best '03 milage chip??

[RNorberg]

I need advice on what is "the best" chip for milage on an "03 slt,qc, 4x4 h. o. ,3:73, 6 speed long bed . I travel Alaska to L. A,,, and don't tow going that way! I do haul 8K, towing boat on moose and caribou on hunts,but thats only 1 -3 times a year! Need advice on chip for "normal" (next town 80 miles) highway driving. I have read many threads and am confused at this point!! Thanks, bob n :

 

[SWithrow]

I have a BullyDog downloader and the reason for the purchase was to add more HP and torque for towing. If your looking to increase fuel mileage I would first suggest you free up air flow and exhaust flow. Just about all tuners have adjustable settings and my tuner allows me 4 settings (Stock, Tow, Performance & Extreme) I have it set to the tow mode and that seems to be the best all around for fuel mileage
(up to 17-19. 5mpg) 19. 5mpg has been the (calculating not overhead console) best ever.

 

[ddargay]

I have the Edge EZ with 4 settings. I use the second setting and get 17 to 19 mpg in everyday driving, no towing. Towing, I just got back from cross country trip towing 3650 miles back and forth. Overall avg. 12. 5 mpg ( hand calculated ) avg. speed 62 to 65 mph, total weight truck/trailer 18,950#

Also have free flow exhaust and intake. I have the 4:10 rear and am a conservative driver.

 

[Buffalo]

I have a very similar truck, to yours, & have a Smarty Jr. on it, now. I've tried other tuners (Van Aaken C-3. 2), which, was good but, I liked the performance of the "Jr" & the fact that it does not leave a footpring in the trucks computer for those occasional trips to the dealership. I would buy the Smarty Jr, again!!!



I envy all your trips to AK. When I retire, that's the one major trip I want to take for the entire summer with my travel trailer. I use the Towing Mode (75 hp. ) on the "Jr", while towing in the mountains. It has never caused the engine EGT's to get hot, at all. Very managable temps. The Performance Mode (100 hp. ) does get a bit warm when pulling up steep grades but, NEVER with the Towing Mode. I've never felt the need for more HP, either.



On a trip, towing my trailer (25' Nash bumperpull, 6000 to 7000 lbs. ), on Hwy. 99 in CA, between Bakersfield & Sacramento, I topped off the fuel at three different Flying J's. Each fill-up was over 15 mpg. , hand calculated. This is unusually high mileage for this truck. However, speed limits while towing in CA are 55 mph. & I was doing about 57 mph. , in line with all the 18 wheelers. So, I think I was picking up a draft from the trucks in front of me & there were no side winds. That area is as flat as a pool table. This was a perfect scenario for getting good mileage while towing. That same trip, I got 10+ mph. in hilly conditions with a lot of stop & go & some idling. So, my truck is not something special.



I'd get a free-flowing muffler (I have a Magnaflow). If it were me, I'd get the psmdiesel.com fresh air intake system with a drop-in AFE ProGuard-7 filter. I don't have this system but, have talked with it's creator, numerous times. It makes sense & he has lots of documentation to back his statements about its performance.



With as much driving as you are doing, I would, also, look into guages for your truck. You will know when things are getting hot with an EGT guage. A boost guage will show you how hard the engine is working & the lower you keep the boost, the better the mileage you will be getting.



Good luck.



Joe F.

 

[JJPage]

These kind of questions are really hard to answer. As you can see, the first three replies net you three different recommendations:-laf:-laf.



I do not believe there is a right answer, you have to decide whether or not you want a fueling/timing box, or a downloader, and go from there.



The best mod for better mileage, may be as easy as the "tone ring" mod to advance your timing a "wee" bit, and it's free.



Trial and error.....



Jess

 

[Holzarbeiter]

Smarty is the way to go.

 

[CToney]

Check out my signature for fuel economy/power mods. If you want a programmer get a Smarty Jr. Adds moderate power and can read codes which is very helpful. The biggest thing to improve milage is to drive a bit slower and not accellerate as fast. I try to try 65 instead of 70 mph and my milage goes up.

 

[WhiteSheep]

Calculate the TCO

Total Cost of Ownership



With the miles you drive you might be able to amortize $1000 of exhaust, intake and programmer costs and improve your mileage, but be sure to adjust for the amount of fuel you could have purchased instead.



That being said the tone ring adjustment or adjustable timing sensor is either free or inexpensive, doesn't toss codes.



If mileage is an excuse to buy a programmer, that is another entirely.

 

[Jack in Alaska]

I have a Smarty Jr. and like it very much. I tried all 3 settings. Found not to much mileage improvement on No. 1

No. 2 gives me a little better mileage, way more power and a little smoke. Everyone needs a little smoke at the stoplight.

No. 3 spins the rear wheels when unloaded and with a 5th. whl. on it slips the clutch. Too much power. No MPG improvement. No more No. 3 for me.

I run on No. 2 all the time now and I am happy with it. It pulls my 16k lb. 5th. whl. up and down the mountains in 6th gear.

My wife and I have made 64 trips over the Alaska Hyw. and are getting ready for no. 65 soon. Mostly to Mexico and Az.

 

[CToney]

90% of the time I am not using the additional power of the Jr. I do very much like the added power, who doesn't. I like to tinker a bit with my truck and do not run my truck mods as a business decision per se, more like it is a hobby. Yes the milage is an excuse but the ability to read codes with the JR is also a very good excuse. Anywho have fun and hammer down.

 

[DLeno]

fuel economy improvements from an engine mod come mostly from significant (and dynamic) changes to timing. TST PowerMax and Smarty are the ones known for measurable improvements there. my fuel economy project has netted me 21. 5 mpg thus far and my (04) was 18mpg off the dealer lot with 285/70-17 AT tires. I got about 1 mpg from DDP injectors, another 1. 5 or so from TST used on level 1 (timing only) and economy power/12 degrees max advance, and another 1. 5 mpg from Dynatrac unlocking hubs.