Hello, I am new to Chevy and this is my first Tahoe purchase. I was wondering if there is a way to reprogram the chip in the tahoe to keep it on the 4cyl more than the 8 to save gas. I am sure there are somet things I can do to get better gas milage...I seem to average about 19-20, my wife about 14-15 (lead foot). Is there anything I can do to improve the gas mileage? Should I get a KN filter?

Thanks for all the help/sugguestions.

 

If you search the forum there are many topics on the 4cyl and 8cyl modes.
The jist of it is, you don't want it staying in V4 for several reasons,
Its not efficient, the 4cyl mode has to use more gas to move the heavy vehicle V4 would have to work much harder then V8.
Staying in V4 too long causes uneven heating of the engine shorting its life .
The V4 mode is to conserve fuel whenfull engine power is NOT needed i.e. costing crusing at highway speeds on flat ground, it is not intended to be an economy mode for regular use under load.

There are many fuel improving things you can do, the main one is drive with common sense, read up on [/b]Hypermiling, using synthetic motor oil is said to also improve mileage. Your driving habits will have the biggest impact on MPG. Your MPG of 19-20 is about as high as your probably going to get it, maybe 21, the best highway MPG I have gotten out of my 07 tahoe was 22.5 highwaybut typically back and forth to work is 16.8 to 18.2.

 

in2pro just about said it all. The consensus of posts on mpg that I've read have those w/ the 4.10 gears typically getting better mpg than those w/ 3.73s. I know that seems counter-intuitive.

ZX stated once that he actually had his stay in V4 mode for an entire cycle (10 min). It kicks out after that for a while to allow engine temperature to stabilize. I'd have to be on the Bonneville salt flats to ever see ten min. Mine w/ stay in V4 up to about 60 on level road w/o wind and on cruise control.

 

Would putting in a K&N filter help with the milage?

 

Probably only if you drive more efficiently. The ECM is programmed to run the engine w/ a certain A/F ratio. Therefore if you allow more air to get to the engine, it will initially lean a little giving slightly better mpg but then the ECM w/ adjust back to the prescribed A/F ratio.

Besides when you put on a CAI, you'll get more induction noise and that makes it hard to drive conservatively. Just like when you put on a louder exhaust. (At least that's how I roll)

 

I could be wrong, but something tells me, that if you had the opportunity to be on the Bonneville salt flats shark the last mode you'd want to be in was V4....