6.4l terrible mpg

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

DrTron

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2014
Posts
212
Reaction score
73
Location
Jackson MS
Ram Year
2022 PW
Engine
Hemi 6.4
I never complain about the milage in my PW.
I know guys with 1/2 tons that aren't any better...( owned a few myself)
I don't complain, either. My 2019 1500 5.7 did get about 7 more mpg than the 2500. But I knew that beforehand.
 

Hm710

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2023
Posts
10
Reaction score
6
Location
Michigan
Ram Year
2019
Engine
6.4
I got 16mpg on the hwy in my 3500 4x4 doing 70+. I was very happy. Pulling a small load of about 8,000 lbs i got 12+, again very happy after getting 10/12 with my 5.9 diesel and $4.50+ fuel.

A buddy has a PW and says the same as OP, poor mileage. But its a great looking truck!
 

Fatbob Frank

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Posts
2,532
Reaction score
6,909
Location
Mc Gregor, Iowa
Ram Year
2021
Engine
6.4L
I just got back from a snowmobiling trip to upper Wisconsin.
Before I left I reset the trip meter.
All in all I don't think that's bad mileage considering there were 3 of us in a PW full of gear, towing a tandem axle trailer with 4 sleds, running 35" tires and doing 75-80 mph in tow/haul mode...and even 4WD for a few stretches....
trip.jpg
That's as good as my 1500 Laramie got towing the same route, but unlike my Laramie the Power Wagon barely knew there was a trailer back there...
 

jejb

Military
Joined
Apr 7, 2020
Posts
1,569
Reaction score
1,438
Location
NW Arkansas
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.7 Cummins
But what was the hand calculated MPG? And has the truck been recalibrated for the bigger tires?

Hope you had a great trip.
 

Eduardo521

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Posts
13
Reaction score
5
Location
Pasadena, Texas
Ram Year
2014
Engine
6.7L Diesel
A heavier truck, lil bigger than 1500, lifted, 35's, pushing more mass, you are not gonna get Prius mileage, just saying. Yours may be a bit low, but driving habits, conditions, speed, temps, traffic, your particular habits on driving, even PSI and good tier fuel all average in there on MPG, just a saying.

ADDED: Now I just got a 1500, stock height, Stock tire size, but heavier AT3W tires. I try to not destroy the skinny pedal, no hard take offs from lights, drive reasonable, carry no extra weight in truck, use good fuel, keep an eyeball on psi of tires (when cold), almost always use CC on highways, and I can get 13-17 in town, and maybe low 20's on highway, but usually 18-19 ish, and a constant 12.2 when towing total of 6-7,000 lbs.. But a lot goes into driving habits and conditions, etc.
ALL above IMHO .....

ADDED MORE: Unless the MDS system was tuned out, you may not even notice it, especially with the 6.4 more than a 5.7. Run in manual mode gear 8 and that keeps the MDS off, but U have to go into it every time U put truck in drive. Again, back to conditions, truck conditions and driving habits.
I have to agree with TB. I went from a 5.7L Tundra CrewMax @ 14 mpg max city to the Ram 6.7L Turbo Diesel. City mpg varies from 16 to 17.9 mpg depending on my driving. Hwy I get 22 with no load. Pulling my travel trailer I get about 12, depending on the terrain. I bought it specifically to pull my trailer because the Tundra couldn't take the high tongue weight.
 

4xdad

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2021
Posts
1,721
Reaction score
1,640
Location
Edmonton Alberta
Ram Year
2015 powerwagon
Engine
6.4
Pw love fuel if you bought it for fuel economy you maybe should have done a little more research. The giant rolling houses are hard on fuel economy
 

RamGuy110

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Posts
176
Reaction score
56
Ram Year
2022 Ram 2500
Engine
6.4 Hemi
I just got back from a snowmobiling trip to upper Wisconsin.
Before I left I reset the trip meter.
All in all I don't think that's bad mileage considering there were 3 of us in a PW full of gear, towing a tandem axle trailer with 4 sleds, running 35" tires and doing 75-80 mph in tow/haul mode...and even 4WD for a few stretches....
View attachment 515828
That's as good as my 1500 Laramie got towing the same route, but unlike my Laramie the Power Wagon barely knew there was a trailer back there...
Not bad at all IMO.
 

Fatbob Frank

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Posts
2,532
Reaction score
6,909
Location
Mc Gregor, Iowa
Ram Year
2021
Engine
6.4L
But what was the hand calculated MPG? And has the truck been recalibrated for the bigger tires?

Hope you had a great trip.
No, it wasn't recalibrated, so in reality the MPGs are probably better since I actually traveled farther than the OD thinks...
My speedometer is off by 4mph at 60.
Setting my cruise at 75 on the interstate we were probably doing 80...
Pretty fast for running 4:10 gears, plus tow/haul doesn't often see overdrive (if ever)
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Posts
73
Reaction score
55
Location
metro ATL
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.4
I drive stop light to stop light in ATL's metropolis. I get around 10 mpg during winter. On the HWY going under 80 mph I get 16-18 mpg during winter. My average is always in the 10's, because I do very little HWY driving. I have 1200 miles on the ODO. I use 87 gas and I will never change that unless in higher elevations under tow load. I usually just accelerate - decently quick - to speed and then sip the fuel. I also turn ECO Mode off every time.

I found warm-up EATS fuel and wrecks mpg avg. I have read here that others have experienced mpg avg changes with warm-ups. I'm miserable when it's below 50 degrees and 'have' to heat the truck up. Dang thing won't fit into any of my residential garages.

** I'm hoping for 12 mpg city during the summer & 18 mph HWY summer. Moreover, if I get 10 towing with trailer - I'm good. **
 

DrTron

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2014
Posts
212
Reaction score
73
Location
Jackson MS
Ram Year
2022 PW
Engine
Hemi 6.4
I'm miserable when it's below 50 degrees and 'have' to heat the truck up.
Or just put on a jacket, get into the "cold" truck, start it and drive off. It's not like it takes ages to get warm air from the heater. 3-4 minutes tops.
(warming up cars by idling is illegal in many countries, btw., because of the environmental impact. Also puts more wear on your engine.)
 

4xdad

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2021
Posts
1,721
Reaction score
1,640
Location
Edmonton Alberta
Ram Year
2015 powerwagon
Engine
6.4
At -40 you have to warm up your truck plug it in and leave it plugged in while you warm up just don’t forget to unplug it
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Posts
73
Reaction score
55
Location
metro ATL
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.4
Or just put on a jacket, get into the "cold" truck, start it and drive off. It's not like it takes ages to get warm air from the heater. 3-4 minutes tops.
(warming up cars by idling is illegal in many countries, btw., because of the environmental impact. Also puts more wear on your engine.)

No. I strongly dislike the cold. 50 degrees and below is misery, for me. These trucks are made to be used - idling isn't causing "engine wear." Moreover, starting a truck in the cold and driving off IS causing engine wear.

Most importantly, I am an American and I could care less what the homosexuals do in Europe.
 

DrTron

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2014
Posts
212
Reaction score
73
Location
Jackson MS
Ram Year
2022 PW
Engine
Hemi 6.4
These trucks are made to be used - idling isn't causing "engine wear."
Idling itself, no. But the point is that wear and tear on the engine occurs mostly during the warm-up period, when moving parts have not reached equilibrium regarding thermal expansion. Starting it cold and just idling it takes a lot longer to get to operating temperatures than starting and driving does. Idling is just that, an engine mode where barely enough fuel is injected to keep it running, resulting in a low energy output and a long warmup phase.
There was a time (before the 1980s, actually) when idling on a cold start made sense. That was when (gasoline) cars and trucks had carburetors instead of electronic injection systems. And as carburetors are pretty bad at vaporizing gas in cold temperatures, there actually was a risk of not enough fuel being vaporized when driving off (see before, idling uses very little gas) and getting too lean of a mixture and/or stalling the engine. But with modern trucks, that obviously doesn't apply.

But it's good to know that we in the US and Europe apparently don't share a planet or an atmosphere...
 

SniperDroid

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Aug 30, 2020
Posts
1,269
Reaction score
4,190
Location
Eaton Township, Ohio
Ram Year
2019
Engine
6.4 Hemi
Idling itself, no. But the point is that wear and tear on the engine occurs mostly during the warm-up period, when moving parts have not reached equilibrium regarding thermal expansion. Starting it cold and just idling it takes a lot longer to get to operating temperatures than starting and driving does. Idling is just that, an engine mode where barely enough fuel is injected to keep it running, resulting in a low energy output and a long warmup phase.
There was a time (before the 1980s, actually) when idling on a cold start made sense. That was when (gasoline) cars and trucks had carburetors instead of electronic injection systems. And as carburetors are pretty bad at vaporizing gas in cold temperatures, there actually was a risk of not enough fuel being vaporized when driving off (see before, idling uses very little gas) and getting too lean of a mixture and/or stalling the engine. But with modern trucks, that obviously doesn't apply.

But it's good to know that we in the US and Europe apparently don't share a planet or an atmosphere...
Okay, two cents time. I owned about thirty different vehicles in my life time. When I was younger and always in a hurry, max warm up time was always less than thirty seconds. Even in the coldest winters, daily driver, work truck, wife's good car... start up and go. As the repair bills piled up for engine work, valves, lifters, knocking, rattling, poor performance, along came remote starters! The last twenty years I have had remote starters on all of out vehicles, and use it religiously. Dang! No more engine malfunctions. Nothing . Chevy, Chrysler, RAM, Ford (except for the tick when the manifold got a crack in it), and a Nissan van. It sure ain't because of better hardware, with all having over 100k... I go with starting up and warming up for two or three minutes to go... ten minutes before I start towing the Camper. Gas mileage is a construct of the weak minded. If you need high mileage you need to prioritize your driving style, and vehicle type. I want to tow a camper, and know mileage will suck. I can afford to pay the bill. I want comfort, so I buy with all the bells and whistles. I pay the extra. I get what I want! I am an AMERICAN, I was a Fighting Man, I am a Father, a Husband, and a friend to many. In my world we pay our own way... and get what we want.
 
Last edited:

Wild one

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
13,718
Reaction score
23,373
Ram Year
14 Sport
Engine
5.7
Idling itself, no. But the point is that wear and tear on the engine occurs mostly during the warm-up period, when moving parts have not reached equilibrium regarding thermal expansion. Starting it cold and just idling it takes a lot longer to get to operating temperatures than starting and driving does. Idling is just that, an engine mode where barely enough fuel is injected to keep it running, resulting in a low energy output and a long warmup phase.
There was a time (before the 1980s, actually) when idling on a cold start made sense. That was when (gasoline) cars and trucks had carburetors instead of electronic injection systems. And as carburetors are pretty bad at vaporizing gas in cold temperatures, there actually was a risk of not enough fuel being vaporized when driving off (see before, idling uses very little gas) and getting too lean of a mixture and/or stalling the engine. But with modern trucks, that obviously doesn't apply.

But it's good to know that we in the US and Europe apparently don't share a planet or an atmosphere...
Being a Mississippi resident what you call cold and what alot of the planet calls cold are to differant entities.Alot of vehicles don't get shut off where the temps are -45 or colder if you don't have access to a 120 volt outdoor plug-in to plug the block heater in,so they'll sit an idle 24/7 except to put fuel in them or check the oil.
 

2020PW

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2021
Posts
668
Reaction score
675
Location
East coast
Ram Year
2020
Engine
6.4
Okay, two cents time. I owned about thirty different vehicles in my life time. When I was younger and always in a hurry, max warm up time was always less than thirty seconds. Even in the coldest winters, daily driver, work truck, wife's good car... start up and go. As the repair bills piled up for engine work, valves, lifters, knocking, rattling, poor performance, along came remote starters! The last twenty years I have had remote starters on all of out vehicles, and use it religiously. Dang! No more engine malfunctions. Nothing . Chevy, Chrysler, RAM, Ford (except for the tick when the manifold got a crack in it), and a Nissan van. It sure ain't because of better hardware, with all having over 100k... I go with starting up and warming up for two or three minutes to go... ten minutes before I start towing the Camper. Gas mileage is a construct of the weak minded. If you need high mileage you need to prioritize your driving style, and vehicle type. I want to tow a camper, and know mileage will suck. I can afford to pay the bill. I want comfort, so I buy with all the bells and whistles. I pay the extra. I get what I want! I am an AMERICAN, I was a Fighting Man, I am a Father, a Husband, and a friend to many. In my world we pay our own way... and get what we want.

Don’t say that. The oil police and cam shaft patrol will be coming shortly.

Idle… bad…

Lmao
 
Top