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Gas prices editorial

7

'73 K5

1/2 ton status
Joined
Feb 17, 2000
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Location
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I imagine a few of you are bummed out with the rising gas prices lately...esp since I think we all have V8's. Maybe a few inline 6 guys here? A few of my friends have even considered getting a newer small car with good mileage. Just in case you get in an argument with one of these wusses, or you are thinking the same thing, I thought of a few things that might help.
Crappy Hondas and the such cost more to buy, they cost more to insure, you have to pay more taxes & registration, they sure as hell cost more to repair, and they just aren't fun to drive. All of that JUST for good gas mileage??? No way.
Thank you very much. 10 miles to the gallon with my Blazer, and I'm never going to sell it.
Hope you guys agree.
 
YaaaaHooooo
I agree 100%
I will never sell my rig. I don't care if it's 5bucks a gallon. Hell I'll give the house to the wife and sleep in it before I sell it!!
Obsession is a wonderful thing
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Burt4x4

Rock ON!
 
Well, I'm fortunate to be on both sides of the fence. Daily driver (most days) is a '74 Blazer, 350/350 engine/tranny, NP203 converted to part-time, not that actually makes a difference.

11MPG, which particularly here in the San Francisco area, well, sucks. ;-(

Weekender and daily driver other days is a '93 Nissan 300ZX. No turbo, but she does have T-tops and a much spiffier stereo than the Blazer, plus she's watertight which the Blazer will never be. This is one is just as much fun as the Blazer to drive, albeit for different reasons.

20MPG, 22 if I do highway and keep the foot off (how can you in a Z??? ;-)

OTOH, the Blazer just keeps running and running; I do oil changes about every 3K, and replace parts as they fall off the truck (air pump, etc.) Cheap as hell to maintain.

The Z, well, you HAVE to do preventative maintenance or you're in for it. Parts are expensive, and I tend not to work on it myself; pay somebody with Z experience to do it. The SBC350 I understand, the Z, no dice ;-)

So yeah, you gotta figure in maintenance costs. I still haven't done the math, I'm a bit afraid to, but even if you factor in the price of the crate engine we put in TankGirl (the Blazer) eighteen months ago I think it's still cheeeeper per mile than the Z.

But they're both fun to drive, and I'm fortunate enough to have the space and (almost) the $$ to keep them both ;-)

Love to have a Suburban too (they're prolly watertight!)... but only so much $$ and spare time to work on the herd.

-- A

'74 K5 Blazer "Tank Grrl"
'77 Chalet sans Blazer
and more to come...
 
Well I am keeping the "Ole Gal" And if ya do the right tweaking you can get it down to 17mpg like mine does...

<font color=green>Eagle86K5
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<font color=red>Only guy I know that can get out of line in a one car funeral
 
17 mpg what did you do? I have an 88 Blazer 350 TBI/350 stock.
Just wondering?
 
17 mpg, no way in a 5500 pound K5, it just ain't gonna happen, theres guys out there who are rocket scientists when it comes to Blazers and the best the get is 14mpg, you measuring that on a 100 mile downhill run in neutral? Or drafting a 18 wheeler for 100 miles? I'd have to see this to believe it .......... White Knight (unbeliever)
 
I think 17mpg is possible. On a good day, I used to be able to get 15 out of my old '85 with 35's and 3.08's.
 
Make an estimate on the gas needed for your next long trip using a 'good day's mileage' and you'll be walking to the nearest station.

I think mileage should be measured over several tankfuls of gas and not just 'what's the best mileage'. That way you can determine what the cost of a trip will be. Finding the best mileage is just feeding the illusion that a Blazer can get good mileage.

BTW mine does 10MPG highway and 8MPG city.

<font color=purple>////////
Go 79s!!!</font color=purple>
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Ok...for all you non-believers and pseudo professionals...
I have a stock 86 K5 305 4bbl. auto 31.10.50.15's 3:08
again completely stock. I live just south of Toledo and the parents live just south of shelbyville Indiana. A 250 mile trip. I have a 31 gal. gas tank. I fill it up ...at home and arrive in the driveway of the parents 250 miles later with a half tank. I have done this numerous times the last 2 years almost twice a month. Now for those lacking the math skills.....250 divided by 15 is roughly 16.6 rounded off to 17. The trick is to keep it tuned, cleaned and if going on a trip retard the timing cause you don't need it advanced for the power on the hiway. now for those who wish to argue "the so called experts" I will be glad to perform this trick for you. You pay for the gas...
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I make the trip because I belong to a Masonic Lodge in Morristown Indiana and try to get home as often as possible.

<font color=green>Eagle86K5
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<font color=red>Only guy I know that can get out of line in a one car funeral
 
Sorry to contradict Eagle, In my 79 Blazer, when the dial is in 1/2 full it means that I actually have 1/4 left. I learned that the hard way.
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. Also, note that when you fill it up completely, the needle is past the F, which means that 1/2 tank is not really 1/2. My Blazer is doing 10mpg highway with a new Edelbrock Q-jet which was carefully tuned. The only way to really know how much gas it used on a trip is filling it up in a gas station and see the numbers in the pump.

<font color=purple>////////
Go 79s!!!</font color=purple>
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You are entirely correct. This process I have repeated numerous times as I have said and when I get home I back up to the barn and fill up, usually I put back in to fill it 14 to 16 gallons of petrol.Avg....15. ya just keep your foot out of the back 2 bbl's and cruise....I can and do squeeze close to 17mpg.
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<font color=green>Eagle86K5
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<font color=red>Only guy I know that can get out of line in a one car funeral
 
Screw gasoline I'm going to start running <font color=red>Methanol<font color=black> its only about $1.50 more a gallon, and when your done driving you can have a little drink!!!

<font color=orange>1979 BLAZER Cheyenne
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My '89 Jimmy used to do 16 mpg on a consistant basis, 350 tbi, 700r4, 235-15's, 2.73 axle ratio. It was a company owned vehicle doing about 35,000 miles a year a year. Quit the job, bought the truck, put on coyote 275-85-15's, swapped a dana 44 and 12 bolt with 3.73's(re-geared the speedo to within 6% of correct)fixed the rust, painted her yellow and now get 13.5 on my best day. :-) What? Me worry?
Nah.
John
 
I wish I could have a K5 for a company vehicle!!!!! I drive 60k miles a year for my job so I doubt if they would pay that gas bill. BTW I checked highway mileage and it was 8mpg. Hate to see what I get in city.

<font color=blue>Blazerbob</font color=blue>
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i just don't even bother to figure out my gas mileage....i just drive the dumb thing....crappy mileage or not i love the old girl

<font color=red>MICHIGAN BLAZER
<font color=green>89 Fullsize Blazer
87 Cherokee
65 IH Scout
 
I have never seen anything above 12mpg in my 74. I have tried every thing timing adjustments, new carb etc.. I have now decided I will just have to live with it.
 
Hell if I got 17 mpg in my K-5, I would sell the Porsche in a heartbeat..... The Blazer get 9 mpg no matter what I do that's freeway, city or towing a buddies race car.

Can't complain though I chose to keep the K-5 and rebuild it instead of buying a new truck, after 16k just about done with her....

Both are fun to drive the blazer is about 5" taller then stock and the Porsche is about 3" lower then stock. But they both due what I want them to just in different ways..

<font color=red>C<font color=green>'<font color=blue>m<font color=orange>o<font color=purple>e

<font color=black>the blazer is "Back in Black"
 
Everyone's experience with fuel consumption is different. The biggist factor being is where you put your foot. Next is gear ratio and tire size and tranny 3speed, overdrive, mannual. Next is location (elevation and tempature). Just like grandma it all Depends. Personaly I get around 10mpg (3speed auto, 35in tires, 3.73 ratio. Live in Pa and temp is always changing man I hate winter!
 
I my self don't care about the fuel economy I get out of the ol' K5. As long as she's running, I'm happy. Granted in the 2years I've owned her, she has only let me down 2 times. First was after I set her into about 4 1/2 of water and when it cooled sucked into the cyl's. the 2nd was when the fuel pump went out. I just pay'd $44 for a tank of gas... THis sucks, but I"m still driving 'er. Oh, I know a way to get welll over 100mpg with ANY Blazer...

Start it, let it idle and tow it! Hey, it counts!

Corey
88K5

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<font color=blue>Girls Like Guys In Bow Ties</font color=blue>
<font color=red>http://www.geocities.com/corey_perez
 
What I meant by a "good day" was not smoking the tire(s) out of the corners and keeping closer to the speed limit. Yes, my "average" mileage was a bit lower, but only because I was having a bit of fun in the process. I was just trying to illustrate that with the right setup, good gas mileage is possible.
 
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