9.1 mpg

[Kurt Henzler]

i now have 6500 miles on 3500 g-56 3. 73 mega cab. i am towing the same trailer i had with my 03 that at it worst (first 2000 miles) got 11. 5 or better. do i have a problem , or is this the new mileage i will be getting. it is almost 100 miles less per tank on the same roads , same speed, same trailer. i can not blame it on the gearing , because i am under 50 mph and in 5 th gear most time.

 

[Cummins Thunder]

What kind of RPM are you turning at the speed you travel most?

 

[Cummins Cowboy]

I have a sneaking suspecion that its either the new electronics or the new fuel blend that is causeing our mileage to suck, my '06 is down at least 10% from what my '02 would get, and thats a lot of fuel with you are barely in the double digits. It wouldn't suprise me a bit that we are acutally polluting more, because the fuel has to be going somewhere, it sure as heck is less efficient that it used to be. I am still below 6k and the truck does seem to be getting better as more miles get put on

 

[Kurt Henzler]

i travel at 2000 rpm or less most of time. it is not the fuel because i had both the 03 and 06 at the same time, with the same fuel and there was still a 25% difference

 

[Hoefler]

It is a third gen thing. I found if you can keep your rpm between 2000 and 2200, it will run better and get better mileage. I found on a trip to Talladega, approx. 1500 miles, I would get 1-1. 5 mpg more running 75 mph at 2050 rpm than running 65 mph around 1900 rpm. I was pulling a 14k 36' fifth wheel on I 40 in Arkansas. No mods at the time, egts were running 900* with a consitant 20lbs of boost. The transmission would stay in gear, before it would shift down at any little grade. When it down shifted, I would see egts go to 1450* quick and 30 -32 lbs of boost.

 

[klenger]

Have you tried towing in 6th gear at those speeds. I can tow my 5er in the 1500-2000 RPM range, depending on grade.

 

[p-Bar]

You need to put some miles on , alot of guys are seeing better mileage when they get 30k on em'

 

[CumminsBu]

Put it in 6th gear. The G56 with 3. 73 is equal to NV5600 with 4. 10.

 

[Cattletrkr]

Don't worry about it. My '01 got about 11. 5mpg towing and when I got the new '04. 5 I was down around 9mpg, sometimes under. It took a while to jump, but it now gets just as good of mileage as the '01 did. Don't be shy of the redline. The computer knows when to stop fueling, your "job" during break-in is to make sure it gets there. You're gonna sweat a little when it gets up to 3500rpm, but don't worry. I wouldn't hold that rpm for very long, but get it up there and loosen things up a bit.



My '04. 5 jumped up in mpg at about the 6K mark, but the '01 took until 12K. You've still got a ways to go. I wouldn't just mash your right foot, but run the rpm's up and hold 'em for a few seconds.



You do not want to break-in your engine at lower rpm's.

 

[MMeier]

You need to put some miles on , alot of guys are seeing better mileage when they get 30k on em'

I didn't. Get the same mileage now at 154k that I did at 15k. However , my "new " 93 I just got this week broke 20 MPG with a plugged air filter with out even trying , with strong head/cross winds!

 

[TowPro]

i now have 6500 miles on 3500 g-56 3. 73 mega cab. i am towing the same trailer i had with my 03 that at it worst (first 2000 miles) got 11. 5 or better. do i have a problem , or is this the new mileage i will be getting. it is almost 100 miles less per tank on the same roads , same speed, same trailer. i can not blame it on the gearing , because i am under 50 mph and in 5 th gear most time.

What's it doing empty? I have an 06, 3500 srw same trans and gears. At 65mph (less then 1000 miles on truck) I as towing 10K and getting 11. 5. Now at 7000 miles its starting to get a little better, but I took a different route on the last trip. The new route had me doing 55mph and I got 13. 5.



I am getting 19. 5 empty running combination back country roads, and 55 on the highway. Every time I take the RV out I notice a little better MPG the following week.

 

[MA2LA]

I'm in the same boat. my 99 auto /3. 55 at worse got 11mpg with 10k behind it running the snott out of it up some decent grades yet my 06 only got 9. 5 with the same trailer either empty and loaded it didn't change much, ddaily its about 15mpg mixed with highway and city. and the factory MPG computer sucks, i wish i got what it says.

 

[Kurt Henzler]

overhead

the overhead is really nice , just take off 2. 1 and it is right on

 

[CUMMINZ]

I am grossing 23. 5k and making trips into the BlueRidge with several very steep grades and Interstate driving holding it to 65mph and getting 10. 5 - 11. 5. I am a light footer when I tow.



#ad




REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11TH.

by artist. . My 7 year old grand-son



#ad

 

[ENafziger]

When my '06 had about 7,000 on it, I towed a 6,000 lb load from knoxville to nashville, and the overhead got down to 8. 3 mpg! Needless to say, I've now got 20,000 miles on it, and recently got 15 mpg with same load. The mods have helped fuel mileage a little (with the exception of the SPS 66 turbo), but I suspect most of the increase came from things breaking in a bit. Hang in there...

 

[jandr]

the overhead is really nice , just take off 2. 1 and it is right on

I've heard so many different stories about fuel mileage there must be several variables plus a certain amount of luck involved.

Just the difference in trucks I guess. My overhead on the 2006 generally reads . 5 to 1. 5 mpg less than hand calc. (topped off) Empty, driving on highways, rural roads and town it gets from 18 to 19. 5 mpg average. 21. 28mpg the highest so far. I hand calc every tank. It has approx. 17k mi. but has been this way since new. I towed a loaded trailer, approx. 11k, 300 miles, unloaded and towed the empty 4. 5k trailer back 200 miles, filled up and calced out at 15. 8mpg driving 50 to 60 mph. (took my time) also had some long grades. Happy with that.

My 2001 always carries a 1000lbs. and averages 16 to 17 mpg. Now has 163k miles. From what I read, I was expecting my '06 to get less than my '01 but... ... ... surprise, surprise! No noticeable changes in mpg before, during or after break in.

 

[Lonestar]

My 06' was getting 12-13 empty for the first 12k. At 12-15k, it has started getting closer to 14-15 empty, with a couple of tanks here recently at almost 16. All of these were empty, and hand calc'd. My overhead normally reads about 1. 5mpg lower than actual.



KEEP ON TRUCKIN'

Lonestar

 

[Bob Wagner]

keep up on the lastest software updates from chrysler. The newer software releases should help mpg's

 

[ColemanR]

Mine Started Out At 9mpg Bout Had A Heartattack My 12v Got 12to 14 Towing 11000lb Trailer More Miles It Will Get Better Still Improving At 91000 Miles Im Up To 12 To 14 Empty 18 To 21 Empty Very Happy Now

 

[ColemanR]

Oops That Was12 To 14 Towing