Diesel pickups ... realistic mpg's ...
 

OK ... so I had a conversation with a friend of mine the other day, and he has a Doge Ram pick-up. It's a quad-cab (two seats in the back), and it's pretty long. When I asked him what he averaged for mpg's, I just about fell over when he said that, unloaded (not pulling his camper), he gets about 26mpg on the highway going at speed or slightly over. He told me he wasn't kidding, but I just find it really hard to believe.

I did a little reading on the 6.0L Ford diesel, and for the most part, drivers report 18-20mpg on the highway, and way lower than that when towing, which is what I would expect. Granted, the Dodge Cummins is 5.9l and I believe only 6cyl, but are they that efficient, or is my friend really pulling my leg?

Thanks for your help.

I have a '92 Dodge cummins dually that gets 24mpg.

the 12v units supposedly get better then the 24v.and i have heard of mid 20's so not entirely out of the question,my 92 chevy 6.5 will run 24-26 all day empty.

Really?!?!? :eek: No kidding! Is it because the Dodge engine is ony 6 cyl. and the Ford is 8 - is that where the difference is? I'd love for a Ford diesel owner to chime in with what they get...

my buddies 7.3L Stroke gets 17-18, iirc but it has an S&B intake, MBRP 5" exhaust, and a T&S chip, drives in 50hp setting. He can prolly do better if he keeps his foot out of it.

My (gone) 95 stroke, didnt do quite as good, 16mpg but basically all stock, heavier and non-intercooled.

Now my Dmax, 19-20ish, better if i play nice but its also capable of around 600HP as is and well beyond 750HP after the twins go on. It should get even better MPG with the twins if i change nothing else as far as tune, driving style, etc.

I would believe 26 mpg at 55. I have gotten 22 to 23 driving 65ish with my 03 dodge cummins with stick 6 speed.

I have no baseline on the older non common rail engines. I have heard some stories about the early four valvers not getting really great mileage.

They're full of crap if the truck is a 2000 or newer. Depending on how you drive, the Ford's get 18 mpg hwy, the Dodge's about the same maybe a little more, and the Duramax a little more yet, but unless it's a 2wd reg cab long bed, they won't break 20 on the highway.

What happens is that a lot of those guys buy a programmer for the computer, then their mpg computer starts reading in error to the dramatic high side (I know, I used to be a diesel PU guy), then they start telling everyone their' getting 24 mpg because the computer tells them, meanwhile they're still getting 18-19 mpg.

my 04 F-35with the big tires and lift gets 16-17 @65, and about 11 towing the TT@65.
That is over several trips. The lie-ometer calls it close, but not correct. I have no chip or programming changes.

More people kid themselves about their fuel mileage than do their golf scores.

Mine is calculated the old fashoned way. Also is corrected agains the mile markers on the highway.

I agree, though that most people believe what they want to.

Also my truck has the 373 rear end. with a 410 it would be about what POS says. But with a four ten you could pull a semi trailer!;)

Best I've seen is 24.7 mpg on a long hwy run. I used the GPS. Don't trust the odometer.
The old GM 6.2/6.5 V8 did well into the mid twenties also.

My old '86 F 250 with 6.9 liter IDI (That's Indirect Injection for non diesel types) got high teens to low 20s when running unladen--14 to 15 mpg when towing 7000 pounds.
My "new" 92 7.2 liter turbo diesel- also an IDI hasn't been run enough to know.
Power Strokes are DI--Direct Injection.

I have two guys who work for me who both have Dodge trucks with the Cummins diesel, and both are getting in the middle 20's.

One guy tows a large ski boat, and the other tows a horse around, and they both say they get about 18 when towing.

The guy with the ski boat had a Chevy with the Duramax diesel, and got terrible mileage in the low teens.

When he heard what the other guy was getting that tows the horse, he traded in his Chevy for the Dodge.

I haven't used anything but the lie o meters, so my facts are electronically skewed. Normal driving, 17 tops. Towing, 12. 04 F350 4x4 6.0 PSD and Auto with Banks 6 gun, intercooler, intake, exhaust, 4 doors and an 8 foot bed.

Dad's 05 Dodge gets 19, and 12 towing. 05 2500 4x4 Quad cab short bed, no mods.

Dodges get better mileage than the fords or chevy's, and over 20 highway is close to average for the cummins