CCCRRRAAAAPPPPYYYY Fuel Mileage

[betterthanstock]

Thanks for all the info. Sounds like the combination of winter fuel and a heavy foot is my problem. Looks like I'll just have to slow it down a little.



Once I get the fuel filter changed and air ntake installed I hope things will work out.



Bob

Try this. Once you are on cruise control on freeway, reset mpg gauge. Let it stabilize for one mile. Now slow down or speed up 10 mph, reset gauge and watch it after one mile. That way you can have an idea how mileage goes.

It may be like 19 at 60, 17 at 70, 14 at 80.

 

[GHarman]

This is abolutely not true. It will cause you to lose MPG.



For me, I changed my air filter to a drop in Amsoil EAa189 (I think) and put their synthetic 15-40 back in and my mileage has gone up 2. 5 MPG. Yes this is hand calculated. This is slightly more than amount I lost when I switched back to dino oil last year since I was still using the Fleetguard air filter. I have also changed all of the other fluids in the drivetrain to (hopefully) better quality synthetic than factory. Flame suit on!:-laf

Absolutely!? Have you tried it? What were the driving conditions used to make this determination? On my vehicle, this works. I am not against changing all the other stuff. But driving with a 6'X2. 5' windcatcher is definitely detrimental to the aerodynamic efficiency of a vehicle, especially at highway speeds. I would think that anything that changes aerodynamics and increases drag on the new, slick shaped trucks would be noticeable. Unless , of course you drive it with the pedal to the floor. Believe it or not, your choice. It doesn't cost anything to try this suggestion. GregH

 

[mberry]

Absolutely!? Have you tried it? What were the driving conditions used to make this determination? On my vehicle, this works. I am not against changing all the other stuff. But driving with a 6'X2. 5' windcatcher is definitely detrimental to the aerodynamic efficiency of a vehicle, especially at highway speeds. I would think that anything that changes aerodynamics and increases drag on the new, slick shaped trucks would be noticeable. Unless , of course you drive it with the pedal to the floor. Believe it or not, your choice. It doesn't cost anything to try this suggestion. GregH

I'm not a physicist or aerodynamic engineer, so I can't properly explain it, but MIT did a study and proved that lowering or removing the tailgate INCREASED drag, thus lowering fuel economy. The best economy improvment came with a hard tonneu cover or bed cap of some kind. They even have the video of their wind tunnel tests. I did not intend to get into an argument with you and hijack this thread. If it works for I'm happy for you.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

They did it on Mythbusters too and clearly came to the same conclusion- leave the tailgate up. With it up you sort of create a sphere of circulating air in the bed, then the air swooping over the cab rolls smoothly across this bubble of air. With the tailgate down there is no "bubble," and the air flowing over the cab becomes turbulent in the bed, creating more drag.

That's the theory anyway

 

[jmorse]

I am getting very crappy mileage... . 13. 3-14 mpg only and getting about 400miles to a tank... is this correct for an 05 ram ctd? Only mods right now are no muffler. Air Intake should be in next week. I am changing my fuel filter this weekend. I do about 50/50 highway/city traveling on a daily basis.



Is there a way to get better fuel mileage? Does my computer need to be flashed. I do hear a ticking (yes I know ctd make noises) sound out of the engine, so I may drop it off to the dealership to have it looked over while its still under warranty.



Thanks

Bob

I have the same basic truck as yours and check the mileage @ every fill up. We average 16. 9 mpg. This is figured without the overhead and is city/hwy. driving. I do know that our hwy mpg went down a half mpg when we installed our fiberglass cap on the bed. The best we ever got on a trip is 21 mpg. The truck is completely stock.



Jim

'99 3500 C&C

'05 2500 QC,4x4,Auto,SB,3:73

'07 3500 C&C,4x4,3:73,6. 7L

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I read that supposedly the bed covers help MPG, but I've never seen any studies or experimented with that myself. I have seen a slight MPG drop with a canopy, but not sure if it's from the extra weight, drag, or both.

 

[DZLROKET]

Just a thought. If you are running empty, nothing in the bed, remove the tailgate! Store it in a safe place. Get some breakin miles on it while driving without that big air dam. Running an empty pickup with the tailgate up is like trying to fly an airplane with the flaps down. Then try all that other stuff. GregH

I have heard that forever but I read an indepth report in TDR mag. Said there was NO discernable difference in MPG with tailgate or without!

 

[ronman]

Count your blessings...

I had an '06 Ford 6. 0L SD for 13K miles and I can tell you what real bad fuel mileage is... Best I ever got with me being an angel with the loud pedal was 16. 3 on the highway, around town was 12-13 and towing my 8K lb 28ft enclosed car trailer was in the 8's and 9's. I think the slushbox and 20" factory wheels hurt the MPG quite a bit. I traded it for an '06 CTD in January Oo. , and with 283 miles on the truck, I got 19. 9 on the highway, hand calculated. I'm hoping for a little better as the truck breaks in, like a little closer to the 23 mpg highway that my 2gen 12V used to give me, but even if I don't, I'm completely satisfied with my choice to move back to CDT.

 

[Ram Rod]

I read that supposedly the bed covers help MPG, but I've never seen any studies or experimented with that myself. I have seen a slight MPG drop with a canopy, but not sure if it's from the extra weight, drag, or both.

A friend of mine put one on his FERD, and claims he got 1. 5 to 2 mpg out of it.

 

[RCarrillo]

InfernoB, Would that be Republic of California? Too Many No Signs there for me!

You need BOMBS! RikaRio

 

[RJOL]

I've averaged just under 14mpg on my 3500 dually since new (18K). This is mostly in town driving with 7-8 5th wheel tows a year.



Here is how I fixed the mileage. I bought a used 2005 Hyundai Elantra that gets 26 in town and 34 on the highway. I parked my 3500 (haven't filled the tank since early November 06) and just use it for heavy towing, and once or twice a month to get it up to operating temps. Works for me... :-laf

 

[Elsbury]

This was one of my rants when I got my CTD. wasn't getting better than my hemi. I used the latest triple dog flash to Stock, I think it's 2. 3. 8 and my mileage increased to 20. 2 at 70 mph. Thats with the 35s and 3. 73 gears 4x4.

Hand calc. overhead reads about 2/10s low. I can live with that.

 

[DPKetchum]

Mine stays parked a lot. Fixing to turn 26k on it. My primery wheels is a 06 Black Mercury Gran Marquis 4. 6. Always gets 25/26 mpg with all bells and whistles and folkes move OVER when I approach from the rear.

 

[ronman]

A friend of mine put one on his FERD, and claims he got 1. 5 to 2 mpg out of it.

The mileage numbers I quoted for my '06 Ford were WITH a bed cover. Forgot to mention that. Truck was totally stock except for a reflash the dealer did to solve long crank when cold and poor fuel economy. Reflash helped crank time, but not mileage. When I put the bed cover on, mileage didn't go up.

 

[HSpiering]

Try this. Once you are on cruise control on freeway, reset mpg gauge. Let it stabilize for one mile. Now slow down or speed up 10 mph, reset gauge and watch it after one mile. That way you can have an idea how mileage goes.

It may be like 19 at 60, 17 at 70, 14 at 80.

not so i tried it and with the "sweet spot" at 1900- 2100 rpms on the 06. i found my milage on the over head went up from 19 mpg to 23 mpg as i traveled from 60 to 70 mph. at 60 mph i had 1600 rpms. at 70 i made it to 1900 rpms. have not traveled long enough at that speed to see what differance on a long trip would be.

________________

06 4X4 with canopy

 

[ACamilli]

SWEET SPOT... ... My 06 3500 DRW 4x4 auto 3. 73 turns 1500 rpm at 55; 1800 rpm at 65; and 2200 at 7500. I get 12. 5 around town with winter blend, and 22 mpg highway 55 cruise control.

I always thought the lower the rpm the less fuel you use. Am I to understand that I may get better mileage at 65mph? I know all the info on the 2nd gen 24valver, like my 99... ... but my 3rd generations sweet spot per TDR is 1800-2200 rpm. Your thoughts?

 

[HSpiering]

i see page 18 feb issue TDR hp engine is 1900 rpm-2100. my 94 1600-1700 sweet spot. cruse at 55 i sat at 1600 rpm. got good milage at 55 then with my 94. now i see the over head reads better at 70 than 60 mph with my 06 ??? so with out a long trip of say 300- 400 miles flat ground trying it both ways i don't know. have yet to do that but will next long trip. maybe some one who lives in Kansas can help us out. also not sure if the peak preformance area of the motor = best mpg. only telling what i read on the over head.

____________________________

06 4x4 std cab

 

[CBrahs]

With the 48RE transmission, 37 inch tires, 3. 73 gears and my speedo reading 65 (which is actually 78mph) i get between 17. 9-18. 2 mpg. It has gotten better and better the more i drive it. There are some plans in the future for mods and will post the results on mileage.



EDIT- the only mod so far is the 5 in turbo back exhaust with flow thru muffler and kitty died.

 

[Tinsmith3]

The 04. 5 I had was getting 14-15 pulling a 12k trailer and 18-20 in town and lite hiway driving. But I didn't see these numbers until I hit 45K. The 01' I had was getting better mileage then the 04' but not until I hit 50k. Until them both of them Sucked. I moded the 04' up to the hilt thinking I could get better mileage. It didn't and it never paid for it's self, speed and high EGT are mileage killers.

Am I ever glad I didn't wait and get a 6. 7, they are going to be crying all the way to the fuel pump.

 

[MCummings]

Am I ever glad I didn't wait and get a 6. 7, they are going to be crying all the way to the fuel pump.

EB is only getting 1-2MPG worse with his 30,000 mile 6. 7 Automatic, than he was with his 300,000+mile '03 6-speed 4. 10 truck...



Merrick