MPG Difference

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.

JustB_rad

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2015
Posts
21
Reaction score
14
Location
Milwaukee
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7L Hemi
Hi all....I'm very curious/perplexed by something.

Me, along with my brother and my sister all have 2014 Ram 1500 Crew Cabs. I have an Outdoorsman with the 3:92 rear end and and 32 gallon tank with Tow Mirrors. It has the 17" wheels with A/T's on it. My Brother has a Sport with 3:21 rear end and Tow Mirrors and my sister has an Express with the 3:21 rear end and regular mirrors on it. Both have 20" All Season tires on them. All have the Hemi and 8 speed in them, and all were purchased within 6 weeks of one another.

In a nose to tail test last year, when both trucks had under 10,000 miles on them, I got 1 less MPG (18.0 vs 19.0) real world not computer calculated than my sisters express. Understandable seeing the differences in the trucks. At cruising speed, I was about 400 RPM more than her truck.

Since that day, I haven't seen a number higher than 17.5 MPG, and they've seen into the very low 20's on several occasions. Obviously driving habits play into it, but here's where I get confused. I drive it like a grandpa (I'm 34) and they drive it like they stole it (24 and 26). What am I doing wrong? Is there something wrong with my truck that I'm missing?

I realize I didn't buy a truck for good gas mileage and ultimately if I'm topped out at 18, I'm not going to lose sleep at night, but I don't get how trucks that are so similar can be so different.
 

Sportram1500

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2015
Posts
270
Reaction score
125
Location
Goose Creek SC
Ram Year
2015 Sport 4x4 CC
Engine
5.7L Hemi
I have a 2015 CC Sport with 3.21 avg 19 mpg and I drive mostly conservative.
 

xrsman

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Posts
4,473
Reaction score
1,319
Location
Ontario
Ram Year
2016
Engine
3.0 Ecodiesel
Weird, I can get 12 L/100 Kms (20 mpg) all day long on the highway. 90 km/h on cruise.

Even last night with my 500 lb sled in the box I averaged 13.5 L/100 kms (17.5 mpg) doing 90 on cruise.

2014 Ram 1500 Longhorn hemi, 3.92 gears, 4x4, 5" lift & 35" tires.
Trinity T-1000, S&B Cai, MBRP Cat back.
 

Raist11

Senior Member
Joined
May 22, 2015
Posts
170
Reaction score
48
Location
Canada
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7
Without going too deep into this (no need for a headache), different trucks will get slightly different gas mileage. You have a lower gearing than they do, which will tend to deliver a little poorer gas mileage.

There are just so many factors that can impact mileage. It really wouldn't take much to make a couple mpg difference either. Now if they were getting low 20's and you were getting low teens in the exact same trips and exact same driving methods and speeds.. then I'd be concerned.
 

CherryRed

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2014
Posts
241
Reaction score
66
Location
South West Virginia
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 Hemi
You could eliminate driving style by trading trucks for a while. If the lower MPG follows the driver, then you have your answer...

Some tires have greater rolling resistance and can contribute to lower fuel economy. My prior vehicle, a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee, saw a 1.5 MPG drop when I swapped the OE Goodyear tires for BFG's (in the same size).
 

DannyMK2

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2013
Posts
1,732
Reaction score
498
Location
Long Island, NY
Ram Year
2015 Power Wagon
Engine
6.4 Hemi
too many factors to compare, but to start all terrain tires take away from mileage, added weight of the extra capacity fuel tank, tow mirrors add more drag, etc. every little thing makes a difference, and it adds up. now factor in the gearing. if you both do a long highway run, the 3.21 rear is going to get better mpg.
 

CMil527

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2014
Posts
3,140
Reaction score
566
Location
Old Bridge, NJ
Ram Year
2021 RAM 1500 LARAMIE-CC
Engine
5.7 Hemi
geez my mixed driving gets me right around 14 mpg's... I guess i drive like a nut! :)
 

GP4L

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2015
Posts
232
Reaction score
74
Location
Chicagoland
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Hi all....I'm very curious/perplexed by something.

Me, along with my brother and my sister all have 2014 Ram 1500 Crew Cabs. I have an Outdoorsman with the 3:92 rear end and and 32 gallon tank with Tow Mirrors. It has the 17" wheels with A/T's on it. My Brother has a Sport with 3:21 rear end and Tow Mirrors and my sister has an Express with the 3:21 rear end and regular mirrors on it. Both have 20" All Season tires on them. All have the Hemi and 8 speed in them, and all were purchased within 6 weeks of one another.

In a nose to tail test last year, when both trucks had under 10,000 miles on them, I got 1 less MPG (18.0 vs 19.0) real world not computer calculated than my sisters express. Understandable seeing the differences in the trucks. At cruising speed, I was about 400 RPM more than her truck.

Since that day, I haven't seen a number higher than 17.5 MPG, and they've seen into the very low 20's on several occasions. Obviously driving habits play into it, but here's where I get confused. I drive it like a grandpa (I'm 34) and they drive it like they stole it (24 and 26). What am I doing wrong? Is there something wrong with my truck that I'm missing?

I realize I didn't buy a truck for good gas mileage and ultimately if I'm topped out at 18, I'm not going to lose sleep at night, but I don't get how trucks that are so similar can be so different.

http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2014/docs/ram/rammlup1500.pdf

Use that to figure out what the trucks approximately weigh. Weight is a huge factor in fuel economy. Also getting up to speed reasonably quick in situations where you won't be stopping immediately, have been proven to yield better fuel economy. So if you're driving like too much of a grandpa, that might be part of the problem. Also, your wheel/tire combo is likely playing a factor in fuel usage.

It usually boils down to driving style. I can average 17mpg during my weekly work commuting (0% highway, typical suburb type driving), but I get frustrated with other people being idiots on the road, so I've been getting 15.0-16.0 this tank driving more aggressively.
 

bigschlief

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2015
Posts
33
Reaction score
15
Ram Year
2012
Engine
4.7
All terrain tires dont help for fuel mileage. To male your gearing the same as theres youd have to run like 37s or bigger lol so your rearend is way lower. The best part os when you pull beside them at a light youll leave them in the rearview
 

dhay13

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Posts
3,438
Reaction score
3,188
Ram Year
2018
Engine
2500 6.4L Hemi 4.10's 'Off-Road'
mine is a 2013 express with stock mirrors and 20" wheels w/ 3.55s and 6 speed and i average just over 17 or so mixed driving. for comparison a rented a 2014 w/ 3.92s and 8 speed and got almost 2 MPG better.

hard to say

EDIT: i set my cruise at about 69mph on the highway. and my average mph per tank is about 31-35mph. yes, i actually calculate that each tank too...
 
Last edited:

drittal

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Posts
1,557
Reaction score
636
Location
E. Montana
Ram Year
2013
Engine
6.7
Weird, I can get 12 L/100 Kms (20 mpg) all day long on the highway. 90 km/h on cruise.

Even last night with my 500 lb sled in the box I averaged 13.5 L/100 kms (17.5 mpg) doing 90 on cruise.

2014 Ram 1500 Longhorn hemi, 3.92 gears, 4x4, 5" lift & 35" tires.
Trinity T-1000, S&B Cai, MBRP Cat back.

At 56mph, my 6.4l 2500 with 3.73 will knock down over 20mpg all day long.

A lot of it will be speed. One person says 17 highway but they dont say they drive 78mph. The next says that sucks, I get 20 highway but they drive 56mph.
 
Last edited:

powderbrad

Senior Member
Joined
May 22, 2013
Posts
854
Reaction score
154
Location
Edmonton, AB
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7
Weird, I can get 12 L/100 Kms (20 mpg) all day long on the highway. 90 km/h on cruise.

Even last night with my 500 lb sled in the box I averaged 13.5 L/100 kms (17.5 mpg) doing 90 on cruise.

2014 Ram 1500 Longhorn hemi, 3.92 gears, 4x4, 5" lift & 35" tires.
Trinity T-1000, S&B Cai, MBRP Cat back.

90? Really....

I get 10.5l/100km at 140 on the highway (need a light touch on the pedal though). Hell, 90 is my in town speed lol, and im nowhere near light pedaling in town.
 

xrsman

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Posts
4,473
Reaction score
1,319
Location
Ontario
Ram Year
2016
Engine
3.0 Ecodiesel
90? Really....

I get 10.5l/100km at 140 on the highway (need a light touch on the pedal though). Hell, 90 is my in town speed lol, and im nowhere near light pedaling in town.

Yes..90 is 10 over the speed limit where the cops will leave you alone. To be honest I'm not keen on shoveling the insurance company more money for speeding tickets.

10.5 doing 140? Yeah and I've won the lottery 15 times...

If that's the case you have the most fuel efficient ram that's ever been made, ecodiesel included.

For our US friends, he's saying that at 87 MPH he's getting 24 MPG.



Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk
 

HammerHead

USMC 0313
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Posts
2,284
Reaction score
2,834
Location
Georgia/Florida
Ram Year
2019 4Runner
Engine
4.0
I have 2013 express with the 6 speed and 410's and get average 15.5-17. I drive the hell out of it tho. I think for your truck and gears that's not to bad.
 

jon0m0berry

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2015
Posts
133
Reaction score
23
Ram Year
2010
Engine
hemi 5.7
there are so many factors to include it will be nearly impossible to say exactly what it is. if you live in a windy place that can have a big affect.
 

Casper

U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Posts
4,626
Reaction score
1,447
Location
Springfield, VA
Ram Year
2020
Engine
5.7L
Hi all....I'm very curious/perplexed by something.

Me, along with my brother and my sister all have 2014 Ram 1500 Crew Cabs. I have an Outdoorsman with the 3:92 rear end and and 32 gallon tank with Tow Mirrors. It has the 17" wheels with A/T's on it. My Brother has a Sport with 3:21 rear end and Tow Mirrors and my sister has an Express with the 3:21 rear end and regular mirrors on it. Both have 20" All Season tires on them. All have the Hemi and 8 speed in them, and all were purchased within 6 weeks of one another.

In a nose to tail test last year, when both trucks had under 10,000 miles on them, I got 1 less MPG (18.0 vs 19.0) real world not computer calculated than my sisters express. Understandable seeing the differences in the trucks. At cruising speed, I was about 400 RPM more than her truck.

Since that day, I haven't seen a number higher than 17.5 MPG, and they've seen into the very low 20's on several occasions. Obviously driving habits play into it, but here's where I get confused. I drive it like a grandpa (I'm 34) and they drive it like they stole it (24 and 26). What am I doing wrong? Is there something wrong with my truck that I'm missing?

I realize I didn't buy a truck for good gas mileage and ultimately if I'm topped out at 18, I'm not going to lose sleep at night, but I don't get how trucks that are so similar can be so different.
A 3.92 and a 3.21 are very different--that's your RPMs and your MPG delta.
 
Back
Top