Best MPG?

[andyallietrenton]

I just bought my first truck and love that I decided on a 2019 RAM 1500. I have the 3.6L V6. I want to add a programmer to get better MPG's. What do you recommend?

 

[Smerberj]

Is it the classic or the new RAM 1500?
I don't think they have a programmer for the new RAM's yet. What's wrong with the MPG you're getting? I have 477 miles on my truck and am averaging 19.2 50/50, number keeps going up, was 17.5 200 miles ago.

 

[Slow&easy]

I'm averaging 21 mpg, with 3.55 axles (5900 current miles). This fall when it was warmer I was getting 22mpg.
I drive 30% city and 70% highway. There are 20 stops along my 35 mile daily drive. Sometimes I hit them all, and sometimes I hit half of them if I can time the lights right. My 2014 was getting 24 mpg on the same route with 3.21's.
I'n hoping my 2019 will do better this next spring and I can get into the 23-24 mpg range.
One thing I have noticed is how often I fill up. I think the auto start works better than I thought. I notice a lot of time sitting at lights for extended time my truck is off. I'm guessing I save 10-15 min of idle time each day. That's close to an hour a week. It would be nice if the trucks had a timer to keep track of how much idle time has been saved. This could be calculated into fuel savings.

 

[eyeguy]

My 2017 laramie with 3.55 gets 21-22mpg if i take it easy. Thats 50/50 city hyw

 

[taz2016]

My Bighorn with 3.55 gears gets an overall 19 to 19.5 actual MPG. The computer always overestimates by 0.5 to 1.5 MPG.
Based on what some other owners get I guess the hilly area I live in hurts my mileage.

 

[Smerberj]

Averaging 19.7 right now, only 550 miles on the truck. Was 17.5 about 400 miles ago so it is slowly going up. That's with 3.55, 2wd and 60 city / 40 highway.

 

[Smerberj]

Averaging 19.7 right now, only 550 miles on the truck. Was 17.5 about 400 miles ago so it is slowly going up. That's with 3.55, 2wd and 60 city / 40 highway.

At 20.2 according to lie-o-meter, as of today.

 

[dumbo62]

I just picked up my 2019 Limited V6. It has the 3.21. Drove it 700 miles so far. Nearly all freeway at 70-80 mph at 15-30 F. Mostly flat. Hand calculated one tank came in at 17.8 and the last one at 17.3 mpg. Not too thrilled with this mileage. Could it be a combination of the low temps and new engine? I know the high speeds reduce mileage but by that much?

Edit on 12-25-19. Merry Christmas! My drive was from Oklahoma to California via Colorado Springs and several ski resorts on the way home. 2360 miles. Best hand calculated mileage was 23.5. Overall mileage from guess o meter for the entire trip was 22.3 so I feel better now. I drove one long stretch along the Bonneville Salt Flats (flat and straight) in Utah and experimented. The EPA 24 mpg highway occurs at a steady 67 MPH. At 80+ MPH it drops to about 19 mpg. If you stay in the draft of a semi you will gain 3-5 mpg.

 

[Neurobit]

I just picked up my 2019 Limited v6. It has the 3.21. Drove it 700 miles so far. Nearly all freeway at 70-80 mph at 15-30 F. Mostly flat. Hand calculated one tank came in at 17.8 and the last one at 17.3 mpg. Not too thrilled with this mileage. Could it be a combination of the low temps and new engine? I know the high speeds reduce mileage but by that much?

Oh yeah, above 65-70 your mileage will suffer, due to increased RPM and wind drag (mainly drag).

 

[Kob0583]

I’m getting 18-19 daily driving dash average is 16 but that’s down from when I’m towing my boat and several times idling for long periods. I came from a Ridgeline that was getting 25 so MPG isn’t what I’m use to but it’s a bigger much more capable truck so all and all I’m still happy. Truck seems happiest with 89 straight unleaded, below 89 I don’t seem to get as good of mileage. I only have about 1500 miles on my truck so it will be interesting to see how things go after the first oil change and some more break in time but I’m not seeing it getting much better. I have a HEMI e torque 3.92 rebel.


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[Smerberj]

Took a trip to Chesapeake, cruise controlled at 65 MPH, averaged 26 MPG all smooth highway. Been driving around Virginia Beach boardwalk quite a bit lately and am now at 20.8 MPG. I am very impressed with this 5,000+ pound truck.

 

[Smerberj]

I’m getting 18-19 daily driving dash average is 16 but that’s down from when I’m towing my boat and several times idling for long periods. I came from a Ridgeline that was getting 25 so MPG isn’t what I’m use to but it’s a bigger much more capable truck so all and all I’m still happy. Truck seems happiest with 89 straight unleaded, below 89 I don’t seem to get as good of mileage. I only have about 1500 miles on my truck so it will be interesting to see how things go after the first oil change and some more break in time but I’m not seeing it getting much better. I have a HEMI e torque 3.92 rebel.


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Doesn't your Hemi require 91?

 

[Reverse]

Doesn't your Hemi require 91?

hemi: 89 preferred, 87 allowed

 

[Smerberj]

hemi: 89 preferred, 87 allowed

Oh! Gotcha. I'd love the Hemi but I'm moving to California in a year and the Pentastar just seemed like the better option for those $4.00 gas prices.

 

[JimD007]

I didn't realize the hemi wants higher octane. I keep a little notebook in each vehicle and record each fillup. My calculated mpg is less than 21 but miles are less than 3,000 and it seems to be going up. The indicated mpg at the moment is 24. The octane desire of the hemi makes me happier I got the V6.

 

[Trooper4]

I run 87 all the time, and on the highway at 60-65 get a pretty steady 22-23. As the speed goes up into the 70's it drops into the 17-18 range.

 

[silver billet]

I didn't realize the hemi wants higher octane. I keep a little notebook in each vehicle and record each fillup. My calculated mpg is less than 21 but miles are less than 3,000 and it seems to be going up. The indicated mpg at the moment is 24. The octane desire of the hemi makes me happier I got the V6.

I'm not so sure about that. Depends on gas prices, but you definitely pay a price for running the cheap 87 octane. I've been running 91 octane as a test because gas is so cheap these days, I'm willing to bet my MPG has gone up due to how much better and more efficient the engine is running. No more pinging going up hills, and acceleration just feels more efffortless.

So; who knows how much you really pay extra for the 91 octane. Probably less than you might think at first.

 

[Trooper4]

Never have had a pinging problem, even when towing.

 

[silver billet]

Never have had a pinging problem, even when towing.

That's possible; it's also possible that it's just too soft for you to pick up in your very quiet limited interior or that your hearing is no longer as good as it used to be ?

Here's the thing; these engines are built to extremely tight and close tolerances. They're all running the same software/computer. So given the same gas and conditions, there's a 99% guarantee that your hemi will react the same way as mine will. And if I can hear pinging, that means yours would also be pinging.

Given that Ram recommends 89 octane, and there are videos on youtube where they actually record the computer still having issues with 89 octane (but less so than 87), running 87 may as well be running ditch water at that point.

I'm running 91 now and it's like it was finally set free from ****ty gas. It just runs so much more effortlessly. I didn't notice it right away. Took like about 3 tanks before it occurred to me that wow, this thing is running really really well now.

There is one little thing though; the pump I use has up to 15% ethanol in regular, and 0% ethanol in 91. So maybe the ethanol is also playing a part?

 

[Neurobit]

That's possible; it's also possible that it's just too soft for you to pick up in your very quiet limited interior or that your hearing is no longer as good as it used to be ?

Here's the thing; these engines are built to extremely tight and close tolerances. They're all running the same software/computer. So given the same gas and conditions, there's a 99% guarantee that your hemi will react the same way as mine will. And if I can hear pinging, that means yours would also be pinging.

Given that Ram recommends 89 octane, and there are videos on youtube where they actually record the computer still having issues with 89 octane (but less so than 87), running 87 may as well be running ditch water at that point.

I'm running 91 now and it's like it was finally set free from ****ty gas. It just runs so much more effortlessly. I didn't notice it right away. Took like about 3 tanks before it occurred to me that wow, this thing is running really really well now.

There is one little thing though; the pump I use has up to 15% ethanol in regular, and 0% ethanol in 91. So maybe the ethanol is also playing a part?

I hear pining inside my Limited. It goes away after a few seconds, but if you have the door open and start the engine, it's very, very noticeable. Even after closing the door it can be heard.
No big deal, but it is there for the first few seconds the engine is running.