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V6 driving impressions

JimD007

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I commented earlier about the shifting but I also don't love the fact that my manual transmission convertible doesn't have a final gear ratio that would keep me under 2,000 rpm on the highway. It is a BMW with a 240hp 3 liter 6 and could usually get by fine with less rpm on the highway. But accelerating quickly would require a downshift if it was geared differently. So Ram did on my pickup what I kind of wish BMW would have done on my convertible. I like both vehicles but I guess I like to complain a little too.
 

silver billet

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New here and have under 60 miles so far on my V6 1500 bighorn. So no real data to share however I would like to jump into the V8 vs V6 debate a little bit.

My last Dodge truck ( owned it around 18 years ago) was a 1998 5.2L 4x4. Just to compare my new truck has 65 more hp, 31 fewer torques and weighs probably around 1500 lbs less. Personally I'm not gonna call it slow by any means. Yeah it's a little light on torque but it's just about perfect for my intended use.

It's good that we have a choice.

Agreed, choice is great! And it helps that you have a bighorn, which probably saves anywhere from 300 to 500 pounds off of a fully loaded limited.

However, you can't just compare 1 spec at random (peak torque/hp) and draw a conclusion from that. It's just peak torque, that's it. Your truck very very rarely hits that specific metric.

What matters is "torque curve". And here is the problem with the v6, it's a motor that really wants/needs to rev, in order to make good power. Those old v8's from the 90's were stump pullers, they made more power lower down in the rpm range, so they are stronger than a simple peak torque comparison would suggest.

I drove the v6 in my Jeep GC for years, in a mercedes 5 speed, with a 3.12(?) gear ratio, and it was a complete dog. Couldn't move out of it's own way, until about 2700 rpms where I consistently began to feel a strong surge start to build. I'm sure things are much better in your truck; far more gears, far better gear ratio etc.

So the v6 will definitely work harder in its lifetime. It's not really designed to be used in a truck, it's a corpororate engine that they dump anywhere they can fit; charger, minivan, jeep, truck. This is where GM excels IMO, every single engine in their truck line up has been designed from the ground up, explicitly for truck use. From the 4.3 to the turbo I4 to the I6 diesel to the 2 v8's, they all have been designed to be used in trucks/suv's (and it's the only place they put them), and it kinda shows. Anyway that's neither here nor there, just wanted to point out that peak HP/torque doesn't tell the whole story, and often it only tells a small part of the story. What matters most is torque curve, how low down in RPM range does it build power.
 

NatGNJ

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V6 VS. V8
Two different hammers for two different jobs. When you pound a nail in the wall to hang a picture you don’t go in the garage and grab your 5 pound sledge hammer. You use a small 16oz claw hammer. So in other words not everybody needs a hemi.

I’ll chime in since there’s not a big difference in drivability between the fourth and fifth GEN. I had my 3.6 L 2015 1500 Big Horn for almost 5 years 65,000 miles. It really was a great truck. I did a 3 inch lift and 33x11.5 inch tires and still got 20-21Mpg Highway. Stock was 22-24. I towed Closedbox U-Haul moving trailers and dump trailers full of gravel and a car hauler with a Jetta on it. Although that was before the lift I never got worse than 15 mpg towing.

let the E torque and start stop do its job. I did not have this on the fourth GEN obviously but it does work well. Yes there are times it’s annoying when the engine shuts off when you come to a stop but the delay is not long and it really does make a difference on fuel economy for city driving.

Most people don’t need the power of the hemi. Even if you go back 10 years ago Chevy trucks were only making around 300 hp. The gear multiplication of the eight speed transmission makes up the difference. If you’re going to be towing less than 6000 pounds every now and then and want good fuel economy the rest of the time you’re commuting etc. then the V-6 is for you and worthwhile. If you need to tow more than 6000 pounds then you’re probably not reading this and already bought the hemi.

If there was one thing I could change and do over on that truck it would be the rear end gear ratio. Most of these trucks come with 3.21 gears which is fantastic if you live in an area that does not have mountains or a lot of hills. If you are traveling up hills, mountains, or maybe live in a high elevation area I would recommend the 3.55 gears. The V-6 makes all of its torque between 3000 and 4000 RPM So the transmission will downshift more often on the inclines. Even with little hills at highway speed’s nothing major it would shift from 8 to 7th gear and not maximize fuel efficiency. This scenario became worse once I put on heavier ply all-terrain tires. I travel between Portland Oregon and Boise Idaho often and found this to be the case going from almost sea level to 3000 elevation. If I lived in the Flats of Texas or Nebraska then the 3.21 would be just fine. The 3.21’s may not be a dealbreaker for most of you but I am picky.

I had a quad cab and I needed more backseat space so I took advantage of the coronavirus sale and got a 2020 crew cab eco diesel. I definitely would recommend the 3.6L V-6.

Nice feedback, and great to hear some reflections from someone who lifted a V6. Did you have a Tow/Haul mode on your 2015? Did that improve drive-ability on hills at all?
 

Nukegm426

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Aside from the financial aspect of it, what makes y’all buy the v6? From what I’m reading it’s not getting any better mileage, actually some of these reports show it having worse then what I’m getting so I’m confused to why anyone would opt for this.
 

Zoompastu

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Nice feedback, and great to hear some reflections from someone who lifted a V6. Did you have a Tow/Haul mode on your 2015? Did that improve drive-ability on hills at all?
Aside from the financial aspect of it, what makes y’all buy the v6? From what I’m reading it’s not getting any better mileage, actually some of these reports show it having worse then what I’m getting so I’m confused to why anyone would opt for this.

I did have a tow haul mode and I did use it when I was towing. All it does is change the programming for the transmission computer. It holds the gear longer and stays in a lower gear. It’s not beneficial for fuel economy. Technically if I was unloaded and had tow haul mode engaged it would hold a lower gear so yes going up hills would be easier because the RPMs would be higher up in the torque curve. With the eight speed you don’t have the issue like you used to back in the day with gear hunting. The issue I was having was a lack of torque to keep the RPMs low for fuel economy purposes. Now with my new eco-diesel and 3.92s it stays in 8th always and forever.

As for the reason why I bought the V6 the reason was simple. I had absolutely no reason or need for a 400 hp V8. It just wasn’t necessary. The V-6 made plenty of power and with the blessing of the eight speed transmission there is always a perfect gear for what you’re trying to do. As far as fuel economy goes my results were awesome. Not sure how other people are getting worse but different driving styles will make a big difference and if they are turning off start stop and letting the engine idle that will also decrease the mileage. If they’re not properly resetting the mileage calculation display that can also give false numbers.

As an example try as I might the best I could get out of my old ///M3 was 28 MPG Highway. My wife on the other hand would achieve 31 MPG consistently. Since we’re throwing in BMW references ;-)
 
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Nicksta43

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Aside from the financial aspect of it, what makes y’all buy the v6? From what I’m reading it’s not getting any better mileage, actually some of these reports show it having worse then what I’m getting so I’m confused to why anyone would opt for this.

I really liked the way it drove. I don't mind a revvy engine. It's not a work truck nor do I plan to haul or tow anything of significance with it. For me and my needs it's more than adequate in the power department and I like the way it delivers its power. If I was super concerned about the fuel economy I wouldn't have been looking at trucks in the first place.
 

SD Rebel

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I think V6 is fine for most people, that 3.6L E-Torque specifially in the RAM was on Wards list of 10 Best Motors for 2019, so its a very good motor and Jeep guys love it.

The main reason I got the Hemi was for the sound track, my V6 2.7L Ecoboost in my old F150 would probably smoke my Hemi to be honest while getting way better mpg, however that sound it produces with an muffler upgrade especially gives driving it a sense of occasion for me.

But for overall driving, I think I would be happy with the six banger.

Here is part of the article from Ward's....

"FCA’s Pentastar V-6 has been around for nearly a decade, but the updated version in the ’19 Ram 1500 pickup benefits from marvelous innovation.

The 3.6L gasoline V-6 comes with FCA’s new eTorque, a 48V mild-hybrid system that provides efficient power boost at launch and improves fuel economy. It works seamlessly and impressively.

eTorque shows its stuff in various ways, including putting the fullsize truck in motion. Typically, moving automotive mass from a standstill gobbles up fuel.

But that’s mitigated by a dollop of electrical propulsion. The result: Our judges saw up to 22 mpg (10.6 L/100 km) during more than 500 miles (805 km) of testing. That’s outstanding for a 2½-ton truck with 4-wheel-drive that never feels underpowered."
 
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JimD007

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I got a tradesman so it wasn't just the engine I economized over. But it was also what I wanted. I would feel a little bad to haul stuff in a 60K pickup. But not so much in my truck that cost about half that.

V6s are also inherently not as smooth as V8s and not nearly as smooth as BMW in line 6s. My truck is pretty quiet but I definitely hear the engine when it is spinning 4,000 rpm. I have forgotten to upshift my BMW from 4th to 6th, however leaving it spinning at 4,000 rpm for several minutes. it is much smoother and quieter. But I don't think rpms mean a lot about longevity. I had a Suzuki SUV with a V6 that is now my Son's. It spins around 3,500rpm on the highway all the time, that is in 6th. But is over 150,000 miles and it doesn't use oil or have other issues. I think my Ram V6 should also do well despite a few more rpm than a V8.
 

My1stHemi

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The 3.6 is a great motor. I love driving my wife’s Grand Cherokee with the 3.6 and the 8spd but i haven’t had a chance to drive an e-torque v6. The regular v6 has more than enough power and it gets decent mileage. If i had to pay for my fuel I would strongly consider the 3.6 in the ram as well.
 

EtherRam

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Aside from the financial aspect of it, what makes y’all buy the v6? From what I’m reading it’s not getting any better mileage, actually some of these reports show it having worse then what I’m getting so I’m confused to why anyone would opt for this.

I went for the V6 because I wanted a full-size truck but since I also use it as my daily driver and the bed is empty 90% of the time I just couldn't justify a Hemi. With the Pedal Commander my V6 has plenty of power and I consistently get 21-23 MPG combined. I just don't think I could keep a vehicle that got ~16 MPG for any length of time - I've seen a lot of truck owners sell to get back into the 20s and 30s on mpg. I know it's somewhat silly, but consistently staying above 20 mpg is a big deal for me.
 

BigD

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I went for the V6 because I wanted a full-size truck but since I also use it as my daily driver and the bed is empty 90% of the time I just couldn't justify a Hemi. With the Pedal Commander my V6 has plenty of power and I consistently get 21-23 MPG combined. I just don't think I could keep a vehicle that got ~16 MPG for any length of time - I've seen a lot of truck owners sell to get back into the 20s and 30s on mpg. I know it's somewhat silly, but consistently staying above 20 mpg is a big deal for me.
I'm consistently averaging 19 mpg with the hemi etorque & 3.92 gears
 

habu987

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My V6 is averaging 21 mpg city/highway. Not sure what all the poor mpg talk is about...
At least in my case, my loaded Longhorn is significantly heavier than your Big Horn, so that contributes to the lower MPG I get.
 

Biga

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Now that it is summer my Hemi Etorque has been getting 18 MPG in my mixed driving with some stop and go to and from work. On the highway 21-22mpg at 70-75 mph. I've heard good things about the pentastar but I just don't see a real advantage on mileage.
 

Smerberj

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Now that it is summer my Hemi Etorque has been getting 18 MPG in my mixed driving with some stop and go to and from work. On the highway 21-22mpg at 70-75 mph. I've heard good things about the pentastar but I just don't see a real advantage on mileage.
On my way to DC from Virginia Beach during the Covid-19 crap I set my cruise control at 65 and left it there the entire way, I averaged 28.5 (according to my dash) and hand calculated was 27.3. These Pentastars are extremely efficient!

Edited: DC from Virginia Beach NOT Washington state.
 

Zoompastu

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Loved the Pentastar when I had it but I’m really loving the 27 to 29 mpg with my 3.92 ORP eco-diesel. Still get 23 at 80 miles an hour. Never gotten worse than that. Funny thing is after that highway run I’ll do a little city driving and my MPG goes up
 

orange01z28

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I am noticing since I moved out here to AZ that initial bog when you leave the line is worse than it was in CA. I'm sure it's because I've been turning the eTorque off most of the time to keep the AC at full cold, could a Pedal Commander fix this?

Otherwise, I've been completely happy with the driving dynamics and the power of this V6. It has a nice midrange torque to it and its rated as much as the LS1 in my Z28 was when that thing was stock. Pretty crazy how far engines have come in the last 20 years. I haven't towed in it but I let my buddy borrow it twice to sell a boat and some trailers after he lost his job. He said it felt better to tow than his base model Tundra did. Those two drives probably created another Ram customer

Mileagewise I've been getting a constant average of 20mpg with the driving I'm doing. I live far out in the East Valley so pretty much everything is 55mph driving but still with stoplights. If I go into work on the Interstates, average mileage stays the same but just there at 65-75 I get up in the mid twenties, maybe even like 28. That's better than my Subaru I had before. It only drops way off when I go above 75. When I drove from Orange County to Arizona with a loaded bed I got like 18 mpg, but I was going around 80-85 on the 10.

Still, the last Mopar V6 I had was in a 2WD 2006 Grand Cherokee and that thing would average like 18 mpg with highway driving and like 12 in town. This truck is a Rebel with 3.92s and the stock 32" Duratecs. And it's not like I bought this truck for mileage

At the end of the day, I was agnostic when it came to which engine I was buying when I bought my Ram. I was looking used for a few reasons and my #1 requirement was 4x4. That meant in the pricing I was looking at the choices were between Hemi 4x4 Bighorns and V6 Rebels. I chose the Rebel and I couldn't be happier. Little did I know Covid would create the best deals ever a month later but I'm not a psychic :ROFLMAO:
 

taz2016

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I am noticing since I moved out here to AZ that initial bog when you leave the line is worse than it was in CA. I'm sure it's because I've been turning the eTorque off most of the time to keep the AC at full cold, could a Pedal Commander fix this?

Otherwise, I've been completely happy with the driving dynamics and the power of this V6. It has a nice midrange torque to it and its rated as much as the LS1 in my Z28 was when that thing was stock. Pretty crazy how far engines have come in the last 20 years. I haven't towed in it but I let my buddy borrow it twice to sell a boat and some trailers after he lost his job. He said it felt better to tow than his base model Tundra did. Those two drives probably created another Ram customer

Mileagewise I've been getting a constant average of 20mpg with the driving I'm doing. I live far out in the East Valley so pretty much everything is 55mph driving but still with stoplights. If I go into work on the Interstates, average mileage stays the same but just there at 65-75 I get up in the mid twenties, maybe even like 28. That's better than my Subaru I had before. It only drops way off when I go above 75. When I drove from Orange County to Arizona with a loaded bed I got like 18 mpg, but I was going around 80-85 on the 10.

Still, the last Mopar V6 I had was in a 2WD 2006 Grand Cherokee and that thing would average like 18 mpg with highway driving and like 12 in town. This truck is a Rebel with 3.92s and the stock 32" Duratecs. And it's not like I bought this truck for mileage

At the end of the day, I was agnostic when it came to which engine I was buying when I bought my Ram. I was looking used for a few reasons and my #1 requirement was 4x4. That meant in the pricing I was looking at the choices were between Hemi 4x4 Bighorns and V6 Rebels. I chose the Rebel and I couldn't be happier. Little did I know Covid would create the best deals ever a month later but I'm not a psychic :ROFLMAO:

I purposely sought out a V6 when I purchased mine. It does everything I need it to do and gets 3-5 MPG better than a Hemi would have.
Never had an "initial bog" on mine.
If you are referring to the switch that keeps the engine from shutting down when stopped as "turning the eTorque off" you aren't. The only thing that switch does is keep the engine from stopping.
 

Lil'Mike

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I traded up from a 2015 5.7L to a 2020 3.6L etorque. I know it’s not a 5.7 but it’s slow in the morning, and slow before about 30MPH. Anyone else experiencing similar issues? I’ve seen TSBs on updating the TCM, HCP, and PCM. My local dealer says I’m up to date, but part of me doesn’t believe it. It seems something is being limited from the computer, but I’m not sure what it is. I really want to like the truck, but I’m having a hard time. I have about 2500 miles now, and still awaiting those great MPGs as advertised on the sticker and for the truck to be more responsive than it is. Maybe it’s a pipe dream? Tough for a 50k purchase...
 

taz2016

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Test drive another Pentastar and see if it responds differently to rule out a problem with yours. The Pentastars are way down on low end torque (from the Hemi), but between the aggressive throttle mapping and the 8 speed transmission my 2019 shows no such symptoms. My other vehicle is a Corvette C7 so I know what adequate low end torque is.
As far as mileage, I average around 19 mpg hand calculated. My trip computer always reads 0.6 to 1.5 mpg more. From extensive research I believe this to be 3-5 mpg better than a Hemi would provide with my driving style on the hilly roads I travel. I'm satisfied with this as it is 2 mpg better than the 1st Gen Honda Ridgeline it replaced.
 

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