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04.5 mileage ridiculous

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04.5 6 Speed - engine brake

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Just returned home from a trip and thought I'd make run at some good fuel mileage numbers. Reset the mileage at the last fillup, drove 199 miles like a grandma and it took 24. 8 gallons - 8. 02 mpg. Pulling trailer with 4 horses.



I've got over 5K on the clock now and working the thing to death. Many mountain pulls in 5th gear with rpms up at 2700-3000 trying to make the Cummins happy... just seems to make it more thirsty. Spent over $200 more on fuel last month. When I get a chance I'll try and get it in to a dealer but I doubt they'll be much help. Pretty ridiculous.



On a good note I'm getting more impressed with the pulling power all the time... feels like my 98. 5 with EZ installed. On a bad note, I loaned the 98. 5 and my dump trailer to a buddy and he was all :--) "this thing is a pulling animal!" Why, why did I buy a new rig???!!
 
Theres been alot of talk about this and all I can say is my 600 has been doing good maybe because (I know its a pain but topping off fuel to the very top of the neck) dont know if you or anyone else has been doing this but my mileage has been 15. 04- 17. 48. (overhead very close as well) mainly empty miles few tanks stop and go and some 400+ mile road trips and some 100 mph bursts as well. After the pump clicks off I can squeze about another 5 gallons or so until its solid diesel no bubbles, (like I said big pain but I wanted to know what my truck was doing with as little variables as possible) I have 4. 10's and 6spd. with 3,000 on the clicker. Hope this helps, not make you feel worse.
 
Originally posted by mattymac

Theres been alot of talk about this and all I can say is my 600 has been doing good maybe because (I know its a pain but topping off fuel to the very top of the neck) dont know if you or anyone else has been doing this but my mileage has been 15. 04- 17. 48. (overhead very close as well) mainly empty miles few tanks stop and go and some 400+ mile road trips and some 100 mph bursts as well. After the pump clicks off I can squeze about another 5 gallons or so until its solid diesel no bubbles, (like I said big pain but I wanted to know what my truck was doing with as little variables as possible) I have 4. 10's and 6spd. with 3,000 on the clicker. Hope this helps, not make you feel worse.



The only time topping off like this would make a difference is if you didn't do it and then on the next fill up you did and checked your mileage. If you stop filling your truck at about the same time, when it first clicks off for instance, each time you refuel you will get accurate results from calculating by hand. My mileage has averaged about 15. 5 over 12K miles. It's not a 600 but it does have the MA emmision package with a cat.
 
I guess I don't but my individual tank mileage is fairly consitant with my miles so far average. I have total miles and total fuel used so perhaps the key is not to look at each fillup but at the overall. I have a little notebook in my truck and just log it in everytime I get fuel.
 
Milage

Have been getting 13mpg pulling 11k TT trailer with my new 04. 5 and 17mpg solo. I wonder whats up with your truck? Dosen't sound right.
 
Favord, did I read that correctly that you haven't taken your truck to the dealer yet? I've been reading about your crappy fuel mileage for a while and I would hope you would have taken it back by now. Something obviously isn't right so I wouldn't wait around. I just filled up today and got a shade over 16 mpg, and half of the mileage was pulling a 16' enclosed trailer.
 
You guys are gonna hate the mileage numbers I've been getting. The last unloaded tank was 19. 3 by hand and 17. 2 on the computer. Currently the computer is reading 20. 8 and I'll fill it up tomorrow to confirm it by hand.



I do drive like a Snowbird (I'm only 33). However I have the best combo for good mileage. 2500 Quad 6sp 4x2 and 3. 73 gears. Build date on the truck was 1-04 and the motor was 12-16-03. No reflash done. Driving is mixed 50/50.
 
Im not impressed with my 04. 5s milage either. My 03 HO 6speed driving home to Wis from Tx where I bought both trucks I got 19. 5 on its maiden voyage home my 04. 5 got 13. 6 and it don have the power my 03 had.



the only diff between my 03 and my 04 is that the the 04 is a dually the 03 was a single rear both 3:73 gears 4X2 6 speed.



Kevin
 
Im with you Kevin, Im not at all impressed with the power my 04. 5 600 has either and sounds about like my mileage 13. 3 first drive home on freeway now have 2900 miles and lots of towing my backhoe around and been in to dealer 3 times for reflash now up to 14. 5 to 15 empty.
 
My local Lithia dealer is really poor and I won't take it to them... they have a knack for making things go from bad to worse. I really doubt a dealer is gonna come up with squat on it anyway but I am gonna run it in to an out of town dealer I've had good luck with... do the 1st service, etc. on it.
 
The dealer just told me that it needs to break in and I will find those missing mpg's . I asked for the reflash and they told me I don't need it. I told them that 12. 5 stinks and could have bought alot of gas for 5 grand. They said put some more miles on then they will recheck. They also said they couldn't pull out any codes and everything is right on. Should I demand a reflash or just drive it?
 
I think that I will keep mine. 1874 miles and 109. 53 gallons for a 17. 11 average. This is about 1. 5 mpg less than my 96 average over 97k miles. My 03 did 9755 miles on 490. 72 gallons for a 19. 87 average. The 03 was a 2500 and did not tow like I was used to with the dually so I got the 04. 5 and it does well.



Cheers

Gordon
 
Originally posted by mattymac

Theres been alot of talk about this and all I can say is my 600 has been doing good maybe because (I know its a pain but topping off fuel to the very top of the neck) dont know if you or anyone else has been doing this but my mileage has been 15. 04- 17. 48. (overhead very close as well) mainly empty miles few tanks stop and go and some 400+ mile road trips and some 100 mph bursts as well. After the pump clicks off I can squeze about another 5 gallons or so until its solid diesel no bubbles, (like I said big pain but I wanted to know what my truck was doing with as little variables as possible) I have 4. 10's and 6spd. with 3,000 on the clicker. Hope this helps, not make you feel worse.



My 600 was delivered 3/19. I asked about the flash and they said it wasn't elgible based on the build date. I did as you suggested on my fillups with pumping the fuel to the top and clicking my trip odometer. I only have 800 miles on this thing and 90% is in town mileage. The two tanks I've done this on I got 14. 6 on the first and 16. 6 on the second. I can't say that I am unhappy about moving that much weight around in primarily a traffic in town situation and getting that mileage. This is not a reflection on anyone else's mileage problems that have been well documented, but this is what I am getting, FYI.
 
My 04 ca auto cc 4x4 dually (the worst case scenario)got 13. 6 this last tank. I drove it like there was an egg under the pedal. That was with the box on level 1. Filled it up yesterday put the box on six and will repeat the test. The overhead was fairly close. $82. 33 to fill up!!!
 
mileage

I just got mine yesterday and so far it's showing 16. 8 MPG average on the overhead, no hand calculations yet. the truck only has 250 miles on it. I would say if the overhead is close that is not to bad! There must be something wrong with your truck! Or maybe the cetane level from your station is to low? Fuel filter?
 
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