I check the mpg on my Dakotas almost every tank. I noticed I only got 10.9 in my '92 4X4 V8 last tank, and around that much the past couple of tanks. WTH? It runs perfect, so I realized that it was ME. I filled up and payed attention to my driving. I kept the rpm's at or below 2k as much as possible, rarely going over that.[ It's not as bad as it sounds! ] That tank got 14 mpg. That is 44 miles a day to work and back of which 20 miles is city/traffic. My truck cruises at 2k rpm @ 65 mph.

I had been driving like a banshee lately, jumping off the line, etc.No more.
If it matters, I ONLY use Chevron regular unleaded.I very rarely let my tank get below half a tank.

Hope this helps someone out.

 

i keep my rpms below 1500 in my intrigue and i see just over 34mpgs on the highway. my dad's 03 dakota 4x4(4.7l) sees about 22 on the highway driven daily. my 91 you may ask? its in pieces in my garage getting restored.

 

my 93 3.9 can average out at 17mpg...but thats 99% highway 40 miles a day

 

both my trucks are that way a 94 RC 3.9 truck and my 93 clubcab 318 truck.... if 100% highway I can get a solid 20 out of the V8 (and have) wont see 20 in the 6 banger in a million years.... weird.
my 90 Dak with a pre magnum 3.9 was good for 20 MPG like clockwork.

 

Like Volaredon said, you should be able to get 20MPG highway out of a V8. get some seafoam to clean out your injection system and check your EGR (if it has one) and your oxygen sensor.
Even if i drive like a banshee i still get 15MPG in my V6
If i drive conservatively i might see 16-17

 

I think the highest I ever got was somewhere above 20..maybe 22ish when I was going to school pretty far out..60+ miles a day 100% highway. Have the 22 gal in it and could push more than 360ish before filling up at about an 8th of a tank left.

 

my 93' v8 got 22/23 on the highway when i made the trips upnorth. now my 91' v6 (when it ran) got 12 consistently(flooring it or driving slow)

 

I can get 15 mpg empty tow dolly, AC off, OD on, at 70 mph or 15 mpg towing a car, AC on, OD off, at 55 mph. Speed has a lot to do with it.

A.J.

 

I get about 12mpg with a trans that only goes into 3rd after the trans fluid is warmed up and never goes into 4th. The difference between driving around below 2k rpms and 3k or above is at least 5 mpg.

Open your tailgate or take it off when you do not have stuff in your bed and you should see a 1-2 mpg increase.

I get about 45mpg highway in my 04 impala with a 3.8L, but thats because i lowered it 1.5", made a completely flat undercarriage with corrugated plastic and thin aluminum under the exhaust and engine, free flowing hot air intake that gets the air from right next to the exhaust manifold, true dual exhaust, and a few other body mods.

You could see 30 mpg hwy on a 5.2 dak for less than $250 on materials.

 

That is false. You get more drag on your truck with the tailgate down or removed. With the tailgate up you have a ball of circulating air deflecting the air over the back of your truck (that's why any light debris in your bed always gets pushed up against the cab). With the tail gate down or removed that circulating air is gone and the air then becomes a downward force on the bed creating drag costing mpg. Mythbusters disproved that one.

A.J.