DodgeTrucks.Org

[HankL]

If someone is looking for a project,
I suspect that retro-fiting a Ram's PCM computer with an aftermarket one could improve MPG by 10-15% just by leaning out each of the individual eight cylinders while in part throttle cruise.

The MegaSquirt II,
the F.A.S.T. or any of the other systems would probably work, as long as a wide range O2 sensor was available.

Probably the ulitimate computer system would have EGT probes on each of the cylinders, or perhaps sparkplugs with built-in pressure sensors.

[rob92xj]

thanks HankL for your extensive research on fuel mileage.
While I was at Chrysler training school, I had spoke with my instructor about my mileage problem and the answer I got from him and other instructors there, was due to people complaining about spark know on the BR/BE bodies the DR PCM's are programmed to add lots of fuel and retard timing to avoid spark knock. They want to know how I make out with any changes I make to the truck as all seemed to agree that a aftermarket program for the PCM should gain some fuel mileage.
part of why I questioning this is before I bought this truck I bought a 2000 Ram 1500 QC 4x4 off road package, It had 5.9L 46 RE trans, 231HD case 4.10's in the axles, Bf Goodrich All Terrains 28570R17 almost everything the same. I got 18mpg on the highway, but do to the fact the dealer I purchased it from decided they would rather give me my money back then fix the truck. The precious owner had a single 3 inch exhaust on it with Mopar Performeance headers, Mopar Performance PCM, throttle body spacer and a cold air intake. But now I have my 03 Ram that gets 11.7 mpg with a tail wind. which is my only complaint about the truck

[Ramin8r]

[Campisi]

If you're not interested in peformance increases then save your money on all of those mods, slow down and air up your tires. That's the only ECONOMICAL way you'll increase your MPG.
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99 Ram Sport QCSB4X4 5.2L/Auto 3.55 Auburn LSD
Westin FlatBlack Nerf Bars
Advanced Bed Cover
Performance Mods:
K&N DropIn (not recommended)
Fastman 50mm TB (recommended)
ASP 25% Crank Pulley (not recomended)
APS Plenum Pan (recommended)
Rancho RSX's (recommended)
NGK FR5-1 (recommended)

[rob92xj]

I drive it like an old lady which is more than I can say about the abuse my Cherokee takes. My tires are inflated to 55 psi with a 1mpg gain since airing the tires up to that pressure.

[ofelas]

55psi? holy moly, son...air that sucker down....
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[mope]

Do you think 4.11's are too much gear for 265/70/17's on a rcsb 4x4 with 5.9?

[ofelas]

Not too much at all; 4.10s will give you the best git up & go on your 31" tires.

If you're looking for gas mileage, the trick seems to be keeping cruise RPMs at ~2100.
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[rob92xj]

With the tires aired up to 55 psi I get 1 mpg better. The power increases would be great especially for towing my Cherokee.

[Steve00Ram360]

I didnt read thru all of the posts, but I have the 5.9 in my 2000 and found that having dual 2.5"s out caused a drop in milage of about 1~1.5 mpg. I ended up having the dual outs (flowmaster) reduced down to dual 2.25"s and I ended up getting the milage back. with that, the low end torque came back and I credit that for the milage increase. if you do the math on the flow area of dual 2.25"s vs a single 3", you'll find that it is slightly bigger than the single 3".

take it to a muffler shop and ask them how much to do that mod on the outputs of the flowmaster, cost me $40 bux.
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2005 Ram 2500 QC 4x4 5.9 SB
edge w/attitude, 30" magnaflow muffler, AFE Stage 2 pro-guard filter

[Binksman]

I had a 93 V6 5-speed Dak. First I put electric fans on. Went from 15 mpg to 17 mpg. Then I smoothed the TB and cut down the sides- 17-18 mpg. Then I added a Dynomax 2.5" cat back exhaust (it was a V6 remember). I also didn't use an air filter for a while, i just used 3 layers of pantyhose wrapped around the end of the stock air hat. Those two mods brought me up to an 20 mpg, with a best of 23 mpg.

With my 96 5.9 Auto Ram, all I've added has been Flowmaster exhaust, and mpg was not affected at all. I smoothed and cut down the TB- no change in mpg.

On the same subject of mpg, I've been rebuilding my Firebird's 5.7 engine and I found this site a couple weeks ago:

http://somender-singh.com/content/view/7/31/

Did some more research into and it turns out a few European trucking companies and some Euro- and Sino- race teams have been experimenting with it with good results. I have an extra set of heads lying around with my rebuild, so I gouged my heads the same as the other LT1 heads on that site were done. If it hurts anything I can always throw the extra heads on. Hopefully I'll be able to get my Firebird running and back on the street in the next couple weeks. If the gouging helps, I'll probably try it on the Ram if I ever have its heads off.

The benefits this guy claims would all pertain escpecially to Magnum engines. Reduced knock, better mpg, lower temps, etc. I realize it may be a load of road apples, but what the heck, somebody has to actually try it rather than sit around and talk about it

BTW, this is a great subject for a post. Real world results, let's keep it going.
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96 Ram 4wd 5.9L auto
94 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (work in progress)
93 Dakota 2wd 3.9L 5-speed (RIP)

"Love. You can know all the math in the 'Verse, but take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells ya she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her home. "

[HankL]

The Popular Science article about this Indian inventor and his efforts to get automakers to try out his patented ideas about grooving the quench flats so that jets of gases were aimed at the sparkplug is worth a read.

A former Porsche engineer named May patented a similar idea and was successful in getting Jaguar to modify their original V12 cylidner heads to his idea. These are the 'HE' Jag cylinder heads where the groove is in the piston crown.

http://www.jagweb.com/jagworld/v12-engine/page3.html



These ideas are not all that different from Harry Ricardo's groundbreaking research back in the 1920's on how to get quench benefits in flat head cylinder heads.

[Binksman]

On a similiar note:

http://www.coatesengine.com/technology.html

Looks very promising and I am trying to get into contact with anyone who has one of their motorcycles to describe how their engines run.

And in tune with the thread, what ever I do to help my mpg is currently negated by the winterized fuel PA gas stations have seasonly switched to. Blah... Consistent 1 mpg less just because of the fuel I have to use.
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96 Ram 4wd 5.9L auto
94 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (work in progress)
93 Dakota 2wd 3.9L 5-speed (RIP)

"Love. You can know all the math in the 'Verse, but take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells ya she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her home. "

[jkichline]

if your getting lower that sticker advertised mileage, do ALL of the basics. I was getting 12.8MPG in my 5.2L Durango. It didn't seem to be running quite right (lack of power). So I replaced all the plugs and wires. I got no improvement. A few weeks later I put a new cap and rotor in. BIG DIFFERENCE!!!!! I went from 12.8 MPG to 20 MPG!!! The test isn't completely fair because I was also running injector cleaner in my 20 MPG measurement. But I'm sure it won't be much worse without the cleaner. Time will tell. But I've NEVER gotten 20 since I had it!
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99 Dodge Durango 318-K&N cleaner, Drilled and slotted rotors with hawk street performance pads 138,000miles
Replaced:tie rods & ball joints, speed sensors, TPS, RR steel brake line, front O2, cat, muffler, belly pan gasket.
95 Pontiac Trans Am (Hypertech Tune/160°Stat) 164,000miles
91 Ford Taurus SHO 135,000miles
97 Yamaha FZR600 18,000miles

[nazbom]

I think that when we bought these Ram trucks we did not by them because of the great gas mileage they get. These are trucks with V8 motors that are not designed to get good gas mileage. There seems to be alot of effort into trying to improve the mileage but I think it just ends up being a waste. Think about it I have tooled around with the mileage goodies and the best i post is a 1-3% gain. At say 13 MPG that is roughly .2 MPG. You cannot pocket the dollars on those numbers! Unless your time is worthless the amount of time, money and energy that goes into saving less than 1 mpg does not balance out. If you wanted to have good gas mileage there are civics, camrys, small pickups, etc. Remeber that when you step on the gas in a Ram the rumble and the power, the coolness factor, far outweighs the low mileage. These are not economy vehicles and never will be as hard as you may try.
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2001 Ram QC Sport W/ Off Road package, 5.2 Liter, headers, Flowmaster 40 series Cat Back duals 2.5", Airaid intake, 35" BFG A/T, 4.10's, spray in Bed Liner, 2" leveling kit, Hypertech 87 Octane Program, Mobil 1, Synthetic Valvoline in Tranny