As Duramax owners, we understand the significance of optimizing fuel economy, and we have a few tips specifically for the LLY Duramax. With the ever-rising fuel prices and growing environmental concerns, improving fuel efficiency is a necessity.
The good news is you can make modifications to your LLY Duramax that significantly enhance its fuel mileage, saving you money. Let’s dive into the world of diesel performance and uncover the secrets to achieving better fuel mileage without compromising on power or reliability.
Air Flow Upgrades
The first upgrade for any LLY Duramax is the Turbo Inlet Pipe. The stock unit is extremely restrictive which negatively impacts fuel economy and often times can cause the truck to overheat. You can replace this with the LBZ intake horn with some modifications or use the S&B Turbo Inlet Pipe which is a bolt in replacement. The S&B Turbo Inlet Pipe offers a 78.6% (ISO 5011 Verified) increase in air flow over the stock mouthpiece. It will also lower your EGT's and increase spool up time and throttle response. The AFE Turbo Inlet Pipe is another great option and it is 50 State Legal!
Stock intakes often prioritize noise reduction over performance, which can restrict airflow. A high-flow intake system like S&B eases the engine’s effort to inhale air, improving combustion efficiency. The S&B Cold Air Intake Kit creates more power from less fuel, as it filters out contaminants and extends engine life.
Optimized Tuning
A diesel tuner adjusts your truck’s electronic control unit (ECU) settings, optimizing fuel delivery and timing based on engine performance data. Fine-tuning helps the engine use fuel more efficiently. Choose a tuner with specific economy modes to maximize fuel efficiency. We have seen great results with Banks and Edge Tuning but prefer the custom EFI Live Tuning provided by DuramaxTuner. DuramaxTuner will write the tunes specific to your truck, any modifications you have, and your tire size to correct the shift points and adjust your speedometer to no longer be off by a few miles if you have larger tires. Tuning will be the biggest difference maker when it comes to fuel economy.
Higher Flowing Exhaust System
Swapping out the stock exhaust for a performance-oriented system can give your fuel economy a bit of a boost. A higher flowing Exhaust along with larger Up Pipes, Manifolds, and a Downpipe will reduce backpressure, which allows your truck to expel gases more freely, spool quicker allowing for more power, lower your EGT's and operate more efficiently. This not only enhances fuel mileage but also lowers engine coolant temperatures, prolonging the trucks health.
Quick tips from the DmaxStore Team
If you are interested in increasing your fuel economy, DO NOT level your truck, DO NOT lift your truck, and definitely DO NOT put larger wheels or tires on the truck. Making those changes will increase drag, weight, and rotating mass and will drastically decrease your average fuel economy. The truck may look sick but you will pay for it in the end. Next, we recommend using a good fuel additive at every fill up. We use the Opti-Lube XDP for every day use. A few years back, another fuel additive company visited our facility to test their brand fuel additive against what we were selling, they also brought us some Pizza as a possible bribe. Unfortunately for them, Opti-Lube beat their additive with every test they used. Safe to say we stuck with Opti-Lube and the other company went home with their tails tucked between their legs, we kept the Pizza.
Conclusion
Modifying your LLY Duramax for better fuel mileage paves the way for significant savings at the pump and contributes to a smoother driving experience. Each modification you make brings you closer to unlocking the true potential of your truck, bridging performance with efficiency in a way that stock configurations can never achieve.
Our team at DmaxStore has created an easy to follow build list below for anyone that is interested in getting the most out of their LLY Duramax!
