I just started my job as head of maintenance for a lumber company and decided to celebrate by buying an '05 dodge quad cab 4x4 with the Hemi. Some of my friends claim that the new Hemi's run on four cylinders until it recieves a load and then the other four kick in. I'm not real knowledgeable in motors, but this theory woud explain my 20mpg hwy/ 18 city. My brother has an '02 quad cab 4x4 with the 5.9L and he gets 14 hwy/ 12 city. Anyone care to shed a little light on the subject?

 

The 05's aren't like that, at least mine isn't. Maybe in 06

 

The ones in the cars do, but the trucks haven't started using the multiple displacement system yet.

 

my 20mpg hwy/ 18 city

I do not know how you do this!!! Are you getting the numbers from the over head computer? I average 14-15. Best I ever saw on my overhead was 19, which was after a fill up and 30 miles at 60MPH.

As for 18 in the city?? I do not care how I would drive, impossible.

 

I'm averaging 16.5 MPG around town and have gotten a best of 22.1 MPG on the HWY. I have a RC 2WD.

 

MoparTodd:

Let's hear it for the reg. cab, 2-wds! Better performance, no matter how defined. This is one of the reasons I started the tread asking about all the quad-cabs I constantly see with one or two people. It seems like a big hit if not used. However, as the respondents note, they all use the space occationally and seem to figure it a worthwhile trade-off, though perhaps grudgingly for some.

Your data with your truck show there is somethng to be gained if one doesn't need a "bus."

I look forward to seeing how my hemi does. From my past experience with other recent computer-controlled engines, I expect to reach or beat the highway mileage. In town, well, I'm an old hotrodder and tend to put my foot in it. We all choose our vices, I suppose.

Thanks for the info and all the best.

 

Those are figured the old fashioned way. Miles divided by gallons. I'm easy on my baby. 20 years old fresh out of community college and i drive like i'm fifty. When I first got it in April i played, but now its just TLC (tender love & care). I set my cruise on 57 and go, never had a ticket, never been pulled over. We'll see how long it lasts when i get my pipes on.

 

It's probably your driving habits. I usually drive 5 over the posted limit, unless provoked. I think my wife is harder on it than I am though. She's always turning the tires over when she drives.

 

The numbers they post on the stickers are really a load of crap!! Those are driven from labratory test facilities with perfectly flat smooth surfaces etc. etc. I've driven mine like a little old guy, and regardless--averages out 15.6 mpg. Now thats with just over 2500 miles on the motor, and they say that 4k miles is what you should expect so far as the developed mpg is concerned. I think this is the only true mpg I'll see now for the life of the truck. I think the rest of it is generated out of the throttle by wire stuff as the ecm slowly tunes the motor in to the ultimate fine tune and gutless wonder. Where do all the HP go?

 

what i know abuot MDS is that under 2k rpm or 70mph the engine runs on 4 cyc, but once it goes over it goes all 8