Tips needed for eco-driving my diesel truck!

[nubbzcummins]

Originally Posted by 99metro

Another suggestion or two.
1. Keep your boost at or below 2 psi at all times (this will be a lesson in keeping a light throttle!)
2. When at a stop light, keep it in neutral til it is time to go. I see roughly 4 horsepower in neutral, but as high as 12 horsepower if i keep it in Drive while stopped.

I just did my all-time high trip mpg of 25.1 mpg by doing the above. Also neutral coasted as long as possible.

1. Impossible for me to keep my boost under 2psi.....Takes about 5-7psi during accel on flat road to get enough speed to go into o/d and t/c lockup. Cruise control at the lowest speed (42mph) in o/d with the t/c locked runs around 1psi on flat ground and goes up to 6psi pulling a hill. At 55mph it runs 3psi on the flat and up to 12psi pulling a hill.

2. Always in neutral when stopped and try to do neutral coasting when possible. My main problem is there are some lights that I can not avoid stopping at due to the length of time they are on or the amount of traffic in the area. Bad luck I guess? During these unlucky times I just turn the motor off and re-start when it turns green. Don't know if this does much good as taking off from a stop takes some fuel to get close to 8klbs moving! Some of the terrain kills my mileage as well such as pulling a long and/or steep grade while in cruise..........

[99metro]

Most of my mpg loss is the morning warm up and acceleration.

Looks like there are areas you can improve on, but sometimes you have to drive the traffic, or however the guy behind you dictates. I use my flashers to encourage passing. On the hills, keeping steady throttle vice steady speed will help some, even though your speed will go down. So this would mean no cruise control going up hills. You could make up the speed on the downhills. You are still doing good - in the low 20's ain't bad for a tank. I'd say 2 to 3 mpg or better is in there somewhere!

[Dave's Civic Duty]

Hey NC,

Are you a member of The Mopar1973Man Site And Forum

A great site for us Cummins owners of all years. He had a link up for youtube using his ScanGaugeII getting 23-24mpg's. I think his is an 02 24V w/ a VP44 injection pump. You got the last year for the 5.9 million mile motor! Does it have a DPF? Or did that come w/ the 6.7?

An 06 Dodge Cummins, what a truck!

Dave

[nubbzcummins]

Originally Posted by Dave's Civic Duty

Hey NC,

Are you a member of The Mopar1973Man Site And Forum

A great site for us Cummins owners of all years. He had a link up for youtube using his ScanGaugeII getting 23-24mpg's. I think his is an 02 24V w/ a VP44 injection pump. You got the last year for the 5.9 million mile motor! Does it have a DPF? Or did that come w/ the 6.7?

An 06 Dodge Cummins, what a truck!

Dave

Not a member but have looked through that site before. I'm a member on cumminsforum however have not been there in a while. These trucks get good mileage when keeping boost and rpms low for shure. Have you read the article on the 2nd gen dodge 3500 dually getting 31mpg at 55mph all highway? Have no idea where the article is but you can probly find it on the net. Pretty awesome since it was a bone stock truck with mirrors folded back, wheels taped to fill gaps/holes, grill blocked, stock tires aired up, ect..... The 07 was the last year that the 5.9 was in a dodge other than some special order mining trucks that are de-tuned ect..... No 5.9 had the emissions stuff on it except for the detuned mining trucks and the 6.7's that they started using in the 07.5's and up.....

[Dave's Civic Duty]

You are now getting 22.22, that's quite an improvement so far. Thanks for informing me about the 31 MPG dually. There is hope for me too. I was thinking on getting mine to 25. I will do a search.

There was an article in Diesel Power or World, about a 2nd gen that had 1.4 million miles on it w/ no major overhaul. These are great diesel powered vehicles that's for sure.

As a local blues singer used to say, thanks for the Cummins,
Dave

[nubbzcummins]

Here is a link to the 31mpg dually.....

1997 Dodge Ram 3500 Dualie Cummins - Diesel Power Magazine

[Dave's Civic Duty]

Oh July 2007, that's why I missed it, been getting the mag on & off for about a 1 1/2. My wife finally bought me a subscription as a gift.

So the 97 is a 12V Cummins. I will read the entire article.

Thanks for putting up the link,
Dave

[slowmover]

06 2500 4x4, 5.9l turbo diesel, 2.5" lift in front to level, 4 spd auto 3.73 gears, 325/55r22 tires, intake, exhaust, programmer.

Lose the lift, re-establish front/rear rake, lose the programmer, lose the CAI, never threaten transmission life.

What is the weight rating of those tires & wheels? I cannot believe that they are a suitable match for a truck with a 9,000-lb GVWR. Stock size in MICHELIN AT2 would be a better choice, IMO. If underrated then this tells me that the truck is just a toy, as commercial haulers, ranchers, farmers, tradesmen, contractors, etc all have IRS-deductible miles. A truck not so outfitted is incapable of doing work, thus, will not be eligible by use (another vehicle would have sufficed); in a manner of speaking.

Maybe freewheeling front hub conversion at some point. A bed cover or close-fit bed cap, and a front spoiler is a recommendation found in plenty of places, and a partial or full removeable grille block might help (I may actually try this one).
If I was in the cold north, then I'd get the MOPAR winter front.

I run the highways at 1,725/50 rpm (58/9 mph GPS corrected) for best mileage. It falls off quickly above 60. Dropping below this isn't worth that much (although yesterday, driving coastal Lousiana at dead-on 1600 rpm I was seeing 29 mpg [corrected] for over 100 miles with a 5-mph quartering stern wind).

Otherwise I can highway trip plan for 24-mpg empty or loaded, cold/rainy or hot/clear, traffic or no traffic, day or night. Having a manual and 2WD is the real key to economy. I've seen 25 to 27 on a number of fillups.

Running 5-mph slow in town (and only accelerating up to 5-mph below that) works well, as does running roughly 10-mph slow on the big road. Set the cruise control at the end of the entrance ramp; never change lanes, maintain perfect lane center (honor all ramp speeds posted); signal all changes well in advance; plan all stops for food/fuel/rest in advance (trip plan); maintain a steady state as long as the truck (not driver) is capable.

You work for the truck, it does not work for you is how I see it.

Just change fluids/filters ahead of schedule, keep tires at DODGE recommended numbers. Far too many CTD owners are going over 100k on both oem tires and brakes. Any less is sign of poor driving, IMO. Almost needless to say is that a garaged vehicle will outlast a covered or exposed one.

Personally, I would never be turning a diesel on/off on the road.

Nor would I ever add unproven aftermarket tuners, bypass filters or other junk that does not add to or reinforce the 350,000 mile MTBO of a CTD. Buying a $16,000 long block is no more on my list than is a set of $3000 injectors. No aftermarket "economy" item is proven when it comes to drivetrain longevity so avoid them/lose them. Stick with FLEETGUARD or DONALDSON filtration.

You'll have enough problems with premature wear on balljoints and u-joints on a 4WD. Personally, I'd look at eliminating steering deadness on-center, adding polyurethane bushings to the anti-roll bar (and adding a rear one) and going with BILSTEIN shocks if I just had to spend money.

All things considered a perfectly stock CTD will outlast (cost less) than any modded one. One cannot have it both ways.

Sounds to me like you already have a pretty good handle on driving for economy. Focus on long-term reliability (and replace components before they wear out) is third. (Safety is first, these things ain't easy to stop).

Lowest cost per mile is the key. See EDMUNDS True Cost of Ownership and read through all links/info. You MUST reduce your cpm (not just fuel useage).

[Dust]

Snow stage 3 mpg-max, clean the intake, can't help with that. Do you use the truck for it's truckness? My father has a Chebby pickup and bought a miata to drive on the weekends and to work. I think that if you don't need the truck to haul or tow, you might come out ahead with a second car.

[5EFE]

Would a diesel, which is not "throttled" when coasting, not be more efficient staying in drive during coast? I thought if you let off the go pedal you were theoretically getting infinite miles per gallon until you stop. Idling uses fuel, but letting gravity turn your engine does not. I could be wrong on that though.

An expensive one, but have you considered swapping in a six speed?

Tried fuel additives? ATF, Lucas oil, WVO?

If you don't need the lift and off-road tires, lose them. A coworker's gas Dodge truck dropped from 11mpg to 6mpg when he lifted it. He now drives an 05 Cummins.

How about a tonneu bed cover?