There's definitely more to it then break in, 06 owners are getting like 10-13mpg off the lot, much worse then a HEMI even! 04.5/05 owners were getting like 18 unloaded off the lot. I'm reading more and more about the hard start flash fixing it... I would go in with the TSB and demand they flash it!

 

I think thats what I said.......

 

Well thanks for all the replies. I agree driving has a lot to do with it. I drive 1 way to work 36 miles, mixed highway city stop/go driving. On the highway I get up to about 80 (depending) in the city it's stop/go max 30mph.

It sounds like maybe I should baby it for a week and then check the mpg hand calc and see if that helps it?

But as for the overhead computer being so far off, it shouldn't matter wether I drive 100mph all the time or 5mph hour. I would think that the computer could stay within at least +/- .5 mpg.

Now for the flashing thing, where do I find the TSB# to ask for? (what is TSB? )

And some of ya'll are right, I didn't buy the truck for the fuel mileage, but i want to at least get better mileage than my previous 2001 PSD, which got 16mpg in the city.

Sorrry for the long thread.

thanks,
Brian

 

It's all about how you drive it and driving conditions.

I have a 04 305/555 and my commute is very short with tons of stop and go, I'm getting 11 to 12 mpg, but if I take it on the freeway with no stops and keep it at 64 (sweet spot for this truck) I get over 20.

So with that said I can either move farther from work or just deal with it.
I bought this truck because is has awesome power when I need it. Not to get 20 mpg all the time. If I wanted that I would've bought a ricer.

 

what reflash did you ask for when you went in to the dealership?

 

TX DIESAL, your here in austin too. I wonder if we got the same diesal guzzlers from the same place in GEORGE TOWN. great truck just poor milage and I have driven hard,easy, and miss daisey and still the same mileage12-13. And yes I know I should have bought a YUGO for mileage ,but all my so called buddys bragged of these 18 to 20 mpgs. Let me know if you do the TSB.

 

Hey H_Brown,

I bought mine at Maxwell, but they must have come off the same line.
I think it's weird that we get such crappy mileage, I didn't buy it for fuel mileage, if I wanted that I would have bought a ricer or something of the sort.

I would like to try a TSB but I don't know how to go about finding which one I need. Do I just go to the dealer and demand they reflash it?

Also, just throwing this out there, I have a fuel tool that I'm going to install after the 10K mile break in and see if it helps. This tool goes in-line with the fuel supply line to the motor, it uses magnetics to break down the molecular structure of the diesel fuel thus burning cleaner, more efficently.

We installed some on big rigs in Mexico testing them for Cummins and saw an across the board increase in fuel milegae of 2-3% on the worst driver. It also helped extend oil changes (by reducing carbon build up) and cut back on the amount of smoke the truck produced.

I'll let ya'll know how that turns out, I should be at 10K miles in the next few months.

-Brian

 

If you have experience that says they work then probably worth trying. However, Popular Mechanics did a test on them and said they were bogus. It will be interesting to see what you find.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/auto...tml?page=2&c=y

 

TX DIESEL, Got mine from mac haik in g town but it was tranfered from maxwell in taylor. I went to the service dept today and complained about the milage and asked for the TSB reflash. The tried to blow smoke up my skirt and tell me I am in a big hurry for mileage and to wait to about 10000 mile and BAM, my truck will get 20 to 24 mpg. What a crock, I could see maybe a increase of 1 to 2 maybe once broken in but not 8 to 10. I have only 1900 now and told him to do the reflash anyway and he tells me there are no TSBS for a 06. Another BS job. The only thing he did say and I agree is to put the edge juice at about 6000 miles to help out, and he said it will not leave a trace in the computer if I remove it before warranty work. He says only there computers pick up traces if you use a downloader to reprogram the ECM were the edge does not go thru the ECM to leave a trace.Guess I will have to wait till 10000 mile where the diesal ferry comes out and doubles my mileage.

 

I can't wait to meet this Diesel fairy as well.

That's kinda cool to know the dealer is being somewhat honest with you about the edge programmer. When I talked to the service manager at Maxwell he didn't advise that i use a programmer of any kind and that they could tell if i had used one. If so, they would void my warranty.

So how do i know which programmers/downloaders are safe to use and the dealer not know i have used one?

 

Yea Right. I drove off the lot getting 12mpg - 42000 miles later - 13 maybe 14. My Goal is to see 15mpg on a tank - hand calculated after a week of unloaded driving - average 400 mile in metro Atlanta traffic. I like the truck, it pulls good but it will Never Get 18mpg in town - maybe on the road if you keep it under 75...
Guess I'm waiting on a flash to fix it; hope it comes soon.

 

new summer month figures.............

Originally I posted:
Feb 28th, Off the lot = 13.5 +/-
May 20th, 6.5k miles later = 14.5 - 15.5
200 mile trip to the Eastern Sho' and back, hwy speeds = 16.1
New Data:
Daily 66 mile commute (75%hwy/25%city) with the AC on = 14.7 - 15.3

Habits: no load ever, O/D off constantly, semi-aggressive.

The good news - The doctor said that the muscle cramps in my right leg/foot called "Cummins-Itiscmegofaster" might eventually go away! (but I doubt it)

The Fruitman

 

ALL I can say is, I towed to Delaware with a 2000# empty trailer and got 17MPG at 70 MPH. Thats with a lifted truck and 35s on it. Now coming back with 4000# on the trailer, plus the trailer weight i got 14.6 MPG. Some of the highway back to Pa. is up hill. I average 15 to 16 around home depending on my foot!!!

 

Is that Propane, Butane, or Methane? I hear diesels like a little propane in their diet.

These vehicles were designed to be work or tow vehicles, if you want fantastic mileage get a diesel car. You can get a gasoline pickup that will get better mileage than these beasts but they will not have the towing capacity. If you are towing a 2K trailer occassionally and driving on pavement the rest of the time, maybe you got the wrong vehicle. A big Kenworth truck gets worse mileage than our Dodges, but I don't imagine many of these trucks are used to tow a 25 foot boat with the wife an kids to the water.

By the way TSB is Technical Service Bulletin follow the link, www.dodgeram.info/tsb/ some really good information here.

L8r,............dogger

 

Just bought my 06 3500 long bed bighorn with 3.73 and automatic. It has 400 miles on it and I get 16-17 around town and 20-22 on the highway empty. Very happy with this truck.