Question on gas mileage

[Alan Warman]

Since it doesn't seem like the gas prices will be going down soon, I need to figure out a way to get better gas mileage. Our set up is an 03 Dodge Double-Cab Dooley with a Cummings and a six speed, all stock except K & N air filter, and synthetic oils. We tow a 24 foot enclosed trailer and we average about 12 - 14 mpg towing. Just wondering if anyone had any tips or tricks on how to get better gas mileage. I didn't know if it might be better to chip the vehicle or put a V-nose or a bubble on the trailer. Has anyone tried the wings on top of the cab of the truck?

[greg fulk]

Alan I have an 03 2500 cummins 6 speed & I get the same mileage....but get 20 just driving to work.

[div 5]

Mine does much better at 55 than it does at 70.

[Alan Warman]

Out here in Tx I can get 24 empty,and if I am towing the open trailer I get 18-20.Mine gets the best mileage
at 62mph but it takes forever to get any were.Greg how do you like your new Olds,I nearly have mine up and running.

[Myron Piatek]

I have a Dodge 2004.5 Cummins Quad-Cab dually with an auto and 3.73 gears. It has a fiberglass topper that kicks up higher in the back and tows a 26' Pace which brings the total weight to over 19,000lbs. The trailer is still at least 1 1/2 feet taller than the back of the truck. I've gotten almost 13 mpg hand-calculated under ideal conditions, but usually get between 11 & 12. It looses a few more in the hills/mountains on the east coast. It's a time-consuming pain to fill fuel to the very top each time, but it's the most accurate way to check mileage. I usually cruise around 72 mph and, as noted, driving slower picks up mileage a bit. (The overhead computer has never been close, originally and even after a factory computer reflash for mileage, white smoke and computer mileage accuracy, especially after adding the box.)

It's all stock except for a Quadzilla 65hp/125tq tow box and an Amsoil EaA blue air filter. I believe they are more efficient than the oiled K&N and I've heard people debate whether or not the oil from it can actually affect sensors downstream. Drivetrain has all Amsoil: Series 3000 5w-30 diesel oil, Universal trans fluid, Severe Gear 75w-90 in the rear end and truck and trailer tires are kept between 75 & 80 lbs. The box picked up between .5 and 1 mpg. But I've always babied the truck and it has picked up mileage through 35,000 miles. It actually seemed to pick up more after a couple of occasions where I really got into the throttle! I "think" it's finally fully broke-in now after almost 50,000 miles. I also use Amsoil's diesel fuel modifer and cetane boost also.

I thought about a wing/spoiler on the topper, but am concerned about it eventually cracking the fiberglass. Some people have said that a wing at the cab is too far forward to help much. The "bubble" on the trailer front seems like a good idea and I wish I would have ordered it when I speced out the trailer.

I am considering an aftermarket, better flowing muffler and I've read that aftermarket fuel pumps help mileage also. Better flowing air boxes & tubes are suppose to help to. They are expensive and some people have swiss-cheesed their OEM air box instead.

The older trucks should get better mileage because the newer ones like mine have an extra pre-combustion cycle. I forgot exactly what it's called, but it uses a little more fuel. A manual trans should also get a little better mileage over an auto. Then there has been talk of "seasonal" fuel that affects mileage and there is always wind or unnoticable grades in the road.

I did get a 60 gal. auxilary tank and plan my stops in states with cheaper fuel prices. Flying J has good prices, online locations & prices and an RV card that saves 1 cent per gallon.

Amsoil source & info: http://www.thelubepage.com/

[DustyLowell]

We have a 2004 Ram 4 door 2500 4x4 with the Cummins. Average mileage increased drastically when we purchased a 28ft Goldrush. We are seeing around 16-17 mpg towing to MapleGrove from NH.

[james schaechter]

I have a 2002 GMC Duramax 6 speed stick 2500hd 4 x4 crew cab. It has 3.73's. I usually tow at 2,000 rpm (70 mph) It is stock except a k and n filter and synthetic oil. I tow a 24 ft pace. No topper. I get 22-24 when not towing can count on 16-18 towing. Better if I slow to 60. The Vrib Bridgestones are 2 mpg better on the highway. I have 176,000 miles on the truck and have gone back and forth on this. They suck in the winter so I now have a set of more aggressive tires for winter and road tires for the summer. BTW, I pump the tires up rock hard when on a road trip towing in good weather. In the winter, the cetane booster seems to be worth it in terms of mpg and power. JIm.

[John Duzac]

I have a 2006 Dodge 2500 with the diesel package and the automatic transmission. I tow a 30' 16000 pound trailer. When the Truck was new, I was getting around 10 to 12 mph. At about 25000 miles, I added a Super Chip (with the towing package) and a K&N air cleaner, the one that goes into the stock airbox. It helped the mileage from 12 to as much as 15 mph. I always have to go about 65 to get anykind of good mileage. If I go 70 to 72, the mileage drops down to as little as 10.5! That sucks... I plan on trying the external K&N air filter, which Larry Hill says will help more that the box type air cleaner. Larry Hill has a similar truck (Dooley) and he says he gets 16 +. I will gladley take 16 miles to a gallon. I think you are going in the right direction to improve mileage.

[neal noffsinger]

I have a 1995 chevy with a 454 it gets 6mpg no matter how what when and where!