06 mileage numbers?

[Texis]

As mentioned on other post, I'm considering replacing my 97 with something built this century. What type mileage numbers are you guys seeing with the 3:73 geared 2500 4x4 trucks? Assume no load.

Texas has raised the speed limits and now has a lot of 75mph highways, which I like I cover a lot of ground! 65-70 has quickly become painful, what could I expect at 75 mph in an 06 as defined?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Motorhead]

If you are looking at an automatic truck, I would guess 17-18 at those speeds. You won't touch the mileage you are getting with the '97. The best thing I did for my '07, 5. 9 for mileage UNLOADED was the free spin hubs up front. The best economy for the late 5. 9 is to stay at or below 2,000 rpm.

 

[mwilson]

As mentioned on other post, I'm considering replacing my 97 with something built this century. What type mileage numbers are you guys seeing with the 3:73 geared 2500 4x4 trucks? Assume no load.



Texas has raised the speed limits and now has a lot of 75mph highways, which I like I cover a lot of ground! 65-70 has quickly become painful, what could I expect at 75 in an 06 as defined?



Thanks in advance.

Expect 17mpg under those conditions. Maine upped the speed limit to 75 north of Bangor last year so I have some real world experience with higher sustained speeds and that is the best I feel you will see at that pace.



If I keep it at 65-66 mph I can on occasion hit the 20mpg mark on a long trip. These numbers are all hand calculated.



But when asked what I get for overall fuel mileage with the '06 I reply with the 17mpg figure which is my average.



Mike.

 

[Prairie Dog]

My buddy with an 06 and 22k miles has always struggled to get 14 in mixed driving. Some times I can get better mileage towing than he does empty.

 

[mwilson]

My buddy with an 06 and 22k miles has always struggled to get 14 in mixed driving. Some times I can get better mileage towing than he does empty.

That thing isn't even broke in yet at 22,000 miles. It will improve. Tell him to drive it like he stole it for the next 10,000 miles or so.....



Woo Hoo.....



Mike.

 

[DonFitzwater]

My latest 06 is getting 16-17 with mixed driving (all stock) and 19-21 empty driving at 70 highway. My overhead is a little optimistic and is showing 1-2 mpg better than my hand figured numbers and my old 06 got better mpg's highway. The only difference between my old truck and new is the old one was long wheel base and had a topper.

 

[Wayne M.]

That thing isn't even broke in yet at 22,000 miles. It will improve. Tell him to drive it like he stole it for the next 10,000 miles or so.....

Woo Hoo.....

Mike.

Totally agree with the free spin kit up front. Funny side story about what's "broken in"...
I was the second owner of my ole '92. I got it with 19K miles, and from new, it was babied too much around town with limited hunting trips upstate- which was the reason for the truck. Well, I put it into service in 1997, and drove it moderately- mostly city driving with a few long distance high speed runs here and there. It ALWAYS used a slight bit of oil. the rear main weeped and the dipstick level would go down almost one letter on the stick. I paid no mind for years. in 2003 I start commuting with it by doing a heavy 50 mile daily circuit of hiway/ city driving. Guess what- it stopped using oil and the rear main dried up AND I swear the power picked up a bit. I came to the realization that it took 11 years and 60,000 miles for that puppy to break in... The rings had finally seated :-laf

 

[JFN]

I'm getting 15 mixed and 10. 6 towing 10K trailer, This is long hand not overhead.

 

[jgillott]

Filled my '07 last night. 479. 1 miles on 27. 866 gal yielding 17. 2 mpg in mixed driving.

 

[goodguys75]

as long as you keep it under 70, which is a tad under 2000 rpms..... you are good 16-20 unloaded even more down hill...

 

[Wayne M.]

Filled my '07 last night. 479. 1 miles on 27. 866 gal yielding 17. 2 mpg in mixed driving.

Do you see a big difference between the '04. 5 Vs. '07 mileage wise. I see approx. the same numbers. My overhead will say 17~18 right now. If I reset it on a flat highway and stay out of it, it'll settle on 25 after the freespin kit.

 

[Texis]

I'm with you guys on the free wheeling hubs, I have those on the 97, and love'um. But they really didn't make much difference on the 97's fuel numbers?... "maybe" 1 mpg increase. The vehicle does drive MUCH better and there is less vibration at highway speeds, so I drive it faster.

I'm OK with the fuel numbers you guys are talking about for the 06's. For the last 250,000 miles my 97 typically gets 18-19. 5 mpg with 3. 54's & 285's on the highway (20 mpg once!)... so the 06 is in the ball park even with 3. 73's. My truck was never one of those 12V's that guys talk about getting 24-25mpg... I have never seen those numbers! But it's an auto and "I can't drive 55"

Thanks for all the inputs.

 

[jgillott]

Do you see a big difference between the '04. 5 Vs. '07 mileage wise. I see approx. the same numbers. My overhead will say 17~18 right now. If I reset it on a flat highway and stay out of it, it'll settle on 25 after the freespin kit.

There's isn't that much of a difference. The 6-speed '07 may be a 1/2 MPG all around better under most conditions max vs. the '04. 5 48RE.

 

[pjorlando]

My '06 dually has 4:10s in the rears. I calculated out to 17, maybe 18 on the open road running right at 2000 rpms. This sits just below 65. I am almost always towing a trailer with either a trailer full of quads, about 2000 lbs or my John Deere tractor which is about 5500 or so. I almost feel the truck does better with the tractor on the trailer. If I push it up to 2300 rpms, the milage drops. I think thisis good for a dually with over 100,000 on the clock. This is travelling in upstate New York on the thruway and such. These numbers include me running on Long Island and NYC traffic when I travel.

 

[Wayne M.]

It's amazing how close and consistent they are... .

 

[Wingate]

Filled mine up in N. E. Texas last Thursday morning, put it on I-20 westbound for DFW Airport and back at 80-85 mph with an occasional burst to 95 mph for idiots camping out in the left lane... but thats another story...
Anyway, truck runs a consistent 20 mpg hand caluclated at that speed, back it down to 74 mph or below and the mileage goes up about 1. 5+ mpg...
Truck is stock except for a Smarty Jr set on the Economy tune.
2006 2500CCSB 4x4 3:73 geared about 50K miles.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Hand calculated my best mileage is at 73 mph. Depending on weather conditions, I range 18-21 on highway. This is with Smarty on three.

 

[AWeiman]

we consitantly see 15 to 16. 5 mpg on our 06. we have found it to be most fuel effeciant if kept under 2000 rpms on the highway.

 

[AH64ID]

I am not stock, and all of my mods will help efficiency to some point. But at 80 I get 16 (last time I did that sustained was OEM cam/turbo), 75 16-17, 70 17-18, 65 18-19. That's all nice weather driving, as 75 in 10° weather is a bit worse.

I have an 05, but there isn't any real mechanical difference.

If you want to drive 75-80 a lot of the time I would get an auto (I can't believe I said that), because the G56 will be turning just under 2600 rpms at 80, and the stock turbo is not efficient at those rpms (even empty). If you plan to tow a lot and only spend time at 75-80 empty every now and then I would consider the manual.

Right off the bat you can do a couple things for mileage, timing being the first. A Smarty Jr will really help mileage/EGT's out. Good fluids, proper tire pressures, and a clean air filter are also good. But the 3rd gen's don't get the mileage of earlier trucks, even when de-emissioned. They are heavy, don't have disconnecting hubs, and have very large running gear.

Here are all of my fill-ups, it's the abbreviated version but you get the idea.

-