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Horrible Gas Mileage

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  #21  
Old 12-06-2008, 11:01 AM
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Sorry my brain has finally woken up and I have just realised what we are talking about here! We all have 5L+ 5000lb+ gas trucks here and we are b**ching about fuel consumption? Come on! Buy a hybrid. Problem solved!
 

Last edited by meridian; 12-06-2008 at 11:03 AM.
  #22  
Old 12-06-2008, 11:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Ridinhigh
you guiys are getting 13!!! i get about 11.6 mpg and thats is with babying it and on highway the best i get is about 14 doing 80-85mph...is anyone else getting this bad of gas mileage
I drive like a mad man! I have the big truck syndrome and can't let anyone beat me off the line! I drive in 4WD a lot this time of year and use winter blend gas and I still average 13.3 MPG. But don't be mistaken, I have Superchips 3815, K&N CAI, Air Aid Paper Weight, 4:56 gears, and Detroit Tru Trac, and I park in a heated garage so I don't need to warm my truck up in the mornings! So I have spent more in mods and will not recoup that money for several years! But if you want to increase your MPG you are going to have to do proper maintnance and spend some $$ up front!

Just my 2 cents
 

Last edited by dodgenitto; 12-06-2008 at 11:24 AM.
  #23  
Old 12-06-2008, 12:26 PM
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OK! Joking aside. This stuff works!!! Trust me on this one. Change all your fluids to synthetic but DO NOT use friction modifiers in your trans or LSD as it will wreck them! Do not fit wider tires as these will increase your consumption, keep to the manufacturers minimum widths and keep an eye on your tire pressures. I have been known to increase the pressures by a couple of PSI on long distances as this reduces your rolling resistance on the tires. Use mileage tires. Fit a suction guage and keep the needle in the green as much as you can. Make sure your brakes don't bind. Fit a K&N airfilter as these are great for fuel economy and you rarely have to clean them (actually they work better when they are dirty) Keep your servicing up to date and before your oil change use injector cleaner and flush the system when you change your oil (this will prevent oil sludge in your engine) If you use injector cleaner you MUST change your oil! This is important as injector cleaner KILLS your engine oil! Throw the stock Dodge torque converter in the garbage as that's where it belongs! It is very inefficient and only serves as a heavy door stop! Don't change the converter stall speed. Use a free flowing exhaust but don't go mad with tube diameter unless you have a diesel. If you modify your engine the best fuel economy mod is a small hike in compression ratio and advance your ignition if fuel quality allows it. Increase your exhaust valve size but leave the inlet well alone and get a three angle valve job. Fit a windage tray, knife edge the crank (V Important as this reduces oil drag) and lighten and balance everything but don't lighten too much as you have truck not a race car and you still want some torque. Leave the stock cam alone, everything else increases your fuel cons. If you really want to go crazy and impress your friends fit a turbo charger kit! Now you think I'm talking crap! But if you tell the manufacturer that you want fuel economy they will supply you with a smaller turbo which greatly improves cylinder scavenging and makes your engine far more efficient! You wont get a great power increase but YOU WILL get better fuel economy And everyone will be massivly impressed with your truck!

What I have just written is NOT bulls**t and I have experimented with this stuff before with good success!
 

Last edited by meridian; 12-06-2008 at 12:29 PM.
  #24  
Old 12-06-2008, 11:20 PM
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You know I hear dodge truck owners say this kind of thing all the time. I've got a 04 standard cab 2wd with the 4.7 auto and I have never got worse than 13.5 in town.
I'm getting 14.5 to 15.5 now mostly in town driving with about 60k miles on the truck.
I noticed you are running 285-70-17 tires. They are taller than the 265-70's that come standard. Have you had your truck reprogrammed for the taller tires? If not your speedo is off. This could explain some of the bad milage. I know guys with hemi 4wd trucks that get 13 in town when driven conservatively. Jut a thought.
 
  #25  
Old 12-06-2008, 11:45 PM
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that could be it i know for a fact the speedo is off my radar detector has a gps that when radar is picked up it tells you your speed and it is a little of but i checked it the old fashion way of mileage to gallons and it was like 11.2 i drive what seems normal people usuall get ahead and i know i drive a truck i hate the coments abnout buying a hybrid that is A STUPID NONE HELPFUL RESPONSE I just want to get the mileage its supposed to get but you probably didnt think about it just said the first respnse that has been said a thousand times. I have scheduled a full tune up when I hit 90k so about january and also a speedo calibration but could it be anything esle causeing the bad gas mileage
 
  #26  
Old 12-06-2008, 11:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Ridinhigh
that could be it i know for a fact the speedo is off my radar detector has a gps that when radar is picked up it tells you your speed and it is a little of but i checked it the old fashion way of mileage to gallons and it was like 11.2 i drive what seems normal people usuall get ahead and i know i drive a truck i hate the coments abnout buying a hybrid that is A STUPID NONE HELPFUL RESPONSE I just want to get the mileage its supposed to get but you probably didnt think about it just said the first respnse that has been said a thousand times. I have scheduled a full tune up when I hit 90k so about january and also a speedo calibration but could it be anything esle causeing the bad gas mileage
I would suggest getting superchips performance programmer! It will adjust the speedo and also improve your MPG! But if you take it in to the dealership then you have to return it to stock programming so you don't void your warranty in any way! It is easy to use and you can update it with your PC anytime there is a new upgrade for your truck!
 
  #27  
Old 12-07-2008, 12:41 AM
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Originally Posted by DeanoBobino
I feel pretty sorry for you guys. If I'm easy on the throttle, like straight up p***y footing, I've seen 23 hwy mpg at 60-65. At around 70-75, I get between 19 and 20. My typical tank average is around 16. I have the 20 in wheels with 3.92 gears.
Originally Posted by dirtydog
Yeah going down hill for that 23 highway. I clocked my truck on the highway with the wind behind me and MDS enabled while going down a slight downhill grade. At 65mph I was getting 19.1 mpg and at 70mph I was getting 17.5mpg. On perfectly flatland with zero wind the best I got was 16.1mpg. I have an 08 QC 5.7L with 20's and 3:92 gears and synthetic oil and a K&N air filter. I don't believe for one second 23mpg unless you've got a 6cyl
I can get 23 easy at those speeds...around 65. A few months ago I drove from Sacramento to San Jose and averaged over 23...I was doing better than that but it's pretty hilly with a lot of bridges. But I also don't have a QC with 20's or 3.92's.
 
  #28  
Old 12-07-2008, 03:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Ridinhigh
that could be it i know for a fact the speedo is off my radar detector has a gps that when radar is picked up it tells you your speed and it is a little of but i checked it the old fashion way of mileage to gallons and it was like 11.2 i drive what seems normal people usuall get ahead and i know i drive a truck i hate the coments abnout buying a hybrid that is A STUPID NONE HELPFUL RESPONSE I just want to get the mileage its supposed to get but you probably didnt think about it just said the first respnse that has been said a thousand times. I have scheduled a full tune up when I hit 90k so about january and also a speedo calibration but could it be anything esle causeing the bad gas mileage
Hey Ive seen that truck around lol
What radar detector are you running?
 
  #29  
Old 12-07-2008, 05:28 AM
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on highway i avg about 19. (MDS) if i was to do 85mph id get about 15. i Just got a hard top put on the truck, ill have to see if it makes a difference.
 
  #30  
Old 12-07-2008, 08:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Ridinhigh
that could be it i know for a fact the speedo is off my radar detector has a gps that when radar is picked up it tells you your speed and it is a little of but i checked it the old fashion way of mileage to gallons and it was like 11.2 i drive what seems normal people usuall get ahead and i know i drive a truck i hate the coments abnout buying a hybrid that is A STUPID NONE HELPFUL RESPONSE I just want to get the mileage its supposed to get but you probably didnt think about it just said the first respnse that has been said a thousand times. I have scheduled a full tune up when I hit 90k so about january and also a speedo calibration but could it be anything esle causeing the bad gas mileage

CHILL! I was only joking about the Hybrid thing!
 


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