BLACKBIRD8200

I changed my fuel filter in hopes of getting better gas mileag. but nope I still get about 13 mpg city and 15 hwy. All I hear about is everybody gettting 18 city and 20 hwy? what gives? any help would be great. my truck is a 04.5 all stock.

flipper-26

are those figures hand calculated, or are those the numbers coming from your overhead.

P.J

I could be That guy and tell you how you really shouldn't be running GAS in your truck, but I'll give you a reprive.

What gears do you have?
You taking it easy?
What are your average highway speeds?

I could get 18 in my 2001, this new one isn't giving up those numbers yet

BLACKBIRD8200

those # are coiming from the over head calc. but i hand calc them to and came up with a close # at 12.2 I average about 415miles per tank and I think its a 34 gallon tank? correct me if I'm wrong please. Is there a reprogram I can go to the dealer to get for better mpg? thanks for the help

scottrod

I put on a Quad XZT box and gained a couple mpg. Something to consider...

P.J

You are. Thing is, you are not running all 34 gallions out of the tank, you are only calculating off of what you REFILL it with.

Do this. Fill up, you don't have to get all fancy clicking and clicking the pump. Just let it click off once, wait about 15 seconds, give her another shot then call it quits. Reset your trip on the odometer.
Now then, when you get down to just above a 1/4 tank, head to the station again. Fill up (same procedure please ) Write down the actual gallons pumped, use your trip, do some division and there you have it. I bet you are getting about 15.9 miles to the gallon.

Lighten your right foot a bit, keep it under 68 mph and you can probably get closer to 17.5.

P.J

BTW, I hope I don't sound condescending. I just wanted you to know that you are probably only burning approx. 26 gallons in those 415 miles.

My truck on the other hand IS burning 32 out of its 35 gallons at the 400 mile mark

Tiara3100

How many miles on the truck?
manual or automatic?
What gear ratio in the rear?
And yes, there was a reflash on 04.5 at the dealer. http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2004-index.htm

carcrz

I'm having the same concerns w/ mine now. I tow a 16' utility trailer w/ about 4K on 2 days a week & then I'm driving around the rest of the week. I get on it a little, but not excessive. It's all stock. I'm even running synthetic everywhere & didn't notice a change. All the temps & psi look normal on my Commander. I've seen (hand calculated) just under 15 mpg for the last 8 tanks. While still better than the 460 gasser I had, I wish I could get better.

HOV

A few factors that drastically reduce gas mileage:

1. Stop and go traffic. I believe that owners who live in major metropolitan areas will get worse mileage for having to deal with more stop lights and traffic jams. It takes a lot of energy to get a 7200-lb. object moving. Repeat that 100 times per driving session and you have terrible mileage. Perhaps those who report better city mileage live in suburban or rural areas.

2. Timing advance. A little advance helped me out on my '06.

3. Tire pressure.

4. Mileage. If the engine isn't broken in yet, it's not getting good mileage.

I thought originally that my mileage was bad at around 14 MPG, but then I realized that I got over 20 on the freeway, and it was all the stop-and-go traffic that was killing my mileage. When I threw on the Rokktech sensor with full advance, I got up in the 15 MPG range for stop-and-go.

Also, there's only 2,000 miles on my truck. Many many more miles to go for break-in. I'm sure I'll get at least 16 or 17 city once the engine finally breaks in.

I was comparing the Cummins mileage to my previous Duramax, which got 15 MPG city from the factory and crept up to about 17 MPG city after break-in. However, it never got more than 19 on the freeway. The Cummins already exceeds the highway mileage, and I'm sure it will catch up on the city mileage once it breaks in.

Totallyrad

Blackbird, I'm getting around 16 combined city and highway. Right now I'm running an AFE torque tube and a Qzilla boost fooler. The odometer just turned 47k and the mileage is still improving, slowly.

Thenewguy

I hate to be that guy but I am. I did manage to pull out 20.8mpg running 70 mph over a non stop 540 mile trip. But, if I did nothing but city driving I would probably get around 14 or so. Not great, but it is a huge truck and a 4x4. My old Tahoe could only get 15 on the highway and around 11 in the city so this is a big improvement.

packard8

Just returned from a trip to OK from CA, carrying around 1800lbs of parts going out, and empty (but against a constant headwind) coming back west. Odometer racked up 4324 miles, and I burned 249.2 gallons to arrive at 17.35 MPG.

This is not as good as I got with my F350 7.3 PSD with the ZF 6 speed, which usually got around 18-19 MPG. I think the difference is the G56 tranny….I love the way it shifts, but it really needs another (7th) gear. With the same 3.73 axles, the Ford would turn about 2000 RPM at 75 MPH while the Dodge is spinning around 2400…..oh well….

BLACKBIRD8200

of all of the those recalls what one is the one I need? And I bought the truck used so how do I know if they have already been done? thanks

the truck is an automatic I don't know where to look to find out what rear gears I have. there is 46,000 mi on the truck

Mixer Man

Look in the glove box , there should be a sticker with gear ratio and other specs . MPG falls off fast when you get over 2000 rpm but it sure does pull !!! I have no complaints on mileage 32,000 and running synthetic oil she gets 20 all day long ....too bad it's not as high as the 23.5 or 24 my overhead shows with diablosport installed .