24 Valve fuel economy survey

[BigBadDodge]

Hey guy's, I am trying to help out a friend who is a engineering student at BYU and doing a paper on fuel economy between the Dodge and Furds. here is what he needs lets try to help him out if you have the time.



Scott,



I am an engineering student at BYU, and am writing a technical paper comparing the Ford and Dodge diesel's. I need information regarding fuel economy, and am hoping you all will help me out. if you all would kindly, include empty and loaded fuel economy figures, and include year and model, gear ratio and transmission type of your truck somewhere in the post I would be very greatful.

 

[Evan A. Beck]

2001 ETH 6-speed, 3. 54 ratio. DD3's and an EZ... 70% highway, 30% stop & go, I get 22 mpg. 24 on the highway at 70 mpg. Truck weight: 6800 lb.

 

[Floor It]

have HO 6-speed,3. 54with an ez edge box, in town 15mpg,highway 18mpg,no towing at 70 mph,towing 9000lbs 13mpg at 65mph

 

[Cummins4Life]

I get 21mpg empty on the highway (65mph)

I get 14-16mpg empty in town.

I get 18mpg towing 4000 pounds at 65mph



all other information is in the signature below:

 

[HC]

See signature for truck details.



19. 3 mpg, averaged over 70,000+ miles, more of them "unloaded" than loaded, and with a relatively high percentage of highway miles. I admit to driving slower than most, and eternal road construction along my daily commute route has forced a lot of driving at 55 to 65 mph where I would normally have been going ~70.



I'm sure others will post too, but in the long run your friend could get a lot more data by using the "search" feature on this board. [Edit: Maybe I was wrong - this thread 4 pages long and growing!] That's what I did before buying, so that I would have realistic expectations. I expected about 18 mpg unloaded at ~70 mph, and that was very close. Folks who drive faster or have a high percentage of city miles get a lot less.



Also, your friend runs some risk of getting hammered for unscientific methodology, unless he also tries to get some scientific data to back it up and/or compare the "user reports" to. I recommend he contact Cummins and Ford, and try to get some engine curves that show fuel consumption per Brake Hp, and vehicle drag coefficients if Ford and Dodge will give up that information. Between the drag coefficient and the fuel curve, he ought to be able to make a good guess as to which combo should get better mpg. In new, stock form they are probably pretty close. I think the Cummins shines when it still gets the same mpg at 150k; a number of Ford owners I've talked to at the pumps started with "I used to get... . " Now that Cummins has more electric controls, it's possible that the same thing could happen to us (but I hope not).

 

[MUDDY]

98. 5 qc W-2500 4x4 3. 55 255/85 16 bfgs nv4500 ez dd2s 4 inch straight pipe, bhaf 8200 lbs empty w/ tanks full, flat bed, tool boxes



79. 9 mph average empty 18. 8 mpg

65mph 21

57mph 24



11,200 w/camper 65 mph 17mpg

17,500 w/camper and trailer 65 mph 13. 5 to 14



89 w-250 4x4 727 3. 55 255/85 16 stock w/ 4inchexhaust

55 mph 21 to 24 mpg

50 mph 27 mpg



96 psd cc 4x4 4. 10 zf-5 spd 3 1/2 inch straight pipe, flat bed, tool boxes and tanks 9,000 lbs empty 255/85 16

65 mph 13 mpg

60 14

55 16

60 with camper 11 mpg



97 psd r/c 4x4 4. 10 zf-5 3 1/2 inch straight pipe, flat bed, tool boxes and tanks. 8,000 lb empty 255/85 16

empty 60 mph 11 mpg

 

[joesoot]

6 speed, 3. 55s

highway: 18

city: 16

 

[DSmith1]

17. 5 mpg towing 5k with 70% country roads 60mph 30% town



21. 1 mpg empty with 70% country roads 60mph 30% town



22. 3 mpg empty with 100% highway 65mph



19. 1 mpg empty with 100% highway 70mph



Big difference between 65 and 70 with my truck!



2001 ETH 6 spd 3. 54 4X4



Dean

 

[DFormstone]

2001 5 Speed

Only 6000 miles on the truck.

Pulling a 2000 lb utility trailer I got 18 mpg (imp) running winter grade fuel.

Unloaded city type driving I get 23 mpg (imp) Summer grade fuel.

 

[Big White Beast]

This will kill the curve

Truck wieght 10K lbs... . No unloading it. Almost always do 50/50 Highway/town driving.



Stock 10. 5 MPG, Either 3:54 or 4:10 gears didn't matter.



Added EZ, first tank 13. 1, WooHoo things were looking up.



Second tank 12. 5 and been there ever since. Added the DD2's and it dropped to 12 then got the transmission mods done and back to 12. 5 MPG.



I tried babying a tank to see if it would be better and nothing changed so the he!! with babying it!



Got 17,000 on her now so it should be broken in. Still think somethins not quite right but can't put my finger on it. I know between my weight and driving style I'm not going to get 16 but 14 does not sound unreasonable. Have to keep playing till I find it.



Garrett

 

[LSMITH]

Unloaded at an average of 60 MPH=23 MPG.

Unloaded at an average of 70 MPH=21 MPG.

Unloaded at an average of 80 MPH=18 MPG (Omaha to Denver is a long haul).

Around town unloaded =18 MPG.

Low tank ever is 16. 5, cold, towing boat and lots of wind. Truck info in sig. Hope this helps.

 

[DKelch]

Fuel info for 1998. 5, QC, SB, AT:



Summer fuel - unloaded 80% highway/20% city = 20 mpg



Winter fuel - unloaded 80% highway/20% city = 16 mpg (lots of idling to keep warm... me of course)



Summer fuel - towing (5,500 lbs) 80% highway/20% city = 15 mpg



Winter fuel - don't do enough towing in the winter to provide solid data.



I have a 2001. 5 HO too, but only have 500 miles on it... too early to tell.



Good luck!!!



Oops, almost forgot the most important thing. The mpgs are based on 65 mph.

 

[RGRAT1618]

UNLOADED AT ABOUT 70 MPH : 15MPG

LOADED AT 70 MPH(9000 LBS TRAILER) : 12 MPG



UNLOADED AT ABOUT 60 MPH : 18. 5 MPG

LOADED AT 60 MPH(9000 LBS TRAILER) : 15 MPG





IF IT HELPS AT ALL I AM IN A VERY HILLY AREA. I THINK THAT IS WHY I DO NOT GET AS GOOD MPG AS SOME DO.



I HAVE 4. 10'S AND AN AUTO TRANS.

 

[Posm]

Unloaded 60 to 65 MPH I get 19. 5 to 20. 5 MPG

Loaded with 22. 5 GVCW I get 12 MPG at 65 to 70 MPH



Wind is a bigger factor than load with my truck. I can go 80 and cut the mileage to 14 unloaded. Also, I frequently pull a load with a GCVW of only 14 K that is tall and a large wind drag and my mileage will go down to 10. 5 MPG at 70 MPH.



The Edge EZ helped my mileage about 2 MPG across the board.



I have checked 90 % of the driving I have done. I have logged over 100K in the last 18 months.

 

[boonsur]

I have 4. 10's and get 13-15mpg, mostly unloaded.



I think this is par for the 4. 10's. The people getting 18-22 mpg usually have the 3. 54's.

 

[Pit Bull]

See Sig. for truck information

15 - 16 unloaded around town.

20 unloaded hiway 60 mph 1900 - 2000 rpm

17 unloaded hiway 70 mph 2100 rpm

never run it loaded, its just a toy

By the way I weigh it at a truck stop, 7430 lbs with 3/4 tank of gas and no one in the truck. Hope this helps.

 

[Ray Torresdal]

FUEL MILEAGE

18. 25 MPG. FOR 61,000 + MILES. I haven't kept loaded and empty miles seperate. '01 ETC, empty weight 7000, 5 speed, 3. 54 rear, 4X4. ray

 

[rono]

Highway, 19 mpg. - try to keep it at 70mph.



Combination Hwy. and town. 17mpg.



39k miles

 

[TxDieselKid]

a class project on diesel trucks...I did that to....

auto trynny, 3:54 rear gear.



Unloaded (virgin truck) -

22 highway

18 city (insted of city read "hotrod")



AJB

 

[RJOL]

I get 18mpg hiway, unloaded, 65-70mph, totally stock engine, 18,000 miles. When the truck was new (not broken in) I got about 16mpg.



When towing my 11,500 5th wheel, I get anywhere from 9-12 mpg depending on terrain...