New 2 this: 12mpg dodge ram 1500 6cyl

[caffinefiend]

I live in the east bay of the San Francisco bay area. My nightly commute is only 8 miles round trip, So, I tried hydrox but got nowher with that though I was producing lots and lots of browns gas. I'm sure there's some posts here with ideas to improve my lousy mpg. suggestions of where to look??
Thanks, caffinefiend

[robchalmers]

ditch the HHO generator, and buuy something smaller - infact 8 miles... cycle it!

[Luxbg]

I second that, if you don't need to haul around a ton of tools, cycle it. With a little practice 4 miles, one way, will take you all of 15 minutes.

[caffinefiend]

I did Cycle for a while, but I go to work at 11pm and travel through Richmond where the saying is " a drive-by a night keeps all afright!"
Yeah ok, I made that up, but there are as many as 3 and 4 fatal shootings there on a weekend, and weekdays are not exempt. Going home at 730 am is not a problem. Anyway, my neighborhood is pretty nice, so driving to work is prefered. Also, I did ditch the hho, and I am thinking of an ev conversion of a smaller vehicle for the commute. I need the large truck for side jobs I do as an electrical contractor.

[caffinefiend]

One thing I have noticed is that even when the settings are not on ac, air that is much cooler than the outside temp comes through the fan vents. Makes me think the ac is somewhat engaged all the time. That's got to suck up lots of gas. Anyone notice something simular, and is there a solution to it?

[Ryland]

We have the 4 door 4 wheel drive dodge 1500 6cylender truck at work and tow a 2000 pound trailer that half the time is loaded with another 2,000 pounds of granite and we get 11mpg with it... it's a truck, not a car so for biding jobs we bought a used 2000 Saab to drive, figured that in fuel savings it will pay for it's self in less then 3 years!

[Backtobasics]

How is the current tune?
With a commute that short, it might not be making it into closed loop?
Have you tried letting it warm for a couple minutes, and then going? Granted that idling is 0 mpg, but it may get it up to temp, and the Mpg once warm may overcome the idling?

[rmay635703]

I disagree with all of the above posters, it is RARELY worthwhile to buy another vehicle to drive 8miles a day even at 12mpg.

So I will try to give you an answer,

First off, WHAT type of transmission does it have EXACTLY?

occasionally I am stuck with my v8 318 RAM Dodge Crewcab I use for craftshows and pulling trailers with a 4sp auto for going to work.

I have found that if I drive weird, kick the pedal 3x, take off firm and fairly hard then overshoot the speed limit a bit (still going about the same speed as 90% of the people around me or slower) and throw it in neutral and coast almost down to nothing and repeat. (works best timed with hills and required slow down points) I can move my in town MPGs up to approx 15-21mpg depending on how well I know the roads and how well I can time things.

And yes that is with an auto which is the most useless transmission to have.
A good note is that is the same FE my buick gets in town unless I have lots of opportunities to coast and drive faster.

If you have a manual, test your vehicle with engine off on a straight flat vacant section of road to see how much you can use the brakes and steering. I am not afraid of using EOC when I will have to come to a stop on a straight section of road. Use common sense and get to know your vehicle, and A manual transmission and engine off accessory position will be your friend. Just keep a hand ready to clutch on if need be.

Dodges are quirky and a scanguage would help you determine how to get better FE out of your undersized 6 banger.

Depending on how serious you are you might take this as a challenge to figure out how the dodge 6 banger works best.

Good Luck
Ryan

Originally Posted by caffinefiend

I live in the east bay of the San Francisco bay area. My nightly commute is only 8 miles round trip, So, I tried hydrox but got nowher with that though I was producing lots and lots of browns gas. I'm sure there's some posts here with ideas to improve my lousy mpg. suggestions of where to look??
Thanks, caffinefiend

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by caffinefiend

One thing I have noticed is that even when the settings are not on ac, air that is much cooler than the outside temp comes through the fan vents. Makes me think the ac is somewhat engaged all the time. That's got to suck up lots of gas. Anyone notice something simular, and is there a solution to it?

Never noticed that problem, only the opposite, anyway you could possibly just remove the belt to the ac if your willing and your vehicle has multiple belts.

Otherwise you might be able to locate the wire that kicks in the clutch.

Good Luck
Ryan

[silicon_toad2000]

I have a landcruiser, get similar mpg to you and have a similar commute.
As far as the alternative vehicle goes, i bought a motorbike.
My biggest gains have been weight saving, I ditched the spare tyre, bull bar.
If its a ute style, theres some pics onn here of a aero tray cover somewhere.

Things I am still planning include ac delete, skinnier tyres, underbody aero.