Well, since we bought ours in '05 and it was ***-cold out when we took delivery, I'm guessing we have an "early" model as far as the flashes go...but with 30k miles on it she is getting around 22mpg in town. 2005 Quad Cab 4x4 8' auto trans, 3.73 (? - or 3.55 - NOT the 4.10s), bone stock. When we got it, she was ****** at me because it would only return 16mpg on the highway - now it does that in the mountains with a loaded trailer behind it! We do use the truck - no babying here. We've got a car trailer that pulls my 4400# '72 Satellite wagon to the track, and a 31' 1973 Airstream that weighs in around 5500 empty and 7700 gross. So far it's pulled the car trailer from DC to: upstate NY three times; Pittsburgh once; to the outer banks once; and through the "local" mountains (calling up all 30psi and 1100egt's) on a near weekly basis. Seems that 2000rpm is the break point on mileage (about 72mph) - keep under that and she'll cruise all day long at mid 20s. Go over and she drops like a rock. Under 2000 with a trailer, figure 18 or so with the air on...and it's been getting better since day one.

 

Well, I've put several tanks through since the reflash and the overhead console went from realistic estimation to extremely optimistic. If my experience is indicative of what is happening, some of the improved mileage is from the overhead telling them it is the case and not an actual improvement.

I managed to haul a load around 25,000 lbs (trailer included) on a 270 mile round trip... took an entire tankfull at 60 mph (roughly). At least it had plenty of power.

 

I have an 06 and started out at about 14 MPG. Is completely stock 4X4, automatic. 373. It keeps inproving all the time. I have 11000 on it now and pull a toy hauler most of the time. I am around 17 to 18 MPG on flat ground and it does not seem to matter much if I am 65 ot 75 MPG

 

My new '06 Ram 4x4 2500 quad cab has 30 miles on it. It looks to set lower on the right side than the left so I measured the front tow hooks from the ground and measured the distance from the ground to the inside of each wheel well. The right side sets a full 1/4 inch lower than the left side. It has a full tank of fuel (tank is on the left side of drive shaft) and nothing else in it. Do others find this issue? It seems odd to me that it would set lower on the right side with a full tank of fuel, especially since the tank is on the left. Any thoughts on this issue? Thanks. PCM

 

If you want 20 mpg, set the cruise on 55 mph, turning about 1600 rpm and you will get 20 mpg on a flat road. That's the best I squeaked out of my 04.5 dually. Cruising at 70 mph down the interstate, I can get 17 mpg. Oh, and that's empty weight too.

 

[B]
Well so far I've only 6300 miles this weekend I did a short road trip 390.4 miles 18.3 g of diesel = 21.3 mpg not to bad, but the hard part was setting the cruise @ 60 mph and staying there. 75% freeway and 25% city I'm very pleased with my mileage, then again I was used to the 6.0 mileage of 15.5 on the hwy well thats all for me I just wanted to put my .02 in

 

God some of those numbers really suck. I used my 04 suburban (5.3 gasser) to tow my race car and trailer 5000 miles across the country and back and it averaged 11mpg...with the cruise set at 80mph all the way. With the wind in your face across kansas that means it is constantly shifted down...and I just left the cruise where it was. I would expect much better numbers from a diesel towing than what I've just read in here.

Bill

 

Well, to come back to this thread after reporting that mine was not improving.... seems that it now is. A lot of it depends on highway vs. city. I commute mostly short (<15 miles) trips, so I think that is why I have struggled so much with mileage. Even still, mine is getting better, showing 16.8 average over the last tank when my previous post was in the 14.7 range. Even better was the fact that I towed my 19ft enclosed aluminum with my race bike and equipment over the mountains to NH (about 180 miles) and managed to get 17.2 with the trailer because I maitained speed above 45 most of the time. Can't believe I got that going through the mountains towing a trailer! I couldn't get that with my 5.3 gasser without the trailer.... and I was really pouring the coal on in some places to pass people! Happy with that.

Seems that mileage has everything to do with getting the truck rolling. The more you have to get that truck going from a stop, the worse the gas mileage. Common sense, but magnified in this diesel truck.

 

Well as long as we are updating here are my mileage numbers right from the start. I have not been able to get out of town for the last few weeks. So, the last four fill-ups are for all city (stop and go, no speeds over 40mph) driving.

Date Mileage Gallons MPG Overhead Notes Station
04/09/06 445.2 27.6 16.1
04/14/06 264.3 18.8 14.1
04/23/06 408.1 21.8 18.7 All highway
04/23/06 386.6 23.7 16.3
05/02/06 380.8 26.9 14.2
05/10/06 417.9 26.9 15.5
05/16/06 279.8 20.2 13.9
05/27/06 398.1 26.9 14.8
06/03/06 387.1 26.4 14.7 14.0
06/10/06 456.8 28.3 16.1 15.2
06/19/06 458.2 27.7 16.5 14.9
06/23/06 109.9 8.1 13.6 13.8 Reflash 06-22-06
07/01/06 497.3 30.7 16.2 17.4
07/07/06 373.5 21.1 17.7 16.9 add MMO&PS
07/15/06 469.1 27.6 17.0 16.9
07/25/06 439.5 28.8 15.3 16.3 add MMO & PS Speedway
08/01/06 432.1 27.1 15.9 15.9 add MMO & PS Speedway
08/10/06 347.4 24.7 14.1 15.0 Marathon
08/20/06 382.3 24.9 15.4 n/a add PS & MMO Mobil

If you want to see what your truck is capable of reset your overhead while traveling at various speeds. Under 60mph and my truck only sips fuel. Over 75mph and 16 to 18 mph should be expected. For me, around town getting above 15mph is great. My old Chevy ½ ton did not do that well.

 

My truck has just turned 20k miles. My MPG has now gone up to 19.2mpg with the ac on and the cruise set at 70mph. That is since the dealer replaced all 6 injectors and did some kind of reflash. It has never run better!

 

[QUOTE=PCM;1737609]My truck has just turned 20k miles. My MPG has now gone up to 19.2mpg with the ac on and the cruise set at 70mph. That is since the dealer replaced all 6 injectors and did some kind of reflash. It has never run better![/QUOTE

what is the build date of your truck?

 

My truck is a 2006 with a build date of July 07, 2005. Thanks. PCM

 

I now have 46,000 miles on my 05. I had always wanted a 4x4 but got a good deal on a new 2wd so I bought it. After seeing all of you dissapointed with your mileage makes me glad I bought the truck I have. It is the best road truck I have ever owned. I have the 6 speed and I pull a box trailer which I have weighed from time to time at 10,000 pounds and will get from 14 to 15 mpg. Running empty on cruise at 75 on all interstate, I got 21.4 calculated on a 600 mile run. I drive 20 miles one way to work with half the distance speed limit of 55 and the other half at 50. I will maintain 22 consistantly. I have noticed it did get better after 20 or 25,000 miles. I talked to another owner who said his got better after he got to 100,000. I feel like for the size of the truck, the power of the truck and all the creature comforts, I would not complain on anything unless it fell below 16. Just my two cents worth. Gene