comparable to a new Tundra at 380hp.

The 5.7 Tundra was always rated at 381hp.Actually it was always underrated at 381hp if you believe the dynomometer readings that several people have achieved.And if you compare 0-60 times and 1/4 mile times,the 5.7 tundra still pulls noticeably harder.

[curteck]

The 5.7 Tundra was always rated at 381hp.Actually it was always underrated at 381hp if you believe the dynomometer readings that several people have achieved.And if you compare 0-60 times and 1/4 mile times,the 5.7 tundra still pulls noticeably harder.

I have an 09 hemi and I can not say anything about the tundra but this new truck will pull the doors off my 6.o chev without a doubt as for milage i have zero complaints so far averaging 22, 60 city 40 hiway father in law has 09 5.3 and the dodge will eat it easily as for fuel mileage on the 5.3 can not give it athumbs up just yet he hasnt even gotten it broken in yet but i am sure it will be good being it has that active fuel management

[elkhunter11]

as for fuel mileage on the 5.3 can not give it athumbs up just yet he hasnt even gotten it broken in yet but i am sure it will be good being it has that active fuel management

The active fuel management sounds great in theory,but unless you drive on flat roads at a steady speed with no hills,and no passing,the gains are very small.A friends 5.3 with fuel management averaged only about 1 to 1.5 mpg better than my 2004 gmc 5.3 without the fuel management system in normal driving.The trucks were otherwise identical.

[Prdtrgttr]

I've had 2 trucks now with the 5.3 litre. It's a great motor. Lots of power with reasonable fuel consumption. The new 6 speed tranny makes this motor even better!
In the city I usually get about 550km to a tank approx 90 litres.
It'll do about 650 on hiway.
If I really feather the throttle, it'll do significantly better.

[big zeke]

Regardless of the calculations you use, the "nicer" you drive the better the mileage. I usually watch my speed, never jackrabbit start, always do maintenance and rarely idle and I can consistently get better mileage than the manufacturer posts. My daily driver is an '05 Durango with the 4.7 and fulltime 4X4, I can consistently get 18-20 mpg in the city and in the low 20s on the highway. My '02 HO Cummins with a 6 speed is always in the mid 20's when empty.

I marvel at guys who stomp on the gas pedal and then gripe about the fuel economy, it's like there's no connection between bad driving and bad fuel economy. Heavy foot = light wallet.

Don't mean to hijack the thread, my rant is over now.

Zeke

[Boss442]

The 5.7 Tundra was always rated at 381hp.Actually it was always underrated at 381hp if you believe the dynomometer readings that several people have achieved.And if you compare 0-60 times and 1/4 mile times,the 5.7 tundra still pulls noticeably harder.

That was my 2007 5.7 that was rated at 360hp.