Has anyone actually had any luck with upgrades that make a difference in MPG?
I know the biggest factor is the driver, and I also know most cars may benefit from a throttle body spacer, cold air intake, tuner, and sometimes exhaust.
With all that said, has anyone actually installed anything and noticed a difference? Even if it was 3-5 different things that were installed to make a difference?
P.S. I know these are trucks and not cars or a prius.... but I have kids in travel sports and drive 40-50k miles a year so anything helps.
I'll share two things:
1. Even though the exhuast is hard to improve on (none of the cat backs add any power), I replaced my muffler with a borla. I drive the same roads all of the time, and after this one change, one stretch of road the MDS came on, and remained on, for the entire length of it. Never before. I think it just provided that much extra breathing room that the engine had more room. Only evidence is that the stock muffer is NOT see through. But the Borla, you can see light when looking through one end of it. did this make any difference at all in day to day driving? No. But maybe I use a dozen less gallons a year.
2. I got on the freeway once, talking on a con-call for work. I had to drive about 40 miles, so I reset the trip odometer (curious when the truck was newer). Anyway, since i'm distracted on the phone, I just sat behind a real truck with adaptive cruise control. He averaged between 50 and 60 mph. I got about 24 miles to the gallon, including when I exited and stopped at lights. I drive a Rebel with 392s and a hemi. If you back off of the throttle, you can get pretty good mileage. Otherwise, I'm lucky to get almost 18 on the freeway.
All in all, with towing a lot, I've long since given up on mileage in the same hopeless manner I've given up on my wife getting horny. Pie in the sky my man.