# Chevy straight six **URL:** \ **Category:** Power/Fuel\ **Tags:** fuel-economy, gasoline\ **Created:** [August 20, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440 "2008-08-20T19:22:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mel543](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@mel543](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mel543)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440/1 "2008-08-20T19:22:03Z")
I’m looking at an '84 chevy stepside with three on the tree. is the gas mileage much better than my '89 scottsdale with a 350? ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440/2 "2008-08-20T19:33:23Z")
Wow-- that must have been close to the last year for the straight six and 3 on the tree. I have a ‘76 chevy 1/2 ton 2wd with the 250 and the ol’ three-on-the-tree. It’ll usually get close to 20mpg on the highway, although I mostly attribute this to the fact that the transmission is geared so low that you don’t really want to cruise much over 55 or 60. I don’t know how much the truck changed over time-- my '76 was the first year with a catalytic converter but other than that there’s not really much in the way of emissions equipment. ---
**Author:** ![mel543](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@mel543](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mel543)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440/3 "2008-08-20T19:42:36Z")
actually, i owned an '89 chev with 3 on the tree several years ago… nice looking truck… my guess was that it was a factory order… thanks for the advice. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440/4 "2008-08-20T21:40:06Z")
Look closely at the '84. The 6 cyl that year had an ‘integrated’ head that was prone to crack. ---
**Author:** ![rjohnston72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@rjohnston72](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rjohnston72)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440/5 "2008-08-20T22:43:42Z")
that 250 straight six great motor easy to work on had one in my 79 nova ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 10:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440/6 "2008-08-20T22:56:45Z")
Your original question was about the mileage - what do you get with your '89? The 250 might not be a lot better, depending on how much you have to carry. ---
**Author:** ![mel543](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@mel543](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mel543)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440/7 "2008-08-21T03:30:11Z")
when i owned the '89, gas prices weren’t a hot topic… so, i’m not sure ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 5:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440/8 "2008-08-21T05:06:22Z")
Well, gee, seeing as how both of these trucks were apparently available in semi-recent times, lets look at [www.fueleconomy.gov](http://www.fueleconomy.gov) Pretending it’s a 1985, a half-ton 2wd truck with the 4.3 and a 3-speed is rated 16 city, 19 highway. A 1989 half-ton 2wd with the 350 and a 4-speed is rated 12 city, 16 highway. Also keep in mind these are under the “new” ratings, so the old system had both trucks with 2 more MPG city and 1 more MPG highway. I’ve found that with my driving style I usually get closer to the old system on the highway. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 5:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-straight-six/18440/9 "2008-08-21T05:26:22Z")
The 79 model used to get 23 on the highway.