Towing fuel Economy

[CToney]

Took my truck on its first trip towing. 25L/100km or 9.4 USmpg. My 03 6spd would do 15 USmpg easily. Not a heavy load nor not aerodynamic. I knew an automatic, emissions and heavier truck would hurt mpg but this was a bit disappointing. I was a bit disappointed in when you hit resume for the cruise it hunts several gears instead of just accelerating properly. My 1500 with 8spd doesn’t do that. It’s too bad that there is no aftermarket tuning for the AISIN.

What is rpm sweet spot for fuel efficiency?

 

[AH64ID]

What was your weight?

My bone stock 18 generally gets within 5%, plus and minus, of the mileage my modded for efficiency 05 did with the same load/weight.

I never towed much that would touch 15 mpg towing with my 05, and haven’t repeated that with my 18 either.

The only time my 18 gets consistently lower milage than the 05 did is slow speed stuff with the torque converter unlocked.

It’s not difficult to drop below 10 on either truck. 20K GCW at 70-72 mph.

Edit: both trucks are 4 door LWB 4x4 SRW. Very close in weight too. 05 was a 3.73 NV5600.

 

[lpennock]

My 18 with the Aisin gets 0.5-2mpg less then my 06 with the G56 Manual did. The more the load goes up the closer they get.

 

[sag2]

I was initially a bit disappointed with towing economy on my 18. I only pull a 5,500 lb travel trailer and it is usually in the 10.5 to 11.5 range at 65. I have to say now that I have 30k on the truck it is getting another 1 mpg over new.
The other interesting thing I observed is the 1500 Hemi would pick up 2-3 mpg (overhead) towing if I tucked in behind a semi, but the Cummins hardly picks up anything. Not sure why it doesn't make a difference.

 

[GBBrown]

I notice everytime I plug my trailer cord in my mileage is cut in half..think I'll hook up to trailer and not plug cord in next time...

 

[CToney]

The livestock trailer was empty ~5000lbs and had 1300lb horse in it on the way home. My 03 had NV5600 and 3.73 gears. I’d usually drive 65mph with it. That seemed to be the sweet spot for it. I’ll take truck across a scale next chance I get.

 

[AH64ID]

The livestock trailer was empty ~5000lbs and had 1300lb horse in it on the way home. My 03 had NV5600 and 3.73 gears. I’d usually drive 65mph with it. That seemed to be the sweet spot for it. I’ll take truck across a scale next chance I get.

Each Novemberish I do 750 miles in a day with our 16' stock trailer. 1/2 of it has 3 ~1500lb horses in it. Kuna Idaho to Afton Wyoming.

Loaded I am ~17.5K GCW and empty I am ~13K GCW. I've scaled it 3 times and always close with this setup.

I'll run 75 with horses on the interstate and 80 without. 65-70 on the 2 lane highways depending on speed limit and road. A couple of decent pulls in there. The first year with the 05 I ran about 5 mph slower on the interstate (480 of the 750 miles) and got only slightly better mileage. All hand calc'd.

For 2 trips the 2005 got 10.9 and 10.7.

For 2 trips the 2018 got 10.4 and 10.7.

As you can see it's all in the ballpark, and why I don't really complain about the mileage on my 18...aside from under 20mph. I'll even add that the 2005 racked up more miles on those round trips too, so the mileage would be lower using the odo from the 2018.. but only about 2%.

 

[CToney]

Have you watched TFLtruck video on fuel economy and the one on towing? I’ll save those the results if they haven’t watched it.

My 03 only has 31” tires compared to 33” tires on the 2020.

My 1500 ED would get poorer fuel efficiency than my 03 to start with but a software “upgrade” fixed it.

Any recommendations for monitoring this truck, my ED has a CTS2 in it. Are Bluetooth readers and an App the way to go?

 

[AH64ID]

I haven't seen those video's... but I'll be honest when I am looking at a 750 mile day mileage is the lowest on my priority list because the added cost in fuel is worth the hour or two saved.

I have a CTS2 in my 18 and it works pretty good.

 

[Ozymandias]

Have you watched TFLtruck video on fuel economy and the one on towing? I’ll save those the results if they haven’t watched it.

My 03 only has 31” tires compared to 33” tires on the 2020.

My 1500 ED would get poorer fuel efficiency than my 03 to start with but a software “upgrade” fixed it.

Any recommendations for monitoring this truck, my ED has a CTS2 in it. Are Bluetooth readers and an App the way to go?

No need to monitor anything on this Truck that the EVIC can't show you.

That truck is monitoring everything by itself, derates if needed and tells you to see the Dealer.

Modern times.

And or the fuel eco, give it 10K miles fir break in till you judge it, they need a long time to settle.

 

[nukegm]

Took my truck on its first trip towing. 25L/100km or 9.4 USmpg. My 03 6spd would do 15 USmpg easily. Not a heavy load nor not aerodynamic. I knew an automatic, emissions and heavier truck would hurt mpg but this was a bit disappointing. I was a bit disappointed in when you hit resume for the cruise it hunts several gears instead of just accelerating properly. My 1500 with 8spd doesn’t do that. It’s too bad that there is no aftermarket tuning for the AISIN.

What is rpm sweet spot for fuel efficiency?

9 - 11 mpg is what my 16 6.4 2500 got empty. thats why i dont have it anymore. ( mileage at high elevation hand calc ) cheers!

 

[Dick Langendorff]

I was initially a bit disappointed with towing economy on my 18. I only pull a 5,500 lb travel trailer and it is usually in the 10.5 to 11.5 range at 65. I have to say now that I have 30k on the truck it is getting another 1 mpg over new.
The other interesting thing I observed is the 1500 Hemi would pick up 2-3 mpg (overhead) towing if I tucked in behind a semi, but the Cummins hardly picks up anything. Not sure why it doesn't make a difference.

Is that towing in CA at 65 mph?

 

[HVAC2]

Other than climbing she is most thirsty when headwinds are stiff. Usually under 10@70mph.
Lighter blow and almost 12 to 13.
Cali @65 add 1 to above. This toyhauler is a big sail

 

[monovasia]

2 horse steel slant bumper pull with 2 Large horses.... from 5000ft ASL to 8000ft ASL... tow/haul/engine break... 60/65 mph.....12 mpg

 

[sag2]

Is that towing in CA at 65 mph?

Yes. In the Hemi I usually ran 62 in CA as the fuel economy really dropped off at 65+. With the diesel it still drops off at higher speed, just not as bad as the Hemi.
We towed four quads to Colorado with a car trailer this October and got 12.47 calculated but we ran 80mph in most of Nevada and Utah across the salt flats. Lots of idling in the cold in Colorado.

 

[Boaring1961]

Looking at my notes on a recent hunting trip to Wyoming.

2018 Ram 2500 with a 1800 lb camper in the bed and towing a 5k lb tandem axle trailer.

2060 miles round trip
10.73 mpg

 

[gsbrockman]

Took my truck on its first trip towing. 25L/100km or 9.4 USmpg. My 03 6spd would do 15 USmpg easily. Not a heavy load nor not aerodynamic. I knew an automatic, emissions and heavier truck would hurt mpg but this was a bit disappointing. I was a bit disappointed in when you hit resume for the cruise it hunts several gears instead of just accelerating properly. My 1500 with 8spd doesn’t do that. It’s too bad that there is no aftermarket tuning for the AISIN.

What is rpm sweet spot for fuel efficiency?

....and your 2003 and 2020 truck weigh the same, and also have the same horsepower and torque, correct?

 

[CThomsen]

I get ~8.5mpg pulling 2018 43’ jayco north point camper at 65mph with my 2013. 9.5mpg pulling aluminum gooseneck trailer loaded with horses or cattle at 70-75 mph.

 

[Bug Out]

Just about every Cummins Dodge/RAM truck I have had from 1997-12V, 2000-24 v, 05-24V 6 spd, 12-24v Auto, 2-13's auto, 1-16 Auto and the now 20-auto all got around the same towing, 9mpg-12 dependning on the weight. Empty, the 05 3500 6spd beat them all at 22mpg 2K rpm.

 

[CToney]

The 2020 will weigh more but not by too much. Hp isn’t much different either.

I can’t monitor EGT with the dash. That was handy when trying to get best fuel economy. Getting a baseline for the IMAP sensor is a good idea too as it will get bunged up with soot sooner or later. Exhaust back pressure sensor is another one critical to efficiency and hp. Not worried about “derates” its not like I’ve got a backwoods truck hacker tuning it...