| From | Message |
Chris
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/12/2006
20:39:05
|
 Subject: RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
i must be a rare case on here i have about 220,000 miles on the motor, still get about 20 mpg all the time. because gas prices were so high, i drive to work and back pretty much it all week. 18 miles one way, so the longer you stay in overdrive withought stopping, you save gas. Does anyone here have problems with their tailgates on the gen 2 not closing and latching?
|
Dean
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/13/2006
00:37:13
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
My 94 V-6 now has 236000 miles on it and gets about 19 mpg average. I don't think I have a leadfoot, but I don't really drive slow either. I use it all day, so it is always warmed up though. I am a little skeptical of some of the claims made for mileage here, though. There is no reason for fundamentally similar vehicles to vary widely in fuel consumption, even taking differing driving habits into consideration. I would say someone who is getting only 12 mpg has some other issue, unless they are doing very short trips indeed. I don't see how anyone would be getting a true 25 mpg with a truck like this, unless you keep it under 55, perhaps. Experience has shown me that most people don't really know how to figure mileage properly, given the number of persons with big V-8 cars and trucks who've told me with a straight face they get 28, 32 or 46 miles a gallon.
As for the tailgate thing, yes, I have had a problem with the gate dropping and stuff falling out, I actually put a topper on it the other day, along with a latch on the tailgate, so hopefully I will be able to keep stuff inside. I examined the gate very closely and couldn't find any reason why it would unlatch.
|
prodak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/13/2006
23:22:02
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
Dean, that 25mpg @65 is accurate and consistent, summer and winter. I calculate highway mpg on frequent 600 mile trips between Tampa,Fl and northeast Ga. (miles driven divided by gallons purchased). I have tuned the truck exclusively to maximize mpg. The truck is set up as follows:
99 CC 2wd 3.9L auto 3.55 LSD
30" tires inflated to maximum psi
hard lid
synthetics in motor and differential
V8 throttle body
true double roller timing chain
Bosch platinum plugs (stock spec)
180 degree t-stat
5" hole in airbox pulling HOT air (this gives a noticeable bump in mpg)
radiator blocked off when ambient temp is <50 degrees F
Everything else is factory stock.
With the tall rearend/tire combination, stop-n-go mileage sucks - but once you get it rolling it takes a lot less to keep it rolling.
And as a bonus I can still break the tires loose on dry, level pavement.
|
prodak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/13/2006
23:46:08
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
I should add that my highway mpg is with AC OFF, AC on costs me -2mpg.
|
Dean
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/14/2006
03:41:03
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
That's great that it does that, but that's not a meaningful number to me because I don't do all my driving on an empty highway at 65 mph. Alot of it is up and down crowded streets, in stop and go traffic, with AC on, or off, and sometimes a heavy load, sometimes not. If I put in 15 gallons and go 270 miles, which is typical, I can say I got 18 miles per gallon and don't have to attach any conditions to it.
|
Dan M
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/14/2006
05:58:27
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
I recently traded in a 95 CC 4x4 3.9L Auto (166k miles) for an 02 QC 4.7L Auto 4x4. In the 95 (my daily driver) I averaged 17-18 mpg. I drive ~23 miles each way to work, 17 being highway, rest being < 45 mph. I also made alot of short trips to town. A short trip being < 10 miles each way) with a large number of stop lights. I had a tonneau cover and on one trip (a/c on as I had my dog with me) on the highway averaging around 78mph I got 23+ mpg.
When I first got the tonneau (around 42k mile) driving 55 mph I got almost 26 mpg.
there was a point in time when I could not get > 14 mpg. I did an engine flush which removed alot of sludge from the oil and that restored my milage. I have been using seamfoam at every oil change to prevent this from happening.
In the 02 QC I have been getting ~16 mpg for the same type of driving. I will say I have found myself punching it more than I should. I shouldn't do that but it's just fun :)
keep in mind that mpg posted on the stiker in the windows of new cars are estimates (averages in someway). If you look at the finer print under the big numbers for city/highway you'll see the actual milage noted during testing. So 16 city is something like 14-18 and 18 highway is something like 16-20.
- Dan M
|
prodak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/14/2006
09:36:38
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
Dean, frankly I don't give a flying crap whether my mileage is "meaningful" to you or not, I'm not competing with you. I was simply addressing your implication that I don't know how to accurately calculate mpg. I said "highway" mpg, and that's what I meant.
|
prodak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/14/2006
09:48:35
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
You also said this: "I don't see how anyone would be getting a true 25 mpg with a truck like this, unless you keep it under 55, perhaps." Well, now you see.
|
Chris
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/14/2006
09:49:03
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
does anyone know exactly when the gas light will come on? i have never gone that far and i really dont want to see that bill either. with a 22 gallon fuel tank that is. I also am wondering if there is a way at all to kill the engine, i mean it doesn't use oil, no weird noises or anything, yet i see all these much newer cars on the road with worn out moters. and people complain that these trucks don't last long.
|
Dan M
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/14/2006
10:00:41
|  RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
factory pump should be 1/8 tank left. I noticed that after I changed my fuel pump it was coming on sooner.
- Dan M
|
Tyler
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/15/2006
14:50:32
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
So does the mpg averages 14 city and 18 highway apply with a 3.92 rear end? Or was the test truck they used to figure it out with a 3.33 or a 3.52?
|
Tyler
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/15/2006
14:51:59
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
So does the mpg averages 14 city and 18 highway apply with a 3.92 rear end? Or was the test truck they used to figure it out with a 3.33 or a 3.52?
|
Chris
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/15/2006
21:43:50
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
its good though if your mileage stays fairly consistent. Its a good idea to keep a check on your mileage because it is a good inidator of when or if something is messed up. if you see mileage go down like five mpg, there obviously is a problem. How many different rear ends were there available in 1994 model year ? that may make a big difference. because i noticed on new ones that each engine has two rear gears available.
|
daddio
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/15/2006
21:46:43
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
i think the available ratios from the factory were, 3.21:1, 3.55:1 & 3.92:1. i could be wrong.
|
Chris
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/15/2006
23:45:54
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
the lower the number on the gear equals better mileage but slower acceleration? is that the way it normally goes?
|
adam
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/16/2006
17:28:29
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
I think the reason that V-6 engines get such crapy milage is because they are made from cast iorn blocks and heads adding a lot of weight. I have a 93 dak V-6 and it averages 20 hiway 15 city. my dad has a 2002 dak V-8 and gets the same milage because the engine is made of alluminum and is lighter.
|
daddio
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/16/2006
17:41:00
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
You got it Chris. Lower, numerically means better mileage(to an extent).
|
prodak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/17/2006
13:22:08
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
Adam, your dad's 4.7L V8 is a cast iron block with aluminum heads (it's only 50lbs lighter than a 5.2L and probably close to equal the 3.9). The improved efficiency is largely due to the dual overhead cam design (less energy loss in the valve train than the old OHV/pushrod design) and better designed heads/combustion chambers.
BTW your dad's Gen III truck probably weighs more overall than your Gen II (depending on cab style, drivetrain, etc.)
|
Chris
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/17/2006
17:29:31
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
I will take my 20 mpg and keep an engine that won't quit versus one that is made of alluminum an will melt if it overheats even one time. My empty weight is 3400 lbs. How much more work can one do versus somebody who owns an s 10? I am wondering why they use so much less gas? is it cause they can't do a darn thing? I see them all the time with a bed full of wood and they are riding the ground with the rear end.
|
Shatto
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/15/2006
16:15:05
| RE: Gas
IP: Logged
Message:
A MPG story;
Rented a loaded Suburban in New Mexico. Got 23MPG at 70MPH. Why? Different gasoline than Caleefornia, where I live.
As to you guys lamenting your 20MPG; My 98 3.9 automatic has 500,000 miles on the origonal engine and transmission. It always averages high 18's to 19's, depending on the seasonal gas formulation. Using Amsoil and their filters, Gibson headers and a Flowmaster have not significantly improved MPG, just allowed a bit higher speed at the same MPG as stock.
|
| | <<Previous Page P 2 Next Page>> |
