Ram outdoorsman 5.7 MPG

[OrdellRobbie]

Recently bought a 2016 Ram outdoorsman and have been averaging 12mpg and I do not have a lead foot.

Is this normal?

From what I can tell these are my specs
5.7L Crew cab 4x4
8spd 8HP70
3.92 axle
2" leveling kit
20" stock wheels with BFG Ko2 A/T
Leer camper shell
Yakima Racks on shell and cab

Truck has 96k miles on it. I knew the Hemi was a gas hog but I see people talking about 20mpg range?!? on the interstate going 70 I barely see 15mpg.

I bought it with the Camper shell on it but I assumed it would help it rather then hurt, I know the yakima racks cause a little drag but didn't actually notice any drop in MPG after I put them on.

 

[NJMOPAR]

I get 8-10 city, 15-17 highway.
You don't buy a Hemi for gas mileage.

 

[dhiller123]

I have the exact same truck, right down to the color. I don't have a cap, but do have a tonneau cover. Also so not have the level kit.

Here's what I can tell you:

Right now in Wisconsin, the outside Temps range from -15 to about 10 above zero. I do use remote start quiet a bit. I use the truck for pizza delivery, so lots of stop and go. I'm averaging 14 mpg.

When the temps are "normal" like 10-25 outside, I see about 15-16mpg.

On the highway, at between 78 and 82 mph, with the engine RPMs about 2100, I see 18mpg in winter and 20 mpg in the summer.

Yes, it's a gas hog. It's not about miles per gallon, more about smiles per mile.

Diller
'14 Outdoorsman CC

Sent from my SM-G988U1 using Tapatalk

 

[OrdellRobbie]

I get 8-10 city, 15-17 highway.
You don't buy a Hemi for gas mileage.

I get that. Just looking for comparison. I feel like most of the mods are modest as its not jacked to the sky. Mainly just checking that there are no bigger underlying issues. The window sticker shows the truck would average 17 and get 21 on the highway, I know they can be a stretch sometimes but I am not even close to that lol.

 

[NJMOPAR]

Been driving Mopar V8s for 48 years and never saw 20mpg with anything from a 273 Commando to a 440 6bbl.

 

[PoMansRam]

What I'm thinking is each item on your list shaves just a bit of fuel economy away. The the rest is pure driving conditions.

Even with temperatures in the teens, I still average 18+ tank to tank with my 2019 Ram 1500 classic, hemi, crew cab, short bed w/ tonneau ocver, bone stock with 17" wheels. I live in a rural-ish area, so most of my driving is fairly long steady 45-55mph runs.

Forgot to add, my truck is 4x4 and has the 3.21 gears as well.

I play with the MDS and turn it off when it annoys me at ~45mph or during more frequent stops/gos.

 

[smithwessn]

I have a 12 Outdoorsman, quad cab, 4x4 with the hemi, 3.55 rear, a 2" level, and 285/75/17 BFG KO2's. My mpg, per the evic, hangs right around low 12, high 11 mpg average. That's mostly around town. If I reset the average mpg right before I make the 2 hour long, mostly highway @ 70 mph trip up to the cabin I think it hangs in the 14 range. I never bothered to hand calculate average mpg. It is what it is. If I was that concerned about it, I wouldn't have bought a full sized truck with a beefy V8.

 

[Wild one]

Recently bought a 2016 Ram outdoorsman and have been averaging 12mpg and I do not have a lead foot.

Is this normal?

From what I can tell these are my specs
5.7L Crew cab 4x4
8spd 8HP70
3.92 axle
2" leveling kit
20" stock wheels with BFG Ko2 A/T
Leer camper shell
Yakima Racks on shell and cab

Truck has 96k miles on it. I knew the Hemi was a gas hog but I see people talking about 20mpg range?!? on the interstate going 70 I barely see 15mpg.

I bought it with the Camper shell on it but I assumed it would help it rather then hurt, I know the yakima racks cause a little drag but didn't actually notice any drop in MPG after I put them on.

View attachment 237458

At 96K it's probably due for new plugs and air filter,and a throttle body cleaning.Also winter fuel is all you'll be buying these days till the weather warms back up,and it'll make a noticable differance in fuel milege.Truck takes 16 spark plugs,and stick with the OEM plugs,the cost on them will make your ass pucker up,but odds are you'll only ever replace them once,as a new set now should just about wear the truck out,before you need to replace them again.
Buy one of these sockets if you don't have one,it'll make replacing all 16 plugs alot nicer,and you'll kick your ass for not buying this socket years ago ,lol

Amazon.com: GEARWRENCH 3/8" Drive 6 Pt. 5/8" x 6" Magnetic Swivel Spark Plug Socket - 80546: Home Improvement

 

[PoMansRam]

You wouldn't think it would make such a big deal, but everyone I know with a late model Ram 1500 who switched to more aggressive tread tires or 10 plys lost MPGs vs something like the soft, spongy OEM goodyear wranger SR-A 17s my truck has.

 

[crash68]

At 96K it's probably due for new plugs and air filter,and a throttle body cleaning.Also winter fuel is all you'll be buying these days till the weather warms back up,and it'll make a noticable differance in fuel milege.Truck takes 16 spark plugs,and stick with the OEM plugs,the cost on them will make your ass pucker up,but odds are you'll only ever replace them once,as a new set now should just about wear the truck out,before you need to replace them again.

^^^^ I agree with this about the spark plugs is probably the problem.
Only my suggestion is to get rid of them...lol
I get about 14-15 mpg when towing a 28' 8K lbs enclosed trailer with my EcoDiesel :-D

 

[JohnnyMac]

Like @PoMansRam mentioned, it all adds up. My EcoDiesel lost 4-6 mgps with a lift and 35" Hybrid tires. Pretty significant so I'm guessing it has a lot to do with your MPG's.

 

[kurek]

heavier tires will reduce mpg
all-terrain tires, just by the nature of the tread will usually reduce mpg

If the tires are larger than stock (even by a little bit) and you haven't updated your speedometer you will get worse mpg AND your evic/odometer will underreport your mpg on top of that.

So if your tires are anything other than stock size it's well worth it to reprogram for your actual tire size. alfaobd or jscan, or any of the hardware tuners can do it.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I get 50 mpg when coasting downhill with the engine cut off for 30 miles or so.

 

[pacofortacos]

I have a 16 Outdoorsman, your mileage is about normal with the mods that you have.
All stock, I only get 17 mpg highway @ 74 mph summer, winter subtract 1-2 mpg.
In town varies as there are so many variables.

My Outdoorsman is very wind sensitive when it comes to mpg - doesn't take much wind when coming from a front side to kill any mpg. Been that way since day 1.

The level, rack and tires are not helping and are about what you are going to get with those.
Plus side is, your mpg might go up a couple of mpg once summer fuel and temps hit.

That said it is time for a tune up if it hasn't been done, but don't expect any miracle.

Oh and the vast majority with 3.92 gears do not get 20 mpg@ 70 mph - it is the rare few that do. 3.21's yes but 3.92's not so much.
It can happen but you need the correct wind direction.

On the plus side, I do get 30 mpg @ 45-50 mph when cruising highway 1 in the florida keys Full blown 4 cylinder mode!

 

[pacofortacos]

"I bought it with the Camper shell on it but I assumed it would help it rather then hurt, I know the yakima racks cause a little drag but didn't actually notice any drop in MPG after I put them on."

Shells generally do not help and often hurt mpg - they create a huge low pressure area behind the truck.

 

[Bigskyroadglide]

At 96k, replace the plugs, clean the throttle body.

Other suggestions might be get a tuner, update your tire size, turn off mds and run 89 or 91 minimum, and change to synthetic oils. But these are all personal preferences.

My crew cab, with a camper shell, with after market wheels and tires, with the 6sp and 3.55s gets 18 easy hwy and I rarely run less than 80. I'm not lifted.

Around town it's 14 or 15 max due to stop and go.

I have iridium plugs, updated coils, run redline 5W30, redline C+ in the transmission and redline 75/90 in the front differential and 75 /140 in the rear
Always 89 or greater octane, real gas if I can find it and keep tire pressure at 40 psi. I have a tuner with throttle sensitivity set to max. mds is off and my tire size updated.

Hemi's respond well to certain things find what yours likes. Fuel mileage requires work. It doesn't just happen.

I wish you luck

 

[Doodoo972]

I have a 2012 Express with 3.55 gear ratio and 20' wheels and my mpg is between 13 and 14 for a mixed hilly road and highway driving

 

[ramffml]

I'm one of those guys who gets 24 mpg repeatedly, on long freeway trips (3+ hours). If you're driving > 63 mph, it's not going to happen. If you are not lazily driving in the right hand lane the entire time, it's not going to happen. Hit your brakes because you're travelling to close to guy in front of you, it's not going to happen. Every time you brake, that's lost energy/gas because you need to speed up again. etc etc.

So yes you can get > 20 mpg, but it requires effort.

I'm very happy with this hemi; power for fun/towing, and when I'm consciously driving it will get > 20 mpg every time.

 

[RLJ10X]

Ffml, I have a Million Dollar idea for you.

You inform FCA that you're getting 24 mpg repeatedly. You sell you truck back to them for 2 Mil (I get a Million dollars, after all, it is MY idea) so they can reverse engineer it. Then ALL new Ram 1500s will get 24 mpg, putting Ford and GM on the ropes once and for all.

Then FCA can also develop a retro fit "Mpg Kit" for us schlubs who are getting a paltry 17 mpg, like all the magazine articles on Ram 1500s say we should get.

If it's your fantastic secret driving abilities that yield the 24 mpg repeatedly, I have another million dollar idea for a driving school, as well.

Stay in touch...

 

[pacofortacos]

His key to the mpg is the very slow speed.
On the level with 3.21 gears and that slow speed, you are basically cruising around just off of idle.