Poor Fuel milage

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olie

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Jan 18, 2015
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Ram Year
2012
Engine
cummins diesel
I have a 2012 Ram 3500 Diesel with the Cummins engine, I have 13,500 miles on it and I can't get over 12 miles per gallon. I am not pulling any loads. The dealer checked the computer and nothing is wrong with it. Has anyone else had this problem, did I just get a lemon and Is there anything I can do or should I just trade it for a Ford.
 

Cummins Powered

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Sep 8, 2014
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Location
Texas
Ram Year
2008 Ram 2500 4x4 3.73 gears,1994 Ram 2500 4x4 12 valve modified, Industrial Injection #5 fuel plate
Engine
6.7 Cummins, 5.9 Cummins
With these newer 6.7's with the emissions you will not see the best of miles per gallon. There are claims of guys getting 20 miles to the gallon with these trucks, but these claims are not true. You want better mileage, and air-flow delete the emissions, and get a tuner so the truck will not go into limp mode.Other wise you will just have to live with fact that emissions are part of your truck, and you'll have to deal with that aspect. There are a few tips to achieve a little better miles per gallon. Check your air filter, fuel filter, proper tire pressure, a high lift kit with bigger tires also affects mileage. There is a product called Power Service Diesel Kleen, it lubricates the entire fuel system, cleans dirty injectors, less down shifting, higjer cetane boost, protects pumps, faster cold starts, and also prevents injector sticking. Use it at every fill, I mean every fill up to get the benefits. Hand calculation is way more accurate set up versus reading off of your truck readings.
 

NYCruiser

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Yonkers, NY
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2014
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Hemi 5.7
A similarly equipped Ford isn't going to be much better.
 

Cummins Powered

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Location
Texas
Ram Year
2008 Ram 2500 4x4 3.73 gears,1994 Ram 2500 4x4 12 valve modified, Industrial Injection #5 fuel plate
Engine
6.7 Cummins, 5.9 Cummins
A similarly equipped Ford isn't going to be much better.

It's any of the BIg 3, it's very sad and disappointing what they are doing to these trucks. Cummins, Duramax, and the Powerstroke are improving the engine design, beefing up the transmission, bigger turbos, as seen in the new 2015 6.7 Powerstroke. Could you imagine if these 3 diesel trucks with no emissions, all you would need is basic tuner, and turbo-back. To the above post, forgot to mention with only 13,500 miles your engine is not broken in yet, it will improve mileage but nothing dramatic.
 

smiley

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Location
Minot, ND
Ram Year
2014 Ram 2500 Crew
Engine
6.7L Cummins
The nearsightedness of these emissions sure sucks. You now have to burn more fuel to save the environment? Yup makes no sense because more fuel means more emissions somewhere else to get it to your tank. Plus urea which also has to be processed and delivered for the newest ones causing more emissions and problems. It reminds me of the electric car issue where people try and argue they are clean and better for environment. They still cause emissions they just don't do it at their own tailpipe it is done at a coal or nuclear plant. Emissions controls make sense but not ones that are illogical.
 

Sparkyy

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Northern New Jersey
Ram Year
2018
Engine
v6
The nearsightedness of these emissions sure sucks. You now have to burn more fuel to save the environment? Yup makes no sense because more fuel means more emissions somewhere else to get it to your tank. Plus urea which also has to be processed and delivered for the newest ones causing more emissions and problems. It reminds me of the electric car issue where people try and argue they are clean and better for environment. They still cause emissions they just don't do it at their own tailpipe it is done at a coal or nuclear plant. Emissions controls make sense but not ones that are illogical.
I use the same reasoning with people about electric cars. Also there is the fact that the electric car has a battery that has to be replaced every so often. Which is more damaging than the Hemi will ever be in its lifetime.

To OP, not sure about diesels but gas trucks get worse mileage in the winter months than summer, so that could play a role too. But as everyone has said, it's all this friendly new emissions crap on it.
 

Cummins Powered

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Location
Texas
Ram Year
2008 Ram 2500 4x4 3.73 gears,1994 Ram 2500 4x4 12 valve modified, Industrial Injection #5 fuel plate
Engine
6.7 Cummins, 5.9 Cummins
I really feel for the first time buyer, they have no idea what they are getting themselves involved when it comes to these emissions on these diesel trucks. The first time buyer sees the RAM commercial, with a Cummins pulling a horse trailer, they get very excited and go to a dealership. The salesman, and the finance manager not telling them anything when it comes to issues involving these trucks. We are not just talking about a kitty cat(converter). Very strict expensive emissions parts. They take the truck home, well within a few months they don't understand why they are getting 10 miles or so to the gallon, check engine light comes on, well upon taking a trip to the dealership the service guy tells them soot is clogged the egr valve and turbo, and in some cases the DPF too. That's when they start to acknowledge and learn about the emissions on these newer diesel trucks. Several things happen, they either deal with and exept what's in front of them, they trade there truck in for a prius, or an import rice burner fart can.
 

Arctic-Rodz

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Jul 1, 2013
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Location
RGV, TX
Ram Year
2014 2500
Engine
6.7L Cummins
To the OP
is your truck at stock height? Original tire and wheel?

I recently got my CTD Ram 2500 and love it. MPG is very similar to what my 1500 6 speed hemi was.

Also, is the mpg you're seeing all city?

I'm seeing 13 mpg in the city with stop and go traffic. 14mpg mixed highway with some light towing and 18mpg on the highway averaging 75mph.

All hand calculated.
My truck reads 2mpg average more. When I first got it, and drive it home it showed 20mpg on the highway trip but the hand calculated showed 18. Not bad really, would love to see 20 though :)
 

htwo

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Dec 18, 2014
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Location
Waterloo, Ontario
Ram Year
2011
Engine
HEMI 5.7
Low teens mileage is why HD trucks aren't required to get EPA certified for mileage testing. It would turn a lot of people away from buying a HD, be it gas or diesel, for personal use. Axle ratios are often lower than half ton trucks, and HD's also weigh more, even with the gas engine. An HD that gets double digit mileage is good in my book.
 

westcoastflatbedder

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May 31, 2015
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Ram Year
2014
Engine
6.7 cummins
I just purchased a 2014 with a 6.7. I was leery of it with all the emissions(dpf,def,and such).I've been in the trucking industy for over 20 years and ive seen the negative effect these new emissions have on 2007 and newer class 8 trucks.Long story short,took the family from california to kentucky and back to california.The average mpg for over 5300 miles was 20.9. In some cases just running the interstate at 70 to 80 mph i was getting 23 to 23.5. This is off of the truck trip meter and doing the math at everyfill up.For those that claim its impossible you probly wont believe it,i guess i could post pictures of my trip meters.For anyone else looking to buy these newer 6.7 my advise is to spec your truck accordingly.
 

Akray

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Apr 11, 2016
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Location
Alaska
Ram Year
2011
Engine
6.7 Cummins
my 11 CCLB would not get over 13 stock. I deleted and added custom tuning. not local in town driving is around 17.5-18 and highway is normally 19.5 +
 

Ram444

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Jul 12, 2016
Posts
191
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89
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Cummins 6.7
My truck around town gets 14.2 and and much higher on the interstate. I really can't vouch for those numbers since I'm only on my second tank of fuel. My truck is deleted and modified as well pulling 540 rear wheel HP and well over 1200ft/lb of torque depending on which tune I use.
 

Kytow

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Apr 27, 2016
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444
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Ram Year
2013
Engine
5.7
Towing a 5+ ton boat not including trailer weight basic ccsb 15' powerstroke was 6mpg. Smog stuff kills it.


Sent from somewhere with confusion.
 

Mega-Hemi

US AIR FORCE '08-'18
Military
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Back in New York!
Ram Year
2020
Engine
6.7 Cummins
With 53k on the odometer I was getting 10-12mpg pulling a dump trailer at 10-12k lbs. Filled it again today after driving about 250mi empty and hand calculated 24mpg. Mostly back road driving at 55-65mph.
 

leeroy300

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Location
BC Canada
Ram Year
2020 Laramie Sport
Engine
6.7 l
l went from 20 mpg to 16.5 with a 2014 CTD 68 RFE and now 60000 miles
 

leeroy300

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Location
BC Canada
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2020 Laramie Sport
Engine
6.7 l
hmmm didn’t see that
l did a poor fuel economy search and ened up here was hoping for some ideas but maybe l will try elsewhere Thanx
 

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