The srange thing is, I drive the same route everyday. In drive I get 12mpg (mds 0n), in tow haul (mds off) I get 15mpg. Go figure.

 

Thanks for your reply. So far it is the most informative. The strange thing is I get 12mpg in drive with mds on, and 15mpg in tow haul mds off. this is on the same route everyday. I now have 8000 miles on the truck. But the more it shift the moe it wears. Also it does not pull down on the hills in OD when it tow haul at same speed same rpm. But in drive it has to jump out of 4 to 8 & when it does it also shift down then back up when it returns 8.

 

Amen Motorider228. It's gay, yet they're tying to do something to get us more MPG. The way these gas prices are ( I pay $2.75 per gallon) we should be lucky the Big Three isn't doing what they did in the mid-70s and tone down on their V8s. Remember the redone '74-75 Mustang? I'd rather keep my MDS with the radio turned up than go back to the gas-saving days.

 

Me too ligthtin.I turn the MDS off also. I have notice it getting better mileage that way. I think it took a little longer than my 04 did. I'm starting to see mid teen mpg and I'm only at 1000.Hope it gets a little better. My 04 averaged about 17mpg on the highway. I don't think I have even hit that with my 07. I'm at altitude so I can't expect it to get too much better than that.

 

well... after buying thew truck then bitching about gas... why didnt you think it over before? i know i did! and im happy with the truck and if im happy with the truck, i could give a **** about the MPG. you have a truck... not a Prius or a Hybrid Civic. get over it god dammit!

um... just put it in OD Off or Tow/Haul and drive like that! ****. people now-a-days are so nieve and ignorant! i still love you guys though!

 

On a 4wd Ram with big wide tires fitted
bull bar bumper, no tonneau, and maybe a lightbar up top
the MDS on the 5.7
probably would only kick in when you are going downhill.

On a stock Ram,
adding MDS to the 5.7V8 at a steady 55 mph improved it by
(25.4/23.3) or 9%
This matches what Chrysler said in their press release about MDS on the 5.7V8
where they wrote the most gains were about 10% below 60 mph, with maximum gain of 20% around 45 mph.
--------
below is an old post with more info on the subject of
5.7 vs 5.7MDS vs 4.7 vs 5.9
fuel economy
---------------
At least this month (Jan 2007)
Chrysler has been offering the 5.7V8 with MDS as a
"no cost upgrade"
over the 4.7 on Rams
and pointing out to customers that
the 5.7MDS has better EPA MPG test results by about 1.
When evaluating this, keep in mind that you are comparing a 5.7V8 running on 4
cylinders (and dragging along 4 not being used) at a speed of 55 mph to a
4.7V8 running on eight cylinders also at a speed of 55 mph.

At speeds of 70-79 mph the MDS on the 5.7 Ram will not kick in unless you are
going downhill, or have a wind at your back. Here at higher speeds the 4.7
might regain an MPG edge.

Even before MDS was introduced on the 5.7V8
the unmodified EPA lab results were showing
that the 5.7 was within 4% of the 4.7 V8
in fuel efficiency.
The actual test results are available online from the EPA at:

http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/data.htm

to see the actual results go to this link:

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/tcldata.htm

These are not the 'Window Sticker' numbers,
these databases have the actual city and highway test results down to a tenth
of a mpg. This makes it easier to compare. Since 1985 EPA has applied a
'fudge factor' to these actual results to get the number that you see on the
Window Sticker. This happened because citizens complained the EPA city and
highway numbers were TOO HIGH compared to 'normal driving'. Next year EPA
will apply an even greater 'fudge factor' because citizens are still
complaining that they can't get at 79 mph the MPG that EPA measures at 55 mph.


If you look at the 2003 year numbers
you can compare the Magnum
5.9V8 to the 5.7V8 (without MDS back then)
and to the 4.7V8 and 3.7V6

3.7V6 2wd had 25.4 MPG highway with 45RFE and 3.55 diff
4.7V8 2wd had 24.2 MPG highway with 45RFE and 3.55 diff
5.7V8 2wd had 23.3 MPG highway with 545RFE and 3.55 diff
5.9V8 2wd had 22.0 MPG highway with 47RE and 3.55 diff

Chrysler's official press release on the 5.7 Hemi said that it was 8-12% more
fuel efficient than the 10 year old Magnum 5.9V8 design. But notice
in the above that in the 2003 Ram pickup the 5.7 Hemi was only (23.3/22) 6%
more efficient at highway speed. This may be because the 545 automatic
transmission has more internal friction when in overdrive (where it has two
planetary gearsets turning) compared to the older 47RE auto that only had one
planetary gearset turning.

For comparing the 5.7 with MDS to the 4.7
look at the 2007 year numbers.

4.7V8 2wd had 23.7 MPG highway with 545RFE and 3.55 diff
5.7MDS 2wd had 25.4 MPG highway with 545RFE and 3.55 diff

2wd 5.7 Rams will be able to go a little faster in MDS mode and get better MPG
than 4wd Rams because the extra driveline friction and weight of the front
axle loads the engine down more.