How are your plugs? Don't know what kind of true road mileage the Rams get, or whether you should be happy about that.

This Dakota of mine is Quad Cab, so pretty heavy truck. When I bought it, seller told me he was only getting 9 mpg on a good day. When I pulled the plugs, the center electrodes were worn flush with the insulator and the ground electrodes had edges as sharp as a knives. The gap tool was like throwing a hot dog down a hallway. Anyway, new plugs bought instant power and I'm now getting 15mpg in bad Atlanta traffic. Can't say what I'd get on long trips... only long trip was me towing a 4 wheel trailer to Virginia, and returning with a car on it.

 

Yeah good point..this weekend I'll check them. I was incorrect first go around, I'm actually averaging 14.2mpg.


I'm just loving her right now..

 

Are you running the 93 tune? That sounds high for the regular 87 tune. Are you calculating your milage, or just going by the overhead computer? The computer provides very liberal estimates.

 

While I agree that the plugs should be checked, because I am **** about those sorts of things, I doubt he is going to get any more MPG out of his current setup. The 2003 RAM 4.7L quad cab 4x2 curb weight is 7-800# heavier than your Dakota, with the same engine, same 45RFE transmission and (most likely) the same 3.55 rear end. If his plugs were out of spec, to the point of deteriorated fuel mileage, he would no doubt be in the single digits right now.

 

Yup 87 tune and calculating via math not overhead. Funny enough it depends on the day. I get a little over 1mpg more when the week averages 40 degree mornings. Warm days = A drop in mpg.


Oh and I only fill my tank to 3/4 and refill until 1/4...unless going on long drives

 

You cannot calculate mileage if you do not fill up. There is no way to know how much fuel was burned otherwise. "Filling to 3/4" could easily differ by +/- 2 gallons each time, leaving you with no more than a very rough estimate.

A MPG calculation is only accurate if you fill up to the same spot every time. "Full" being the first or second time the fill pump stops because of overflow, is the closest you can get, to within about a tenth of a gallon, which is close enough.

 

I did 3 full tanks to get the MPG average. Now that I have the number I don't fill it all the way up so that I can get a bit more mpg's from not having the weight of a 1/4 tank. Every bit helps you know.