From the day I drove my truck off the lot I gotten an average of 14.5 miles per gallon. I drive what I would say normal, not heavy foot. Often people would tell me wait till it’s broke in. Well I now have 36k on it and it is still the same.

I just feel like I am missing something especially when I read others saying that they are getting 18 and even upwards to 24 mpg average with the same truck. In fact someone said that the mileage that I get normally they are getting it towing.

Any other 2002 owners getting what I am getting?

 

My 02 thats in my sig is an auto with 4.10 gears and city drive i get about 16 mpg with winter fuel and about 18.5 -19 mpg highway with winter fuel. My summer milege is a little better than that. On the highway i can hit 20 - 21 in the summer. Just a few suggestions...is your air filter dirty? when did you change your fuel filter last? And if you keep the PSI in your tires up higher you'll get a little better fuel mileage. I have mine at 65 psi.
matt

 

I bought my 02 used with 44,000 miles on it. My initial mileage was just about what you are getting, but my truck was throwing the code for a injection pump triming failure from the first long trip. I have the same gearing and tires with the only difference being that mine is a so 5 speed. Now with a good injection pump and a van akken box I get from 18 to 20 on the highway with speeds between 65 and 75. Average is probably about 19 hand calculated without compensating for the larger tires. I believe it is very close to a honest 20 mpg. I am very happy with the va and for drveability and mileage feel it's the best entry level box out there. Unfortunately and this is my personal opinion I think that all injection pumps are not equal even when new. Have you checked for codes. with your 02 just hold in the trip meter button when you turn the key on and see if anything comes up.
Good Luck!
Bear

 

prior to my truck becoming not stock, I could pull 20 mpg on the highway and between 17-18mpg in the city.

 

I get 20+ with current BOMBs.

 

I average between 19-21 in my city/hwy driving and around 21-24 on highway. Stock.

 

Fishing and Mileage (MPG) are quite similar. Each time the story's told, the fish gets a wee bit bigger....Especially around other fishermen.

 

I have basically the same truck: 02 QC 2500 4x4 6-speed w/ 3.54 gearing.

I get an honest 20mpg on the hwy (OK, between 19.9 and 20.2 on my most recent trip). I've gotten as high as 25.4 (cruise set at 50mph on icy roads) and as low as 15mpg (80mph in subzero temps with a bunch of wind-grabbing junk in the bed)--- but I can generally expect around 20mpg on the hwy at 70-75mph.

I don't post this to brag, but rather to say that you should be expecting better mileage from your truck, and I'd look into possible explanations as to why it isn't better.

A couple possible explanations occur to me:

1) the truck has been babied too much. Hook it to a HEAVY load and run it hard. I mean let it get up to temp nice and easy, then rip through the gears WOT.

OR

2) Tire pressure is too low. You want at LEAST 45F/40R cold with 265/75r16 tires

OR

3) You might have a boost leak that's letting fuel go unburned. Does your truck smoke excessively?

OR

4) The Fuel filter might be gunked up. Have you changed it recently?

OR

5) Maybe some fuel additive might help? Try running an off-the-shelf diesel additive or even Marvel Mystery Oil for a tank and see if it helps.

OR.....



The point here is that bad mileage is often not explained by just one thing, but rather a confluence of many smaller things.

 

17 at my last fillup, 50/50 city/highway. I've seen 15.5-17.

 

Some things I've noticed about Fuel Economy:

1. Break-in will effect economy. Mine did not get over 17 HW until 30,000

2. Winter 0 - 1 - 1/2blend fuel will give you poorer economy than number 2

3. Heater grid (thing that makes your headlights dim at idle) draws a lot of juice in order to preheat the air. This is an extra load which the alternator must compensate for. In temps below 40 expect poorer fuel economy.

4. Travel in excess of 65 MPH will hurt fuel economy. The best fuel economy I ever had was 21.6 on the way back from Appleton WI. We had purchased a car up there and could not travel faster than 55. The truck really loves that speed, too bad its too slow.

5. The brakes on the dodge are a major POS when it comes to sticking calipers. Expect to lube the sliders at least once a year, perhaps more. A sticking caliper will hurt fuel economy, warp rotors, and hurt pad life.

6. Oil weight is known to impact fuel economy. I've only used 15W40 Dino so I can't comment first hand in terms of the ISB. I've heard of people making modest gains with Delvac or other synthetics. I'm just too cheap. If I can get 400,000 miles using Rotella why spend more? I may be ready for another truck after 400,000 miles.

7. Running "out of season" or stale fuel can cause bad economy. I make it a habit to only purchase fuel from truck stops or places with high turnover. Wax and bio slime can restrict/clog your water separator.

Hope this helps

 

It seems that conventional wisdom indicates that thinner oils give better mileage. After all, the OEMs have been marching towards thinner and thinner oils. New Hemis spec 5w-20!

But anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that thicker oils actually get better mpg. Oddly enough, most guys getting REALLY good mileage are using dino oils, even though synthetics are slipperier.

I can only surmise that ring seal is affected by oil weight, and that this has an impact on MPG.

Next time you top off your oil, try a qt of 20w-50 and see if you notice a change.

 

What type of trips do you make? My 99 changes about 2 MPG (19.5 from 21-22) for a full tank of in town short trips. It definatly seems more pronounced with the 3:54 (compared to the 4:10).

Our 97 dropped 2-3 MPG since the temp drop. My wife only drives about 9 miles to work so it never get to warm up. If we hop on the highway with the truck the milage is still 18.3.

Randy

 

I am currently getting 17 to 18 city driving and 20 to 21 Highway. I had the engine with the cracked #53 block replaced last november the #53 would get 19.5-20.4 city and 24-26 highway plus about a 1/2 gallon of antifreeze per week. The truck is stock and runs great but after dropping $3400 swapping engines I a wary about what will break next. I am hoping that the mileage will improve when winter fuel goes away.

 

When i bought my rig it had 21,000 miles on it and she would get 18-19mpg consistantly travelin 75-80 mph, i went on a 5 hour oneway trip figured i would run some power service in it and it dropped to 15 mpgand has never gone back up past that. i now have almost 90,000 hard miles on it i to real heavu 5-7 days a week and it does not matter weather im bobtailing it or loaded going fast or have the rpms under 2K i get around 13 mpg. hell the last tank -and the fuel was to the top of the neck- i only got 240 miles to the tank i did notice i lost a little when i straight piped it.


02 ctd auto qclb 4x4 edge ez, fass, straight pipe bfg all terrain tires.

 

I get about 18 mpg at 65, but mine is barely broken in, also 4.10's. It will get 20+ around 45-55. Towing, 13 or so at 55, 14k fiver.
Besides filter, tires, etc, I think some othe past suggestions include clleaning the sensors. When they get dirty, it fuels more. Beyond hat, maybe a trip to a Cummins dealer. 5+ mpg will pay the bill.
Good luck!