i'm gettin 18 in the city with my 98 RC, 5 Speed, Posi, w/ 3:91 gearset
----- Original Message -----
From: <Tubamirbls@aol.com>
To: <dakota-truck@buffnet.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2001 10:50 PM
Subject: DML: Bad Mileage
> 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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