Looking to Mod my new Longhorn for MPG

[Idahoktm]

nothing out there is going to improve MPG worth the time and money. usually people buying large trucks have no concern about mileage knowing its poor before you sign. if you can't afford gas you don't need the truck
gas isn't going to stay at $4+.
if you're going by the computer current MPG don't believe what you see.
if you go by the tpms computer don't believe that either. it's not accurate

I agree with your first paragraph, but my fuel computer and TPMS are dead on balls accurate.

 

[Rammit]

Set the cruise on 55 and you will see fantastic mpg until the radio plays Hagar singing “I can’t drive 55!”

 

[Rebelguy2020]

View attachment 123349

Great fuel mileage, but at a snail pace of average 33 mph. I would get at least 35 mpg at that pace with my diesel.

 

[Rebelguy2020]

I bet those $250 oil changes are fun too. And paying $5/gallon for diesel vs. $4/gallon for unleaded!

I buy the OEM oil filter and OEM fuel filter online and buy the oil at half price at the store, the dealer charges me $32 in labour for an oil change so about $125 in total.
Diesel fuel is cheaper than gasoline in Northern Ontario Canada, usually $0.10 to $0.20 per litre or $0.45 to $0.90 cheaper per Canadian gallon.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Great fuel mileage, but at a snail pace of average 33 mph. I would get at least 35 mpg at that pace with my diesel.

Yeah, but you're still stuck driving something called an EcoDiesel...

 

[ferraiolo1]

Dang. Here in pa diesel is $5.75 a gal. 87 is $4.45 this morning.


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[Rebelguy2020]

Yeah, but you're still stuck driving something called an EcoDiesel...

You’re right about the name Ecodiesel not sounding ok, I would prefer the name Turbodiesel. I’ve had the 5.9L V8 Magnum engine in my first Dodge Ram, it sure drank a lot of gas then went to the Hemi 5.7L, more gears more power and better on gas but far from the efficiency of my
Diesel.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I agree with your first paragraph, but my fuel computer and TPMS are dead on balls accurate.

You would be the oddity saying your displayed fuel mileage matches the hand calculated fuel mileage. I've never owned a single vehicle where it was closer than 1mpg different. Most of the time it's closer to 2mpg different

 

[HSKR R/T]

You’re right about the name Ecodiesel not sounding ok, I would prefer the name Turbodiesel. I’ve had the 5.9L V8 Magnum engine in my first Dodge Ram, it sure drank a lot of gas then went to the Hemi 5.7L, more gears more power and better on gas but far from the efficiency of my
Diesel.

My Hemi Ram gets about the same fuel mileage as my 5.9l Dakota R/T.

 

[ferraiolo1]

Mines dead on, after I hand calculated a 1500 mile trip, I stopped worrying about it.


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[SnowBlaZR2]

You’re right about the name Ecodiesel not sounding ok, I would prefer the name Turbodiesel. I’ve had the 5.9L V8 Magnum engine in my first Dodge Ram, it sure drank a lot of gas then went to the Hemi 5.7L, more gears more power and better on gas but far from the efficiency of my
Diesel.

Efficiency? Meh.

If I cared about that I'd cuff my pants and trade the Hemi for a Ford Maverick.

 

[Idahoktm]

You would be the oddity saying your displayed fuel mileage matches the hand calculated fuel mileage. I've never owned a single vehicle where it was closer than 1mpg different. Most of the time it's closer to 2mpg different

Nah...I've read plenty of posts about accurate fuel computers. The worst I've seen with mine was .35 mpg better than hand calculated. Most of the tanks I calculated were half of that.

 

[brian42]

I'd say if you were running them at max psi on sidewall and they still wore out the edges first then they weren't the right load rating for your truck.

OEM (ORG): Falken Wildpeak A/T3WA 275/65-18 C-rated 2535lbs @ 50psi

Replaced with (at 2K miles): Nitto Ridge Grappler 275/65-18 XL-rated 2756lbs @ 50psi

I've always run my tires near max psi and have never had an issue with tire wear. I rotate them every 5K miles and have the alignment checked/adjusted a couple of times during the tire life (once when I first get them then another around 30K miles, which is about a year and a half later).

 

[Rebelguy2020]

Efficiency? Meh.

If I cared about that I'd cuff my pants and trade the Hemi for a Ford Maverick.

Efficiency is important in my situation, both my wife and I retired recently and I’ll towing a small travel trailer across Canada this summer and later across USA.
With 480 lb/ft @ 1600 rpm, at close to 60 mph cruising speed with the 3.92 axle ratio, low end torque is where the small displacement diesel really separates from the Hemi, you have to rev the Hemi @ around 4800 rpm to get 407 lb/ft of torque, at that stage the Hemi just guzzles the gas.
I own several trailers, one single axle flatbed, one 5x12 tandem utility, one 8x16 heavy tandem flatbed, one 8x16 tandem enclosed and two travel trailers.
To compare, I used my Diesel Rebel Crew cab and towed my flatbed trailer with over 5,000 of shingles for a 120 mile trip to the cottage and got 20 mpg, my previous truck Hemi crew cab (3.92 axle) without towing a trailer going to the same cottage 120 mile trip and got 20 mpg at best, I have been going to the same cottage (in-laws) for 30 years. I was using my wife’s Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk in the past to tow the smaller trailers because the Hemi was so hard on gas, now I much prefer using the Rebel.
Another comparison, my Diesel Rebel gets almost identical mpg as my wife’s Cherokee Trailhawk Elite.

 

[CrazyWorld]

You’re right about the name Ecodiesel not sounding ok, I would prefer the name Turbodiesel. I’ve had the 5.9L V8 Magnum engine in my first Dodge Ram, it sure drank a lot of gas then went to the Hemi 5.7L, more gears more power and better on gas but far from the efficiency of my
Diesel.

Out here.....they are called "Girldiesels".........

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Efficiency is important in my situation, both my wife and I retired recently and I’ll towing a small travel trailer across Canada this summer and later across USA.
With 480 lb/ft @ 1600 rpm, at close to 60 mph cruising speed with the 3.92 axle ratio, low end torque is where the small displacement diesel really separates from the Hemi, you have to rev the Hemi @ around 4800 rpm to get 407 lb/ft of torque, at that stage the Hemi just guzzles the gas.
I own several trailers, one single axle flatbed, one 5x12 tandem utility, one 8x16 heavy tandem flatbed, one 8x16 tandem enclosed and two travel trailers.
To compare, I used my Diesel Rebel Crew cab and towed my flatbed trailer with over 5,000 of shingles for a 120 mile trip to the cottage and got 20 mpg, my previous truck Hemi crew cab (3.92 axle) without towing a trailer going to the same cottage 120 mile trip and got 20 mpg at best, I have been going to the same cottage (in-laws) for 30 years. I was using my wife’s Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk in the past to tow the smaller trailers because the Hemi was so hard on gas, now I much prefer using the Rebel.
Another comparison, my Diesel Rebel gets almost identical mpg as my wife’s Cherokee Trailhawk Elite.

That's all fine and dandy, but the main point was that when I truly baby my truck, I'm not remotely struggling to beat 20 mpg and far exceed it.

I've towed about 3k miles in the last 2 months, and loving the truck with this trailer. Added bonus is that when I unhook the trailer, I'm not stuck with the EcoDiesel.

But, it's great that we have options.

 

[Louhound88]

Honestly only thing that may help would be a bed cover. I don't have one, but would like to get one to hide stuff, any added fuel efficiency would be nice.

I have a Borla S type and my mpg's tanked hard and stayed there. Sounds best at hard acceleration, but it's too expensive now.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Honestly only thing that may help would be a bed cover. I don't have one, but would like to get one to hide stuff, any added fuel efficiency would be nice.

I have a Borla S type and my mpg's tanked hard and stayed there. Sounds best at hard acceleration, but it's too expensive now.

Bed covers over zero benefit for dual mileage anymore

 

[Rebelguy2020]

That's all fine and dandy, but the main point was that when I truly baby my truck, I'm not remotely struggling to beat 20 mpg and far exceed it.

I've towed about 3k miles in the last 2 months, and loving the truck with this trailer. Added bonus is that when I unhook the trailer, I'm not stuck with the EcoDiesel.

But, it's great that we have options.

I have been wanting the small diesel for many years, I don’t require a heavy duty 3/4 ton truck, the parts are so much expensive, I was planning on replacing my 1996 Dodge Ram Extended cab for a new Ram 1500 truck, (I keep my trucks for many years), they were testing the Ram 1500 with the smaller 5L Cummins V8 but that deal with Cummins was scrapped when Chrysler went bankrupt so I ended up buying the 2011 Outdoorsman crew cab with the Hemi, I really loved that truck but only used when I had to because of the gas consumption compared our Caliber or our Jeep.

When FCA finally came out with the ecodiesel in 2015 I was not ready for a new truck, probably a good thing because of the issues with the Diesel engine, so years later I ended up getting the 2020 Rebel with the Diesel.
I take good care of my trucks, my 2011 Outdoorsman sold for just under $18,000 after I traded it in, I was kicking myself for not trying to sell it on my own.
You say you baby your truck to easily get 20 mpg, why do you need the Hemi, sounds like you really hate the Diesels, would it not be more of an advantage to get the Pentastar V6.
I’m also curious what was the mpg while towing the trailer for 3,000 miles, and what kind of trailer?

 

[Idahoktm]

Honestly only thing that may help would be a bed cover. I don't have one, but would like to get one to hide stuff, any added fuel efficiency would be nice.

I have a Borla S type and my mpg's tanked hard and stayed there. Sounds best at hard acceleration, but it's too expensive now.