For What Its Worth...6.4 Fuel Economy Numbers

Blazin383 · Apr 6, 2015

I know there have been a bunch of threads on the 6.4 Hemi fuel economy already, but since I took my 2015 Club Cab short box 4x4 2500 Larime on it's first real road trip this weekend, I thought I'd report my fuel economy numbers for those interested.

Trip from my home in Southeast Washington to Portland Oregon and back:

No significant elevation changes
4:10 gears
Running empty with a bed cover.
20" factory wheels/tires.
600 miles on the odometer.
240 miles each way.
15 mph headwind going, maybe 5 mph tailwind returing.
25 miles each way at 71-72 mph and the rest 66-67 mph.
99% 4 lane freeway traveling.
87 octane fuel.

Per the computer:
Going 14.0 mpg.
Returning 16.5 mpg.

Not really all that bad I thought! My 07 Chevy Avalanche with the whimpy 5.3 liter and highway gearing would have probably returned 15 to 17 mpg on the same trip, but it has about 110 less hp, weighs a ton less, and couldn't pull itself out of a paper bag.

I didn't buy the 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi for it's fuel economy, and I know when I hook up to the boat the mileage will drop a bunch, but I'm fine with all that.

Ratket · Apr 6, 2015

glad to hear, these trucks run really good at sea lvl and return really good mpg number at low elevations, at least mine does.

bighorn2500 · Apr 6, 2015

Between the farm and interstate im averaging 15. My 2011sierra with the 5.3 was getting about the same when I traded it.

mtofell · Apr 6, 2015

Very similar to what I get with my similar truck but with the 3.73 axle ratio. fwiw, I don't think the 4.10s get that much worse mileage, if at all. After a year with this truck as mainly a commuter I'm impressed with the mileage but can tell you start/stops really kill it. Rolling down the highway it's downright impressive for a 7000# HD truck.

bighorn2500 · Apr 7, 2015

Yea many stops will drop the needle quick. I aired mine out on stretch of back road, about 110 and you could watch the fuel needle drop quick.

sandawilliams · Apr 7, 2015

Blazin383 said:
I know there have been a bunch of threads on the 6.4 Hemi fuel economy already, but since I took my 2015 Club Cab short box 4x4 2500 Larime on it's first real road trip this weekend, I thought I'd report my fuel economy numbers for those interested.

Trip from my home in Southeast Washington to Portland Oregon and back:

No significant elevation changes
4:10 gears
Running empty with a bed cover.
20" factory wheels/tires.
600 miles on the odometer.
240 miles each way.
15 mph headwind going, maybe 5 mph tailwind returing.
25 miles each way at 71-72 mph and the rest 66-67 mph.
99% 4 lane freeway traveling.
87 octane fuel.

Per the computer:
Going 14.0 mpg.
Returning 16.5 mpg.

Not really all that bad I thought! My 07 Chevy Avalanche with the whimpy 5.3 liter and highway gearing would have probably returned 15 to 17 mpg on the same trip, but it has about 110 less hp, weighs a ton less, and couldn't pull itself out of a paper bag.

I didn't buy the 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi for it's fuel economy, and I know when I hook up to the boat the mileage will drop a bunch, but I'm fine with all that.

Figure your mileage by hand and you will find our computers are off 1-2 MPG. I am still hoping for actual mileage of 16 highway but doubt I will get there.

Blazin383 · Apr 7, 2015

I've had many many vehicles with computer calculated fuel economy and every time I've ever verified by hand it's been pretty much dead on. If this one is off It'd be the only one I've ever seen that was....but anything is possible!!!

mtofell · Apr 7, 2015

Blazin383 said:
I've had many many vehicles with computer calculated fuel economy and every time I've ever verified by hand it's been pretty much dead on. If this one is off It'd be the only one I've ever seen that was....but anything is possible!!!

X2 - IMO it's internet folklore that computers are so inaccurate (usually introduced by someone with a competing brand trying to cast doubt).

Every time I've checked one it's been pretty much dead on as well. With modern vehicles it's pretty basic to calculate how much fuel has been used and how far a vehicle has gone. With how high tech trucks are these days how could it really be that the computers are so far off? I'd be much more likely to put the "error" on the person doing the hand calculating. It's kind of like the old cliché "computer error." There really is no such thing... it's the human operating the computer 100% of the time.

loveracing1988 · Apr 8, 2015

mtofell said:
X2 - IMO it's internet folklore that computers are so inaccurate (usually introduced by someone with a competing brand trying to cast doubt).

Every time I've checked one it's been pretty much dead on as well. With modern vehicles it's pretty basic to calculate how much fuel has been used and how far a vehicle has gone. With how high tech trucks are these days how could it really be that the computers are so far off? I'd be much more likely to put the "error" on the person doing the hand calculating. It's kind of like the old cliché "computer error." There really is no such thing... it's the human operating the computer 100% of the time.

My fusion was off by 2 mpg's every time, my wife's grand cherokee is usually off 1 to 2 mpg's, my 1500 and 2500 have been off the same amount. My 2500 is closer only because it is a percentage that it is off, since the mileage isn't that great the difference between the two is smaller that it would be of I were to get better mileage.

Moparman2285 · Apr 8, 2015

I don't think "Internet Folklore" comes into play at Ram Forum. Anyone reporting their MPG cares enough about what it actually is to compare the EVIC reading and actual MPG's. I've had 7 vehicles with a mileage computer and the ONLY time any of them was accurate was when I did a long trip of multiple tanks and then compared the two (EVIC and hand-calc). If you're driving a car that's says it got 32mpg and it got 30, you're like "well that's still awesome". Now if your truck says 15mpg and you actually got 13mpg hand-calc, that's a bit of a let-down, isn't it? My 6.4 said 15mpg for the last two fill-ups, and both were off exactly 1mpg (14mpg). Not much, but I'll still be calculating it for, I dunno, the next 5 years. :hmm:

I'll also be seeing what it gets in the 1/4 mile! :driver:

You know, just for informational purposes!

sandawilliams · Apr 8, 2015

EVIC dependability out the door

Moparman2285 said:
I don't think "Internet Folklore" comes into play at Ram Forum. Anyone reporting their MPG cares enough about what it actually is to compare the EVIC reading and actual MPG's. I've had 7 vehicles with a mileage computer and the ONLY time any of them was accurate was when I did a long trip of multiple tanks and then compared the two (EVIC and hand-calc). If you're driving a car that's says it got 32mpg and it got 30, you're like "well that's still awesome". Now if your truck says 15mpg and you actually got 13mpg hand-calc, that's a bit of a let-down, isn't it? My 6.4 said 15mpg for the last two fill-ups, and both were off exactly 1mpg (14mpg). Not much, but I'll still be calculating it for, I dunno, the next 5 years. I'll also be seeing what it gets in the 1/4 mile! You know, just for informational purposes!

I agree. Having owned two Chryslers , three rams, and one ford mustang with evic they all have one thing in common. With the exception of the mustang reporting two MPG under actual the Chrysler products have all consistently reported one to two MPG over actual.
Previous posts suggest people not knowing how to hand calculate MPG's is a joke. If we did an EVIC dependability thread I think the majority would admit their EVIC's actually show feel good numbers compared to actual MPG.

tjfdesmo · Apr 8, 2015

Just ran a tank that was about 1/3 towing my box trailer, and the rest was mixed with a bit less around town short trips than my usual routine. Hand Calc 11.2 mpg. The Lie-O-Meter said 13.3, and has been consistently off by 1.5 to 2 mpg on the optimistic side. The Lie-O-Meter in my '05 CTD was off by as much as 5-6 mpg when towing. I hand calculate every tank. I suspect when I tow my box longer distance it will be in the 9 range.

NewBlackDak · Apr 8, 2015

Check out my Fuelly link in my sig. I got just over 9 mpg towing a 33.5' long 11'4" tall 7700lb travel trailer over some nasty terrain with nasty wind this past week. Unloaded I would call it 17/13 at this point. I've gotten as high as 18.5 on a 150 mile round trip. Hand calculated doesn't lie. The EVIC is consistently 1.5-2 mpg high.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

wyo2track · Apr 8, 2015

NewBlackDak said:
Check out my Fuelly link in my sig. I got just over 9 mpg towing a 33.5' long 11'4" tall 7700lb travel trailer over some nasty terrain with nasty wind this past week. Unloaded I would call it 17/13 at this point. I've gotten as high as 18.5 on a 150 mile round trip. Hand calculated doesn't lie. The EVIC is consistently 1.5-2 mpg high.

Good stuff NBD! :favorites13:

What speed you pulling that load at?

tjfdesmo · Apr 8, 2015

NewBlackDak said:
Check out my Fuelly link in my sig. I got just over 9 mpg towing a 33.5' long 11'4" tall 7700lb travel trailer over some nasty terrain with nasty wind this past week. Unloaded I would call it 17/13 at this point. I've gotten as high as 18.5 on a 150 mile round trip. Hand calculated doesn't lie. The EVIC is consistently 1.5-2 mpg high.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's pretty darn respectable with that trailer.

I hope my truck loosens up some. I have owned this box trailer since 2003 and the damn thing pulls like a parachute. '03 F-150 5.4 got around 9-10 and really struggled, '04 Chevy 8.1/Allison got 8, and my '05 CTD got about 11 pulling it.

Moparman2285 · Apr 8, 2015

At 1,925 miles today. Couldn't wait any longer and installed my Mufflex Magnaflow Exhaust. Sounds awesome and my wife totally believes the "better sound AND better mileage" story... now if I can just keep my foot out of it. You can literally feel the better throttle response. :happy107:

turboguy327 · Apr 9, 2015

Yea, EVICs reported MPG is not accurate. I feel EVIC reported economy shouldn't even be brought up in a fuel economy thread. If you can't hand calculate it, it must not matter to you or you're lazy.

NewBlackDak · Apr 9, 2015

wyo2track said:
Good stuff NBD! What speed you pulling that load at?

I tow in the 62-64 mph range., always keeping it under 65 for the ratings on the ST tires. I'm positive I could set the cruise at 70, and be in a perfect place in the power band. 4.56-4.88s would probably be perfect.

tjfdesmo said:
That's pretty darn respectable with that trailer.

I hope my truck loosens up some. I have owned this box trailer since 2003 and the damn thing pulls like a parachute. '03 F-150 5.4 got around 9-10 and really struggled, '04 Chevy 8.1/Allison got 8, and my '05 CTD got about 11 pulling it.

I think so too. I haven't seen any cummins do more than 2 mpg better on any trip that I have towed. Unfortunately, I didn't have anyone mirroring me on this trip

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

08ramguy · Apr 13, 2015

My two cents, Truck used is a 2015 Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4.10 gearing….So last week I hooked up a flat bed trailer, with 4 quads…total weight including trailer was in the 2700# range, trailer is a 80''x14' single axle. Drove from Spanaway Wa, to Apple Valley, CA driving I-5 straight down to the 58 to the 395. Actual MPG Hand Calculated I got about 12.5 thats the whole way there, through mountains and flats….evic was at 13.5. Now this this truck has crappy milage when hooked to my trailer compared to my 2012 cummins mega cab, but with that said over all cost I love this new 6.4,…the good part is I also have a Rubicon toy hauler bumper pull 2900, total weight when loaded with water toys, and food for weekend is around the 12000# range, with that said I get about 9.5 to 10.5 towing it, the difference is how much wind I am pushing…..fuel used was 87 octane from chevron…….sorry long winded and probably doesn't flow well…..

st_pinetree · Apr 14, 2015

Click on my fuelly link, I put my EVIC reading in the comments almost every tank. It varies on my truck, and it's pretty close most of the time. No real trend. It's definitely not "always" off by 1 or 2 mpg.

For What Its Worth...6.4 Fuel Economy Numbers

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