MPG Improvements

[kaos]

Hi Newbie here. I bought my first Dodge with the 5.7 Hemi in 2500 Quad cab. I like the truck but disappointed in the gas mileage. I thut I'd average 13ish but its been less then 10mpg. It look easy enough to dual the exhaust if it would help. Are there any mods that will improve mpg that others have found on here?

 

[SFD213]

Cold air intake (CAI), higher flow exhaust, and a tuner to get ya started.
I have an S&B CAI, a 3" single in/ 2.5" dual out exhaust, a simple 91 octane tune from diablosport, larger torque converter (TC), and 33" tires with 3.73 gears. I avg somewhere in the 11s-12s around town, 13s mixed, and 14-15 hwy with the highest ive seen of 16 (but it was still going up so who knows)

 

[SFD213]

Just to clear up i have a 2004 2500 quad cab long bed 5.7 that weighs 6200 lbs. MPGs also isnt so much about what you have but how you drive it

 

[Casper]

Not to be a ****, but you bought a large vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick and a big assed V-8. What (honestly) did you expect for mileage? It's not as if you sprang for the latest tech either, its an oh-four.
SFD213 gave you the most promising suggestions, but you are still talking about 1-1.5 MPG improvement--if the mods don't make you get on the skinny pedal more and harder and burn up all your improvement in sound and fury.

 

[xb1230]

Just to clear up i have a 2004 2500 quad cab long bed 5.7 that weighs 6200 lbs. MPGs also isnt so much about what you have but how you drive it

I have an '02 Quad Cab Long Bed as well, and the smaller V8 does not provide better MPG's. In fact it is worst as the engine works harder to provide the same effort...

Ultimately, weight is the killer... more so than aerodynamics as getting the brick moving is where we spend the most fuel. As such, the more light footed you are on startup the better MPG's will get for you.

And as stated by Casper : "

... you bought a large vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick and a big assed V-8.

The ad where RAM can do up to 36 Highway MPG's is based on V6 Turbo Diesel and an 8 speed tranny... You are not going to get close to that with your Hemi with a 5 speed... and I am not even getting into the subject of the differential gear ratio...

That being said, to RF and enjoy your truck as much as we all do, even though our pockets get lighter than the average Joe when we leave the Gas Station.

 

[kaos]

A ****? Thanks. I wasn't expecting 21mpg but shud get close to a chev 6.0 which averages 13 in a 3/4 ton. Ram isn't that heavy either. Had a ford f250 with a 5.4 and I averaged 13.

 

[jwheeler]

That is likely what you will get if you are doing mostly city driving. The newer hemis do a lot better with the mds and variable valve timing. The best thing to do I make sure it is running the best it can. Clean throttle body, change pcv, change spark plugs.


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[justin13703]

Most of it is driving style. A lot of people just have a heavy ass foot for no reason. If you want to get good mileage with a truck like this, you have to physically tell yourself to drive differently. As in, don't take off from a stop like you're at Daytona, stay at 65 on the highways, carry speed down hills so you can make it back up the hill with less throttle, draft when you get the chance, don't fly up on red lights and stop signs just to hit the brakes and speed off again, just in general don't drive aggressively. I just took my 08 5.7 on a 6hr round trip a couple weeks ago (before my 35s), it was pretty much all highway and I averaged 22.5 mpg. My truck does have the MDS and an S&B intake which helps that a little bit. No tuner.

 

[THETANK]

slightly different truck as I have a 14 Hemi rcsb 4x4 which on its recent 3500 miles down to Mobile Alabama saw a true 25.7. Bull some will say but the whole trip was literally kept at no more than 60mph and smart driving in cities like NO, Dallas Okc etc Heading back the 3000 miles I had to climb up in elevation ie sea level to 4200ft and the wind did use no favours. The return trip saw 20.2 mpg's and the needle saw many a time 'when Mr Odo climbed above 100mph with passing of slow pokes. Oh glad to be back

 

[DDean]

Buy a car lol

People don't buy trucks to have great gas mileage. Aside from doing some mods changing your driving habits can give you some gains.

 

[justin13703]

Buy a car lol

People don't buy trucks to have great gas mileage. Aside from doing some mods changing your driving habits can give you some gains.

True but we need to figure out whether his mileage was city, highway, or both. If it's anything but all city, something is up. Single digit average is terrible. Hell even with 35s in 50/50 city and highway, I can still average 15-16 mpg

 

[kaos]

Thanks guys. I'm fully aware of driving styles. I've only owned trucks in 53 years. My trucks have been 3/4 or tons. I was just looking for some improvements on the hemi. I did not realize hemis were this poor. No biggy and sorry I upset so many.

 

[xb1230]

I lately redid the rear brakes on my truck and just by cleaning up the calipers and removing the rotten e-brake assembly, I gained almost 2 MPG's on the highway... So even if your rear brakes have been done or refreshed, if the calipers have not been replaced during the process I do recommend having a good look at them.

I carefully took the calipers apart after making sure I could open the bleeder valve. Even though the caliper piston was made of phenolic material (some heat resistant plastic), the rest of the caliper left rust deposits on the piston in the form of a ring. The deposit was enough for the piston not to retract appropriately and keeping friction on the rear brakes.
After servicing the calipers the truck felt swifter and somewhat more powerful. Well guess what? The rear brakes were dragging me around...

So from now on you can bet I will be making sure to service the calipers whenever I have to do disc brake service.

Maybe this is a window of opportunity for you to go after and get to the 13MPG's which seem to be very reasonable and achievable even if we are driving 3 ton bricks.

Hope this helps.

 

[hemihustlin]

Thanks guys. I'm fully aware of driving styles. I've only owned trucks in 53 years. My trucks have been 3/4 or tons. I was just looking for some improvements on the hemi. I did not realize hemis were this poor. No biggy and sorry I upset so many.

Yes hemi people are very defensive of our poor mpgs, pretty soon they will be telling you "asking about hemi mpgs is like asking about tow rating on a prius"

Jokes aside i get about 14 mpg driving normal and 16 when babying it in my 1500
In the dead of the winter its alot closer to 10 than id like haha but thats not the trucks fault.

If you have not done a tune up yet do it. Plugs, wires (if equipped), check air filter, clean tb, fuel system cleaner, o2 sensors
Disconnect the battery while you do all that and when you go for a drive after it will feel almost like a new truck.
And run good quality (top tier) minimum 89 octane gas.
Thats about all the cheap ways to gain mpg...

 

[DDean]

Thanks guys. I'm fully aware of driving styles. I've only owned trucks in 53 years. My trucks have been 3/4 or tons. I was just looking for some improvements on the hemi. I did not realize hemis were this poor. No biggy and sorry I upset so many.

Don't be sorry its all good, I'm not upset by any means.Just want you to keep your expectations realistic. Maintenance, mods, and keeping your foot off the throttle will give you the best gains. Hope your able to make some improvements none the less. Better gas mileage is always good, even if its only 2-3 MPG gains. Me personally I could probably get 8 mpg and still be proud to be a Dodge owner but thats just how much I'm willing to stand behind my rig. I take care of it and it takes care of me.