This MPG is why I bought the 3.21

Marshall · Jul 18, 2022

generally why I don't bother posting , as someone said a few months ago when we where discussing MPG some one said we are are liars, when mentioned good mileage.
I did a round trip to Saskatoon, last month for youngest granddaughter's Grad.
about 6 + hrs drive, hills, small towns ,good side wind for some of it , just under 120km, and some city driving, maybe 2 hrs.
Average said 12.3L/100km, Now I never converted that, But I am happy.
The Honda CRV average is 10 L/100km.
The truck has got under 10 L/100 on flat HI way with no head wind, which is rare here
3.92 gears hemi, no lifts, 20 tires 8 speed 2014 sport reg gas, cheap crap.
Price has dropped abit, only 1.98/ liter. You US guys convert that to gallons , and there is scads of oil right under my feet. But that is a rant for another time.

LI Guy · Jul 18, 2022

IDSandman said:
You were on a freeway going 43mph? Lol!

Um that 64 mph

IDSandman · Jul 18, 2022

LI Guy said:
Um that 64 mph

70kmh is 64mph? Huh….
His dash display shows 70kmh….

70kmh to mph - Google Search

BlueGuyRedState · Jul 18, 2022

Welp. We towed my eldest daughter's U Haul from Lincoln NE to Tacoma WA first week of June (WY/MT/ID/WA) with usual 10-12 mpg from our 2018 Big Horn Crew Cab 5.7/3.21/48K aka Clifford The Big Red Truck.

HOWEVER cruising home (WA/OR/ID/UT/CO) and studiously avoiding Interstates when possible thus 70 mph usually the max, we averaged 23.4 mpg on 85 octane - usually Costco 10 % ethanol. Tires are year old Ironman All Country AT @ 41 PSI.

We have a 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid that will do 40 mpg at similar speeds so that's the daily driver, Clifford in town fairly awful (14-15 if I feather the gas pedal) but it's a small town.

Always a gas (couldn't resist!) to see what fellow RAM drivers are getting. I think the 8 speed auto in our RAM really delivers regardless of whether towing or cruising. Truck is stone stock and likely to stay that way though LED bulbs may happen.

ramffml · Jul 18, 2022

To be honest, the 3.92 getting >= 20 mpg is also great considering how poorly trucks did in the past. This is within spitting distance of some SUV's which are smaller, have less interior space, less payload, and no towing ability.

KC5TGQ · Jul 18, 2022

What gearheads don't understand is that the 3:21 pulls better at speed than the 3.73 gears. I ordered my 2019 with 3:21 gears and pull a big tractor and implements with no problems. The Hemi is powerful on its on.

crash68 · Jul 18, 2022

KC5TGQ said:
What gearheads don't understand is that the 3:21 pulls better at speed than the 3.73 gears.

So which is it? Tows so much better? or doesn't effect pulling much ?

KC5TGQ said:
I would advise getting the 3:21 gears, they make a huge difference in gas millage but don't affect pulling much at all.

3.73 hasn't been offered behind behind the 8spd transmission in a 1500 so you really can't compare the two.
It's a bit of a stretch to say that 3.21 tows better at speed, maybe if your running on flat roads(no hills).

Bandit1859 · Jul 18, 2022

It

ramffml said:
Couldn't resist after seeing a bunch of negative posts on the 3.21. I get why this forum is so lopsided, it's an enthusiast forum so many will be drawn to the 3.92.

But this week I just crushed my best record to date (which was 2 years ago). Back then the best I got was 9.4 l/100 km = 25 mpg. This week, my truck displayed this little goody on the dash:

8.4 = 28 mpg

3 hours 100% freeway driving, avg of 103 km/h, with a light tail wind, MDS disabled, mix of 89 and 91 octane fuel, probably some ethanol in there but cant be certain of the amount.

Reset meter, hopped on the freeway, and snapped pic after 3 hours on the off ramp. So yes, all ideal conditions but it's still far better than anything I've seen with the 3.92. And I probably won't see that again ever, but there is no doubt the MPG savings of the 3.21 are real.

View attachment 497724Its a truck gas mileage should not really be a big deal. No mater what gears r in it. If you r pulling you want those392s. I have two trucks with different gears. Makes very little difference

turkeybird56 · Jul 18, 2022

Regcabguy said:
It's 120* and 90% humidity in Texas. Driving the speed limit will allow the engine to run cooler.

Interesting thought, lol. (sic)

1STRAM2500 · Jul 18, 2022

I have been able to get decent mileage with my 2022 Tradesman 2500 2WD Std Bed 6.4L Hemi with 3.73 axle. Now have 8K on the truck I took possession of March of 2022. I live in a relatively flat area, commute around 14-25 miles to work locations, generally drive 55 on our roads, get 17-18. Can get 20+ on straight highway, little less on interstate at 70. What I have found is short trips and idling absolutely KILL mpg on this truck, more so than any other vehicle I have ever owned. Towing 10K travel trailer down to NC Outer Banks (170 miles each way) got 8.5 going south into the wind, 9.5 back home with slight tail wind. Due to roads, generally have to drive 45-55 range. All is much better than I was expecting. NOW, for my recommendations on increasing your MPG while driving your 2500
1. Don't push on the go pedal AT ALL! 2. Only drive with a tail wind present. 3. Never idle for even 30 seconds 4. Never tow anything 5. Never carry any payload or passengers. 6. Always drive downhill wherever you go--you can get 99+ mpg doing that!. 7. Never use the AC on hot days. 8. Never drive with your windows down above 25 mph. 9. Never make a trip less than about 100 miles. 10. NEVER, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, should you ever put your foot on the brake pedal and simultaneously use ANY OF YOUR FINGERS to PUSH THE START !BUTTON!!!!! Otherwise, enjoy your truck! It is after all, a very capable and fun truck!!!

Burn2k12Ram · Jul 18, 2022

^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^ LOL

BluDodge · Jul 18, 2022

EdGs said:
That being said, I have wondered if the MDS has anything to do with the exhaust manifold bolt breakage, since it seems to me there would be heat differences due to cylinder deactivation.

I believe the manifold bolt problem has been around a lot longer than MDS.

ramffml · Jul 18, 2022

1STRAM2500 said:
I have been able to get decent mileage with my 2022 Tradesman 2500 2WD Std Bed 6.4L Hemi with 3.73 axle. Now have 8K on the truck I took possession of March of 2022. I live in a relatively flat area, commute around 14-25 miles to work locations, generally drive 55 on our roads, get 17-18. Can get 20+ on straight highway, little less on interstate at 70. What I have found is short trips and idling absolutely KILL mpg on this truck, more so than any other vehicle I have ever owned. Towing 10K travel trailer down to NC Outer Banks (170 miles each way) got 8.5 going south into the wind, 9.5 back home with slight tail wind. Due to roads, generally have to drive 45-55 range. All is much better than I was expecting. NOW, for my recommendations on increasing your MPG while driving your 2500
1. Don't push on the go pedal AT ALL! 2. Only drive with a tail wind present. 3. Never idle for even 30 seconds 4. Never tow anything 5. Never carry any payload or passengers. 6. Always drive downhill wherever you go--you can get 99+ mpg doing that!. 7. Never use the AC on hot days. 8. Never drive with your windows down above 25 mph. 9. Never make a trip less than about 100 miles. 10. NEVER, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, should you ever put your foot on the brake pedal and simultaneously use ANY OF YOUR FINGERS to PUSH THE START !BUTTON!!!!! Otherwise, enjoy your truck! It is after all, a very capable and fun truck!!!

Great tips! I can also recommend you never put any gas in it, far more economical to just flintstone it everywhere.

Danquin1 · Jul 18, 2022

There once was a time when truck owners would talk about horse power, torque, how much they can tow, going off roading... (even in a 4x2). Now it's MPG. It's really simple, V8 less mpg, V6 more mpg. And the difference in different V6s is no more then +/- 1or maybe 2 mpg. And every one and their mother is going to get different numbers, cause we all drive different, and there are simply thousands of situations that will effect the numbers. Just enjoy your RAM.

Docwagon1776 · Jul 18, 2022

ramffml said:
I suspect the opposite; all you guys with the 3.92 that refuse to accept your reduction in MPG would be trying to prove how superior their 3.92 is, "look, it's even better on gas!!!".

I like discussions but some of you all truly got blinders on.

I don't see anyone claiming 3.92s get better milage, except a hand full of folks narrowly defining a set context. I have no idea what milage I get because I don't care and certainly don't care to 'prove it' even if it was the case. I'll get worse milage than you regardless because driving slow is boring and the older I get the closer I am to death so the less time I have to get to where I'm going.

The 3.92 will run through the gears quicker as it allows the motor to spool up faster, will shift at lower speeds, and help keep the motor in the fat spot of the powerband as it runs through the gears. Whatever that costs me in fuel economy is worth it. Neither is superior, it's just what you value.

CheechDogg.0n37s · Jul 18, 2022

@Docwagon1776 and @Danquin1 exactly what I said in another thread, no one drives exactly the same, so many things people don't realize they do when they drive, for me it's the sound of the tires and exhaust when I am driving at certain rpms that I love to hear regardless of how much MPGs are lost, to me those turn to SMILES PER GALLON ...

I get the same MPG I did when my truck was stock with 3.21s that I do now with 4.88s and 37s with 20x12 lol ...

I don't drive 90 mph either but I also love to enjoy my truck regardless of the mpgs lol ...

Our habits will determine what are truck's mpg will be and the thing is we don't realize that unless we are "enthusiasts" lol .... SMH !!!

ramffml · Jul 18, 2022

Docwagon1776 said:
The 3.92 will run through the gears quicker as it allows the motor to spool up faster, will shift at lower speeds, and help keep the motor in the fat spot of the powerband as it runs through the gears.

That's funny because I use that exact same argument; on the freeway. It has more gears available, and it can always find the lowest RPMs needed to do the job. Whatever that costs me in terms of, uh, "spooling up the motor faster" from a dead stop is of no concern to me.

We're getting into the weeds. I never claimed the 3.92 didn't have a purpose, this thread was about why I chose the 3.21, which is to save gas while still having far more than enough power to do city duty; it has 400 hp so I'm not exatly worried about city performance.

ramffml · Jul 18, 2022

Danquin1 said:
There once was a time when truck owners would talk about horse power, torque, how much they can tow, going off roading... (even in a 4x2). Now it's MPG.

There was also once a time when I could fill my truck for < $100. That time has passed.

The 3.21 can give you pretty good MPG, while still being used to tow a good sized trailer, all while having 400 hp. MPG and other truck stuff don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Docwagon1776 · Jul 18, 2022

CheechDogg.0n37s said:
Our habits will determine what are truck's mpg will be and the thing is we don't realize that unless we are "enthusiasts" lol .... SMH !!!
[/QUOTE]

I've about 80% talked myself into buying an F-150 Raptor. I'll get slightly worse mileage, but at least I can pay for premium fuel as well.

If I was running a fleet, I'd worry about minor differences in fuel economy. I'm not. I'm not an appliance buyer, I'm a buyer of the driving experience. I'd rather drive a $5k truck without worrying about gas prices than drive a $65k truck and count nickles.

CheechDogg.0n37s · Jul 19, 2022

Docwagon1776 said:
I've about 80% talked myself into buying an F-150 Raptor. I'll get slightly worse mileage, but at least I can pay for premium fuel as well.

If I was running a fleet, I'd worry about minor differences in fuel economy. I'm not. I'm not an appliance buyer, I'm a buyer of the driving experience. I'd rather drive a $5k truck without worrying about gas prices than drive a $65k truck and count nickles.

Makes me regret selling my k-5 blazer lol ... loved that tank, 46" swampers , filling up was the least of my worries then as is now .... i had a front dana 60 with 5.38s and full float in the back ... thing was nasty ... yeah I think I only got like 10 mpg but boy was it fun lol

This MPG is why I bought the 3.21

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