help...06' poor MPG

[MOliveira]

That's actually pretty good mileage. It should get better. I just wish my 06 got close to that. Let me know if you get any intermittent long cranking times before ignition. Mine only did it once every ten times. Now it is happening about one out of five. The tech at the dealer says it's because "these engines have a hig copression" and require more cranking time. What a crock.

 

[jdaigle]

2006 Megacab 3500 4x4 auto, 295x70x17, 4. 10 with 3000 on the odo..... 11. 5 city, 14 highway..... all hand calculated

I'm waiting for the great mileage everyone keeps talking about

I'm waiting for the great mileage everyone keeps talking about

I'm waiting for the great mileage everyone keeps talking about

Hope it comes soon, the bank teller and I are now on a first name basis



Jason

 

[CHolman]

..... why would I want to have this Dodge with "less HP" than my Duramax and "worse" fuel economy? #@$%!







Because the Cummins in the long run will kill your D-Max in reliablity... :-laf

 

[Jeremiah]

DieselLady, re altitude ... I live at 9,000' and drive back and forth to Colorado Springs (6,000') regularly and consistently get 20 mpg up and down the pass. The only time I dropped down into the mid- to upper teens was when I drove down to lower altitude - as in northern Arkansas around 1,000' above sea level. I didn't do very well there, mileage-wise. My truck likes high altitude.

 

[DaughertyD]

06 2500 QC 4x4, 750 miles on the odo. Getting around 17-18 highway. 15 or so in the city. I don't rip on it too hard at this point, but I don't baby it either.

 

[CampbellB]

The 06 definately cranks longer than my 99. Warm, cold, doesn't really seem to change

 

[MOliveira]

You're sh--ing me! What do I got to do to get some decent mileage. I tried every type of driving. The guy at Cummins said mileage will drop running it over 2000rpm so I "cruise" on the fwy at 65 and only getting 13mpg. I am also getting an ulcer driving that slow. I LOVE Dodge. I personally have probably sold dozens to friends and strangers just by letting them know what a great truck they are. But this one???? I painfully survived a Duramax for the last three years waiting for the Mega Cab to finally come out. Now that I got it I can honestly say I am disappointed in it so far. I am not going to give up, there has to be something I can do improve the mileage on this one.

 

[Msilbernagel]

Here's a thought.



Go to your dealer, tell them to grab an identically equipped rig, and you'll pay the fuel to run 200 miles down the interstate and back side by side. If they're within 10% you'll go home, and if not, they'll work on it under warranty until it's fixed.



13 unloaded as you describe, something is wrong - I have to agree with you. Brakes dragging, transmission ill, bearing going south, you don't just lose 4-6 MPG without a decent reason (IMHO )



Mark

---

You're sh--ing me! What do I got to do to get some decent mileage. I tried every type of driving. The guy at Cummins said mileage will drop running it over 2000rpm so I "cruise" on the fwy at 65 and only getting 13mpg. I am also getting an ulcer driving that slow. I LOVE Dodge. I personally have probably sold dozens to friends and strangers just by letting them know what a great truck they are. But this one???? I painfully survived a Duramax for the last three years waiting for the Mega Cab to finally come out. Now that I got it I can honestly say I am disappointed in it so far. I am not going to give up, there has to be something I can do improve the mileage on this one.

 

[bgilbert]

Idle less or not at all, don't be so quick to get from 0-40mph in town. Drive slower on interstate. Try driving the speed limit for awhile. You might be surprised how much your fuel mileage increases. Keep in mind winter fuel will net less fuel mileage.

 

[HMistica]

Idle less or not at all, don't be so quick to get from 0-40mph in town. Drive slower on interstate. Try driving the speed limit for awhile. You might be surprised how much your fuel mileage increases. Keep in mind winter fuel will net less fuel mileage.

I agree with Bill. I did all the above and my average went from 15 mpg to 17 mpg. It takes a lot of patience though. Everybody passes me up and never stays behind me. I have to get on it at least once every trip becuase I ride empty the majority of the time.

 

[DieselLady]

DieselLady, re altitude ... I live at 9,000' and drive back and forth to Colorado Springs (6,000') regularly and consistently get 20 mpg up and down the pass. The only time I dropped down into the mid- to upper teens was when I drove down to lower altitude - as in northern Arkansas around 1,000' above sea level. I didn't do very well there, mileage-wise. My truck likes high altitude.

Wow, that's interesting. I know the area as I lived in the Springs for a while. Gee I wonder, is yours the High Output 03? I hear they come with a little smaller injector believe it or not. Do you think it likes running a little richer at the 9K ft mark? My 99 has the Edge comp and when I put in the larger injectors it smoked more but I really didn't notice much in the way of decreased fuel mileage. But I also turned the comp down to 1 instead or 2 for my daily driving. She is a one screaming truck and I still get good fuel economy. Strange. :-laf

 

[NDanecker]

With swapping out the gears from 3. 73 to 4. 10 to compensate for the 315's I'm running, I noticed I now need to pay attention to RPM's. So, I ran a little test over the same stretch of somewhat flat road.



Using the overhead display as a guide, I found I get the best mileage running around 2050 rpms. This puts the truck at 68 mph. I find if I run around 1600rpm (about 60 mph), mileage goes down about 2 mpg. If I run 75 to 80 mph mileage is also down from its peak by approx. 2 mpg. Again, these numbers are using the overhead display which is why I'm only giving the difference and not actual numbers.

 

[tgrfan2]

On my last calculation mine is getting 15. 1 in the same type driving my 2000 SO automatic 4. 10 got 15 mpg. The only differences so far is I don't have all my "stuff" in the 06 yet and I have never done a 68' two stripe burnout with my SO at any fuel mileage! It was still spinning but I had to stop for a stop sign! I have challenged my friend with an 06 D/A 360/650 to match them. I doubt he could stop for the sign with those GMC brakes even if he could burn 'em!

 

[Burner]

... ... ..... Well, let me know if there is a cure.







Thanks

 

[BHolm]

You're sh--ing me! What do I got to do to get some decent mileage. I tried every type of driving. The guy at Cummins said mileage will drop running it over 2000rpm so I "cruise" on the fwy at 65 and only getting 13mpg. I am also getting an ulcer driving that slow. I LOVE Dodge. I personally have probably sold dozens to friends and strangers just by letting them know what a great truck they are. But this one???? I painfully survived a Duramax for the last three years waiting for the Mega Cab to finally come out. Now that I got it I can honestly say I am disappointed in it so far. I am not going to give up, there has to be something I can do improve the mileage on this one.

Starting out around 13 wouldn't bother me too much. My '06 Mega started out in about the same place. It only has 7k miles on it now but already is showing 15-16 mpg a good 2-3mpg improvement. I have purposely hauled a 15k lb trailer up and down my local mtn pass a couple of times to help with break in. I hauled a bed load of oak firewood over seveal passes on I-70 in CO a couple of weeks ago. I ran it hard up the hills and it seems to have loosened it up some. My '05 took until about 20k miles before it started showing consistent 17-18mpg. I think you need to make it WORK, and be a little patient. A new truck getting 9mpg is a problem, a new truck getting 13 is more likely and engine not broken in yet.

 

[MOliveira]

The more I "tinker" with different cruising speeds and rpm's the more I think you are right. The last couple of days I have really tried to keep it at about 2100 rpm or lower. The net result is about 15 mpg flat highway and 13. 5 around town. going to be haulin about 14 ton of hay up over the mountain this week. This may help with the break in. Also am going for different air filter. I will keep you informed to any improvement. One thing I noticed, after I took it to the dealer, now it appears to be leaking diesel some where. Some small puddles under my truck when it is parked overnight. I'm sure it is fuel, just don't know where it is coming from. Time to head back to the dealer. Aghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DPKetchum]

Unless your air filter is bad nasty changing it to another BRAND will not do much if anything for fuel mpg's

 

[CTieman]

Maybe the days of the EPA's lower emisions standards for diesels are coming to an end, just when turbo diesels were getting momentum. Now with the MDS offerings in the HEMI, diesels might just be for those who tow very large loads.

Over the summer I took a trip from San Diego to Moab, Utah and back with about 2k# payload averaging 75 mph in a 1500, QC, 2x4, Hemi and the overall mpg was 17+.

 

[Giachino]

Just turned 20k on my 05, and the mileage is great... . took another 500mi trip to the SF Bay area at 90mph up the I5 (unloaded)... . got 18mpg... . an all time best... .



**Break in is critical** Tow as much as you can and drive it like a scolded cat and it'll get their sooner and you'll see better mileage and power... .



I'd also push the dealer for an injector test, esp since it's leaking fuel... . cant hurt, and it may explain the low dyno numbers... I believe a stock 610 does around 275hp and 510lbs..... so you'r off a bit... .



Good luck in finding a resolution. Happy new year to all!

 

[DPKetchum]

My neighbor has 60k on his 05 dually 3. 73 auto. 4x4. Got 19. 1 unloaded/non towing under 72 mph with the only mod being the Rokktech crank sensor. Last week going all through Tn. and back to here(Athens Ga. )Best its EVER done.