Hi Mike
Last March I sold my '86 Dodge Caravan cargo mini-van (windowless) which
had a 2.6 4cyl and 3sp auto. It got in my driving a very consistent 19mpg on
regular of course seemingly no matter what conditions under which I drove it.
It had 156,000 mi.
I bought without a lot of study a new 2000 Dakota club cab, V6, auto
3.55 axle which in the first year now and 17k miles has averaged for the
12mos 19.6mpg on regular. Tires are the stock same size as yours. Tach
reads about 1900rpm @ 65mph. in top gear. The best single tank it has ever
delivered in its first year was 21.3 which was all flat country, freeway with
cruise set @ 68mph and very little weight load no headwind. I keep my tires
at 35 front and 30 rear. There are absolutely no modifications on the
running gear whatever and conventional lubricants (factory originals except
oil which is still conventional not synthetic).
As I recall the EPA factory sticker quoted 19 highway and 17 city
estimate. I've never had a new vehicle that did not do considerably better
than the EPA sticker estimate until my Dakota which has been a bit of a
shock. I even tried the better part of a tankfull (about 360mi) never going
over 55mph and going very lightly on the gas pedal, that was 22.2 which was
not reflective of my typical driving.
Incidentally, to get really accurate gas mileage reading you need to
have the tank full for the tank you're measuring and also full when you
refill that tank. My tank kicks the pump off at almost exactly 2gal left to
go every time. Getting those last 2 in is rather slow but can be done with
patience. If I got the tank completely full then with my typical driving and
mileage the gas gauge remains on the "F" for the first 75mi or so then slowly
begins to move off.
With my mileage, I fill my tank to the real brim then set the trip
odometer to zero and when it gets to about 350mi I need to look for gas. The
needle is generally just above "E"
, the warning tone is sounding and the gas pump icon is lit but there is
still a safe amount in there. I generally have a cushion at that point of
about 4-5gal. I can go 400mi on a tankfull (stock 22gal tank) if all the
driving was cruise-set freeway.
Gas mileage as a topic has come up many times in this past year I've
been a member of this List. Guys with auto 4.7's are seldom if ever getting
better than 17 and that has to be, to hear them talk, conservative driving
and good conditions. Factoring in what they get on stricktly gridlock
driving their overall average seems to be close to 13. I'm wondering what it
is about these Dodge truck engines that makes them rather thirsty?
None have a truly sophisticated hi tech fuel delivery system starting
with multi valve design so that has to have something to do with it. Just
the same, I had a '73 Road Runner custom factory built with a 318 2bbl carb,
Calif smog of those days, a 4sp manual and 2.94 axle and it would average
with no problem on the road 26mpg. Yes it weighed less than my Dakota but it
had more cid which probably evened the score. Consumers Reports complained
about the poor mileage in both v6 and small v8 Dakotas.
So you may be looking pretty much now at what you will be getting from
now on regarding mileage. I would be surprised if after it's fully broken in
you improve by 1mpg or more. Mine did not improve. You can do some
aftermarket modifications (at your peril and risk of failing smog checks and
voiding your warranty) and pickup a consistent mile per gal or maybe 2 but
the fact seems pretty clear these are not highly efficient engines when it
comes to fuel.
Cheers
Paul Sahlin
Burlingame, Calif
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