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91 K5 -Procrastination Build - bikini top!

Why is the mileage so low, is that not a cummins? That's even low for a gasser.

It's an '06 Cummins 6spd w/ 3.73's (185k). I don't know why it was so low but it was consistent and doesn't seem to run and different than usual. Since new it's never got the kind of mpg's some folks swear to. Unloaded has always been a rock solid 14.5 and with a horse (~1200 lbs horse, 2500 lbs trailer) it gets dead on 11 mpg. I do know that the manual trans has slightly less O/D than their automatics but I never thought it was enough to make a difference. One change I have made was 12.50x35's, in the past I've always had skinny 33's but I wanted a beefier look with this set (maybe 25k on them).
 
There are two kinds of diesel owners.

Those who don’t get that great of fuel economy, and liars.

Martin

When searching diesel forums it amazes me how many people reference the "instant avg" display as if it was gospel, mine has been 3-5 mpg high since day one. :surepal:
 
I would like to thank @chris85 , @83ChevyK5Blazer , @TuckerK5 and @Hosalabad for making this past weekends trip happen. The speed of my build has reached a legendary slow pace mostly because there's not really any places to wheel locally anymore (legally) and aside from maybe 4-5 people folks in town are only interested in building squatty bro dozers with stretched tires so it's easier to just tinker than bust ass to get the Blazer running.

Anyway, having the group set a solid date to get together and go wheeling was tremendously motivational so I want you guys to know that I really appreciate y'all making the meet & greet ride happen. For me and my family, it was a great weekend with great friends and lit a fire under my lazy butt. Thank you all! :bow: :pimp: :saweet: :burnout:
 
I would like to thank @chris85 , @83ChevyK5Blazer , @TuckerK5 and @Hosalabad for making this past weekends trip happen. The speed of my build has reached a legendary slow pace mostly because there's not really any places to wheel locally anymore (legally) and aside from maybe 4-5 people folks in town are only interested in building squatty bro dozers with stretched tires so it's easier to just tinker than bust ass to get the Blazer running.

Anyway, having the group set a solid date to get together and go wheeling was tremendously motivational so I want you guys to know that I really appreciate y'all making the meet & greet ride happen. For me and my family, it was a great weekend with great friends and lit a fire under my lazy butt. Thank you all! :bow: :pimp: :saweet: :burnout:

I’m hoping this will be the start of many more trips to come. The rig is badass by the way! I hope I didn’t drool too much on everyone’s vehicles.
 
Yeah, we had talked to Josh about coming back to build a fire, he made it but the fire didn't. Typical south, beautiful warm day with thunderstorm / strong wind at night. :surepal:
 
It's an '06 Cummins 6spd w/ 3.73's (185k). I don't know why it was so low but it was consistent and doesn't seem to run and different than usual. Since new it's never got the kind of mpg's some folks swear to. Unloaded has always been a rock solid 14.5 and with a horse (~1200 lbs horse, 2500 lbs trailer) it gets dead on 11 mpg. I do know that the manual trans has slightly less O/D than their automatics but I never thought it was enough to make a difference. One change I have made was 12.50x35's, in the past I've always had skinny 33's but I wanted a beefier look with this set (maybe 25k on them).

I’ve always gotten 20 empty on the highway and I’ve been driving Cummins for 20 years. I always had 3.42 axle ratio and either a dually 2 wd manual or 2500 4x4 auto.
When you get into the lower axle ratio you lose the advantage of using the low end torque to cruise at highway speed. My 5.9s only got 20 mpg at 65 mph or less empty. My ‘16 has a higher OD and will get 20 mpg at 70. These are all with factory size steet tires.

The lowest I’ve gotten with this truck is about 6 or 7 and that was pulling my 32’ enclosed trailer with K5 and tools 90 mph into a headwind. Still no strain at all though. Maybe 1” of throttle. How fast do you want to go and how much weight do you want to pull that fast equals how much fuel you’re gonna buy.
 
I’ve always gotten 20 empty on the highway and I’ve been driving Cummins for 20 years. I always had 3.42 axle ratio and either a dually 2 wd manual or 2500 4x4 auto.
When you get into the lower axle ratio you lose the advantage of using the low end torque to cruise at highway speed. My 5.9s only got 20 mpg at 65 mph or less empty. My ‘16 has a higher OD and will get 20 mpg at 70. These are all with factory size steet tires.

The lowest I’ve gotten with this truck is about 6 or 7 and that was pulling my 32’ enclosed trailer with K5 and tools 90 mph into a headwind. Still no strain at all though. Maybe 1” of throttle. How fast do you want to go and how much weight do you want to pull that fast equals how much fuel you’re gonna buy.

Yeah, I'm used to the luxury of the cruise set on 70 with our little horse trailer. This is the first time I've hauled something that heavy for that long. I may go back to 33's with the next set of tires and then cut back to 65 mph or so. Someone on a diesel forum said the mpg's on his 3rd gen really fall off above 55 mph (pulling an 11k camper), seems like 55 mph would probably get you killed. LOL
 
with my 06' it was in its sweet spot at 60mph, with the same size tires your running. But, I hate interstate and 55 was the common highway speed limit in Oregon, so 60 was perfect. any faster and I could watch the fuel gauge drop going down the road.
 
I’ve always gotten 20 empty on the highway and I’ve been driving Cummins for 20 years. I always had 3.42 axle ratio and either a dually 2 wd manual or 2500 4x4 auto.
When you get into the lower axle ratio you lose the advantage of using the low end torque to cruise at highway speed. My 5.9s only got 20 mpg at 65 mph or less empty. My ‘16 has a higher OD and will get 20 mpg at 70. These are all with factory size steet tires.

The lowest I’ve gotten with this truck is about 6 or 7 and that was pulling my 32’ enclosed trailer with K5 and tools 90 mph into a headwind. Still no strain at all though. Maybe 1” of throttle. How fast do you want to go and how much weight do you want to pull that fast equals how much fuel you’re gonna buy.

I have to make a correction / redaction. I’ve had a ‘99, ‘03, ‘06, ‘11, ‘13, and now my ‘16 which is by far my favorite. The ‘11 never got over 13 mpg. I hated that truck. No power, handled bad and not great mileage.
 
The G56 trans in OD with 3:73s will run the same rpms as the 48re with 4:10. But your mileage is still low.

When I moved to Florida I got a solid 12 mpg average running 75 on the trip down from Jersey. Going around D.C. and such I got about 11. Once south of all that mess I got 14 with the cruise at 75. Mines an auto with 3:73s. So 75 is right about 2k rpms.

Even my dad's megacab. Same as yours just an auto/4:10s. Got a dead solid 10mpg pulling a 8.5x20 enclosed trailer from Jersey to Florida and back.

Course mine has some mods done to it which help. But my dad's is bone stock power wise.
 
Well, looks like I got lucky on our 4 our haul a couple of weekends ago. Just noticed this as I walked by the trailer. Iirc they should be about 18-24 month old.

28B6F092-40C8-46A9-B503-8C4013A38905.jpeg
 
Gladiator QR/5-TS, E range.

I just started googling but haven’t found the country of origin yet, I’m afraid it’ll be China. A friend owns a tire store so when I bought these I told him I wanted whatever he used.
 
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