6.4 Road Trip Results

[tjfdesmo]

Thanks for posting that 6.4 dude. Nothing earth shattering. Lower 1st and 2nd not bad. I guess it would come down to the programming for me. if it would more readily utilize 5th in T/H it would probably be pretty good pulling.

 

[SouthTexan]

Thanks for the feedback carmantl, I assume the derate is for duty cycle reasons, same as the Cummins in the C&C???

They de-rate cab and chassis trucks to meet emissions and it has nothing to do with duty cycle. Since cab and chassis trucks are not complete, they have to go through a more stringent engine dyno certification rather than a chassis dyno certification that the complete pick ups do. US emissions is also measured in grams per horsepower per hour, so you would have to limit output depending on how much the truck pollutes per horsepower.

Trust me, the engine can and will go into to de-rate the output at any point if the duty cycle is too much for one of the trucks components.

 

[Alexpaul09]

I have a '14 crew cab sb 6.4 with 3.73 and 107k on the dash and after a week of driving it says 17mpg on the lie meter and hand calculate says 15.6 still not bad for a big gasser

 

[Vicman]

Speed kills mpg in my PW.
If I stay at 69 mph, I have seen as much as 18.3 on the dash
Last trip to Michigan from Western NC via US23 I kept it under 70 the whole time and saw 17.8 round trip.
If I run 72-73 it drops straight down to 15ish.

 

[BOB RAM 2500]

Interesting post .... Now i am going to have to manually check mine. With camper on truck and boat in tow 65 mph cruise control set. Running I95 only for approx. 150 miles .... mpg between 7.5 an 8.0 according to my display... Made this trip 3 times this month and mpg stays about the same. Doesnt change even if I use the tow haul or not. Running about 2500 rpm except when going over the overpasses it kicks to about 3500rpm. Crazy as it seems to me it sometimes kicks into eco mode on the down side.

 

[Vicman]

Trailer on the way out and tires on the way back from OKLA. Tow Haul mode the whole way, I had 11.8 round trip. The lowest I got was crossing Ark/OK on the way out. Felt like one slow steady hill. I dropped to 7.6. Dash of course. I'll do a manual check next fill up and report back.
Normal driving I'm 12+ to high 14. Call it 13.5 ave.

 

[McBroom]

Just completed a trip to Coleman, OK and back, 2687 miles, Max MPG 15.9, Min MPG 14.5, Trip AVG 15.1, EVIC Indicated Trip Avg 18.0. They don't call it the Lie-O-Meter for nothing LOL. This was empty, running 75. Pretty flat terrain along the I-10, I-20 corridor, and remarkably little wind. I was hoping she'd get 16 on a trip like that, but at 7K+ lbs with a gas motor, it is what it is.

That’s pretty freakin good with 4.10’s. I’d be proud of it.


I Love My 2018 RAM 2500HD 4x4 Off Road. 6.4L. USMC (ret)

 

[McBroom]

O man I dont even want to think about hand calculating my Power Wagon then. My Lie-O-Meter says 12.5 and 11.xx in the winter. its not all the trucks fault, I like to hear that Solo Performance muffler delete scream bald eagles out the tail pipe!

I know that’s right Nick. My mileage actually went up after I put the Solo Delete kit on. I love it!!


I Love My 2018 RAM 2500HD 4x4 Off Road. 6.4L. USMC (ret)

 

[coobie]

6.4 with 3.73 gears running 60-63 mph best ever(summer) 17.6 Mpg,s

 

[leroys73]

When I was dreaming of a new pickup I knew I wanted a Ram. I was pretty sure I wanted a 2500 but definitely a 4x4. Would it be the 5.7 or 6.4. So I searched for some idea of MPG as I did not want to be completely shocked. The best I could come up with were numbers but not how the truck was equipped, especially the important differential or if it was a 4x4. I haven't owned a full sized pick up in many years. The last one I had back in the 80s would get 12 mpg with a tail wind on a good day and it was a weakling although it did have a v-8.

I drove a RAM 2500 van with a 360, 3.55 gears, running the air and at 75 to 80 mph I could count on 16 mpg and maybe 12 mpg in town. So by buying a 2500 pick up I was not expecting big mileage.

Now I have my Ram 2500 Long Horn, 4x4, Snow Chief, 6.4L, crew cab with the long bed and 3.73 gears (liked to have a little higher number but not offered). I added an ARE topper or camper shell what ever they call them today that is cab high. It is not a heavy "shell". Why did I order the Snow Chief package while living it Texas...because they offered it.

Here are my results after starting a trip with the truck only having 1200 miles on it. The trip was with 3 people in the cab and plenty of luggage. The trip was 3600 miles from Dallas, Texas to SE Utah and NE Arizona and back to Dallas.

I ran 87 or 88 octane depending on which was available. At the elevations I was at most of the time I probably could have used a lower octane but in all of my vehicles I never drop below 87. I know the book recommends 89 but it also states 87 is OK. In my other two MOPARs that state the same, I have found zero difference in the mpg. I am not demanding max performance. So why spend the money? I do use top tier fuel most of the time. If ethanol free is available I use it but not on this trip.

Roughly half of the trip was interstate driving. I ran at the speed limit of 75 mph most of the time but at times the speed limit was 70 or 80 plus construction speeds, which I observed.

The remaining half of the trip varied from high and low speed secondary roads through towns to stop and go at the national parks with some idling. Some 4x4 dirt roads around Monument Valley, Mokie Dugway, and Valley of the Gods. There was a lot of up and down mountains with the highest elevation of 11,000 feet.

With all of the above info I believe this was a good test. From start to finish I averaged for the entire trip 16.5 mpg. I did see a high average somewhere during the last 1/3rd of the trip of 18 mpg. But it did not last long. I probably just finished a very long down hill run.

Most of my previous driving in this truck was a mix of freeway and city streets with an average of 11 to 12 depending on the day. If more freeway than city I might see closer to 14 but not usually.

Given the size, weight, and power of my RAM 4x4 I am totally satisfied with the MPG I am getting. Of course I remember when 10 mpg was considered good on the highway at 55 mph. I am an old fart.

I hope this helps someone trying not to be too shocked when they are considering a real truck for the first time.

Remember this truck is not an oversized Prius with a place to haul a bunch of vegetables and recyclables in the back. It is a man's truck. Or a woman's truck who wants a real truck.

 

[River19]

Good stuff.

I have a smaller (500 mile round trip) non-towing trip planned this weekend followed by a ~2000 trip in a couple weeks with the travel trailer.

That will be interesting to see what I end up with.

Not sure I can expect the 17.x mpg I got over 3400 miles a couple years ago with 4 adults and 4 large bikes on a hitch rack but who knows.....

Travel trailer will be in the 5,000lb range loaded up (4200 empty)

 

[boxofrokx]

Compared to ya'lls trucks, mines mileage sucks. The best I've gotten on the dash gauge was this last tank. It showed 13.5 mpg, hand calc was 11.5 mpg. That was with a 100 mile trip at 65 mph. Normally, the lie-o-meter shows 12ish with a calc of 11ish.

 

[River19]

Compared to ya'lls trucks, mines mileage sucks. The best I've gotten on the dash gauge was this last tank. It showed 13.5 mpg, hand calc was 11.5 mpg. That was with a 100 mile trip at 65 mph. Normally, the lie-o-meter shows 12ish with a calc of 11ish.

Without mostly highway miles I am in the same boat......on 35s

 

[River19]

Just did a 585 mile round trip with the rig empty, 16.4 mpg EVIC 15.8 hand calc'd. Plenty of hills as it was a trip into the Catskills, and plenty of winding country roads at like 35mph......

 

[Nyramguy]

16000 miles on my 2018 2500 6.4 now. 200 mile trips up and down the NY thruway, some slow go traffic on rt.209, cruise set at 65, best I've seen is 23.4 on the dash and been averaging 20 mph consistently on these trips.

 

[huntergreen]

24K miles and 4.10 gears.

I would be happy with that mpg with 4:10 gearing. My guess is you would see over 16 if you stayed around 70 mph. Of course I wouldnt do that either.

 

[HammerHead]

2018 6.4, 410's; 5300 miles round trip I got 16.8 going 70-75 with AC on with premium gas.

 

[Highwayman1]

I have a 17 2500 with the 6.4 . The past 2 years took a 2500 mile round trip and averaged 17.0 at highway speeds 65-75. Actually it impressed me.

Sent from my VS996 using Tapatalk

 

[McBroom]

Compared to ya'lls trucks, mines mileage sucks. The best I've gotten on the dash gauge was this last tank. It showed 13.5 mpg, hand calc was 11.5 mpg. That was with a 100 mile trip at 65 mph. Normally, the lie-o-meter shows 12ish with a calc of 11ish.

Most of the fuel mileage depends on your right foot and cruise control usage.
I avg 16.3 across the oct scale cause I drive like an old man for the most part.


I Love my 18 Ram 2500HD 4x4 CC
Blue Streak Pearl off-road package

 

[HammerHead]

Most of the fuel mileage depends on your right foot and cruise control usage.
I avg 16.3 across the oct scale cause I drive like an old man for the most part.


I Love my 18 Ram 2500HD 4x4 CC
Blue Streak Pearl off-road package

Hey Devil Dog, we got the exact same truck except mine is silver. 2018 Ram 2500 4x4 CC off road package. You got 410's too?