Gambino-My brother and I have had this discussion a lot of times also, so I feel your pain. I think you need to notice how people are getting better mileage than you are, they are driving 2wd's most of the time. This will make a huge difference-1 less axle, no transfer case, better aerodynamics etc. i hope this helps you a little bit.

I agree with the 2 wheel drive point. I have a 4x4 on 35s, and I don't get above 16 mpg all highway 68 miles per hour. I had stock tires, and I got about 20 without trying to drive for mileage. Don't tell me about the odometer correction, because I already know.

I get crap mileage when I am in the desert, and I get a lot better mileage when it is raining. I can get 550 miles to a tank when it is wet, and about 450 in the desert. I know my grandpa put water injection on his old propane truck for mileage.

I don't know how everyone else does it. I have owned 4 of these trucks now and I have NEVER averaged more than 17, and that's only when I'm EXTEMEMLY easy on the go pedal and never go more than 65. I thought this truck was doing slightly better than my previous ones, but now that I have more time in it, I am finding that it does not. I almost always average somewhere between 15 and 16. I'd be extatic if I only got 3 more mpg, but it never happens consistantly.

I've driven over 200k miles in dodge diesel trucks and my overall average for that time is right around 15 mpg, lower if you count towing miles. :rolleyes:

Driving how I normally drive, I get 15mpg or so. I babied it this tank(I actually oly ran 1/4 tank through it), and got 21mpg with the tire correction. Mixed city, and highway driving. I did get on it a little a few times, but nothing too much. My truck seems to be pretty good on mileage if you drive it right. I got 22mpg coming back from Indiana last year running 75 and 80mph. I wonder if the bigger turbo housing helps any? I have heard people say it can help; I guess cause it keeps drive pressure down? I dont know, but this is all hand calculated, and right. Im happy. My dad also gets 21mpg or so. His is bone stock

Eric

What the heck are you guys talking about with san diego to vegas being a nasty stretch? There are only 2 notable hills...cajon pass and Baker. Thats it, the rest is pretty much flat. My wifes toyota corolla got its best ever recorded mileage on the same route- an impressive 40mpg running 75 plus the whole way. The climb OUT of vegas on the 15 is worse than either of the hills running north.

At 75 mph I get 17 - 18 mpg empty. Driving 2 lane roads at around 60 mph I get about 20 mpg. Towing around 7000 lbs will put my truck in the lower teens. I have checked mileage both with the overhead computer and by hand.

Most of my driving time is on 4 lane highways or in rural areas. Used to live around a city but not anymore.

I get 22 mpg with mine and its a non lock up TC this while driving 65 on cruise never touching it. In my openion mileage is a crapshoot. I had a 1997 chevy z71 350/auto that would get 20mpg at 70 mph. My buddy had the identical set up, gears and all and could only muster 17mpg with me driving identically on the same route. IT just seems some machines work better than others even though they are supposed to be identical. thats my .02

wayne

I once averaged 26.9 MPG(Imperial)...but this was half secondary highways at 50 MPH and reg highway at 62 mph.
Never going faster, not many hills, very little traffic and driving like I had an egg between my foot and go peddle....empty of course.
2004 555 305 2wd 48RE lb...all stock.
It is possible to pull some high MPG...but not very practicle or fun...if not downright dangerous on a busy freeway.

I average about 19 mpg(imperial) city highway spread over winter summer.
Better summer, worse winter.

With my Smarty on sw 1, I averaged 20.5 mpg. On sw 3 I averaged 22.5 mpg. both of these are for mostly highway mileage running 340 to 400 miles in one day.

I went to Dallas this week from New orleans and got 20 on the way there going 75.

I went 65 on the way home and got 22.6.

A truck is a complicated machine.

But it is not a complex machine.

Its a lot like a girlfriend- ya got to romance it...[whistle]

Good mpg #'s, if you don't already have them, can be gotten by a lot of little things that add up to a couple /three mpg.

So look at it like this: a little here and there, a bit of this and that. Don't believe all that silver bullit bam instant mpg heaven stuff. The trucks that get the best mpg are well cared for, I'll wager. Plus every truck is a little different and each one will respond to your attention in different ways. If something you do makes the mpg's drop, go the other way or try something different.

In the end you'll get where you want to be, if you are patient.

[roll] Big Jimmy [eyecrazy]

Well said. Not only that, but there are differences even within tanks of fuel from one run to the next. There are way too many variables involved to have one "sure fire" method. I can tell you that with mine I can get anywhere between 18-22 miles per gallon. All are hand-calculated and I have done so ever since I got this truck 7 years ago. I find that it doesn't really matter uphill or down, loaded or unloaded (not talking about pulling 15K), it really has to do with your maintenance and how much you like to show off your truck. I would love to get more out of mine, but after this long, I don't think it's going to happen so I just enjoy driving it.

Ditto: I think our trucks must be coming from a different factory than the 20 MPG trucks. [laugh]

Herb, there might be something to what you say.

There might be enough tolerance in axle locations and overall assembly quality to possibly explain a couple mpg?

I don't think the engines vary that much, but the trucks probably have a LOT of tolerance.

Mine is hecho en Mexico, and I have one of the last of the Lago plant trucks-- superbly made. (you know a Lago truck because they are the only ones with factory undercoating under the cab, AFAIK).

Justin

i have had 3 assemled in St Louis and one assembled in El Taco