Overhead Console w/Trip Computer

[PKitchen]

Hi, I'm a new member to this site. I have enjoyed reading all your posts and now I'm ready to order a new truck. My current truck is a 98 F150 with 5. 7L engine. The truck isn't strong enough to pull a 7,000 lb boat at a decent speed up long hills. My brother owns a 98 Ram Diesel. I've towed my boat with his truck before and I am impressed. His Ram gets better gas mileage pulling the boat than my F150 gets empty.

Anyway, I am looking at ordering a Ram 2500 QC SLT 4x4 SWB. My question is about the Overhead Console w/Trip Computer. The SLT trim level shows that this is standard equipment on the SLT ("G" package). Does this Trip Computer include computer calculated MPG (trip MPG, instantaneous MPG, etc. )? Or is the computer MPG only available on the Laramie trim level?

 

[JWillms]

the overhead comp only calutales trip MPG and not instantaneous MPG. It also has a trip meter, Deisel tell empty, and an hour counter(not acuall engine hours but a restable trip counter) Ohyeah it allso has outside temp and Direction of travel.

Hope that helps

Justin<><

 

[PKitchen]

Does the Laramie trip computer include an instantaneous MPG or is that feature simply not available with the Ram trucks?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Apparently not available on the latest trucks - was available up thru the '02...

 

[StephenThomas]

My 04' Laramie does not have the "instant MPG" feature. My 01' had it and I sure miss it.

 

[klenger]

I miss it too. I liked seeing 99 MPG when coasting down a hill.

 

[cbunt1]

I can't help thinking: The instantenous mileage is available on a 2003 Intrepid -- everything else on the trip computer looked the same to me -- just that the Intrepid had an extra cycle on the T. C... .



Probably pointless, but if the functionality is there (which it obviously is--to moniter fuel flow and return) to calculate avg--instantenous would be simple enough too--the programmer in me says it exists in the programming, and the interface just isn't available



Anyone tear into the software on these vehicles yet. I mean the petty stuff like trip computers and voltage thresholds for "lamp out" and stuff like that--I know plenty have gone into the fuel curves, etc.



Just idle thoughts -- take 'em with a grain of salt



--Chris

 

[StephenThomas]

I'd pay to have the feature back. Overhead comp may not be completely accurate, but it sure is helpful when trying to find that "sweet spot" for fuel mileage as it relates to RPMs.

 

[cbunt1]

Agreed. The only way I've done it is to repeatedly reset it at various speeds. and watch it for a few minutes. I find my best mileage is at 1900RPM, then again at 2100 RPM when pulling. I've seen several complaints on the accuracy of the overhead, and I can't vouch for it over a single 35-gal tankful, but over my complete fuel load (135 Gal) it's within "rounding error" difference... so I'm pretty satisfied with it. I'd just like to watch it on the fly.



I too would pay for the change. !



--Chris