Bmedlin85
Junior Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2016
- Posts
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
- Ram Year
- 2012
- Engine
- Hemi 5.7
Hello to all of my fellow Ram owners/drivers.
I have found this forum to have some very valuable information pertaining to our trucks. It is great to see such a big knowledge base come together to help and inform others who may not know as much about certain mechanisms and theory's.
Before I get into my question/concern's, here are the specs on my Ram:
Purchased: 12/2015 (Used with around 40,000 miles)
Year: 2012
Model: Big Horn
Cab: Crew Cab
Engine: 5.7 Hemi
Transmission: 3.55 (Stock)
Wheel/tires: Stock 20" wheels with Michelin 275/60-20 Defender Tires
Lift: Stock height
Mileage: 50,800
Location: Flowery Branch GA (30542)
Intake: S&B Intake
Exhaust: Mufflex DOD18M (18" Magnaflow Muffler)
Fuel Octane: 89
Spark Plug Change Interval: As per maintenance chart from Dodge (Recently done)
Oil Change Interval: As per maintenance chart from Dodge (Recently done)
Driving conditions: 50/50 Highway/City
Average Fuel Economy: 14-15
Fuel Economy:
Here lately I have noticed that my fuel economy seems to be going down, along with what seems to be a rough(er) idle. When I first purchased the truck I was getting 16 to 18 mpg. Nowadays I am seeing nothing more than 14 to 15. I have read a lot of forums talking about the fuel quality during the winter months. How true is this, I would have no idea. Now do not get me wrong, I knew when I purchased the truck that it wasn't going to be getting 20 to 30 (like my wife's VW TDI). I have driven trucks my whole life and am use to getting mediocre mileage. My concern here is that my mpg seems to be getting worse. My driving style has not changed and I am not an aggressive driver at all. I also do not let the truck sit and idle for long periods of time. I added the intake and exhaust in "hopes" that it would help, but I think if anything it hurt my cause.
Power:
Since day one I have felt that the truck was not delivering its full potential in power. I have driven several Ram's in the past that really impressed me, however mine seems less than impressive. I live Northeast of Atlanta about an hour where the mountains just start. It seems that if my truck is driven on the slightest incline it struggles. I literally have to gradually give it more and more until it gears down and maintains speed, or speeds up (and there goes my fuel mileage). If I keep the throttle where it is the truck will drop 10+ mph on the slightest incline. Could the MDS be causing any of these issues? I have tried driving the truck in 6th gear, thus disabling the MDS (if I read right). As with the fuel economy, I added the intake and exhaust in hopes of remedying power. No success. I thought about getting a tuner but am concerned with dropping that kind of money for no improvement.
I apologize if this is kinda scattered but these things are really driving me crazy. Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
I have found this forum to have some very valuable information pertaining to our trucks. It is great to see such a big knowledge base come together to help and inform others who may not know as much about certain mechanisms and theory's.
Before I get into my question/concern's, here are the specs on my Ram:
Purchased: 12/2015 (Used with around 40,000 miles)
Year: 2012
Model: Big Horn
Cab: Crew Cab
Engine: 5.7 Hemi
Transmission: 3.55 (Stock)
Wheel/tires: Stock 20" wheels with Michelin 275/60-20 Defender Tires
Lift: Stock height
Mileage: 50,800
Location: Flowery Branch GA (30542)
Intake: S&B Intake
Exhaust: Mufflex DOD18M (18" Magnaflow Muffler)
Fuel Octane: 89
Spark Plug Change Interval: As per maintenance chart from Dodge (Recently done)
Oil Change Interval: As per maintenance chart from Dodge (Recently done)
Driving conditions: 50/50 Highway/City
Average Fuel Economy: 14-15
Fuel Economy:
Here lately I have noticed that my fuel economy seems to be going down, along with what seems to be a rough(er) idle. When I first purchased the truck I was getting 16 to 18 mpg. Nowadays I am seeing nothing more than 14 to 15. I have read a lot of forums talking about the fuel quality during the winter months. How true is this, I would have no idea. Now do not get me wrong, I knew when I purchased the truck that it wasn't going to be getting 20 to 30 (like my wife's VW TDI). I have driven trucks my whole life and am use to getting mediocre mileage. My concern here is that my mpg seems to be getting worse. My driving style has not changed and I am not an aggressive driver at all. I also do not let the truck sit and idle for long periods of time. I added the intake and exhaust in "hopes" that it would help, but I think if anything it hurt my cause.
Power:
Since day one I have felt that the truck was not delivering its full potential in power. I have driven several Ram's in the past that really impressed me, however mine seems less than impressive. I live Northeast of Atlanta about an hour where the mountains just start. It seems that if my truck is driven on the slightest incline it struggles. I literally have to gradually give it more and more until it gears down and maintains speed, or speeds up (and there goes my fuel mileage). If I keep the throttle where it is the truck will drop 10+ mph on the slightest incline. Could the MDS be causing any of these issues? I have tried driving the truck in 6th gear, thus disabling the MDS (if I read right). As with the fuel economy, I added the intake and exhaust in hopes of remedying power. No success. I thought about getting a tuner but am concerned with dropping that kind of money for no improvement.
I apologize if this is kinda scattered but these things are really driving me crazy. Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
