[ACE120]

Hello, I am in need of a winter truck for next year. So I have been thinking an S10 with a pretty stock 350 would be a fun project. Anyway, I would need it to be 4WD and would prefer a 5spd. It will be driven about 50 miles a day to work/school, so gas mileage is an issue. So does anyone have a similar setup? And if so, what kind of mileage do you get with what rear end? Thanks for any help

 

[Rhansen]

My near stock carbed 350 gets around 12 mpg in towm and 14 on the hwy. I'm using 3.50 gears and 28" tall tires with a TH350 auto trans. Truck weighs 3165 w/driver and fuel- it's 2wd. 5 spd will prob. help the hwy mileage but the in town figures should be similar. I re-jet for the track and I usually get 10 mpg with that setup.

 

[ACE120]

Thanks, I'm sure a 5 spd would help a lot at 55-60 mph. Do you happen to know the 3rd gear ratio in your TH350 of hand? Isn't it 1:1? I think the 5 spd is .73:1 in 5th. Plus, I'll probably be running 30" tires

 

[Rhansen]

Third is 1:1 ratio

 

[Jay72]

My '87 used to get 17MPG with a 355, vortec heads edelbrock 600 carb with rpm intake, comp 268xe cam, (the 420HP build up from CHP magazine), 700R4 with stock converter, ford rear with 3.55 gears, 26" tall tires, 2900 pounds.
It ran mid 12's in the 1/4 too. Here are a few pictures of it.

 

[ibanez691]

i think i am getting around 8 to 10 ish lt1 4l60e 4.10's 25.1" tire ill be running a 26.5" tire soon so i should get a little better

 

[ACE120]

I'm definitely not going with 4.10's!

jay, that's pretty encouraging. I am planning on either doing this or buying an old 2.8 truck and putting a 3.4 in it. If I can get this swap to be about as economical as a 3.4, I don't see any reason not to do it.
But the 700R4 has about the same overdrive as the 5 spd, so I would think mileage would be about the same on the highway. Bigger tires might help a little but my guess is probably not much. And a 300HP engine should sip a little less too.
Does 20 MPG on the highway with 3.42 gears sound unrealistic?

And weren't 3.08 rear ends available on some trucks? If so, I guess that would always be an option if I needed more mileage.

 

[syclone517]

Honestly if your worried about gas mileage just get some Honda Civic that gets 30-40 MPG.

I could see trying to set something up that give you the best efficiency it can, but if I was really worried about mileage I wouldn't be looking at stuff like an S10 with a V8. No matter what you do you'll never get the mileage of a stock 4 cyl.

 

[ACE120]

Well First of all, I know everyone drives foreign shit in new jersey, but in Michigan we drive American! Second, I know I could get a lot better gas mileage with a 4 cyl, but I already own a 2600 lb Grand Am with a 240HP NA quad 4, that I drive in the summer. I need something that will get me to work through a foot of snow everyday while getting close to 20 MPG. Gas mileage is obviously not my first concern, I'm just trying to get some idea of what it might be capable of since I'm buying a new house and don't feel like waisting over $5 a day on gas to get and forth to work. I've got better things to do with my money.

 

[Alpine999]

I think the best I got out of mine was 19mpg. I have TPI and a 700R4 with 3.73 gears.

 

[baddazzlt1]

what is gas mileage. I would not know anything about that.

 

[ACE120]

Thanks for your contribution. :finger:

 

[CPWire]

I get 15mpg city, and 19mpg hwy.
383 Vortec with all kinds of stuff done. 3:42 rear end, 4L60E auto

 

[Tuned_In_Kustoms]

I get 19.75 mpg with my 2.2 auto.... so, I am thinking I could live with a small drop with a V8... I have heard that you can easily get 22+ on highways with the right gearing and tuning.

Drew

 

[GanjRockr]

Well First of all, I know everyone drives foreign shit in new jersey, but in Michigan we drive American! Second, I know I could get a lot better gas mileage with a 4 cyl, but I already own a 2600 lb Grand Am with a 240HP NA quad 4, that I drive in the summer. I need something that will get me to work through a foot of snow everyday while getting close to 20 MPG. Gas mileage is obviously not my first concern, I'm just trying to get some idea of what it might be capable of since I'm buying a new house and don't feel like waisting over $5 a day on gas to get and forth to work. I've got better things to do with my money.

Damn right we do. Ricers in michigan is like a white guy in a black church.. It just doesn't cut it.

I have a grand prix w/a supercharged 3800 and that gets about 20mpg too. I'd say buy a used cavalier or something like that for a winter beater. The 2.2's (dont get a newer one.. the ecotec engines are shit) get really good gas mileage. I think they get like 25-30mpg (could be wrong). Anyways, good luck finding a car man.

 

[syclone517]

I still think "worrying about gas mileage" and "vehicle modification" does not go together. Especially if it's.."I want to put this bigger engine in my (car) but I am concerned about gas mileage." Does the 6 cyl 4wd S-10 get 20 mpg?

I still say build the truck no matter what the gas mileage is.:thumbup:

 

[boonman]

I was getting about 10-12 with a 350, .030" over, 750 Holley, 700 R4, 3.23 gears, and 32" Swamper SX tires. 4WD. It gets the same mileage as my 4.3 vortech with 3.55's and 30" SX swampers...