How to get better mpg

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mumbles84

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I havent seen this thread for while just looking for some new in put to see what gets the best bang for the buck. I did this a couple vehilce be fore. So far with previous vehicle wheel made the biggest difference mild street tire with aluminum wheels made the biggest diference putting bigger exhuast on made it worst just couldnt keep my foot out of live the sound.
 

dodge dude94

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Your right foot is the biggest boost in MPG.
 
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mumbles84

mumbles84

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I think the stock air box is horrible on these trucks the box should be more at the inlet thats my thoughts
 

dodge dude94

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If you design/install a true CAI like the stock air boxes that flows better, you might see better throttle response and a tick more MPG, but not much.
 

WhiteExpress

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The issue with air flow modification (Air in / Air out) for MPG is that rarely is the engine under enough load (when driving to maximize MPG) that the increased flow really helps.

Clean up your air flow, get a bed cover, run stock size tires at max PSI.
then laugh, because a 5% increase in MPG doesn't mean **** when you're base line is 13.
 

Johnn123

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I havent seen this thread for while just looking for some new in put to see what gets the best bang for the buck. I did this a couple vehilce be fore. So far with previous vehicle wheel made the biggest difference mild street tire with aluminum wheels made the biggest diference putting bigger exhuast on made it worst just couldnt keep my foot out of live the sound.

Best bang for the buck, go buy a car for mpg.

In all seriousness nothing man, these trucks are just gas hogs and thats that. Stock air box is fine, no gains to be had upgrading. As White Express said, best mods would be aluminum wheels and a bed cover.
 

jsl6v8

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I still remember the Mythbusters Episode where they showed the best MPG was by leaving the bed the way god intended, and by that I mean no bed cover gate up. Something about it creating an air pocket in your bed for the air to ride over. Now they did say that was only true if you were driving over a certain MPH, I believe 40. Otherwise the air pocket wasn't created, not sure what was best in conditions under 40.

I know the new ram '13 all its active grille shutters and bed covers and the extended step, they were advertising that the individual increases were under 1%. So really none of it is really going to make any difference.

What would interest me is with Diesel trucks, they have the same stock tire size, but with the torque output I'd wonder if it wouldn't move a bigger tire around efficiently enough to actually have fuel savings.

You could lower your truck, that would give it a lower surface area, you'd need to keep the stance stock and stock wheel/tire size, that would make you more aerodynamic possibly, but if the stance was changed you could end up being less aerodynamic.

But yeah all in all like everyone else said, you're talking about 1-2 mpg probably.
 
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mumbles84

mumbles84

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Bed covers do decrease mpg i had a s10 i tried tons of stuff by the time i was done with it was getting 32mpg the reason i hate the air box is the bottle necks it cuase witch = crapp for smooth air intake i would be happy with 17mpg rather than 12 should got the v10 then i could say this sounds right
 

Johnn123

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Bed covers do decrease mpg i had a s10 i tried tons of stuff by the time i was done with it was getting 32mpg the reason i hate the air box is the bottle necks it cuase witch = crapp for smooth air intake i would be happy with 17mpg rather than 12 should got the v10 then i could say this sounds right

12-13 is the norm for these trucks, its actually what the EPA rated them for from the factory in the city. 17-18 mpg highway...
 

WhiteExpress

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Bed covers do decrease mpg i had a s10 i tried tons of stuff by the time i was done with it was getting 32mpg the reason i hate the air box is the bottle necks it cuase witch = crapp for smooth air intake i would be happy with 17mpg rather than 12 should got the v10 then i could say this sounds right

You're fighting a loosing battle. Smooth air flow to a throttle body means nothing in real world conditions. Sure, at WOT it MAY help, but you're not pulling enough air through there for it to matter.

I ran a 11x3 round air filter on my '00 5.9 because it gave me more intake sound. Hell, maybe even better MPGs because I had a warmer AIT, allowing it to lean out a touch. A 2G Ram (non Cummins) on it's best day will always get terrible mileage.

To expect to go from 12 to 17 MPG is NOT a reasonable expectation.
That's nearly a 50% increase in economy.
 
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mumbles84

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I read fourms of people swapping ford injectors in the dodges and jeeps i been wantinig to do this just havint had time any know some one that has done this at least would clear up some pinging on hot days
 

WhiteExpress

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Going with the Ford 24#hr injectors? Ran them in my '95 Dakota.
Was topping out injectors at WOT with stockers to try n keep up.

That had hot heads, fun bump stick, milled TB and a ported / filled kegger.
Oh that was a fun truck!
 
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mumbles84

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Any one try getting rid of the weight in there truck i know people move gas tanks and batterie to the back to get better traction so they can rip off bumpers and spare tires i remember that extreme 4x4 show the only thing i didnt like was the tire size he went with did all that. The olny thing i plan getting rid of my rusty bumper put a roll pan getting rid of the leaf spring setup. I dream of putting aluimunim Manual trans in it but i thinks thats really far down the road. I wold just buy a different truck these are goning to be an american classic
 
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mumbles84

mumbles84

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I dont bother checking in winter runs more than i drive i didnt do any hunting this year and i live 2 blocks from work im putting a hole 10 mi a week.
 

dodge dude94

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Shiet, when the weather cooled down and I wasn't having to run with my windows down, I got up to 9.2.
YEEEEAH BOOY! :D
 

Jsinclair92

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The issue with air flow modification (Air in / Air out) for MPG is that rarely is the engine under enough load (when driving to maximize MPG) that the increased flow really helps.

Clean up your air flow, get a bed cover, run stock size tires at max PSI.
then laugh, because a 5% increase in MPG doesn't mean **** when you're base line is 13.

He couldn't have said it any better. I've had a RAM for about 13 years and I've come to accept that MPG is going to suck no matter what you do. Drive slow, use cruise when you can.

However I've been looking into building a Hydrogen Fuel Cell which I've heard can increase MPG by as much as 30-50%, that's what the claims are anyway. I'm a little skeptical but it's worth a try right?
 
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