I have a 2013 5.3 l Silverado. Suggestions on improving gas mileage. Do performance chips work? If so what's a good brand ? Thanks
As someone who owns a performance car dealership and mod shop, lemme just day this: chips are garbage. They are pre-loaded, canned tunes that really do more harm than good. If you want to maximize gains/really alter parameters for performance, you need a dyno tune and a handheld programmer like an SCT or DiabloSport.
Anyway, the 5.3L V8 you have has cylinder deactivation technology. It will cut down cylinders as you drive dependent on throttle response and driving conditions. Honestly, all you can do is keep your foot out of it and....if you really want to get good MPGs...hyper mile it. You have a big, heavy truck with a big V8. It just isn't going to get great MPG.
I don't think a chip will help much since GM already optimizes the engine for economy.
The most effective things an owner can do to improve economy is keep the vehicle in good mechanical condition, and employ good driving habits. These are some tips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2HzdfxGPsM
@mountainmanjoe
And I park my 96 5. 7 Chevy C1500 for the winter. Now thems some gas savings .LOL
I chipped my 5.3 in 2002 when I got it (still have it) and after first oil change did some work. Syn oil, magnaflow (since replaced with flowmaster) and I got up to 19 mpg in ~3 ton Avy. With that said, chip required higher octane but biggest benefit was reprograming trans shifts so it wouldn't slip between shifts (removed the smooth shifting). So a good chunk of change and higher operating costs (gas price). The chip trans reprogram and lockup might have been responsible for .1 mpg of that...
But I was playing with new toy, not trying to save money at the time, which is what most of the chips are for, performance (perceived?!) improvements.
@hillbilly
This for sure. Supporting mods and making the truck shift right A+++
The chips will only get you worse gas mileage. The V8 5.3 is simply a big engine that uses a lot of gas and gas is cheap, unless the election switches things up, but even if a chip would help (which it won't) the cost of the chip would never be offset by your fuel savings. So the answer is: trying to be a fuel miser with a v8 is futile.
Drive down hill or get a truck full of friends to push you on flat ground lol.
I was going to say put bigger tires on the back so it's always driving downhill. 😀 But seriously I don't think there's much you can do to a big truck with a big engine to get better mileage other than drive like there's an eggshell under the accelerator.
