I just purchased a 07' Dodge 3500 mega cab 4x4 from California. It had 6500 miles. It has the 5.9L diesel. The original owner installed an Air Raid filter system, Banks Monster exhaust from the cat to back and 37x12.5x17 tires. I need some help.

Does California install more emission crap on diesel engines than other states?

Is installing a chip a bad thing?

According to the display in the truck, I am only getting 13 mpg. With so many chips on the market, which one do you purchase for mpg and hp?

Banks "high ram intake" claims that it will create a more fuel-efficient engine. What are the pro's & con's?

 

As your motor breaks in you will get better mileage. Do not use synthetic motor oil until about 35000 to 40000 miles. I am averaging 15.5 with 35s and a diablo sport predator. stock intake. a lot has to do with driving habits also.

 

Off my previous post...


Hey all finally back from my xmas trip back home, anywho here were my highway MPG w/different Smarty settings for those of you that were wondering!

Stock-17.8 ~ 544.1miles
40 HP-17.1 ~ 528.2 & 520.3 miles (2tanks)
70 HP-18.6 ~ 591.1miles

This was my hand calc results over the whole trip I ran 40 HP all the way up there thinking the economy setting would do the best but tried the stock and 70 HP setting just so I could get results and was happy to find the 70HP did best. I tend to get best mpg running 65-70 mph but ran between 85-87 mph on cruise because thats how fast everyone else was goin .

The 70 HP setting was showin 21.3 at 70mph on the lie-o-meter which I usually find shows 2mpg higher so I assume a guy could break 19 using the 70 HP setting runnin 65-70.

Also the truck tends to do alot better in higher altitudes... on the way through Louisiana the lie-o-meter would show better mpg when gettin away from the coast and lower when coming back down towards it..

 

as of Jan 04, all truck have the same emission equipment from the factory. anyway, there are many different circumstances around fuel mileage, and one of them is the fuel filter. and surprizingly enough I can tell mine needs changing. . .she just doesnt have the spunkiness she had just last week.

clogged air filter, driving style and altitude can determine fuel mileage. . .but it also doesnt help that you have those 37's

 

Thanks for the feedback. I am learning a lot here at the forum. This is a great site.

 

Speaking of fuel filters, I put a baldwin in my rig today and compared it to the old wix (napa gold) and purulator (pure crap) that I had to buy on a emergency issue. the baldin looks to be the best cunstructed, most pleats and internals look strong. I think I have found my filter. I paid 28.00 usd(Wolli, Finny). for two of them.

 

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you will learn to live and love this site with a truck like yours

"According to the display in the truck, I am only getting 13 mpg. With so many chips on the market, which one do you purchase for mpg and hp?"

as for the mileage, well your tires like drew said will be a huge killer, if the exhaust if straight thru or even 5" will kill your mileage from lack of back pressure, i have heard but have not found out for myself that an after market air intake will kill your mileage, and your truck being new has alot to do with it also.

"Banks "high ram intake" claims that it will create a more fuel-efficient engine."

the deeper you look into mods for your truck you will soon relize that EVERYTHING claims to increase mileage, and for the most part this is all true with a diesel engine. what ive learned here is the more performance you put into your truck, the better your mileage will be (depending on your driving habbits). so its a matter of finding what you like, or reading what we like to make the best choice in what you buy.

warning: it can and WILL be your new hobby as there is no end to the mods

Is installing a chip a bad thing?

its only a bad thing when you add to much power without any upgrades in other areas to use it. if your trucks a auto tranny then nothing over 60 h/p is good to put on it so if you get a chip or box and its got settings of 100+ h/p you could be playing with fire without the proper upgrades. i have always used the quadzilla ZXT chip because im my eyes it was pretty safe power wise (65 horse) but it will not have you beating everyone at a track if thats what your looking for. it did increase mileage by 1-3 depending on driving habbits and city/highway. but to answer the question IMO, they can be very bad if not used right but by adding one you will understand where the "you gotta pay to play" saying comes from.


ALSO, i almost forgot....

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hay jimmy, you used any fleetguards yet???

one of these days when I fainly upgrade my LP I'm gunna mount a 2 micron filter into the mix as well.

 

No I have not used fletguard, I have used napa gold religously until I needed a filter and napa was closed. the only store in a 20 mile radius that had a filter in stock was pep boys. it was purulator and never again will I use there product (purluator). I paid a little more then $27.00 for the single filter, A filter that was a piece of crap.

 

Pic of thr Mega Cab 07', Air Raid filter, Banks Monster from act to back, 6" ProComp lift, 37x12.5x16 tires, Amp Research running boards, Air Lift bags on rear. Hope this works. Just uploaded on profile.