2nd Gen Ram Tech 1994-2001 Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve the 1994 through 2001 Rams. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.

Don't Forget to Figure Tire Size When Calculating MPG!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 09-14-2009, 12:52 PM
gobbell1's Avatar
gobbell1
gobbell1 is offline
Professional
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lakeland TN
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Don't Forget to Figure Tire Size When Calculating MPG!

I've witnessed alot of posts on here from guys talking about their gas mileage (mpg), but I rarely see where they take into consideration their tire size on their mpg calculation.

Your odometer was calculated at the factory for your factory tires and if you change your tire size, your odometer will not be accurate.

Case in point; my '96 SLT came from the factory with 225/75/16 which gives me a circumference of 28.75 inches [((width*aspect ratio)/26.5)*2+wheel diameter]. However, when I changed my tire to a 265/75/16, the increase in width, led to an increase in sidewall height of 1.25 inches due to the constant aspect ratio of 75%, which increased my circumference to 31 inches or 8%. Therefore, I am covering 8% more miles than my odometer is showing.

So don't forget to add/subtract your tire difference to your mpg.

BTW...I'm getting 14.4 mpg (before adding the 8%) and 15.5 mpg (after adding the 8%), with a 13 year old 5.9l 360!
 
  #2  
Old 09-14-2009, 01:41 PM
97black_ram's Avatar
97black_ram
97black_ram is offline
Captain
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

That's cool information. But all that math
 
  #3  
Old 09-14-2009, 02:04 PM
pavement_hater's Avatar
pavement_hater
pavement_hater is offline
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: North East, MD
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Not to mention isn't our trucks calibrated for 28.5" tires? I know my speedo was off 3-4 miles an hour at 55mph before reprogramming to the 30" tire size that is stock on my truck.
 
  #4  
Old 09-14-2009, 02:59 PM
dakotas ram's Avatar
dakotas ram
dakotas ram is offline
Champion
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 3,430
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

yeah, but take into consideration that your new tires are heavier and wider
 
  #5  
Old 09-14-2009, 04:47 PM
98BlueSport's Avatar
98BlueSport
98BlueSport is offline
Professional
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Its a dodge ram. aka stump puller, who worries about gas mileage
 
  #6  
Old 09-14-2009, 05:22 PM
Miami_Son's Avatar
Miami_Son
Miami_Son is offline
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 2,816
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

I could be wrong, but I've read in several places that the PCM will recalibrate for up to a 33" tire on these trucks. I have checked mine with a GPS and it is spot on with my oversize tires.
 
  #7  
Old 09-14-2009, 05:24 PM
dodgeram07's Avatar
dodgeram07
dodgeram07 is offline
Champion
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: ohio
Posts: 3,363
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

and also take into consideration that the truck may have came with 245/75/16(factory) like mine and but the door said 225/75/16.. belive me ive known the truck since it had about 20thousand miles.... and i got it with 42,000 with the org tires

just throwing that out there alot of these truck came with bigger tires than what the door said
 
  #8  
Old 09-14-2009, 05:59 PM
700dollardodge's Avatar
700dollardodge
700dollardodge is offline
Professional
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Richardson
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

what about rear gears? ima be moving up from the stock 3.55 open dif to a 4.11 det. locker setup and was wondering about that omw to work today.
 
  #9  
Old 09-14-2009, 07:54 PM
jasonw's Avatar
jasonw
jasonw is offline
Site Moderator
Dodge Forum Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 8,374
Likes: 0
Received 22 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

The gears will help you move larger tires, obviously, but they are completely independent from your speed.

The trucks can't adjust for tire size. How is it supposed to "detect" the size of the tire? My SC 3815 said the truck was calibrated for 245/75R16 tires even though it came with 265/75R16 tires from the factory. If you have larger, oversized tires and your speedo is spot on, then it was calibrated wrong a while ago and you got lucky, or a previous owner who had the same size of tires on at some point had it calibrated for that size.
 
  #10  
Old 09-14-2009, 07:59 PM
Miami_Son's Avatar
Miami_Son
Miami_Son is offline
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 2,816
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

On a truck with ABS it would be easy for the PCM to recalibrate itself. It is measuring wheel rotation and speed all the time and it can compare distance traveled to see if there's any change and readjust. Like I said, I don't know if it can do this, but there are a number of sites where people have said it can. I know the history of my truck since it was new and the original owner says he never had it recalibrated.
 


Quick Reply: Don't Forget to Figure Tire Size When Calculating MPG!



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:07 AM.