Best fuel milage

[jaird]

I know that fuel milage has been discussed a lot on this forum and I don't want a rehash but I would like to know what is the best fuel milage that can be realistically attained with a CTD stock or modified?

 

[TFucili]

I have a friend who is a retired Mopar engineer. He owns a former '03 CTD test mule. It is 2WD, Auto, and has the low-output common rail engine. I believe it is 235 HP, but not positive on that. He gets 26+ empty if he keeps it at 55. In contrast, my former '05(boy do I miss that truck)was 4WD, auto, with the 325/610 engine, wouldn't get 20 empty, down hill with a tail wind. Towing yielded 11-13 for an average trailer.

 

[jgillott]

Our 3rd gens are 17-18mpg average trucks.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

My 2500 DRW averages 14 but could reach 18/19 when it was SRW. 10/11 towing.

 

[BLNRAY]

03 6 speed,4.10 rears 394,000mi get 17-19 non towing,hand calculated.

 

[Newt]

We got smart phones last December. I installed the fuel log app. In the last year, I have gotten as low as 8.5 MPG towing in a heavy wind. I have gotten as high as 12.2 MPG towing. It's usually in the 10-11 MPG range. Empty not towing, I have gotten as low as 12.2 MPG. The last 2 tanks have been hwy at 60 MPH, 15.4 & 15.9 MPG.

Stone stock 09 QC, 4X4, 3:73, scale wt 8,800#, gross wt with 5th wheel 24,400#

Newt

 

[jaird]

Thanks for your replies. Your results mirror mine.

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas.

 

[Regcabguy]

13.5 mpg city,highway combined every tank. 2000# popup,34" tires,g-56,Smarty on sw#5 default. I try and keep the rpm's at 2000 rpm or lower. This is identical to what my 24 valve got w/auto,DTT,mach 1.6's and Edge EZ,same load. Removing the camper yields a 3 mpg+ increase.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I have had 1997, early 2004, and now 2013. All of them got/get 17-19 highway solo with some mountains, 75 mph. All got/get 14-15 city, 11-12 towing a big frontal area trailer that weighs 4000-8000 lb, about 13 towing an open trailer with a car on it, about 15 highway with the open trailer empty. With more timing, my 215 hp version of the 1997 could get around 20 at 65-70 mph. I haven't tried that speed with the 2013 but it got around 19 at 75 on I-40 which has some elevation (up to 7000 ft).

Some will claim better, but often when asked for details, they are at or near sea level, on the flats, and driving gently at 60-65 mph. Out west, the destination is too far away for that, etc. I feel that my 2013 while heavier than the other years I had by 500-1400 lb, will do as well in the real world as them. The torque curve of the new 6.7L and the 3.42 gears work well together.

The TDR has said for about 20 years that you will lose about 1 mpg for dually, or for 4 wheel drive. You will also lose mpg for a lift kit with big tires, high speeds, and sometimes for a huge aftermarket front bumper.

 

[WStrmiska]

Drove from Tracy, Ca. to Flagstaff, Arizona non stop, 721 miles, 32.142 gal. @ $2.20 per gal. back in May 2004, 22.431 miles per gal. @ 60 mph. Kept all my gas tags and kept a record of mileage. Was making a trip to North Carolinia to pick up a living quarter horse trailer, 7328 lbs empty. Round trip 5780 miles, over I got even 22 mpg, back I got 17.3 mpg. I love my truck.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

My 2012 2500 has produced the mileage figures Joe Donnelly quotes in its first 11,000 miles of use. It is stock in all respects influencing mileage, and is 4WD. I think my travel trailer would definitely be a "large frontal area" type of trailer - it is a big shoebox on axles and wheels.

Note: I do not use my truck for city driving - the only city driving it sees is incidental when we get to wherever we are going.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

I need to amend my comments - Joe drives faster than I do. My mileage comes at running 68 mph to 72 mph empty (a mile or two over the interstate speed limits where I have gone) and 62 mph to 68 mph towing (just under the interstate speed limits when towing - so I don't get run over!).

I have experimented some - when I get to about 75 mph the mileage drops off precipitously with each additional mile per hour. I did 80 mph for two hours on a flat stretch running empty - the EVIC said 14 mpg.

 

[AH64ID]

#ad

 

[JMetzger]

In Oct I drove to South Windsor, CT from Greenwood, IN. 842.7 miles & put in 33.9 gal fuel = 24.85 MPG. Towing I would get any where from 13 to 15 towing a 10,000 pd trailer. Have always been happy with mileage. I drive the speed limits so I don't have to look out for the cops. 2002 Quad Cab HO Cummins, 6 speed.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I agree that mpg drops with mph increases. I used to drive 78 mph on the interstate, and found that slowing to 72-74 helped. IIRC, about 1 mpg or more.

 

[LFalconer]

2006 CTD in sig with 4:10 and 48RE - 65- 70 mph hiway - 17 to 18. Push to 75-80 - 15 mpg. Pulling 14K trailer with hay locally - 13. Mixed hiway, town driving 15ish.

Luke

 

[jwduke]

Best mpg I have ever got, was from Kansas City to Springfield, MO. Driving @ 65 mph, I got 22.14 hand figured with my 2004.5. Towing, when we had our Holiday Rambler 5th wheel, I could get 13.5 mpg towing at 65 mph... Lets NOT talk about the mpg (8 - 11 mpg) I get pulling our Hitchhiker 5th wheel! Love the camper but HEAVY!!

 

[raxley]

mileage with 2 WD with shell stock injectors with Smarty #9 stock turbo/S400 at 60 mi

I've checked my mileage a lot, I keep a log of when, where, how much etc. gas and service in a notepad. When I go to the bay area from Sacramento I drive at 60 mph, it's a few feet (maybe 75 feet) above sea level, and it's flat. I baby it, and I get 23 mpg. In town I average about 16, and if I drive it hard, hot rodding it, I'll get below 10 mpg easy, usually I don't even check, it can really burn the diesel when you 'hot rod' it.
I'm hoping to get another mile or 2 per gallon if and when I get 40 hp injectors. It's kind of a low truck, and I think that the front air dam under the bumper probably helps some, maybe the shell a little too.

 

[mfurrh55]

Mine usually gets around 18 empty, 13 - 14 pulling D/R trailer, Unless i go to Col. or Utah, then it gets about 2 mpg better, only thing i can figure is the altitude, seems it always gets better fuel mileage up in higher altitudes, my 01 didn't though,anybody else had this experience?, By the way i always drive 68 mph on the highway, best mileage at that speed,Monte

 

[spin05]

I just bought my 2004.5 auto with 3.73 gears 4x4 and per the overhead computor anyway.The best ive got is 17.2 on flat at 60mph. i average like 14.6 or so it seems. I have not done the math yet the manual way..........