I have an 01 ram 4x4 quad cab that gets around 10-12 miles per gallon right now. Looking for non expensive ways to get a few more miles besides a chip, cold air intake or a throttle body spacer. I've already ran sea foam through engine block brake booster and fuel tank. Any ideas?

 

How's the plenum? (see the stickied thread at the top of this forum.)

How many miles on it? Last time it had plugs/wires/cap/rotor?

How old are the O2 sensors?

Chip: If it's one of those two wire fellers, that hooks to the IAT, don't bother, those are a scam. They do absolutely nothing. They will temporarily fool the engine into thinking the intake air is cooler than what it really is, but, once you go into closed loop, the O2 sensor will negate any possible gains. (and that happens about two to three minutes after starting the engine.)

Cold Air Intake: Does nothing. It draws air from the exact same place as the stock system.

Throttle Body Spacer: More snake oil. On a carbed engine, or even throttle body injected, it *might* make a difference, but, on a port injected engine, all it succeeds at doing is lightening your wallet. That's it.

In all reality, if your truck is high-mileage, that's probably as good its going to get. Driving style, tire size, axle gears, can all play a role here, but, doesn't really matter what ya do, it ain't gonna get much better.

 

Plugs changed about 3 months ago. No clue on wires or cap.. I figured that about the cold air intake and the throttle body and no clue on the sensors. I got a new job and instead of it being 20 mins away it's 30-45 mins away and I'm trying to save a little gas money if I can. I've got a Dana 44 in the rear but my pinion bearings need to be service or changed. I'm gonna use some at 205 reseal on the differential and see if it helps. I have 2857516 coopers ats. A 2" space in front and a 3" block in back on the suspension. Most of this was already there when I bought the truck.

 

Should be a D44 in front, and a corporate 9.25 in the rear. Probably has 3.55 gears as well, unless you have an Off Road Edition truck? Dropping to 265/75/16's will help a bit. Or, changing to 4.10 gears..... (neither option is precisely cheap......)

Wouldn't hurt to pull the cap, and have a look. Also, if the O2 sensors are original, highly likely it is well past time to replace them. (NTK, or Denso only please, don't bother with Bosch)

In all reality, given how your truck is set up, that is most likely as good as it's going to get.

 

As stated, all those things you mentioned won't do a thing for mileage and you will never realize any savings compared to the money you will spend. Proper tune up, fix the plenum, keep the tires inflated properly and press the gas pedal like there is an egg under it you don't want to brake. Your mileage is typical. These trucks were never built for fuel mileage. Better to invest in a cheap, economical beater to get back and forth to work with.

 

Would u recommend getting a car or would diesel be an alternate for a longer drive and I know maintenance on a diesel isn't cheap either

 

If you can afford to insure a second vehicle, just get some little econobox that gets 30+ mpg. I prefer gas, as maintenance is cheaper/easier.....

 

I had a 97 ram sport 4x4 and no matter what I did back in the day it got 11-12 around town and 1bout 14.5 on the highway


the 97 SS/T I have now 2wd gave me 11 on highway and 11 around town PERIOD!!!
this was after high flow filter, full tune up, plenum repair, etc, etc.


over the winter I added a 50MM throttle body, sct tuner and used economy tune and just before trip to CT last week I installed a 10" edelbrock with an accel kool blue 10" x 2.75" filter .. netted 14.83 on the trip to CT BUT ALSO let me add I had the cruise set right at 2k which is 73mph according to my GPS..


don't know if the increase was not going over 2k rpm the whole trip ( I usually run 80 every where I go around 2500rpm) the added accessories or and most probably the combination of everything..


these trucks ARENT known for fuel mileage and as HeyYou says if you can afford an econobox that's a route you can take, in my case I have ALWAYS owned a truck AND a motorcycle.. before I retired I rode the bike every day that I could not only because I enjoy riding but what I saved in summer months made up for what I spent when I had to use the truck once the salt hit the roads here in the north east