help...06' poor MPG

[BHolm]

So no mods..... You don't live in the Rockies so you aren't dealing with altitude.

I actually have found that ALL of my vehicles get BETTER milage in the mountains, at altitude, than they do down low on the flats. Coming across Nebraska last week, cruise set at 80, I was getting 13-14mpg. Once through Denver and up into the mountains I gained enough mpg to bring my trip average (1400 mile trip, 350 of it in the rockies) up by over 1 mpg (hand calc). This was with me running it HARD uphill every chance I had.

 

[wcjp]

My 06' has a cat.

 

[ilovetrains]

I've had my 05 since late June, and it has 27K on it. I get pretty steady 16-17 mpg. If I run it over 72 that will drop rapidly, but I have the G56. The last pull was a little over 6K, mostly interstate in the 75 mph range, and it was about 13 mpg. So yeah, your numbers seem low.



BUT - my truck went through something between 5K and 10K where the mileage would be fine for 100 miles and then be crap for the next 500. It was weird. At one point I took it in after getting 10 mpg on a round trip to Chicago pulling empty 2K trailer there and about 5K of rust back. They told me the fuel was bad. It did get better. If I stay out of it in town I can get over 20 mpg, but I do not have that kind of self discipline.

 

[Rodboy]

Burner,



I understand. I have about 1500 miles on my 06' and if I was getting that kind of mileage I would be hollaring in my dealer ear every day until they did something. Mine is a quad cad dually, 6spd with 3. 73's and I am averaging about 14 with combined stop and go and highway driving. I pulled an empty 24 ft featherlite stock trailer about 250 miles the night i bought the truck and averaged 12 mpg on that trip. I dont know what to tell you other than to let it breath better if you can.



Simalar situation, my dealer told me about a guy who had bought an 06 one month before mine and had come back saying his mileage was suffering terribly. They pulled the fuel filter and it was toast. He had gotten some bad fuel and killed his filter, water in the fuel. The dealer showed my the little drain valve by the filter and told me to be sure and let a little out every other time I filled up. Its a little yellow knob right in front of the filter there. Hope that helps a little.

 

[Burner]

Thanks for the kind words. I don't know how much you have read but I did change my fuel-filter and it hasn't helped.



... ... . I do hope everyone had a Merry Christmas.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Careful if you switch. Guy delivered a backhoe I sold to upstate New York with an 05 Dmax... 520 miles. He got around 7 mpg on that trip.



His biggest complaint is the mileage.



They are all getting less mileage because of the added emissions controls and the higher power levels they are running.



With the Dodges it seems the 03-04 CR engines are better mileage wise. The 04. 5 switch to the 600 Series knocked off 1-2 mpg because of the redesign and added injection event.



It's getting to the point where diesels only advantage in a light duty pickup truck is it's pulling ability where it used to be cheaper fuel AND higher mileage.



Now we pay $5000 extra for the priviledge of paying more for fuel. They don't give anybody a break anymore. Anywhere someone is getting away with saving a buck the system finds a way to "equalize" us.



Burner, if I was in your shoes I would not let up on Dodge until they could somehow prove without a doubt your truck is normal. I don't believe it is.



Swexlin on here has the same problem but he isn't persuing it. I believe he has never seen over 14 mpg empty. He has a dually with a 600 also.

 

[DPKetchum]

Actually it seems like 4. 10s with the auto is a better combo then auto with 3. 73s. IF you tow at a SANE speed. I NEVER tow faster then 70 and mainly 65/68 mph. My neighbor hauls horses for a living. Same deal 65/68 mph. I could CARE about the idiots that pull at 75 plus mph as long as they don't kill someone in the process. Anything over 2000 rpm on these engines and mileage is in the crapper. The 93 HAD 160H. P. The 03 tuck pulls 150% better then my old 93 did with lots of MODS and gets hands down better mileage. Pulling or unladen. My neighbors 05 dually auto 3. 73 pulls ok BUT he says my 6 speed 4. 10s pulls a lot easier and more user friendly in mountains and switchbacks towing. He said never 3. 73s with a auto again. Comments its NOT in the sweet spot towing until 70/72 mpg and thats too fast for him. Also said on the BIG inclines in eaither lugs or downshifts and screams. He pulls app. 8k and I pull 10k with mileage being close on both both trucks towing. His gets better mileage then mine not towing hands down.

 

[BHolm]

Thanks... .....





I'll try to get'er done..... try. I've battled like this before. I'm just about ready to "swap" trucks. I've found out that agrivation and stress are far more expensive than swap'n trucks. Maybe the Dealer will be kind and let me swap it for a different truck... I doubt it but maybe.





... . strange thing is, once I get it where I want and broken-in..... I'll bomb it. :-laf

You know... . I think you are really on to something. Considering the serious amount of hassle it is going to be to A) get somebody to admit there is actually something wrong... and B) get them to take the time/effort to actually DO something about it you probably will be WAY ahead in terms of aggravation and wasted time, not to mention migraines from talking to the idiots they employ at DC "customer service".



I would stick with the Dodge. Wouldn't hurt to ask the dealer what kind of "deal" he can make you on a different new '06. If they want to keep you as a customer they might be willing to make it work.

 

[JCleary]

Sag2 mentioned there's a TSB for the '06 trucks. I think it's a flash to deal with white smoke at startup, better gauge performance, and I *believe* mileage, but I'm not sure.



This was in the last week or so.

 

[TFucili]

You know... . I think you are really on to something. Considering the serious amount of hassle it is going to be to A) get somebody to admit there is actually something wrong... and B) get them to take the time/effort to actually DO something about it you probably will be WAY ahead in terms of aggravation and wasted time, not to mention migraines from talking to the idiots they employ at DC "customer service".



I would stick with the Dodge. Wouldn't hurt to ask the dealer what kind of "deal" he can make you on a different new '06. If they want to keep you as a customer they might be willing to make it work.

I tried that approach as I was fighting my way toward Lemon Law on my '04 Chevy. They wanted me to take a HUGE(like $12,000)hit on the deal. Instead, I hung in there and forced Gimmick Motors to buy it back. The dealer actually had the gall to tell me not to hold it against them when they had jerked me around at every opportunity.

 

[MOliveira]

I also have an 06 with 7k on it. Mileage sucks. Took it to the dealer today, reflash has nothing to do with mileage. Service tech says he has had lots of complaints on 06 mileage. Got the same BS about break-in does not occur until 15k or better. I believe the 06 is under different EPA standards and is set up differently than previous years. I've had a 98 and an 01, both got around 20mpg with no mod's. How could they screw up a good thing?

 

[johncameron]

I also have an 06 with 7k on it. Mileage sucks. Took it to the dealer today, reflash has nothing to do with mileage. Service tech says he has had lots of complaints on 06 mileage. Got the same BS about break-in does not occur until 15k or better. I believe the 06 is under different EPA standards and is set up differently than previous years. I've had a 98 and an 01, both got around 20mpg with no mod's. How could they screw up a good thing?

EMISSIONS :{ :{ :{ :{ :{ :-{}

 

[Burner]

Well, if we all agree what the problem is..... let's find a way to kill it or at least reduce it's detriment to fuel economy.



... . maybe we'll find a *Smarty* way to deal with it.



I say Marco, you say Polo..... :-laf

 

[NDanecker]

I never will understand how a lower emissions truck that burns 50-75% more fuel is better for the environment.



Here are my experiences:



- stock got around 19mpg

- installed lift and 315's, mileage varied from 21 mpg highway (running easy at 65mph) to 11 mpg towing. 315's with 3. 73 gears is the WRONG setup for towing.

- installed juice, same mileage or slightly increased on setting #1, forget level #5

- installed buckstop bumper. lost ~ 1 to 1. 5 mpg overall

- swapped 3. 73 gears to 4. 10 for towing purposes, mileage decreased to about 16-17 cruising at 65 to 13 towing (9k lb enclosed car hauler 9 ft tall)



Now getting bed cover hoping this will help with commuter miles running empty.



My advise to you is don't back down from the dealer. Stay on them... maybe ask to have the injector's checked! 10-11 mpg empty is WAY LOW from what I've been reading.



I feel your frustration. I don't like the crappy mileage I've been getting either, even though I'm not running the BEST setup for mileage (2wd, stock, 3. 73 gears, 6spd, 2 door, etc. ) My '97 Chevy Suburban 2500 with 350 and 4. 10 gears pulled my previous box trailer getting 11-12 mpg. My Dodge stock before mods got around 14 pulling the same trailer. Not that much of a difference to justify the diesel when you JUST look at fuel cost... . but these trucks are apples and oranges when looking at the trucks themselves, how 'well' they tow these loads up grades, etc.

 

[MOliveira]

I am going with the air intake theory. Does anyone know of an aftermarket product that can be installed to increase or should I say "be less restrictive" on the intake. One thing I've learned is the "techs" at the dealer don't know what the h@#$ they are talking about. Everything is "just give it time". I agree time will probably increase mpg by about 1 to 2, not 6 to 8. The way I feel I spent an extra $5,000 for a diesel, an extra 30 cents per gallon for fuel, and I get the mileage of gas rig. There are to many guys out there with 06's that are complaining about mpg for it to be an isolated truck or two. DC definantly changed something. I agree you can not compare 04's, 05's to the 06. Guys with 06's, any one out there with the traditonal mpg???

 

[RMachida]

I never will understand how a lower emissions truck that burns 50-75% more fuel is better for the environment.

Burning the unburned fuel from incomplete combustion in the cat is easier than getting more complete combustion with low NOx in the engine.

 

[NDanecker]

Burning the unburned fuel from incomplete combustion in the cat is easier than getting more complete combustion with low NOx in the engine.

Don't fully understand your statement. Are you saying its easier/cheaper (from a truck manufacturer's viewpoint) to just slap a cat in a truck to correct the NOx output vs. designing/building a motor that gets higher HP by COMPLETELY (or as much as possible) burning fuel intake?

 

[Burner]

In parts per million..... ya toss an extra amount of fuel "after" the combustion event to fool the system. Emissions are based on partical count, not MPG. ... . I'm pretty sure.

 

[RMachida]

Don't fully understand your statement. Are you saying its easier/cheaper (from a truck manufacturer's viewpoint) to just slap a cat in a truck to correct the NOx output vs. designing/building a motor that gets higher HP by COMPLETELY (or as much as possible) burning fuel intake?

I'll go with the easier since cost ends up being borne by the consumer. In general, lower combustion temperatures mean lower NOx and probably less complete combustion. Then clean up the unburned hydrocarbons using a cat. I remember a lot of discussion years ago speculating on how maufactuers were ever going to meet NOx emmisions on diesels.



More complete burning would probably be a result of higher combustion temperatures resulting in higher NOx emmisions that they can't get rid of easily. Manufactuers have known how to get rid of unburned hydrocarbons for decades.



This was discussed in some detail in other threads but I can't remember the subjects.

 

[CampbellB]

Just traded my 99 Quad cad, 4x4, 5 speed for an 06 Mega, 4x4, auto. Man I love it.

Anyways, the 99 got 18 mpg empty and about 15 mpg towing.

The Mega got 17 mpg on the highway driving about 200 miles @ 60 mph on the way home from the dealer. It's dropped off to about 15 mpg around town. Haven't towed with it yet