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2000 Cargo Van 3500 (1 ton)

I hope my van counts as a truck? Anyway, I was looking at some old posts and saw some real good gas mileage reports. My van has the 5.7 Vortec and "highway gears". Since it was new I averaged 11 to 13 combined city/highway and if I'm lucky I'll get 14 on the highway (going about 70 to 80mph non stop for a few hundred miles). It now has 60,000 miles on it and it runs like new, but like new isn't good enough!

Is there anything out there to help me out?

I'd also love to be able to keep it a certain gear so it doesn't down shift too early. Is there any kits that change the tranny behavior electronically? I don't want the kind were you have to open up the tranny to install it. Along with that, I'd also like to make the torque converter stay locked up longer, especially when I'm towing a ton or two. (it's rated to tow almost 10,000lbs.)

And something I just noticed for the first time today is that Chevy still casts the same block as many many years ago. The place to mount the old diaphragm fuel pump on the block is so easy to see that I can't believe I never noticed it before!

Thanks, Tony

Reply to
Tennessee Tony
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You have a giant box going through the wind, slow down. None of the gimmicks on the market work. The tranny is designed to shift to keep the engine in its power band, and keep the tranny from overheating.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

14 highway at 80 mph is VERY GOOD for a van with a 350 in it. What can you do to get better mileage? Slow down and drive smart. Make sure you keep it maintained well. The reason the converter unlocks is to prevent the transmission from damage from overheating.
Reply to
Steve W.

Yes, it stays well maintained. And as far as the MPG and slowing down, I get about the same going 60 MPH. That's because it has to down shift every time it goes uphill and that sucks up the gas. As far as driving

70 to 80mph, I'm only going 80 when the limit is 70. I've passed many radar checkpoints going almost 80 and was never stopped. And for 65mph I go 75.

Last trip pulling about 4,000 lbs., I did my best to keep it from down shifting, easing up off the throttle as it slows up until it crests the top of the hill at 50 mph, then give it more throttle downhill so I have some speed for the next hill.

Lot's of truckers got worse MPG when the speed limit was changed to 55 nationwide. It's because they had to down shift going up even small hills and they couldn't gain much speed going downhill

I was under the impression, and have heard others say that the slippage in the converter causes it to run hotter. A locked converter produces much less heat, only at the bearings. An unlocked converter is slipping and producing more heat. I'm pretty darn sure that is correct. Slippage is a loss of power, and that power has to go somewhere. It's wasted as heat.

Tony

Reply to
Tennessee Tony

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