2003 ram

[farmer888]

Hey everyone, new here. Hope this is ok posting in the sub forum..
I have a 2003 ram 1500 quad cab 4x4 5.7 L v8 3.92 gearing.

So far from a fuel efficient vehicle! I use it enough for work, and insurance is so expensive in my area that by the time I buy a car and insure it im behind $ wise. That may change in the future as I don't think I'll be needing the truck as much and might downsize to a car or not as good but more useful to me a small suv or minivan.

I have always been interested in the numbers, fuel consumption and speed etc etc.. But I do like hp and speed and v8s. But with gas increasing again I'd like to push my fuel economy higher.
I have beat the epa 15 mpg on highway a few times running up 16-17 mpg.
My commute to work is only 8.4 kms. (5.3 miles)

I'm on a 80 km/h road that is busy so I usually end up briskly accelerating then onto a road that changes a a few times from 60 down to 50 back to 60 etc. 1 stop light I turn right at and left on the way home and 2 stop signs.
Just this week I've been getting back into trying to improve my mileage, last week I was only at around 14 mpg. sitting at 15.8 right now( on overhead readout which I've found to be pretty accurate. I did have a mostly rural road 80km trip included that I was over 16 mpg so I'm trying to maintain close to that as possible on my local commute .
I will hand calculate when I fill up. Just filled my tires up again to max sidewall, I'm embarrassed they were pretty low for someone who is quite mechanically inclined and keeps an eye on that stuff.

Anyway this is way too long of a post. But has anyone else made a decent increase in mpg in a pickup truck mostly by driving habits?

[redpoint5]

Get a Corvette. Driven right, they seem to get decent fuel economy.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by farmer888

I don't think I'll be needing the truck as much and might downsize to a car or not as good but more useful to me a small suv or minivan.

Too bad you probably won't be able to get a Mexican-spec Ram 700

has anyone else made a decent increase in mpg in a pickup truck mostly by driving habits?

A full-size truck won't ever be much fuel-efficient at all, yet not being lead-footed is a good first step.

[farmer888]

Yeah shaped like a brick and heavy! I'm still interested to what I can get out of it. I always thought I was easy on the brakes.. but I've started really coasting to the stop signs using up the energy I already spent getting up to speed. And I realize I can coast a lot further than I thought!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by farmer888

Yeah shaped like a brick and heavy!

Would be so out of question to get a Diesel truck? They're cool too.

[nemo]

Since your truck is almost 20 years old and you have such a short commute it might be a good idea to check thermostat operation or if its never been replaced just replace it.

[ksa8907]

I feel like this question needs to be asked much more often: Is your goal to see better fuel consumption numbers or to save money?

[redneck]

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I posted this in another thread but it applies to you also.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...tml#post653965


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[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by nemo

it might be a good idea to check thermostat operation or if its never been replaced just replace it

Or even if it was simply removed and never replaced at all. I usually see many vehicles running without a thermostat.