I have an '03, HO, 6speed, 4.11 gears, DRW, 4x4 QC... phew....<br><br>I carry a 3500lb slide in camper and I'm only getting 11.5MPG at 65mph max. Seems pretty low to me. <br><br>

 

Filled up with first tank last night. 18.4mpg paper and pen, mi ind showed 18, so pretty close. Mostly hwy mi, usually 70 or below. Try to stay at 2200rpm or below for now. I am very impressed with this truck!

 

[quote author=Explorer link=board=17;threadid=14905;start=15#141510 date=1053733311]<br>I have an '03, HO, 6speed, 4.11 gears, DRW, 4x4 QC... phew....<br><br>I carry a 3500lb slide in camper and I'm only getting 11.5MPG at 65mph max. Seems pretty low to me. <br>[/quote]<br><br>Let's look at your rig. 3500# slide-in, mowt have over cab bed so 10-10.5' high. Rather boxy front profile. Your wind resistance due to drag is probably about the same as travel trailer 10.5 to 11.0&quot;. Now if you had reported that a you were towing a travel trailer at 65 mph and getting 11.5 mpg You would be in the 11- 13.5 mpg range for most 2003 Ram Cummins.<br><br>You will get the best mileage with your setup if the Cummins is turning 200-2100 RPM. A general rule of thumb is that for every 5 mph above 55, the wind resistance increases in a manner to reduce fuel mileage by 10%. If that rule is applied to your data at 60 mph your mileage should be about 12.6 mpg, at 55 mileage would be about 13.9 mpg. <br><br>Weight has little to do with mileage unless you are climbing a 7% grade most of the time.<br><br>

 

My trade in was an '01 2500. I got 16mpg with that rig while it was hauling a 2000lb+ camper. I also got 21mpg with the 2500 empty.<br><br>

 

You can't compare Apples with Oranges and have a meaningful comparison my 2003 gets 20.5 on highway, empty. My rear axle ratio is 4.11 4.10. I have a 5 spd not a 6 spd which has different gear ratios. You may take off &quot;with pedal to the metal&quot; I may go easy thinking of wear and tear on drive-train. 4x4s get 10-15% lower mileage than 4x2s taller means greater wind resistance, extra differential and transfer case more internal friction, weight. 11.5 rear axle has more internal friction than 10.5 rear axle. It goes on and on. That is why some get 11.5 mpg towing others get 14.0 mpg. Then there is the brag factor, fishermen are good at this as well as Diesel Owners. Had a friend towing with a Cummins who was traveling with his friend who was towing with a P Stroker. The would always make the same fuel stops. Cummins always took le3ss #2 to fill. My Cummins friend overheard this P Stroker friend talking in a RV park and using brag factor, claiming about 3 mpg greater then Cummins was getting. Look out for the brag factor. Then there are those that make honest mistakes in their calculations. When it comes to fuel mileage take it &quot;with a grain of salt&quot;.<br>

 

I always fill mine to the very top. It can be a pain sometimes as you have to keep waiting for the bubbles to go down. But this way I know I am always getting a true idea of my mileage. Also, my computer is dead on so far.....

 

[quote author=Explorer link=board=17;threadid=14905;start=15#141675 date=1053785381]
My trade in was an '01 2500. I got 16mpg with that rig while it was hauling a 2000lb+ camper. I also got 21mpg with the 2500 empty.

[/quote]

How many miles do you have on the '03?

Remember, it takes 10-20,000 miles for the engine to break in, and mileage will go up during that time. (hopefully).

Give it a little while, surely it will go up.

And, what gear ratio did the '01 have?
If it had a 3.55, and your current truck has a 4.10, there will be a difference.

Also have to figure in the fact that the 2500 only had 4 wheels creating friction with the road,
your current truck has 6.

Was the mileage on the 2500 figured by hand, or the overhead computer?
Same with the current truck?
Consensus is that the '03's computers are more accurate than the older ones.


phox

 

Now have 20,000 miles on the truck. I average 19 to 20 mpg at interstate speeds and have gotten better than 25 mpg in Yellowstone Park with the tail gate down ( speed limit in the Park is 45). Have towed from Arkansas to Florida to Yellowstone with a gross combined weight around 20,000 lb. and I average between 11 and 12 mpg unless I have a strong headwind which will drop the mpg numbers. Worst has been a little more than 9mpg with a 30 to 40 mile per hour quartering headwind.

 

Only 1,500 miles on my truck, last tankfull was 18.7. 70% highway, 30% city. Pretty darn good!! Love the truck and so does the wife!! Sure glad I didn't get the DUALLY!!

 

Newbie here. Traded in 95 SLT auto for my new 03. Love the new truck. Avg. 16-18mpg but I have a heavy foot.

 

I thought this thread was about fuel mileage?? ???

Anyway...my first tank averaged somewhere between 16 and 17 MPG for pretty all city driving. Working on the second tank now.

Oh yeah...that's on a 2003 3500 QC, SB, HO, 6 speed, 4x2, SRW with about 800 miles on it.

 

You are so correct, Hoss. Just a few around that like to take &quot;Bird Walks&quot; to release tension, Oh, yeh, where was I. Frequency of these walks increases rapidly in their forties.<br><br>Others are not afraid to call it a Senior Moment. <br><br>My mileage has dropped about 1 mpg since daily temperatures went from 50s to high 80s, night-time temps went from 40s to high 60s in one week. Summer is hear. Those Valley Folk AKA &quot;Flatlanders&quot; now puttin up with high 90s. <br><br>Anyone else noticing a drop of mileage with increase in temp. Yes, I'm using A/C lots while driving, gotta pay for the comfort at the #2 pump.

 

Hi Sierra Phil<br> I am finding now that I am getting better milage now than I was a couple of months ago. I attribute that to Summer fuel and it the air conditioning hasn't been required much yet we have hit 83F. but only for a couple of days so far. I think I got the last fill up of winter fuel here and I have an aux tank and that gives me a total of 272 litres or 70US. Gal. It took me<br>1964 Kms. or 1220 miles on 64.5 US. gallons. Now I am full of summer fuel and it seems to be better as it should be.<br>Jim O

 

:'( Jim O, We were supposed to be up in BC headed for AK now, don't make me :'( more. Only a couple of days in the 80s, Huh? This has been a strange year, We were having winter through the 1st week in May, them whamo, no spring. We started having temps in the mountains in the 80s, here in the mountains today close to 90. Was down in the valley today and temp was 95 at noon when we left. Glad for the AC to keep your traveling KOOL.