Looking at a 2021 Ecodiesel

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Sandevino

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Title says it all... I’ve had my 2020 HD 6.4 for a little over a year and found I use my 2001 2500 more and this one just sits. When I do drive it I average 11mpg combined. Long story short I’d like better mileage on my run-around vehicle.

Does anyone have a 2021 Ecodiesel and have any words of wisdom or caution?
 

crash68

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Asking that on a heavily Hemi biased forum, you can bet your going to get a bunch of naysayers of the platform.
I will there have been very few problems reported will the Gen3 EcoDiesel engine platform on EcoDiesel specific forums.
There have been a couple of reports people showing the near 1k mile range of the 33 gallon tank, sorry Hemi that's a race you won't win.
A couple of tuners already saying they have tunes for the new engine, the EPA compliant /legal tune by GDE is due to be certified this summer.
 

crash68

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What most would refer to as the lie-o-meter is fairly accurate on the EcoDiesel. I used to calculate by hand and the dash was usually spot on or +/- 1.

Happy driving..oh yeah pictures or it didn't happen...LOL!
 

GTyankee

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When i bought my 2016 Ecodiesel
I was getting 27 MPG Highway, & that is what they advertised at that time

Lately am getting closer to 21 MPG, but that has been all 100 mile round trips or less, mostly less.

It does not use much DEF

I run into construction driveways all of the time, lots of clay
So when i bought the Ram, i made sure to order the anti spin rear end

I also struck a deal with the salesman to get 7 free oil changes
I also bought the 7 year Mopar Extended Warranty

There has been no need to have any repairs done
 
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Rlaman

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Talking about the E.D. Has anyone tried towing with one yet. Let us know how much weight your trailer or camper weighs and how it handled the hills.
 

huntergreen

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What most would refer to as the lie-o-meter is fairly accurate on the EcoDiesel. I used to calculate by hand and the dash was usually spot on or +/- 1.

Happy driving..oh yeah pictures or it didn't happen...LOL!





all 4 rams I have owned have been within .5 of my hand calc.
 

Doug Ram

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We picked up our 2021 Crew-cab Big Horn short bed Ecodiesel February 5, with the bigger 33 gal fuel tank and 3.92 axle. After 2 weeks and 1,000 miles to break it in we left on a cross country (NY to KY, TX, NM, AZ, CO, Utah, and back to NY) trip pulling our 23 foot travel trailer. Over 8 weeks we put 11,500 more miles on it as we traveled southwest to National Parks, ski resorts, beaches, and mountains up to 11,500 feet. The RV trailer was fully loaded to its 6,500 pound capacity because many campgrounds don't supply water in winter. The truck was fully loaded to its 1700 pound cargo capacity (two adults, a dog, a generator, 2 inflatable kayaks, skis and other camping crap, 600 pounds of tongue weight from the trailer and a 100 pound weight distributing hitch). Bottom line: it tows like a dream. Depending on wind, terrain and speed it got 11 to 15 MPG when towing and 25 to 33 when not towing. When towing on the interstate I set the cruise control at 65 MPH. The cruise control is rock solid, and keeps the truck at the set speed when towing, even when going down steep downhill grades. The torque from the little turbodiesel, going up steep slopes is quite amazing. If I wanted to do 65 MPH even up steep mountains, we did 65. The ride is steady and comfortable when empty and fully loaded. We do NOT have the ride leveling option, as I thought it was simply too costly and repair prone. But I had the weight distributing hitch installed and adjusted with the trailer and truck fully loaded for our trip before we left. IMO is that if you tow with a properly set up weight distributing hitch, there is absolutely no need for air-bags and ride leveling systems.

Other things of note from the trip:
- At just under 8,000 miles the oil change gauge said it needed an oil change, which was done by a Tuscon area Ram dealer. With oil and fuel filter change it cost $130.
- RAM's internet scheduling system doesn't work: dealer had no record of the appointment, but they took me anyway.
- I had to fill the 10 gallon DEF tank at about 5000 and at 11,000 miles (twice) with all the towing. Yeah, it burns more DEF when towing because DEF use goes up as MPG goes down.
- Avoid filling at a truck stop in AZ. Diesel is significantly more expensive at those pumps because of a hefty fuel tax on heavy trucks. Annoying and costly lesson.
- There is an automatic spoiler under the front hood that lowers at high speed. Its mounted with four screws and 4 plastic tabs. The driver side tabs broke at about 90 mph. When it breaks you can hear it flapping in the breeze! I will find out Monday if Ram covers it under warranty. The spoiler is supposed to increase gas mileage but I noticed no difference in mileage without it.
- I wish I had gotten a better tonneau cover for the cargo bed. The no-name one I got is neither dust or waterproof. Nothing is worse than dust/muddy skis and ski equipment.
 

crash68

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- I wish I had gotten a better tonneau cover for the cargo bed. The no-name one I got is neither dust or waterproof. Nothing is worse than dust/muddy skis and ski equipment.
It might not be your tonneau cover, you would be surprised how much dust can be sucked up through the gaps in the tailgate. There are tailgate seal kits to help resolve this.
 

Ken Newcombe

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Talking about the E.D. Has anyone tried towing with one yet. Let us know how much weight your trailer or camper weighs and how it handled the hills.
I have an older 2016 ED, but 1.5yrs ago I towed @6k lb through the rocky mountains ( AB CAN to BC CAN) and my mileage went from 10L/100km (23.5mpg) to 14L/100km (16.8mpg) for this 1200km trip (745mile)
nowadays, I do tow @4500-5k lb through mountain pass, 120km (75mile) round trip, and I'll go from 10 to 11L/100km (23.5 to 21.3mpg) for this trip
My truck has been tuned since I started towing.
 

Al Engstrom

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Sure love my 2021 Rebel Eco Diesel, have a total of 3500 miles on it with 2000 of those pulling a small Uhaul trailer at 80mph plus on interstate and the total avg mpg is 23.8 so far. And that is with 3.92 gears.
 

Copwad

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Talking about the E.D. Has anyone tried towing with one yet. Let us know how much weight your trailer or camper weighs and how it handled the hills.
Yes, I pull a 5300 pound rv. I would not want to pull anything heavier!!
 

Copwad

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Title says it all... I’ve had my 2020 HD 6.4 for a little over a year and found I use my 2001 2500 more and this one just sits. When I do drive it I average 11mpg combined. Long story short I’d like better mileage on my run-around vehicle.

Does anyone have a 2021 Ecodiesel and have any words of wisdom or caution?
I purchased one 5 months ago, 8000 miles now. No issues. If you like to gamble with your money, try one. Great mpg
 

Doug Ram

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I b
We picked up our 2021 Crew-cab Big Horn short bed Ecodiesel February 5, with the bigger 33 gal fuel tank and 3.92 axle. After 2 weeks and 1,000 miles to break it in we left on a cross country (NY to KY, TX, NM, AZ, CO, Utah, and back to NY) trip pulling our 23 foot travel trailer. Over 8 weeks we put 11,500 more miles on it as we traveled southwest to National Parks, ski resorts, beaches, and mountains up to 11,500 feet. The RV trailer was fully loaded to its 6,500 pound capacity because many campgrounds don't supply water in winter. The truck was fully loaded to its 1700 pound cargo capacity (two adults, a dog, a generator, 2 inflatable kayaks, skis and other camping crap, 600 pounds of tongue weight from the trailer and a 100 pound weight distributing hitch). Bottom line: it tows like a dream. Depending on wind, terrain and speed it got 11 to 15 MPG when towing and 25 to 33 when not towing. When towing on the interstate I set the cruise control at 65 MPH. The cruise control is rock solid, and keeps the truck at the set speed when towing, even when going down steep downhill grades. The torque from the little turbodiesel, going up steep slopes is quite amazing. If I wanted to do 65 MPH even up steep mountains, we did 65. The ride is steady and comfortable when empty and fully loaded. We do NOT have the ride leveling option, as I thought it was simply too costly and repair prone. But I had the weight distributing hitch installed and adjusted with the trailer and truck fully loaded for our trip before we left. IMO is that if you tow with a properly set up weight distributing hitch, there is absolutely no need for air-bags and ride leveling systems.

Other things of note from the trip:
- At just under 8,000 miles the oil change gauge said it needed an oil change, which was done by a Tuscon area Ram dealer. With oil and fuel filter change it cost $130.
- RAM's internet scheduling system doesn't work: dealer had no record of the appointment, but they took me anyway.
- I had to fill the 10 gallon DEF tank at about 5000 and at 11,000 miles (twice) with all the towing. Yeah, it burns more DEF when towing because DEF use goes up as MPG goes down.
- Avoid filling at a truck stop in AZ. Diesel is significantly more expensive at those pumps because of a hefty fuel tax on heavy trucks. Annoying and costly lesson.
- There is an automatic spoiler under the front hood that lowers at high speed. Its mounted with four screws and 4 plastic tabs. The driver side tabs broke at about 90 mph. When it breaks you can hear it flapping in the breeze! I will find out Monday if Ram covers it under warranty. The spoiler is supposed to increase gas mileage but I noticed no difference in mileage without it.
- I wish I had gotten a better tonneau cover for the cargo bed. The no-name one I got is neither dust or waterproof. Nothing is worse than dust/muddy skis and ski equipment.
Update to my April entry. I am still very happy with my EcoDiesel.

Its been another 5 months and now have 17,500 miles. The "B" trip meter now says that MPG has averaged about 27 MPG over the last 5,500 miles of mixed rural, suburban, city, highway and towing mileage. Highway MPG, when loaded with people and luggage has been about 33-34 MPG on interstate trips of 150 to 1000 miles.

The original poster wanted to know if this was a towing machine. My response: beyond a doubt. Mine can easily tow its rated 9500 lbs, as long as you use a weight distributing hitch.

The only negative: the Reverse Towing Steering system does not work at all. It's been back to the dealer 4 times. The device has been reprogrammed twice, then replaced, then reprogrammed again. Ram's techies and representatives are perplexed. The feature is new, the dealer is clueless, and worse, he claimed there's no documentation from Ram about it. I feel like I'm the beta tester for a system that should not have been sent back to the coding lab.
 
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Sandevino

Sandevino

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In just over 8 months and 9,000 miles of ownership I have had zero issues and am very happy with my decision to dump the HD and pick this one up.
 
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