how to get better gas mileage
Professional
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
From: Essex, England
No one has so far mentioned improving the aerodynamics....
A tonneau cover or bed cap will give you better mpg's, especially with a trailer as it reduces turbulence at the rear of the truck, normally caused by the tailgate. A bed cap will help channel the air over a box trailer.
I have a bed cap and on a long run have got 450 miles from a full tank with just under 21mpg showing on the trip computer keeping around 65-70 mph (no trailer).
Lowering the truck also helps as less air goes under the truck, not sure that will suit your (OP) needs for towing though.
Tyre pressures also help, keep them high enough to help mpg's but without causing uneven wear and loss of grip.
A tonneau cover or bed cap will give you better mpg's, especially with a trailer as it reduces turbulence at the rear of the truck, normally caused by the tailgate. A bed cap will help channel the air over a box trailer.
I have a bed cap and on a long run have got 450 miles from a full tank with just under 21mpg showing on the trip computer keeping around 65-70 mph (no trailer).
Lowering the truck also helps as less air goes under the truck, not sure that will suit your (OP) needs for towing though.
Tyre pressures also help, keep them high enough to help mpg's but without causing uneven wear and loss of grip.
There is way more parts per million contaminants with diesel than with a properly running cat system. What normal people call soot. At any given operating range, the cleanest burning fuel is natural gas, followed by propane,acetone, gasoline, kerosene, number1 diesel,number 2 diesel, and then hot number three oil. (basically jennite but heated). Thats cleanest to smoggiest .
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
mpg
just got back from a lil road trip.
i have K&n, cat back exhaust,my tire pressure is at its maximum pressure according to the tires,( i dont care what the door says for comfortable ride)...its a truck its gonna be bumpy, and diablo predator...it was tuned for 87 , although i use 89, just because dodge recommends it. On the way to my destination, Not towing anything and NO box cover i was getting upto 22mpg on the way.On the way back i was getting 18 mpgs but i had a nasty head wind on the way back.
when i drive in the city lots of stop and go traffic i get 11mpgs as a low, and one evening i got 18 mpgs in the city.
i just switched my predator tune to 91.
ill post any changes
i have K&n, cat back exhaust,my tire pressure is at its maximum pressure according to the tires,( i dont care what the door says for comfortable ride)...its a truck its gonna be bumpy, and diablo predator...it was tuned for 87 , although i use 89, just because dodge recommends it. On the way to my destination, Not towing anything and NO box cover i was getting upto 22mpg on the way.On the way back i was getting 18 mpgs but i had a nasty head wind on the way back.
when i drive in the city lots of stop and go traffic i get 11mpgs as a low, and one evening i got 18 mpgs in the city.
i just switched my predator tune to 91.
ill post any changes
part of me regrets getting a dodge because the gas mileage is so low. if im pulling my trailer, even with no weight in it, i am lucky to get 11 mpg on the highway. the trailer has sides on it so it does create wind resistance, without them i am still only getting 13 on the highway, using curse.
what do you think?
not pulling anything i get 11.5ish in town and 17 on highway IF i take off REAL SLOW
what do you think?
not pulling anything i get 11.5ish in town and 17 on highway IF i take off REAL SLOW
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
From: Chattanooga, TN
Out of curiousity, what is the maximum pressure according to your tires?