RE: Improving mileage WAS RE: Dakota Lemon

From: Ronald Wong (ron-wong@home.com)
Date: Tue Jul 11 2000 - 00:57:32 EDT


Funny thing you mention different brands. Mine tends to ping under load
like WOT with Chevron 87 but never with Mobil 87. I thought at first it
was just that tankful but I found that every time I filled it with Chevron
it did that....so no more Chevron.

Ron

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net]On Behalf Of Andy Levy
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000 9:19 PM
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
Subject: Re: Improving mileage WAS DML: RE: Dakota Lemon

Responding to myself here...

Another factor, believe it or not, is the gas you put in the tank. I
used to use Citgo and Hess, as they were always cheapest around here.
I'm trying a little experiment for the next month and only putting Mobil
in (87 octane always, regardless of brand). My first Mobil tank was
coming home from Jon's, the other 2 (total of 3 so far) were this
weekend.

Andy Levy wrote:
>
> Sounds like you need a cleanout and/or tune-up. Dropped any fuel
> injector cleaner in the tank lately? When did you check your plugs
> last? How fast do you drive?
>
> I got 17 MPG one day in May 1999, and never again for a year (even after
> adding a tonneau and QuickD intake) at which point I dropped in some STP
> and I got 17 on the next 2 tanks. Right before Jon's BBQ, I putin
> another bottle of STP cleaner and got 16 MPG that weekend, and that
> included the off-roading, plus a 75MPH (and higher) run on I-90. This
> past weekend, I pulled 17.73, half in really bad rain, sticking to the
> limit (65MPH).
>
> Once I get those Autolite plugs, some fat spark plug wires and a new
> distributor cap in, I think I can pull well over 18 MPG at 65 MPH on my
> 318/auto/4x4
>
> Derek wrote (and Andy edited for the kiddies):
> >
> > S--t right now id accept 17mpg the thing that really pisses me off is
that when i first got my
> > truck with 1 mile on it i picked it up about 300 miles from here on a
very mountainous highway
> > (coquihalla) in bc i got 19 mpg and thought that was pretty damn good
for brand new now the more
> > i drive it the worse it gets and the dealer says that there is
absolutely nothing wrong with it.
> >
> > Sandman wrote:
> >
> > > It is acceptable for my driving habits and what I have. I can't
expect any better. The
> > > most I've ever gotten out of it was 17mpg and that was on a 300 mile
trip to Mexico across
> > > entirely flat terrain at 65 mph. You gotta think about the fact that
your engine is turning
> > > another driveshaft as well. Even though it isn't always engaged it
still turns. And the
> > > extra weight and wind drag that it has over that mustang. Trucks
aren't exactly the most
> > > aerodynamic vehicles. And if you have the package with the 31x10.50
tires that isn't gonna
> > > help you much either. And if you have an auto tranny that gonna
deduct from it too.
> > >
> > > Derek wrote:
> > >
> > > > Well id like it to get close to what its rated for which would be 24
but id be happy
> > > > with 20 i dont understand why anyone would think that 10 - 12 mpg is
acceptable maybe if
> > > > you had 350- 400 horsepower but you dont you have something like 235
hp Shit my old
> > > > mustang pulled high 12s in the quarter and still got 18 -20 mpg and
it wasnt lite 3500
> > > > pounds whats a dak weigh 1000 pounds more maybe?
> > > >
> > > > Sandman wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Well, what do you want it to get? 50mpg? Get a friggin Ford
Focus. You bought a
> > > > > truck, a 4x4 truck, that's extended cab, with a v6, and 3.55
gears. That is not a
> > > > > good combo. I woulda got the lowest possible gears I could have
in that rig.
> > > > > You're pulling around alot of weight there with that sixer and
it's gotta work
> > > > > pretty hard to move it with those gears. I have a 4x4 CC with 318
and 3.55 gears
> > > > > and I get around 10-12 mpg whether in the city, on highway, or
not. And I drive the
> > > > > hell out of it, constantly have my foot in it.
> > > > >
> > > > > Derek wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > The local feed company i do networking for have 2 of them for
trhe execs 1 is a
> > > > > > 2000 the other is a 99 the owner keeps mileage logs of all
vehicles and i asked
> > > > > > him how they were and he showed me the logs and also said that
neither truck has
> > > > > > given them a single problem the other is owned by a freind of
mine and he has
> > > > > > the same opinion. As for the 6.0 at 300 hp that gets 13 try mine
a 99 sport v6
> > > > > > ext cab with 3:55 4x4 that gets 14 on the highway and i drive it
like miss
> > > > > > daisey. Wheres the logic in that?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "L. J. Morris" wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Well Derek;
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I just quickly checked *kellybluebook* and the 4.8L gives a
maximum of 16-20
> > > > > > > mpg city/highway for 2WD extended cab and 14-18 mpg
city/highway for 4WD
> > > > > > > extended cab. The 5.3 is one (1) mile per gallon under these
figures. So
> > > > > > > if your friends are getting 24-27 mpg, please tell me where
they bought
> > > > > > > their trucks and which magic Dealer it was, cause I am going
to cancel my
> > > > > > > order for my '01 QC and order a GMC.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I live in 4WD country and everyone I know regardless of Dodge,
Ford, Chevy,
> > > > > > > GMC are getting on average 16mpg overall driving also
regardless of engine
> > > > > > > size, if the vehicle is operating properly. So if this is
true I guess it
> > > > > > > does not matter which one a fella purchases based on mileage,
it is pretty
> > > > > > > much a factor of taste and considering half the parts of each
manufacturer
> > > > > > > are made in the same contracted plants, it again goes to a
matter of taste.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > However, I have driven and owned them all and I will take
Dodge's
> > > > > > > engineering over the next guy any time.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > L. John
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > > From: "Derek" <derekm@dowco.com>
> > > > > > > To: <dakota-truck@buffnet.net>
> > > > > > > Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2000 8:56 PM
> > > > > > > Subject: Re: DML: RE: Dakota Lemon
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I hope so 14mpg out of a v6 4x4 is pathetic the dealer is
trying to get me
> > > > > > > > into the same truck as mine but with a 4.7 but from the look
of things on
> > > > > > > > the dml they arent that great either. So ive been looking at
full size
> > > > > > > > chevs, i know that is a bad word around here but i have 3
friends that
> > > > > > > have
> > > > > > > > them and their 4.8 with 270 hp extended cab 4x4s are
getting 24-27 mpg on
> > > > > > > > the highway and they say the rest of the truck is pretty
darn good. But
> > > > > > > well
> > > > > > > > see.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > "Steven St.Laurent" wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Good luck Derek. I hope you find a better vehicle next
time.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > > > > From: owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net
> > > > > > > > > [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net]On Behalf Of Derek
> > > > > > > > > Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2000 1:42 PM
> > > > > > > > > To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
> > > > > > > > > Subject: DML: Dakota Lemon
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Hey does anyone know where to find the lemon laws for
vehicles in canada
> > > > > > > > > this dak has to go back.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > thanks
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
>
> --
> -andy
>
> http://home.twcny.rr.com/andylevy/ --- andylevy@bigfoot.com
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have
> for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote."
> Benjamin Franklin, 1759
> -------------------------------------------------------------

--
-andy

http://home.twcny.rr.com/andylevy/ --- andylevy@bigfoot.com ------------------------------------------------------------- "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin, 1759 -------------------------------------------------------------



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