Quote:
Originally Posted by MadisonMPG
Is that mostly highway?
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The dodge ram's with a manual transmission are a COMPLETELY different vehicle. Dodges slush boxes really eat up FE.
Anyway Straight highway I can pull a little north of 18 without the scanguage driving slow and hypermiling with an automatic 5.2; and I have hit a little over 20mpg with the scanguage on the highway. If I just drive normally I am between 14.5 and 16mpg on the highway.
It REALLY sucks that my truck has an auto, too bad there are so few that don't
I have often wondered how much it would cost to convert to a manual, I could probably move my hypermiling FE up by 50% with a 5sp!
As for the 6 cyl dodge, they really should only sell them with a manual, the 6 in a full size truck is a bigger gas hog than this v8 because you are always hard on the throttle when you aren't accelerating and the gearing is ALWAYS much lower.
That said I don't agree that you go easy on the throttle during acceleration, in my truck with an auto that KILLS the FE since any accelleration at all and my FE is low single digits, whether I hit it hard or not
Quote:
Originally Posted by caffinefiend
Yeah, with the truck i'm on the freeway nearly the whole time, it's only when I was cycling that I was on surface streets.
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I would recommend that if you are keeping the truck, beg or borrow a scanguage. The other guages just don't work as well but they are better than nothing, even a vacuum guage is much better than nothing.
Then if your highway is vacant enough AKA you feel safe in driving below the speed limit. Try to determine your steady state FE at speeds just above shifting into 4th, then also test just above lockup. AKA have a real workout with your truck, also with a scanguage don't hesitate trying my pump the pedal trick when taking off, I have noticed it on 2 dodge vehicles that they respond positively to that for some reason, accelerate harder with better MPGs. In a dodge you really do have to figure out how to accelerate better since that is where most of your fuel is being used. Also in a dodge pickup it is more important than anything to throw it in neutral to coast at any opportunity, even on the highway going down a hill, just as long as you can keep it out of 3rd let it coast down then put her back in gear and slowly continue, if you have to go up a steep hill kick the pedal and take off hard off coast up the crest and back down. These auto dodges actually do hypermile easier than most other auto vehicles but I think its because the inherant FE is so terrible to begin with.
Also another hint, if you get a scanguage or can figure out how to coast down without having to stop, the MPGs on my V8 hypermiling are the same in town (if there is the opportunity to coast far enough) and on the highway. I would estimate you V6 with its steep gearing is likely the same.
Good Luck and I Hope you Can Coax your rig into performing better.
Ryan