Killer Bee MPG Drop
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: Middletown Pennsylvania
Killer Bee MPG Drop
I just installed a Killer Bee on my '08.
I did a before and after 12 mile highway cruise. Same loop, same speed in cruise control.
My gas mileage dropped by almost 3 mpg after the Killer Bee install.
Any suggestions of where to look for the problem?
No leaks that I can find. I used cruse control just to make sure I wasn't running harder on the after run.
If a supposedly more efficient intake is going to drop mileage like that, the stock intake is going back on. I wasn't looking for a mileage increase, but I never would have expected a mileage DROP. Let alone one so significant.
Please help.
Bill
I did a before and after 12 mile highway cruise. Same loop, same speed in cruise control.
My gas mileage dropped by almost 3 mpg after the Killer Bee install.
Any suggestions of where to look for the problem?
No leaks that I can find. I used cruse control just to make sure I wasn't running harder on the after run.
If a supposedly more efficient intake is going to drop mileage like that, the stock intake is going back on. I wasn't looking for a mileage increase, but I never would have expected a mileage DROP. Let alone one so significant.
Please help.
Bill
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,405
Likes: 353
From: New Castle Del.
St. Jude Donor '09
A tune would help out alot. Also give the car a few more miles to adjust and it should be alittle better. With a tune it will get alot better. Let me knoe if you interested in a tune. I shouldnt be too far from you.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,939
Likes: 448
From: CHOCOWINITY NC
More air requires more fuel, right? it did not go down 3 mpg, don't worry. Do a paper and pencil calculation after a tank or so and you'll find everything very close to where it was..
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 3
If you don't have the intake cover, your IATs will rise in warmer weather. This causes your car to add fuel because the car is more likely to knock... My friend's LS3 was seeing IAT's 120-140 cruising around in texas...
This is another reason I prefer the Vararam...
This is another reason I prefer the Vararam...
Last edited by xstang; Jul 16, 2008 at 11:16 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: Middletown Pennsylvania
So right now I am sticking with mods that can easily be returned to stock if I need the warranty. I haven't found a tuner yet that will guarantee they can return the programming to stock condition without a trace that GM can find if need be.
On the other hand, I know that a good tune would give me the 'best bang for the buck'. And a good tune after any mod would be even better.
My car only has 615 miles on it. No problems so far, but I am really torn between tweaking the tune and blowing off the warranty. Another thousand miles without a problem and the tune may win.
A tuner that will guarantee they will not void the warranty will get plenty of business from me. And probably a heck of a lot others. Even a premium prices just for that guarantee.
So do your tunes keep the GM warranty valid or not? And can you erase the tune without a trace of it being done if GM balks at a warranty repair?
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 133
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,405
Likes: 353
From: New Castle Del.
St. Jude Donor '09
I would love a tune. In fact, that was going to be my first 'mod' when I picked the car up. But then I have been reading here about GM starting to look at the computer programming and not honoring the warranty if it is not stock.
So right now I am sticking with mods that can easily be returned to stock if I need the warranty. I haven't found a tuner yet that will guarantee they can return the programming to stock condition without a trace that GM can find if need be.
On the other hand, I know that a good tune would give me the 'best bang for the buck'. And a good tune after any mod would be even better.
My car only has 615 miles on it. No problems so far, but I am really torn between tweaking the tune and blowing off the warranty. Another thousand miles without a problem and the tune may win.
A tuner that will guarantee they will not void the warranty will get plenty of business from me. And probably a heck of a lot others. Even a premium prices just for that guarantee.
So do your tunes keep the GM warranty valid or not? And can you erase the tune without a trace of it being done if GM balks at a warranty repair?
So right now I am sticking with mods that can easily be returned to stock if I need the warranty. I haven't found a tuner yet that will guarantee they can return the programming to stock condition without a trace that GM can find if need be.
On the other hand, I know that a good tune would give me the 'best bang for the buck'. And a good tune after any mod would be even better.
My car only has 615 miles on it. No problems so far, but I am really torn between tweaking the tune and blowing off the warranty. Another thousand miles without a problem and the tune may win.
A tuner that will guarantee they will not void the warranty will get plenty of business from me. And probably a heck of a lot others. Even a premium prices just for that guarantee.
So do your tunes keep the GM warranty valid or not? And can you erase the tune without a trace of it being done if GM balks at a warranty repair?
I have never had a problem when doing a tune on a customers car when they take it in. Its never really a problem anyway i have a few freinds who are GM techs and i just take the cars to them if anything ever comes up. Ive had cars with cams in them warrentied before with out a problem. I actually have a customers car at the dealer right now getting a few things done.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
BTW, for GM to void your warranty on a claim the issue they used to void your warranty needs to affect the item(s) they are working on.
They cant deny your claim for the stereo not working because of a tune/intake/headers.
They cant deny your claim for the stereo not working because of a tune/intake/headers.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,529
Likes: 23
That is hardly a definitive test......The car did not have a chance for the fuel trims to re-adapt to the new airflow. The computer can be less than accurate, especially in a short window like that....Besides tose calculations come from the Fuel injector rate...
More air requires more fuel, right? it did not go down 3 mpg, don't worry. Do a paper and pencil calculation after a tank or so and you'll find everything very close to where it was..
More air requires more fuel, right? it did not go down 3 mpg, don't worry. Do a paper and pencil calculation after a tank or so and you'll find everything very close to where it was..
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 402
Likes: 3
In the past you would be correct, but they already ARE looking at Cals.! It was NEVER stated that they would void the whole car warranty, just the little portion that related to POWERTRIAN(engine, trans., diff.) thats all.
#08-06-04-033: Identifying Aftermarket Engine Calibrations
If a suspicious hard part failure is observed in the engine, transmission, transfer case or driveline, perform the calibration verification described to determine if a non-GM issued engine calibration is installed. Non-GM issued engine calibrations subject driveline components to stresses different than the calibrations which these components were validated to. Repairs to engine, transmission, transfer case and/or other driveline components where a non-GM engine calibration has been verified are not covered under the terms of the New Vehicle Warranty.
#08-06-04-033: Identifying Aftermarket Engine Calibrations
If a suspicious hard part failure is observed in the engine, transmission, transfer case or driveline, perform the calibration verification described to determine if a non-GM issued engine calibration is installed. Non-GM issued engine calibrations subject driveline components to stresses different than the calibrations which these components were validated to. Repairs to engine, transmission, transfer case and/or other driveline components where a non-GM engine calibration has been verified are not covered under the terms of the New Vehicle Warranty.
Last edited by Chevtech; Jul 16, 2008 at 03:13 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,563
Likes: 2
From: Dallas Tx
If you put the tune in a second ecm... just thinking out loud. Give a few days. Even if it does pick back up a little mpg, which it should, id still lean toward a tune. A good tuner can really liven things up.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,529
Likes: 23
Pro
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 740
Likes: 0
From: Lynchburg VA
The Maf stock is in an oval airbridge and when you put a intake on it changes to a circle housing this in turn makes the car run rich aka fuel mpg loss and not prime performance. that kind of a change really needs a tune.Pre 08 were fine with no tune because of the maf housing shape was the same on aftermarkert and stock intakes. dont be afraid of a tune, My car had kooks longtubes, no cats, a vararam, and a tune when it broke the mainshaft in my tranny and GM fixed it under warranty two weeks ago.