Sask

Another thread claiming wonderful fuel efficiency (according to the onboard computer, of course ) put me in mind of this - it's perfectly possible to get over 25 mpg in these trucks, and in some cases 30+ mpg with some careful driving. In the United States, we are fortunate to have roads that can endow our rides with incredible fuel efficiency - the trick is, you have to be very selective about where you drive. Drivers in the West have a real advantage over drivers in the East, which is why, if you're trying to turn your CTD into a Honda Civic, you need to move left of the 100th meridian.

With that in mind, here are a few examples of stretches of road where I've personally verified - many times - that my Dodge CTD can achieve the magic 25+ mpg breakthrough. Even when I ignore the onboard computer and do the math. Warning: Trailers and/or heavy bed-loads and/or trucks in bad mechanical shape will void the warranty.

I-80 going east from Sidney to Ogallala, Nebraska - it looks flat, it feels flat, but it's not - 25.8 mpg.

I-80 going west from the Park City summit to downtown Salt Lake City - the Parley's Summit slalom race, a bit short, but fun - mileages varies above 25 mpg depending on traffic and how reckless I get.

I-15 going south from Cedar City, Utah, to Mesquite, Nevada - beautiful country, 30 mpg is possible, but look at the road every once in a while.

I-15 going south from Monida, Montana, to just past Dubois, Idaho - the Snake River plain is actually a big bowl with all sides trending down to the river; lots of roads here with that +25 mpg potential, including -

U.S. 93 from Challis, Idaho, south to Arco, Idaho, and Idaho 28 from Salmon, Idaho, south to Blue Dome, Idaho - Idaho 28 is difficult, but I did get through it with 25.2 mpg.

I-70, east or west from the Eisenhower Tunnel - to Golden, Colorado, or to Eagle, Colorado - you don't use mpg on these stretches, you use mpbp - miles per brake pad.

I-90, going west from Gillette, Wyoming, to Buffalo, Wyoming - a bit difficult because of steep rises that occasionally interrupt the downward trend - but momentum can carry you almost to the top of these, if you time it right.

There are many other +25 mpg roads in the U.S. of course - I've just given you a handful of my own, verified examples. But just that handful comprises almost a thousand miles of fuel efficiency - so take your Dodge emblems off, glue your Honda emblems onto your truck, and surf the rising fuel prices....

mr T

I dunno...seems a little exagerated...I'm not trying to burst your bubble...all power to ya...but maybe you're measuring using the metric gallon or something

Clunk

I don't think it's unreasonable with flat roads, no hills and 55mph.
What are the Class 8 trucks getting at 80,000 lbs?

catmandoo

i think pretty much any road in nebraska is gonna give ya pretty good mpg numbers,and where i'm at up in n.w. iowa alot of my roads are flat to rolling hills,i think in the 26 county area i cover i have maybe half a dozen what i would consider steep hills,my jetta tdi just loves this land,during the summer i average over 53 mpg with it and in my truck 24-26.also you need to aviod cities with major populations,i have 1 town over 100,000,and 1 in the 30,000 range and the rest are about 10,000 and below.

Raspy

It seems like you're giving examples of roads that are downhill. What is the significance of that? You still have to come back and the round trip mileage is what counts. You can't drive downhill all the time. 25-30 MPG is not a realistic normal or trip average. But on level ground at speeds below 55, 20 is.

I could brag that my truck gets 200+ MPG. And it does. When I'm on the highway and take my foot off the loud pedal, the mileage shoots up over 200 till I step on it again. So what? And I get about 50 MPG in my Passat coming home from the mountains. But I only get 38 going up there. When I start the truck and before I drive away in the morning, I'm getting 0 MPG. But I'm not complaining that my truck gets 0 mpg and wondering what is wrong. It's the trip average mileage that counts.

Wetspirit

LOGAN

sounds like he's using that georgia overdrive too much, my truck would get that too if I just slip it up into neutral on those long downhill runs.

Clunk

I use Georgia Overdrive alot.

bentwings

I've found the best mileage comes on gently rolling hills with the cruise on. I think the coasting more than makes up for the pulling up hills.

Of course a really strong tail wind helps too.

junkhauler

25 plus mpg is possible, but extremely hard to get. The 3 highest mpg's I have gotten are 26.3, 26.4, 26.8. All of these were on trips of a least 300 miles or more. I will say I havn't broken 22 mpg since the ULSD has come out. Has anyone gotten any good mileage with the ULSD.

mikmaze

seems the obvious choice will be to find the center of the lowest presure behind the tuck while driving, this is where we need to dump our exhaust and "fill" that low pressure area. would help extract the exhaust from the truck, and end up with a lower drag on the truck no???? As for smoothe highways and better milage, I was on a trip yesterday with my Dad and happened to notice 29 mpg on the overhead, had to point it out to him, was not downhill, nor was it accurate, but at 55 mph it was enough to make my Father scratch his head a bit.....

Andy505

300 mile round trip yesterday got me 20.5 MPG. Thats the best I've gotten ever in this truck.

Raspy

mikmaze,

That's a great idea.

Wetspirit

SIXSLUG

Altitude makes a huge impact on MPG regarding wind resistance. My gasser crewcab got a little over 19 going N to S thru Wyoming a few years back. Typically got around 16 on the highway with that pig. I guess from the big picture though, it was all downhill.

MikeyB

With the right truck under the right conditions it can be done. I've done it.
But it requires a easy foot and a constant 55-60mph.

MikeyB

mikmaze

wetspirit, glad to see someone knows what I meant this morning, a bit early, and a bit unclear, but you got the idea.......