mileage - work transportation only - can it happen?

[four_by_ken]

I have a 5.9l perkins TD in a light weight K5 and I get 30mpg all over except on highway, where I get 22-25 trying to keep up with traffic.
I know if I had a better close ratio tranny and bigger tires I could stay in the 30mpg

 

[four_by_ken]

I think I am going to skip the S-10 idea again. Would be fun/differant, but... I just really miss driving a full size. If I could get 20+mpg out of my suburban, I would be so happy.

But, I think I would like to find antoher clean Blazer to do this deisel fun. 6.2l probably, but I do think about a Cummins sometimes. Just dont know what auto trans with OD to use if I were to do a 4bt or a 6bt.

I know nohting about Perkins.

 

[four_by_ken]

I am thinking of hitting up one of the army surplus auctions in the sprring and see if I can find something to start to play with.

Damn... where did that link go.

 

[imiceman44]

I think I am going to skip the S-10 idea again. Would be fun/differant, but... I just really miss driving a full size. If I could get 20+mpg out of my suburban, I would be so happy.

But, I think I would like to find antoher clean Blazer to do this deisel fun. 6.2l probably, but I do think about a Cummins sometimes. Just dont know what auto trans with OD to use if I were to do a 4bt or a 6bt.

I know nohting about Perkins.

Well I knew nothing about them until I got this K5 with it in already.
They did a realy bad job on the install but I have all the right parts for cheap (paid $1300 for a running K5 converted to diesel) so I am working on transplanting the running gear into another K5 or in my crew cab.
It's a very old british engine mine is a 67' vintage.
It's very simple and capable rated stock at 175HP and 410 Ft lb tq.
It's turboed stock and I am working on tweaking it with better timing and some propane injection.
More in another thread.

 

[four_by_ken]

Well I knew nothing about them until I got this K5 with it in already.
They did a realy bad job on the install but I have all the right parts for cheap (paid $1300 for a running K5 converted to diesel) so I am working on transplanting the running gear into another K5 or in my crew cab.
It's a very old british engine mine is a 67' vintage.
It's very simple and capable rated stock at 175HP and 410 Ft lb tq.
It's turboed stock and I am working on tweaking it with better timing and some propane injection.
More in another thread.

Link me up to the other thread please.
But, I htink I want an engine that is a little newer than that.

 

[joez]

But....but.... I know and agree, it would be a lot of work converting to cummins power. The same argument can be made about converting to diesel power period. Unless he can get a 6.2 for basically free and it only costs a couple hundred dollars to convert....you could make that up in fuel costs in a year or two. You can buy a lot of gas for 200-300 dollars and it would take a long time to make that up. TrustyK5 converted for mileage mainly IIRC and says he is still waiting for the cost of the conversion to be surpassed by the fuel savings. That doesn't count all the labor to convert.
Pull that 6.2 out of that light 2wd 1/2 ton and put a 4bt in and watch 30mpg blow out the window. I would put money on it that a 6bt could top 30 in a little light 2wd 1/2 ton. THey get 20mpg and don't come in a pickup lighter than 5,500 lbs from the factory. Not trying to start yet another cummins vs. GM piss match.

4bt are expensive compared to a 6.2. Im planning on swapping a 4bt into my K5 to replace the tired 6.2, and have been hunting for a motor for a long time, they aren't cheap. Then add the cost of the conversion, finding an OD tranny, get the rest of the piddly **** together and you have a pretty pricey conversion. With a 6.2 all the hard stuff is pretty much done, and a lot of parts can be re-used. Hell, you can find donor trucks for under $500 pretty easily, theres one in the for sale foums right now for $300. Go try and find a running, driving P-30 step van with a 4bt, which means its a repower with a newer motor, for that price. It aint easy, at least arround here it isnt.

If you are just looking for a relatively simple, comparatively innexpensive diesel conversion to get you much better fuel economy, a 6.2 is the answer. Thats all im getting at.

 

[four_by_ken]

I want to find a Blazer with a 6.2l already in it.

 

[imiceman44]

Link me up to the other thread please.
But, I htink I want an engine that is a little newer than that.

a thread will be starting sometime this week end probably.
I just need more time, maybe a 28 hour day would work for me
I am swamped and I just come here to get a breath of fresh air.

 

[joez]

I want to find a Blazer with a 6.2l already in it.

Then thats gonna be a whole lot easier than swapping in a 4bt

 

[four_by_ken]

Then thats gonna be a whole lot easier than swapping in a 4bt

For this particular vehcile... thats what I want. Maybe regear if I have to. And of course put some new shoes on it.

 

[BurbinOR]

I don't have a 6.2, but I DO get 20 mpg with my '01 Dodge Cummins powered 3/4 ton pickup............with more power than you can imagine.

This with 3.54 gears and 35" Pro Comp Mud Terrains..............and not driving it with like there's an egg under the go pedal.

 

[four_by_ken]

See, the guys I know with 3/4 ton Dodge Cummins... arent getting anywhere near that. They are lucky to see 16 unloaded. They are down to around 11 loaded.

 

[BurbinOR]

See, the guys I know with 3/4 ton Dodge Cummins... arent getting anywhere near that. They are lucky to see 16 unloaded. They are down to around 11 loaded.

There was a thread on TDR about mileage and the 12V were getting a bit over 20, the 24V were in the 18-21 range BUT the newer 600 Cummins trucks (03 and 04) were the ones with the low mileage numbers. Seems a lot depends on stick vs auto, driving style, 2wd or 4wd, etc.

I've been tracking every tank of fuel since I bought the truck in August and hand calculating it, factoring in the delta between the stock tire size and the actual tire size I have. I knew these were capable of great mileage since we took my father in law's 01 on a hunting trip, loaded to the gills pulling a tent trailer and got 22 mpg.

 

[rjfguitar]

See, the guys I know with 3/4 ton Dodge Cummins... arent getting anywhere near that. They are lucky to see 16 unloaded. They are down to around 11 loaded.

Don't know about them but I JUST did my mileage on paper on a trip I just took 2 days ago. I got 22mpg at 70mph on the highway and I got 16 in town with a bunch of light to light starts and stops along with a couple full throttle pulls in there too. My 2001.5 3/4 4x4 cummins dodge is identical to BurbinOR's besides the 35" mudders he has, I have Michelin 265/75R/16's. My grandfather says he gets 25mpg at 65 on the highway with his '99 3/4 2wd dodge cummins.

BurbinOR, how accurate is your overhead console computer? I found that mine was only off by 3/10 of mile after my 400 mile road trip, I am very impressed with the trip computer.

 

[BurbinOR]

BurbinOR, how accurate is your overhead console computer? I found that mine was only off by 3/10 of mile after my 400 mile road trip, I am very impressed with the trip computer.

Never really used it since it's 'off' due to my 35" tires. Maybe I'll compare it to what it should be for stock and compare my calculations. Good idea bud.