This site recommended by a poster on another forum. Amazing, already learned the asnwer to my questions on cats and O2 sensors

Bought a 2001 Ram 2500 w/ V10 SLT package and a few additional options. 56k miles and in very good condition. Looking to add some reliability via all Amsoil oils, removing the cat (I think it has an exhaust leak), iridium plugs (if I can find them), and some good wires and an intake. Possibly put a locker in the front axle (Dana 60). It already has factory posi in the back.

I bought this Monday the 21st, via telephone and email photos from Gene's Chrylser in Fairbanks Alaska. Flew up there from Bethel ($674), did a walk around and drove it to the dealership. Did the papertrail thing and then to the bank, finally got out after 4 hours. The windsheild was cracked all the way across so it was replaced while I waited. I checked under the hood, crawled around under it while the windshield being replaced. I think this thing spent most of its life on the highway.

Drove it 455 miles Fairbanks to Anchorage via the old Richardson Highway. 30 miles out of Fairbanks, winds coming down out of the mountain 20-25 mph in my face, for 200 miles no less. I drove 75-80 mph. For about 50 miles the winds were just crazy, blowing 40-50 mph. It was nuts, the poor Winnebago people (only time I've ever had sympathy for these people), were truly fighting to stay on the road. Even with all this and climbing into the mountains, I got 12.78 miles-per-gallon after burning out 27 or so gallons of my 35 gallon tank. I wanted to get a good idea of mileage. I think if I had good plugs, low resistance wires, lose the cat and a good intake, I could up that to 15 mpg.

Either way, truck now in Seward waiting to be barged out to Bethel. It'll be here Sept. 15-20th or so.

[IMG]local://upfiles/42946/47BD822B85824AF094539C3E148E6FCD.jpg[/IMG]

 

Welcome to the forum.

Few suggestions...

1. Don't go with iridium plugs. Not worth the extra $$$$ Get a set of Champion TRUCK plugs. They're pretty much the best performing plug for the Magnum V10.

2. You will run into problems if you remove your converter. It will set the CEL light, and cause your truck to run poorly.

3. Wires aren't needed. The stock ones will do you well far beyond 150,000 miles and are already fairly low resistance I'm sitting at 143,000 with stock wires.

4. Intake is a good idea. K&N FIPK Gen II is the best, and pretty much the only option for a V10. There isn't much aftermarket for them.

I'm sitting at 14mpg, and all I have done is a performance PCM and a drop-in K&N filter.

Another good upgrade would be a fastman throttle body from www.thefastman.com

A set of Gibson or JBA (or Dynomax...or Doug Thorley) headers will also help with power/mileage.

The last thing you could do is swap out your muffler for one that flows better. The stock muffler flows VERY poorly. The rest of the exhaust system is fine the way it is, but the muffler is a big bottleneck [:'(]

 

Good looking truck. I envy you, getting the mileage on a V10 that I get on my 360. Of course, if I drove it, I'd probably get 8.

 

Welcome to the board. Burning rom is very knowledgable on these trucks and already gave you some excelent advice the only thing i can add is do not hold your breath for 15 mpg thats pretty steep with these heavy trucks, smaller motor guys get about the same as we do. I find i get 12mpg all the time, onlytime i can sway that number a little is a few tanks on the highway. The nice thing about the V10 though if you are going to pull a trailer the milage doesnt drop as much - worst i have seen is 9 mpg with strong head winds pulling 5400lbs up a 6% grade.

Your best mileage will be if you lightly exhale on the accelerator pedal but with the v10 power i'll bet you will find it as hard to do as i do.

Also not mentioned and very helpful the merry x-mas thread in the top... I stumbled on to it and am reading all two thousand something pages religiously.

 

welcome to DF man, rom covered almost everything so ill just say hi and if you need help figuring anything out on the board shoot me or rom a PM and will help you out. hope you stick around

 

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the replies. I think the first thing I'll do is download the service manual and read some sections. I will be looking into the air filtration, that PCM mod, and I think I will build an engine pre-oiler to oil up the motor before starting. I can do it for under $150...I think.

Now to begin doing searches of the older threads and begin building a knowledge library for when the truck actually gets here.

Thanks again.

 

Nice find- looks pretty sweet. Interesting place for the V10 emblem My V10 has proven to be pretty impressive on deadly steep 30% grade streets in Duluth MN or hauling a 13K load. It's good at everything but passing gas stations. 15mpg is possible, but I got 15 in perfect conditions- very flat land, no wind, running empty at 50mph.