Personal Best

[Bear32LB]

I recently recorded my best tank. Got 20.31mpg in my 2004 Dodge Dakota 4.7 4x4. I beat my long-term average of 18.30 by focusing on my speed and stepping up my coasting and adding in a little EOC. I had a short trip average of 20.7 before but this was over 330 miles. My next goal is 21mpg.

[wmjinman]

Originally Posted by buzzno1

How did you do it?

Didn't he just say? By focusing on his speed, stepping up his coasting, and adding in a little EOC. ???

But seriously, 20+ is pretty good for a Dakota. My first wife and I had one for awhile, and it never did too well.

[Bear32LB]

Speed was probably the biggest factor. I used to run about 60-65mph on my 40 mile trip to work. Last week I rarely got above 55. Focused more on coasting and some EOC coming to red lights, stop signs, and any other opportunity I had. I am hoping some warmer weather this week will help get above 21mpg. Last week we had some sub 30F mornings.

[elhigh]

I work in Ktown and used to live in Fountain City; I found that even though the I-640 exit was so tantalizingly close and convenient, it made no difference on my relatively short (at the time) commute. I figured out how to time the lights and make the 6 miles to work in about the same amount of time as interstate, even though my peak speed dropped way down.

At that time I was going about a month between fillups, not bad. I don't think a ride as long as yours is as likely to enjoy benefits like that, but you never know. Any viable alternate routes?

[Bear32LB]

Well I live in Union county and work in Rockford. I have two routes that are the same 40-41 miles. In the morning I usually go down through Halls, Emory Road to I40 then it's interstate to Alcoa highway. If I don't need to go into Halls after work I take the interstate to Rutledge Pike and take it up to Blaine then cut over to Maynardville.

Since I have started monitoring my mileage more rigorously with Torque the last two weeks I have noticed better mileage on my way home. I just haven't figured out if it's the weather, which I suspect, or the route. As you know, it's 30° one morning 40-45° the next. I have gone the Rutledge Pike route some this week in the morning and the mileage was better one morning and the same the next. It was about 10° warmer one morning though.

Traffic is the same either route at 530am, better Rutledge Pike in the evening. I think that the temperature is my biggest variable effecting mileage. I think a grill block and/or WAI would help a lot. This week with the warmer temps I am getting better mileage per Torque.

[elhigh]

I bet the Rutledge Pike route has something to do with it - if your day ends at about the same time as everybody else's, you're spending a loooot of time just poking along trying to get through Halls. It was bad enough just getting through Fountain City, I would always wait a couple of hours before going into Halls if I needed anything. The traffic was dreadful.

It was the experience with Fountain City and Halls traffic that trained me to always learn at least three routes to anywhere.