moopa

One guy gets 9, the other gets over 18,someone else gets over 20,and another gets 12....It's gotta be something wrong with particular trucks,or trucks in a series.The first step to fix the problem is put a piece of black tape over the computer read out,and sharpen the pencils. I made myself sick looking at my overhead when I first got my truck.My last one never had it,so I was forced to do it by hand each and every fill up. I STILL feel sick when I look up at the overhead...there's just no way that thing is accurate. Most of the people I know up here in Canada don't want to do the math: convert kilometers to miles,convert litres to (Canadian) gallons,then convert Canadian gallons to US gallons...it's just too easy to look up at the overhead and say...gee this thing sucks fuel!I still think 16 mpg(US) is great,because in my mind that's approximately 18.5 mpg(Canadian). Anyway my point is,if someone is getting less than 10 mpg ,empty on the highway doing the speed limit on a long trip...that's less than 300 miles on a tank full( providing it's not run dry), and that's not acceptable,it should be back at the dealership getting fixed. If all the 600's had this poor mpg, then there'd be a quick fix...but they don't,so it's going to take some really stubborn customers to put the pressure on DC to get it sorted out.
Sorry for ranting,but I'd really hate to see a bunch of loyal Cummins customers jump ship,knowing in my heart that there's nothing out there built better or with a better proven track record,period. I know alot of PSD folks,too...and more than one has been known to "guesstimate" his fuel economy by looking at the fuel guage and then proclaim his mpg. I don't trust anyone's proclaimations,just true, accurate calculations. Good luck people getting this resolved,I'm watching with great interest.

diirk

I seem to be getting around 13.5-14mpg with my 04.5. I certainly wouldn't mind getting better mileage, but I bought the truck to tow, so I'm OK with what I'm getting. Bear in mind that this is a 4x4 w/315's and 4.10 gears. I run a mix of city/hwy. When towing my 5k# trailer, relatively level, I was at 11.5 mpg.

apatche

I ordered 2004.5 in mar. now after seeing all this scary stuff on milage i am looking for a 2004 555 torq. are they significantly better on fuel? I already found one although i will lose the extra rebate $1000 i had on the march order. Do you think i am paranoid or are they all out to get me?

SHINDEN

Hi there.

Moopa, i do all my calculation by hand and than check it against computer, it's really close.
18.5 l to 20 l per 100km, 12 to 13.5 mpg, that is unacceptable, I am working with dealer on the problem but so far not much luck.

If you do have a choice 305 might be a good one, but calculate amount of money that you will loose/save over projected ovnership time and traveled distance than deduct $1000 that you would loose, in my case it's about $2,200 in losses over 60 kmiles.

Hope that helps.

I don't think they are out there to get you but it would be nice and honest to notify customers on possible ( in my case real) loss of fuel economy in comparison to previous model years so you can make educated decision, whatewer it might be.

DC is probably working on the problem right now but we must keep pressure on them, they will not do it on their own, technology that is just being implemented in our trucks in last three years has been used in Europe for 26 years with good results, they should take a look.

Another think is that those oil "producers" do not have infinete supply, it will run out someday if our trucks will progress in this direction ( 92 model year 28mpg and succesively 2004.5 12 mpg) it will run out alot sooner.

Regards Jack.

Stew130

My old truck, 2001 1500 QC SLT 2WD averaged 12 MPG. I had always put in mid grade gas. With my new truck, see below, I hand calculated 14.89816 MPG after 1000 miles. Around here mid grade is around 1.82 per gal and diesel is 1.69. So far I have saved $26 in 2 weeks in fuel cost. With that average I'm saving around $675 per year in fuel cost, which will help pay for some of the goodies I plan on installing. And besides the Cummins will last forever.

Smkndzl

I would love to know if any of you have taken your 4.5 to a Cummins shop and if they would work on it , I work for Cummins and I will tell you right now we don't work on new dodge's for the fact that we can't communicate with the new ECM with our insite, even the new insite 6.2 , I know for a fact we can't do any warranty, all Dodge's are billable only.

diirk

Well, I tried an experiment on the way home today. I filled up the truck and drove it home. I averaged 16.4 mpg. Mix of city/hwy, relatively level, against the wind. I ran just a couple of miles per hours over the speed limit for the duration, about 40 miles. Not an incredible feat, but maybe something to give someone hope, that needs it.

SHINDEN

John.

I have taken my 600 to a Cummins Alberta, in town and they told me exactly same thing, they provided mechanic that owns 03 HO to have a test drive with me , he mentioned that the sounds of the engine are definetly abnormal so is the fuel economy, he gets about 20 mpg in his truck with 10kmiles on the clock.

They did not charge me, it was very nice tuch, .

I hope the dealer with DC will figure it out, my dealer is very helpful.

Regards Jack.

Haulin_in_Dixie

Mileage figures of trips of 40 miles and 50 miles are totally meaningless. Run full tank full figures and do it with a pencil. Then you will get so realistic figures. I also have a problem with statements like "I never went over 2000 rpm" you will never break it in. Just drive the darn truck and over a few weeks get some real figures. I read all this stuff about mileage and really one or two tanks don't tell you anything. Especially when not summer or nice warm weather. When the 1999 was new, it could get tops 17 maybe 17.5, all highway, no load. And that was a 2500. Also on manual trucks with a good amount of torque, the dirve line and transmission will rattle at lower rpms. Quit running it so low and you will never hear it. The truck has 300 horse or better why use 50

SharpLikeStump

This is my first posting, because my 600 is my first diesel truck ever.
With a 4X4 truck that weighs this much, has this type of grunt, and impresses me in so many ways, I had hoped I would pull 18 mpg once everything was broken in. After the first tank, and squeezing in every drop I could, I got exactly 16 mpg. Factor in winter fuel, alot of mountain driving, some city, auto trans, spending some time in Tow/Haul.....I've got no gripes. Overhead read 14.4. If I have a regret, I might have liked taller gears than the 3.73s. Finest vehicle I have ever owned, and trust me on this: It isn't often that I am this happy with ANYTHING.

HighTen

Can't help but brag just a little...

Got to the gas station with 425 miles on the tank. Before hand calculating the mpg, I knew it would be pretty good because when the fuel gauge was at about half, there were about 320 miles on the tank. Then I fill up the tank the same way I did before and it takes 21.2 gallons. This works out to be about 20 mpg by the way.

The tank had about 80% highway at 65 to 70 mph and 20% city driving. Whatever makes my 600 so much different is beyond me. I don't care as long as it keeps it up!

wexman

Just fueled today. 125 miles of mixed, hilly driving, some highway at 60-70 mph, some stop and go, and some hauling a sofa and ottoman (heavy) in tow/haul mode.

13.09 mpg. And I wasn't being gentle.

SHINDEN

It is very good that your truck is getting excelent economy, it means that there is possible solution for most of the the trucks out there, including my own.

If you can prove it to DC that milage could be good, then they can't say its not possible, as I said before they probably working on it right now, maybe they should get your truck for a day of testing so they can find solution that is proven.

My truck is definetely set up for worse mpg, but not 8 mpg, it might be 1,2 maybe 3 mpg but not more.

What was your mpg to start?

Jack.

odie2219

Love my 600!!!!! Talk to me in 10,000 miles and I can give you real mileage numbers.....So far 15.3 all city,,,, 18.2 highway

and Yes I had the FLASH

bensdad_canada

350km on truck so far.Filled it up-took $33.50 worth of diesel at $.68 per litre.Overhead showed 12.0mpg/19.6litres/100km(I think).Now reading 13.5mpg
and slowly climbing.No ping/hesitation.Awesome power,goes like a whipped dog.
No cackle from engine.Built Feb.04.

2004.5 CTD '600' 3500 SRW 4x4 Quad Cab SLT LWB 6sp 3.73 LSD Atlantic Blue
Bare bones stock......But not for long