Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) V10 vs I-6 MPG Wishful Thinking

[Big Dawg]

I pulled into a Flying J truck stop today and parked next to a green 3500 quad cab Dodge. I assumed that it was a diesel but looked at the door and it said V10. Hmmmm... . A little while later I came back to my truck and saw the owner of the green Dodge and started to chat with her. I made the comment that it was a good-looking truck but I bet that V10 sucked some gas. She replied "Oh no!" "It gets 16 miles per gallon empty. " She seemed like a nice lady so I didn't have the heart to tell her that my truck never got below 20 mpg and had gotten 26 mi. per gallon before. 16 mpg seems a bit optimistic to me but perhaps on the highway at 45 mi. per hour it might happen.

 

[Evan A. Beck]

16 mpg is really good for the 488 inch V10... They actually make decent power, but its still ONLY 16 mpg...



Cummins rules. 'Nuff said.

 

[fox]

I used to have a v-10, I built a box that would lean it out when turned on and it would get 15mpg.

The trick was to only drive it about 45-50 with the proverbial case of eggs between the right foot and the go peddle.

What happens when we do that with the Cummins? We may gain 2-3 mpg.

 

[GMocanu]

Originally posted by Big Dawg

I didn't have the heart to tell her that my truck never got below 20 mpg and had gotten 26 mi. per gallon before.

I wish that I could get close to that mileage. Empty I get between 16 and 18. If I really try for mileage I can get 18. 5. Guess those 4. 10 gears with the 4x4 really drag the mileage down. Of coarse the truck that I had before this one was a Ram QC 1500 2wd with the small V8 and it only got 13 - 14.

 

[americana]

i feel your pain

i don't drive my truck like i ride my bikes or like i used to drive my 65 mustang fastback GT. i'm always on the gas on the go fast stuff.



if i baby my truck i'll be lucky to get 18. 5 mpg (4x4 auto w/3. 55's @ 70mph up and down hwy 5 empty) and i've got 275's, fibreglass bed cover and narrow tired ricksons which are notoriously a good mileage combo!!



26mpg... . i think that's stretching it for a 24 (or even a 12) valver...

 

[redram]

Originally posted by Big Dawg

... . I didn't have the heart to tell her that my truck never got below 20 mpg and had gotten 26 mi. per gallon before.

Big Dawg... . please tell us your secrets to getting 26 mpg consistently with a stock truck?



If you're not stretching the truth, I'll be looking for a new truck as my paid for - I own it - 96 3500 2WD averages 18 mpg running the freeway at 75 mph.



Are you driving downhill all the time!!!!!

 

[jjohn]

19 MPG

2002 auto 4x4 354 axle 75-80 mph =19mpg



1990 auto 4x4 + Gear Vendor OD & 308 axle 75-80 mph =21mpg.



As high as 24 MPG if I kept it under 55 MPH on the back roads... that happened once!

 

[jponder]

Re: i feel your pain

Originally posted by americana

i don't drive my truck like i ride my bikes or like i used to drive my 65 mustang fastback GT. i'm always on the gas on the go fast stuff.



if i baby my truck i'll be lucky to get 18. 5 mpg (4x4 auto w/3. 55's @ 70mph up and down hwy 5 empty) and i've got 275's, fibreglass bed cover and narrow tired ricksons which are notoriously a good mileage combo!!



26mpg... . i think that's stretching it for a 24 (or even a 12) valver...

I have goten 26. 5 going slow with a throttle cable. Iflem has gotten 27. My truck dynoed real good also so Im sure it is running very well some engines are just seated and working very well and when you combine that with slow highway driving the numbers can get impressive. at 70 MPH my mileage will drop to 19 MPG at 60 I can get 23-24 but when I really slow down in the low 50s I can start bumping that 26 mark. Feels good to drive 400 miles and be above the 1/2 tank mark. If you are using cruise thats probably costing you 2 MPG

 

[Big Dawg]

RedRam...



I wish I got 26mpg consistently... .



My highest mileage ever was on 2-25 of this year and was 27. 12 mpg. That was hand figured with easy driving habits that would've annoyed even an 80 year old grandmother. Yes this is a wild number but I have 26. 85 mpg on the tank before that one. I've changed my driving style a little but my combined mileage usually is above 20 and usually 21. I was worried when I first got my truck last September because my mpg was low but it started to come up at about 4000 miles. I have quite a few figures in the 22 to 24 range. I hand calculate my mileage and keep records and receipts for every tank since I bought the truck. I also try to coast in gear as I have been told that the truck does not use fuel while coasting in gear (standard trans. ). I used to drive my TDI (diesel) Golf that way too. I have a friend that told me the Golf didn't use fuel when coasting in gear. I thought he was just old and goofy until he hooked up a laptop to the Golf computer and charted fuel consumption as I drove. That will teach me to respect my elders. I have since learned to pay close attention when he talks. He also has a 60mpg lifetime average on his diesel Jetta. THAT'S AVERAGE I SAID! I also frequently drive by the fuel computer. This seems to help.



Here are my last five tanks combined city/hwy. :

20. 67

20. 17

20. 38

21. 93

22. 71



Here are five back to back tanks in February (combined city/hwy) when I was trying to be the MPG King (This is extreme gas mleage gettin' style drivin'):

23. 58

22. 30

24. 80

23. 33

26. 85

27. 12

22. 89



The biggest drain on fuel appears to be getting the truck moving but if you accelerate very slowly this can be minimized.



Pulling U-Haul's biggest trailer loaded (all hwy) I averaged 17. 85mpg.



You can look at my sig and see the truck's specs. I weighed my truck the other day with a freshly filled fuel tank along with me and my 95 pound honey. Front axle was 4040lbs and the rear axle was 2780... . 6820 ttl. No 410's... No 4x4... No fuel sucking automatic... No DRW... So my truck is bound to get decent mileage. The fuel I buy is always very fresh and the two places that I usually fill up get five loads of diesel a day. I'm reeeaaallll careful where I buy fuel... . Don't want any surprises.



One other thing I've noticed. Increasing your speed over 60 or 65 will drop your mileage quickly.

 

[jponder]

Big Dawg,

That is awesome. I am glad there are other people like me out there. Are you using your foot? If you are using cruise then you may really be the mileage king if you go to some sort of constant throttle control. I am a little heavier than you at about 7100 well I am more than that now with the new bumper and toolbox. I think you are right on the amount of diesel to get moving. When I crank my throttle cable up to about 2300 RPM and start walking through the gears it takes awhile to reach cruising speed unless I hit a hill and then its like coming out of a sling shot. If you have posted those kinds of numbers with a cruise and not a constant throttle or your foot then I would love to see what your vehicle would do a throttle cable or using your foot. I have got to get one of thse TDI VW's man thoose are too cool

 

[Big Dawg]

JPonder... .



You are absolutely right. The VW diesels are a lot of fun... that is... until an 8,000 lb. diesel pickup truck hits you and then it's not fun anymore. I really liked that Golf. I remember racing a Powerpuke from about 70mph one night. He must have been so embarrased after I ran off and left him twice. Won't those Ford Boys ever realize that them Powerpukes just ain't no good!

 

[jponder]

Originally posted by Big Dawg

JPonder... .



You are absolutely right. The VW diesels are a lot of fun... that is... until an 8,000 lb. diesel pickup truck hits you and then it's not fun anymore. I really liked that Golf. I remember racing a Powerpuke from about 70mph one night. He must have been so embarrased after I ran off and left him twice. Won't those Ford Boys ever realize that them Powerpukes just ain't no good!

What about your throttle control? Cruise or foot when you posted your big numbers

 

[WadePatton]

I stomp the floor like I'm killing cockroaches and get high 18's all day long. Get into the 17's towing and NEVER 16's. Sometimes get almost 20, but I run a little over the posted limit 100% of the time.



I pussifooted it to FL right after I got it trying to bust 20. Drove as slow as I could stand it and eased up the hills, made about 19. 7.



So I hammered the crap out of it coming back and tried to race every PSD on the road and fell in with another CTD and ran 90-100 for a couple of hours. Forget the exact #, but it was in the 18's.



BUT that was all pre-BOMB. It gets better mileage now.

 

[SOOT]

My last big road trip down to Pheonix I got 8MPG :{ I was also pulling a 40ft triple axle faltbed trailer. with mixed town and highway empty I average around 13-15:{ I usually drive with my foot in it everywere I go though. 18 is the best I have ever seen and that was only a couple of times

 

[jponder]

Originally posted by WadePatton

I stomp the floor like I'm killing cockroaches and get high 18's all day long. Get into the 17's towing and NEVER 16's. Sometimes get almost 20, but I run a little over the posted limit 100% of the time.



I pussifooted it to FL right after I got it trying to bust 20. Drove as slow as I could stand it and eased up the hills, made about 19. 7.



So I hammered the crap out of it coming back and tried to race every PSD on the road and fell in with another CTD and ran 90-100 for a couple of hours. Forget the exact #, but it was in the 18's.



BUT that was all pre-BOMB. It gets better mileage now.

Seriously, high 18s while your killing cockroaches with the go pedal to me insinuates you can bang out a 25, 26 MPG if you felt like it but you said you went to Florida and drove as slow as you could stand it; how slow was that? Dont tell me 80

 

[WadePatton]

Originally posted by jponder

Seriously, high 18s while your killing cockroaches with the go pedal to me insinuates you can bang out a 25, 26 MPG if you felt like it but you said you went to Florida and drove as slow as you could stand it; how slow was that? Dont tell me 80

okay, seventy-five!Oo.



I'll have this truck for a while, maybe when I get older... But seriously, what I'll do next time is baby it for a 1/4 tank or so and then refill and get back on the hammer.

 

[Chief USA]

I set the cruise contol on 45 mph and get 23 mpg consistently. You can do even better if you don't use the cruise control and an egg shell foot.

 

[jponder]

Originally posted by rfrazier

I set the cruise contol on 45 mph and get 23 mpg consistently. You can do even better if you don't use the cruise control and an egg shell foot.

Cruise that low will lug your engine but a throttle set at that well... ... ... ... ... Lets just say you need to trash that cruise and you'll be able to really move some

 

[R-N-R]

Can't wait until my truck grows up to be like yours... .



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The injectors went in around 13k miles. Most of my driving is very short trips around town, 75 was normal highway speed... . err, uh, before the injectors & comp anyways... :-laf

 

[rashwor]

I run

between 15 - 17 empty cruising between 60 - 70. I run around 14 towing 14,000#. Not bad, but I dream of 20mpg.



Of course the truck is 3500 Cummins 5 speed 2 X 4 regular cab with 3. 54 gears, DRW, 235 85 R16s all the way around. With a ranch hand front end replacement and bug shield with eye lashes on the front.