OK, I know the subject has been beat to death, but here's another mpg question. My 98 Ram 5.2 was basically stock (K&N drop in and Helix Power Tower, which I couldn't tell anything good or bad upon install 30K miles ago) getting about 14.5 mpg average. Read all the posts about "opening up" the exhaust and also about NGK plugs, so decided to go with a Magnaflow muffler to open it up, used the stock tail pipe, and installed NGK plugs. Now, the power is great. The truck no longer feels like it is "laboring" to go over some of these Arkansas hills, and some that used to cause a downshift into passing gear while useing the cruise control are a breeze with no downshift. Power was not my issue however. Now I'm getting only about 13.9 mpg. I love the driveability, but the objective was fuel economy as I drive about 4000 miles per month. Any thoughts or ideas? By the way before someone says "keep your foot out of it" I've done that. I've acually been very easy trying to see what I could get!
Any constructive would be appreciated.

 

dude, I hear ya. I'll be danged if I can get better than 14 drivin like a granny.
My solution has been to drive it like I stole it as cruzin was savin' me nuthin.

are roller rockers available for your ride?
Dunno how much that would help. I'm reachin.
Sometimes it helps to just hear "I understand".

 

Thanks for the reply Grinner. Don't know about roller rockers. Would it help? Who knows? Would a Fastman TB help? Who knows? I keep sinking more $ into it and going backward while gas is going upward.
I like my truck. As I drive so much, (It's basically my office) I hate to think of having to go back to a little rice burner car, drove them for years and now have knee trouble I believe if not in part from having to climb up to get out. I'm a 51 year old insurance agent and not looking for a hot rod. Trouble is with gas going up, and Dodge's reputation for poor MPG, you can't get anything for it either! Oh well, enough complaining.
Thanks again!

 

I hear ya on the gas prices.. Suppose to keep going up too from what I have been hearing. Just depends on how much money you want to spend and HOPE it will increase your MPG to save money in the long run. Im sure a TB (throttle body), headers, different gear ratio, maybe an electric fan (to decrease the rotating mass on the engine) will all help. But, by the time it pays off, you might have to get a new motor.

 

what did you gap the plugs at? should be .035~.04". narrower gap will help with any miss that you might have but not know or feel, (mine misses at idle just a hair or two). with stock ignition, dont go wider than the .04" and you might even consider a smaller gap.