Newb here.

I've had my Dodge Ram for a few years now. It's a 2005 w/4.6. I just hit 25k miles. She's completely stock. My gas mileage to me is horrible. I get 13.5 MPG if I drive gingerly and take it real easy. I'm not interested in racing the truck or anything, or going into a mod frenzy with it, but I would like it to get better mileage. Aside from regular maintenance, what else would help? Would CAI or a good flowing cat-back help me at all? The truck does go on road trips as well.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

There are several threads with much better answers than this one from me. I would do a search through some of the threads. What I have learned from others here - biggest help are aero changes like tonneau covers, tires that have less resistance (these are of course outside of driving style). Then you can go with things like exhaust, CAI

 

I like my superchips... it has gotten me an extra 60-80 miles per tank on the 91 octane setting (not saving any money, but adding some mpg's, and even more important, HP). I really can't tell too much with all the other stuff I put in. The big thing is that it is a truck, and a truck is what it is, and a prius it is not. Trucks suck on gas. Reset your PCM/ ECM and drive nice nice for the first bunch of hours and you will notice an improvement.

 

Medic

What do you mean "reset your PCM/ECM" and you will notice improvement? I am curious to that. How does it work?

 

The PCM learns your driving behavior over time. If you drive conservatively for a long time, it will adjust the maps for better fuel economy; likewise if you drive it like you stole it, you would notice some more performance at the cost of fuel mileage. Do you need the info on how to reset it?

 

DJ

I would love to know how to do so. I bought my truck used and the truck is great, but I think that after 30k the computer learned the driving habbits of the previous owner... Can you please share as to how I can reset it?

Thanks

 

1. Truck off, parked.
2. Open hood, open fuse box, pull fuse labeled PCM
3. Get in truck, turn key to start -- and hold until you hear two dings (should take less than 10 seconds)
4.Turn key to off, reinsert fuse
5. Start truck with clean learning state.

Notes:
Fuse number varies by year of model
I can verify this for an 06 hemi and 04 hemi, never tried it on a 4.7

 

https://dodgeforum.com/m_398241/tm.htm

 

Cold air intakemight help. last night I was reading abouta throttle body spacer I was reading a review on it people that bought it said it really helped with gas millage and with horse power.

 

Hi JonathonsRam,
Welcome to the forums.

I agree on most of the mods mentioned here, except the TBS. The general feeling towards them...they make great paper weights.

Intake and exhaust would prolly be the cheaps way to start yer quest.
i.e. CIA or Drop in hi flow air filter + a less restrictive muffler.

Note: Once you do these mods its a little tuff to keep your foot out of it because it sounds cool, so like most of us MPG went down at first because we wanted to here her growl.