2 Weeks Driving a Pentastar V6 Ram

[meatsbound]

Pentastar is a great NA sixer. I bought an 08 Wrangler new and it had the 3.8. Drove it for 9 years. First time I drove a JK with the 3.6 it was so much better than what I was used to.

 

[BiGMERF]

Isn’t the pentastar consistently one of the top v6 since it’s production began ? I love it. Matched with the 8 speed and pedal commander, It gives me everything I need. I don’t haul btw

 

[Firebird]

I had a 3.6 as a loaner also, and although I would not want one over a Hemi, it is a very capable engine.

 

[Rado]

So far loving my Pentstar ! Does what I need it to do which is basically a Street truck/car And when I do load up no issues !

 

[NCRaineman]

These are very impressive numbers for a full size truck with a v6 I'll say that! My wife's 16 equinox gets like 18 or 19 city and mid 20s highway and that's it! Not very impressive for a 4 cylinder!

There is such a thing as not having enough engine for the job.

Many manufacturers have gotten into the bad habit of putting a tiny passenger car 4-banger in "crossover" vehicles that weigh on the order of two tons. That does great on the EPA fuel mileage tests, but real world mileage suffers because you end up constantly flogging the vehicle around to get acceptable performance out of it. GM's Ecotec four cylinders are good designs and powerful for their size, but motivating a 4000lb vehicle with only 172lb/ft of torque is an exercise in futility. Compare that to the 2006 Chevy Cobalt, which used the same engine but only weighs 3000lbs, and you'll see what I mean.

 

[huntergreen]

Amazing engine, but open the hood and you think no way can this move a ram. It's great in my wrangler.

 

[GsRAM]

There is such a thing as not having enough engine for the job.

Many manufacturers have gotten into the bad habit of putting a tiny passenger car 4-banger in "crossover" vehicles that weigh on the order of two tons. That does great on the EPA fuel mileage tests, but real world mileage suffers because you end up constantly flogging the vehicle around to get acceptable performance out of it. GM's Ecotec four cylinders are good designs and powerful for their size, but motivating a 4000lb vehicle with only 172lb/ft of torque is an exercise in futility. Compare that to the 2006 Chevy Cobalt, which used the same engine but only weighs 3000lbs, and you'll see what I mean.

True. The window sticker rated it at 22 city, 28 highway. It' never seen north of 20 city since we'v owned it. We drive it very conservatively also (like a grandpa) so it is what it is. It's not a bad vehicle all in all. We were just expecting better fuel mileage out of it.

My 13yr old 2005 ford escape 2.3L, also awd, with over 117,000 miles on it gets the same or better fuel mileage and its only a 4 speed. The equinox is a 6 speed, I think that's part of the source of the disappointment. You'd think 13 yrs of advances would lead to bette fuel mileage but that's not shown to be the case.

I don't think Chevrolet put the 2.5 ecotec in the cobalt?

 

[69GWC]

We had a 2011 4 cylinder equinox and never seen the claimed window sticker mikeage out of it either, sold it and bought the wife a Mustang .

 

[tidefan1967]

Ya I loose some on the interstate to. I took that pic just before getting on I95. It dropped to 23 by time I got to my destination 53 miles down the road doing 75 with cruise on

Damn I don't know how anybody could get decent gas mileage in that miserable ass Summerville traffic.

 

[dav8388]

Damn I don't know how anybody could get decent gas mileage in that miserable ass Summerville traffic.

Ya the traffic is getting terrible. Of course thats what happens when they build housing development after housing development and not do anything to the roads. But it helps that I'm not home all week cause I'm a truck driver. I run a dedicated route out of Savannah so my Ram sees interstate miles most of the time.

 

[tidefan1967]

Ya the traffic is getting terrible. Of course thats what happens when they build housing development after housing development and not do anything to the roads. But it helps that I'm not home all week cause I'm a truck driver. I run a dedicated route out of Savannah so my Ram sees interstate miles most of the time.

As a resident of Summerville since 1978 I’ve seen it all. Loved living here back in the day when there were only a few thousand people.

 

[NCRaineman]

I don't think Chevrolet put the 2.5 ecotec in the cobalt?

It was a 2.4L then, but essentially the same engine.

 

[PoMansRam]

It is amazing how a Pentastar Ram does in comparison to other vehicle styles, some MUCH smaller and lighter. Here's an example:

Being a father of 4 school aged kids, our other vehicle has been a minivan since ~2004. We've had 4 different minivans since then, all V6 powered. A Windstar, an Odyssey, a Grand Caravan and currently a Nissan Quest. The best any of them will do with day to day driving is maybe 19mpg tank/tank in the summer, 17mpg in the winter. I have yet to get less than 23mpg with my Ram, no matter how or where I drive it. I'm sure loaded with passengers and cargo it would take a hit down into minivan territory.

 

[BiGMERF]

I’m lucky to get 18-19 city. Worse on highway. But I’m guessing it is because of the wheels n tires. Maybe my pedal commander being in sport +2 has an effect too.

 

[PoMansRam]

Yep. From what I've experienced, for vehicles geared for MPGs like 3.6 Rams, wheel/tire choice makes a difference. I would think on the 3.6 Rams, once you get away from the street/highway tires they come with, you'll loose 1-2 MPGs easily.

At 16500mi on my 2017, I'm still on the factory Goodyear Wrangerlers and I keep them aired up 1-2psig above door jamb specs. I've got the factory 17's on alumium wheels with plastic covers over them.

 

[atom13]

My 3.6 crew cab gets better mpg than our 17 oddysey

 

[atom13]

What I've noticed with my 3.6 cc. Is that Im faster than alot of the 4x4 trucks that are lifted with huge tires. Albeit these trucks are 06-13 gmc. Just from my experience from light to light and racing to a zipper merge.

 

[bruce219]

I’m lucky to get 18-19 city. Worse on highway. But I’m guessing it is because of the wheels n tires. Maybe my pedal commander being in sport +2 has an effect too.

I found the pedal commander made mine really hard on gas,I have it switched off now,I believe it works the same as flooring the higher up you go in the program's,
I only ran mine in city 2.

 

[NCRaineman]

What I've noticed with my 3.6 cc. Is that Im faster than alot of the 4x4 trucks that are lifted with huge tires. Albeit these trucks are 06-13 gmc. Just from my experience from light to light and racing to a zipper merge.

I love stoplight racing the guys with lifted trucks rolling on super swampers. They don't understand what adding that much unsprung mass does to the performance of a vehicle.

 

[PowrRam]

At 16500mi on my 2017, I'm still on the factory Goodyear Wrangerlers and I keep them aired up 1-2psig above door jamb specs. I've got the factory 17's on alumium wheels with plastic covers over them.

What is your opinion on ride quality with those Wranglers set at 41 psi?

I ask because I had black sidewall Wranglers on my 2015 that I ran at 39 psi and the ride was awesome. My 2018 Wranglers are outlined White letter sidewalls set at 42 psi (according to the TPMS readout) at the ride is much harsher than my 2015. (I need to get a new tire pressure gauge.)


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