Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
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Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
I just started using my my 97 Ram with a 5.9 for a daily driver. For the past 8 months that I had the truck it has been used to do everything but get me to and from work. In that past 8 months I put 3000 miles on it. So needless to say I did not pay a lot of attention to the gas mileage.
Since I purchased the truck I have donea lot of work to it. Although I also paid $1500 for it so I knew it was going to need a bunch of stuff. My hope was that I would get around 15mpg like my old 97 did. This week I drove 308 miles on 24.5 gallons which equals out to 12.5 mpg. This is about 40 miles city and the rest highway. I do not really get on it at all just because I am trying to save on fuel. On the highway I drive between 70 - 75mph (~2000rpms). In the morning I let the truck run for about 5 mintues before I leave.
Here is the list of stuff that would be related to performance/fuel economy that I have done to it:
Intake/plenum gasket replaced
New plugs (Autolite 3923's), cap + rotor (Mopar) and wires (Taylor 8mm)
Headers
Magnaflow high flow cat
Flowmaster cat back w/dual outs
Down stream O2 sensor (Mopar)
What I did add to it that might be hindering me is a K&N Chrome Air Cleaner that sits on the throttle body. This is the round one that bolts right to the throttle body. I have heard that for MPG you are better off using the stock air box with a K&N drop in. Does anyone have any input on that?
The only other thing I could think of would be possible hurting me would be the upstream O2. That one is original to the best of my knowledge. The truck has 110k on it, and the motor/tranny have 70k. When I did the exhaust I had a new Mopar one but it was for a 95 and the p/n for the 97 was different so I did not change it.
If anyone has any ideas let me know. For reference this truck is a shortbed, automatic 4x4 with a 360.
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
Since I purchased the truck I have donea lot of work to it. Although I also paid $1500 for it so I knew it was going to need a bunch of stuff. My hope was that I would get around 15mpg like my old 97 did. This week I drove 308 miles on 24.5 gallons which equals out to 12.5 mpg. This is about 40 miles city and the rest highway. I do not really get on it at all just because I am trying to save on fuel. On the highway I drive between 70 - 75mph (~2000rpms). In the morning I let the truck run for about 5 mintues before I leave.
Here is the list of stuff that would be related to performance/fuel economy that I have done to it:
Intake/plenum gasket replaced
New plugs (Autolite 3923's), cap + rotor (Mopar) and wires (Taylor 8mm)
Headers
Magnaflow high flow cat
Flowmaster cat back w/dual outs
Down stream O2 sensor (Mopar)
What I did add to it that might be hindering me is a K&N Chrome Air Cleaner that sits on the throttle body. This is the round one that bolts right to the throttle body. I have heard that for MPG you are better off using the stock air box with a K&N drop in. Does anyone have any input on that?
The only other thing I could think of would be possible hurting me would be the upstream O2. That one is original to the best of my knowledge. The truck has 110k on it, and the motor/tranny have 70k. When I did the exhaust I had a new Mopar one but it was for a 95 and the p/n for the 97 was different so I did not change it.
If anyone has any ideas let me know. For reference this truck is a shortbed, automatic 4x4 with a 360.
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
Professional
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
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From: S.E. Minnesota
RE: Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
ORIGINAL: 360sport
What I did add to it that might be hindering me is a K&N Chrome Air Cleaner that sits on the throttle body. This is the round one that bolts right to the throttle body. I have heard that for MPG you are better off using the stock air box with a K&N drop in. Does anyone have any input on that?
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
What I did add to it that might be hindering me is a K&N Chrome Air Cleaner that sits on the throttle body. This is the round one that bolts right to the throttle body. I have heard that for MPG you are better off using the stock air box with a K&N drop in. Does anyone have any input on that?
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
I don't think 12.5 mpg is all that bad considering the cold weather, amount of "warm up" idling and speeds above 70 mph. I used to drive mine 120 miles round trip everyday until I moved closer to my job a few month's ago and was only getting between 10 - 11mpg.
Rookie
Joined: Jan 2007
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RE: Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
I have the K&N drop in, im not sure about my mpg, but ill check it out tommorow. Weve had snow weather here, so ive been playing in it quite a bit lately, so my gas milage has turned into more of a how many donuts i cando before i run out.
Record Breaker
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,656
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RE: Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
ORIGINAL: 360sport
I just started using my my 97 Ram with a 5.9 for a daily driver. For the past 8 months that I had the truck it has been used to do everything but get me to and from work. In that past 8 months I put 3000 miles on it. So needless to say I did not pay a lot of attention to the gas mileage.
Since I purchased the truck I have donea lot of work to it. Although I also paid $1500 for it so I knew it was going to need a bunch of stuff. My hope was that I would get around 15mpg like my old 97 did. This week I drove 308 miles on 24.5 gallons which equals out to 12.5 mpg. This is about 40 miles city and the rest highway. I do not really get on it at all just because I am trying to save on fuel. On the highway I drive between 70 - 75mph (~2000rpms). In the morning I let the truck run for about 5 mintues before I leave.
Here is the list of stuff that would be related to performance/fuel economy that I have done to it:
Intake/plenum gasket replaced
New plugs (Autolite 3923's), cap + rotor (Mopar) and wires (Taylor 8mm)
Headers
Magnaflow high flow cat
Flowmaster cat back w/dual outs
Down stream O2 sensor (Mopar)
What I did add to it that might be hindering me is a K&N Chrome Air Cleaner that sits on the throttle body. This is the round one that bolts right to the throttle body. I have heard that for MPG you are better off using the stock air box with a K&N drop in. Does anyone have any input on that?
The only other thing I could think of would be possible hurting me would be the upstream O2. That one is original to the best of my knowledge. The truck has 110k on it, and the motor/tranny have 70k. When I did the exhaust I had a new Mopar one but it was for a 95 and the p/n for the 97 was different so I did not change it.
If anyone has any ideas let me know. For reference this truck is a shortbed, automatic 4x4 with a 360.
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
I just started using my my 97 Ram with a 5.9 for a daily driver. For the past 8 months that I had the truck it has been used to do everything but get me to and from work. In that past 8 months I put 3000 miles on it. So needless to say I did not pay a lot of attention to the gas mileage.
Since I purchased the truck I have donea lot of work to it. Although I also paid $1500 for it so I knew it was going to need a bunch of stuff. My hope was that I would get around 15mpg like my old 97 did. This week I drove 308 miles on 24.5 gallons which equals out to 12.5 mpg. This is about 40 miles city and the rest highway. I do not really get on it at all just because I am trying to save on fuel. On the highway I drive between 70 - 75mph (~2000rpms). In the morning I let the truck run for about 5 mintues before I leave.
Here is the list of stuff that would be related to performance/fuel economy that I have done to it:
Intake/plenum gasket replaced
New plugs (Autolite 3923's), cap + rotor (Mopar) and wires (Taylor 8mm)
Headers
Magnaflow high flow cat
Flowmaster cat back w/dual outs
Down stream O2 sensor (Mopar)
What I did add to it that might be hindering me is a K&N Chrome Air Cleaner that sits on the throttle body. This is the round one that bolts right to the throttle body. I have heard that for MPG you are better off using the stock air box with a K&N drop in. Does anyone have any input on that?
The only other thing I could think of would be possible hurting me would be the upstream O2. That one is original to the best of my knowledge. The truck has 110k on it, and the motor/tranny have 70k. When I did the exhaust I had a new Mopar one but it was for a 95 and the p/n for the 97 was different so I did not change it.
If anyone has any ideas let me know. For reference this truck is a shortbed, automatic 4x4 with a 360.
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
some claim that the winter fuel decreases their mileage..... if this is the first time your really payin attention to your mileage, it might just be that.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11
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From:
RE: Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
ORIGINAL: 360sport
I just started using my my 97 Ram with a 5.9 for a daily driver. For the past 8 months that I had the truck it has been used to do everything but get me to and from work. In that past 8 months I put 3000 miles on it. So needless to say I did not pay a lot of attention to the gas mileage.
Since I purchased the truck I have donea lot of work to it. Although I also paid $1500 for it so I knew it was going to need a bunch of stuff. My hope was that I would get around 15mpg like my old 97 did. This week I drove 308 miles on 24.5 gallons which equals out to 12.5 mpg. This is about 40 miles city and the rest highway. I do not really get on it at all just because I am trying to save on fuel. On the highway I drive between 70 - 75mph (~2000rpms). In the morning I let the truck run for about 5 mintues before I leave.
Here is the list of stuff that would be related to performance/fuel economy that I have done to it:
Intake/plenum gasket replaced
New plugs (Autolite 3923's), cap + rotor (Mopar) and wires (Taylor 8mm)
Headers
Magnaflow high flow cat
Flowmaster cat back w/dual outs
Down stream O2 sensor (Mopar)
What I did add to it that might be hindering me is a K&N Chrome Air Cleaner that sits on the throttle body. This is the round one that bolts right to the throttle body. I have heard that for MPG you are better off using the stock air box with a K&N drop in. Does anyone have any input on that?
The only other thing I could think of would be possible hurting me would be the upstream O2. That one is original to the best of my knowledge. The truck has 110k on it, and the motor/tranny have 70k. When I did the exhaust I had a new Mopar one but it was for a 95 and the p/n for the 97 was different so I did not change it.
If anyone has any ideas let me know. For reference this truck is a shortbed, automatic 4x4 with a 360.
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
I just started using my my 97 Ram with a 5.9 for a daily driver. For the past 8 months that I had the truck it has been used to do everything but get me to and from work. In that past 8 months I put 3000 miles on it. So needless to say I did not pay a lot of attention to the gas mileage.
Since I purchased the truck I have donea lot of work to it. Although I also paid $1500 for it so I knew it was going to need a bunch of stuff. My hope was that I would get around 15mpg like my old 97 did. This week I drove 308 miles on 24.5 gallons which equals out to 12.5 mpg. This is about 40 miles city and the rest highway. I do not really get on it at all just because I am trying to save on fuel. On the highway I drive between 70 - 75mph (~2000rpms). In the morning I let the truck run for about 5 mintues before I leave.
Here is the list of stuff that would be related to performance/fuel economy that I have done to it:
Intake/plenum gasket replaced
New plugs (Autolite 3923's), cap + rotor (Mopar) and wires (Taylor 8mm)
Headers
Magnaflow high flow cat
Flowmaster cat back w/dual outs
Down stream O2 sensor (Mopar)
What I did add to it that might be hindering me is a K&N Chrome Air Cleaner that sits on the throttle body. This is the round one that bolts right to the throttle body. I have heard that for MPG you are better off using the stock air box with a K&N drop in. Does anyone have any input on that?
The only other thing I could think of would be possible hurting me would be the upstream O2. That one is original to the best of my knowledge. The truck has 110k on it, and the motor/tranny have 70k. When I did the exhaust I had a new Mopar one but it was for a 95 and the p/n for the 97 was different so I did not change it.
If anyone has any ideas let me know. For reference this truck is a shortbed, automatic 4x4 with a 360.
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTireMath.dos
anyone know how much to recalibrate my speedometer so I can use it without doing math?
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RE: Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
ORIGINAL: Ram1500Dodge
buy a civic
buy a civic
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RE: Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
You could see if changing all your fluids to redline synthetics...I read an artical some years back in MOPAR Muscle that showed a nice hp increase when ALL fluids were changed...will it help MPG...I dont know. I also saw a huge decrease in MPG with a cold air (ram air) intake something like -3mpg....When it was stock I averaged about 12 city 17 hwy and now after lift tires and the like I get 9.3 and 10.4...I also noticed MPG dropped when its cold...the truck always seems to run better but MPG would fall off.....
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 307
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From: Wisconsin
RE: Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
I don't consider myself extremely knowledgable when it comes to cars but I was just wondering if anyone considered worse mileage in the winter due to the cold air. I saw "muddy blue dodge" commented that some people say winter fuel makes them get worse mileage but I would think it's because of the cold air not the actual gas. Cold air makes better combustion in the cylinder because it's more dense, hence why cold air intakes and intercoolers are used. So could the air being more dense mean more fuel is being used? Like I said I don't know too much about engines so I was just wondering if anyone knew if my thought could hold some truth?
Champion
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,313
Likes: 8
RE: Another gas mileage thread, looking for suggestions
A very long post with many ideas on how to improve MPG:
https://dodgeforum.com/m_447500/tm.htm
Only partly in jest,
it is best to print it out
put it by the toilet
and read a few pages at a time.
Quick tip: This time of year taking off the stock mechanical fan and installing a block heater on a timer to get the engine warm in the morning are cost effective mods.
https://dodgeforum.com/m_447500/tm.htm
Only partly in jest,
it is best to print it out
put it by the toilet
and read a few pages at a time.
Quick tip: This time of year taking off the stock mechanical fan and installing a block heater on a timer to get the engine warm in the morning are cost effective mods.