mileage 12v

[mhrbek]

Hello guys!



Since two weeks i´am a proud owner of a 98 4wd reg. cab cummins powered ram with auto transmission. I`am living in Austria (Europe)and it´s my first ram. It´s really funny to drive around here with the ram, knowing that you are running one of maybe hundred rams in Austria. The ram is an absolute eyecatcher. Everybody likes the ram. Standing in traffic jam people just jumping out of their cars asking me what car is that, where can I get this,...

So everything is perfect except the mileage! I thought I can get maybe 18 to 20, but now I get only 15mpg (50/50 city/highway) without load, without towing, no kickdowns.

Is that normal?

Will mileage increase with a tonno cover?

I`am driving with slow/moderate acceleration, driving speeds on highways are about 65mph, rpms are always between 1000 and 2000.

Should i change my driving style shorter an faster accelerations?



Thanks for any hints!



Many greetings from Austria.



Marcus

 

[The patriot]

Welcome aboard Marcus.

Your mileage will depend on many things. I get 20 MPG regularly, however the terrain is flat here.

The auto transmission will hurt it somewhat, otherwise you probibally should be getting slightly better mileage than you are.

Many on the board arent doing as well as you are.

I dont think a tonneau cover will make a big difference.

Maybe you should have the timing checked?

Austria has mountains? Maybe this is it?

Sorry I dont have more information.

Eric

 

[lIseminger]

mileage

I,ve had my auto 4 years now and the filters is the only things

that kill my mileage. I run around 18 in Pa with city type driving.

 

[illflem]

Marcos, short trips will really pull your average mileage down. The Cummins engine needs at least 15 miles to fully warm up and get the best mileage. I regularly get 22-24 mpg with my 4wd auto but most of my drives are in the 100 plus mile range. I use my Toyota for the short trips. Straight #2 diesel year round with anti-gel additive in the winter

 

[TPCDrafting]

Marcus, what size tire are you running? the stock tire on my '98 is 245/75/r16. The truck had 265's on it when I got it. Since then had to go down to the 245's to save money. That made a difference in mileage. (either the math is more right now or the smaller tire is less drag, probably a combo of the two) Used to get 14-15mpg now get 17-18mpg. Got real bad mileage when I first got it mostly due to the heavy right foot, could that also be a factor?

 

[GeoVeo]

Welcome mhrbek!



I'll add that I've noticed almost a 2 mpg drop during winter months vs. summer months. I run a very regular 100 mile route twice a day over relatively flat Interstate and have seen the same trend several years running. Most of my driving is highway at 65-70. Empty, I average 21 during the summer and 19 during the winter.



Tonneau covers don't seem to make much of a difference in mileage.



Good Luck.

 

[mdwyer]

Airfilter is a mileage killer. Also check tire pressure. Do you guys run winterized diesel? My mileage summer 21 mpg winter 18 mpg.



mike

 

[JMichelson]

Not bad mileage

mhrbek, I have a 98 12valve auto with mild enhancements. Over the last year I have kept very accurate mileage records, you mileage is consistent with mine 15. 5 city 17. 5 highway and 12 towing my trailer. Here’s a couple of things you might want to check. Is your speedometer mileage accurate? Are your tires properly inflated? I came from a big block gasser to my Cummins, I for one smile every time I leave the diesel pump. Jeff

 

[The patriot]

Hey Marcus, something else just came to mind.

My wife had family over from Switzerland a while back, they couldnt get over how slow we drove.

What's the speed limit there? At the time we were driving over 120 Kilometers per hour!!(80 + MPH)

Eric

 

[Cooker]

I'm suprised nobody asked, what gear ratio does your truck have? Tires?



I'm with illflem, lots of short trips are killer for fuel economy. If it's cold and you are running on winter fuel (or poor fuel, hmmm Maybe Austrian fuel quality in regards to Cetane isn't like it is here in the US?), and your 50% city trips are very short I'd say you are OK. A tonneau may help, but you probably won't see any difference only on the long hauls.



BTW - Welcome to the 2 new TDR members that posted here, mhrbek and lIseminger

 

[PZicha]

Marcus , Welcome friend . . I used to live in vienna Austria in 1967 (I was only 5 years old) beautyfull country . Is your gallon 4. 55 litres or 3. 78 litres cause thats going to change things also . When I switched to an Amsoil air filter and changed all the fluids to Amsoil ( engine,transmission,both differentials) my milage jumped almost 2 miles per gallon better . Did the ram cost a lot compared to other vehicles in your country ?... . Pete

 

[Cummins Corvette]

Nice truck! I have the exact same truck (plus bombs), and get the exact same mileage. I have had my timing set, tried 215 injectors, new air filter (bhaf now), new fuel filter, all kinds of additives, and driven every way (from nascar to grandpa) and the best I can do going to work and playing a little on the weekends is 14. 5 to 15. Your truck is doing exactly what it should, and anyone that gets better mileage is going on LONG trips all the time or can't do math or use a calculator. Maybe they are deducting 10 gallons from every fillup for the 5 minutes they spent idleing. No matter what, if you are doing a lot of short trips in a cold climate (less than 30 miles) you are going to get 15 IF you are nice to it.

 

[Steve Roseman]

For me, 15 miles to work every day. Winter I get 17-18 and summer 20-22. I do have a lot of warm up time at 1,200 rpm in the winter. And no Chris, I don't try to compensate for warmup time

Depending on the conditions, yours could be normal.

 

[Cummins Corvette]

Originally posted by Steve Roseman

For me, 15 miles to work every day. Winter I get 17-18 and summer 20-22. I do have a lot of warm up time at 1,200 rpm in the winter. And no Chris, I don't try to compensate for warmup time

Depending on the conditions, yours could be normal.

No offence, but I don't believe you. That could be if you ALSO take some long trips, but after owning two of these trucks, that both got the same mileage, I feel I have a fairly good idea of their efficiency. Maybe my truck would get 17 if you had it, but there is no way in hell yours would get 17 to 18 if I had it and just drove to work and back. I'm not mad at you, only the possibility that my truck sucks!

 

[Deezul1]

The difference between 245s and 265x75x16 tires is about 3% so check tire size.

 

[WDaniels]

Welcome to the wonderful world of owning a Turbo Diesel Ram,

As for your fuel milage situation, I don't know if they sell #1 diesel there in Austria during the winter, and #2 during the summer. You might ask. Also the cetain rating on European diesel is higher than the US diesel. Again, I don't know if this will affect anything. I do know that some of the people here on the TDR site will know.

With #1 diesel during the cold of the winter I get about 15 to 17 mph and during the summer with #2 I will jump up to about 19 to 22.

Once again, welcome

 

[Scollins]

I've got a '98 12 Valve Regular cab 4x4 auto also, and I have averaged between 14 and 15 mpg with mixed driving for over a year. I run 285/74r16's, and I compensate for the larger tire size when I calculate my mileage. When I go on a long trip, I get between 17 and 20, depending on speed, terrain and wind conditions. I've given up on great mileage, but it still beats my previous vehicle's (Grand Cherokee) 13 mpg with an I-6... .....

 

[Steve Roseman]

Chris, You don't have to believe me, it's your right. But I have nothing to gain by being a liar. If I take long trips it improves the numbers I gave. Drove down to Alabama in January, 2,400 miles in 48 hours. I averaged 20 mpg with about 8 hours of idle time.

I think the fact my truck is two wheel drive probably gives me a little advantage.

You might be correct about if I had your truck or you had my truck the numbers would be different. Don't worry, no offense taken.

 

[M Barnett]

I get 18 to 20 everyday driving, no traffic jams.

M Barnett

 

[Cooker]

My all time best MPG (summer fuel) was 21. 95 MPG and this was a 99% highway trip running 70 MPH. In the summer I average 18-19 depending on driving style, speed , and type of trips.



My worst MPG ever, 13. 65, was in the winter w/ a fair amount of idle time and quite a few short trips. Generally in the winter I average 16-17.



That's it for me.

-Ryan