After six Fords I gave up or well moved up. I bought my first Dodge, a D150 318 2wd with a 3 speed auto about 2 monthes ago. I just boughta 1976 ram slant six w/ a auto 2wd and a 1984 ramcharger. I get about 15 mpgs with all of them stock and oem replaced parts. I was wondering what I could do for better mpg's and which truck has the potential for the best miliage?

 

if your getting 16 mpgs out of the 318 you are doiong pretty good. i get like 10 or 11.

 

My 318 got 12 on a good day, had a scant 6, it worked so hard pullin' overdrive it got about 12-13 as it was nearly on the floor on an overpass or any grade/headwind. Gutless. My 4x4/360 Ramcharger gets12-13. Interestingly,my Dad's bone stock3/4 ton /440 got 10 on propane,11 on gas.

 

I guess I am doing pretty good. I was wondering if exhaust and intake work will boost it enough or do I have to change gears and go with a 5 speed?

 

The 318 is relatively good on gas. I just sold my PT Cruiser and am back to driving my truck and the gas consumption isnt that far apart.

 

i think that the 318 ispretty badfor mileage.

My dad's 350 Chevy Beauville (big van)got like 14 city,18 hwy. And it was a 3/4 ton. The chev 305 gets better city, but worse highway.Pluswhen you consider that the 318only giving us like 170 hp, albeit at low RPMs, its actually sorta sad compared with the GMs from the 80s andearly 90s(the chev 350 had 190 - thats20 more hp and 4-8 more mpgs!).

the onlyexuse the 318 has for bieng such a pig is the immense wieght (6200lbs) of these trucks. I wish i had a magnum 318(5.2) theyrea bit better if you keep your foot off the gas, since theve got more power


whatr you getting Fnix? I think you might find that it isnt the truck which is good on gas, but thatthe PT is really bad.

 

My PT got 19 mpg

 

and your mileage in the ram isnt far from 19?

 

Put it this way. I drive the same miles as I did with my car and still fill up every 7 days

 

If you get 16 i would run with it. That is better than Ive ever heard. Intake and exhaust might help but not much i dont think. If you are just beatin around the slant would probably get better mileage but if you do any towing or anything you would want the V8 power. Good luck putting a 5 speed in any of them. 4 is all you got without major mods.