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99blkdak
Dodge Dakota
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9/22/2002
20:33:37
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 Subject: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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I have a 99 X-cab 4x4 with the 5.2. In the past week or so, I have gone from 240-275 miles a tank, all of a sudden I am down to 180-200 to a tank. The Cat is fairly new, plugs are not that old, but I am planning on changig them tomorrow. Any ideas.
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Rob C
Dodge Dakota
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9/23/2002
01:56:18
|  RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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99blkdak, with that large a change in mileage is it running pretty poorly? I'm thinking O2 sensor. Has it ever been changed? How many miles on the engine? What modifications have been done and when?
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WardenJ
Dodge Dakota
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9/23/2002
02:15:45
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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I've also got a 99 Dakota 5.2 4X4 auto, and I have typically been getting 185-225 a tank. It runs fine as far as I know (only had it long enough to fill it 3 times). I think I need a new plenum gasket, but other than that, I believe it's all good. Any thoughts?
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99blkdak
Dodge Dakota
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9/23/2002
08:10:30
|  RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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I've got 95,000 miles on it. No mods at all besides the MSD Ignition that I installed in the spring. I was thinking O2 sensors but wanted someone else to say it before I went and bought them. Their not cheap. It runs fine except for the slight lack of power, and in the past couple of weeks when I come to a stop light, it idles rough.
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99Dak5.2L4x4
Dodge Dakota
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9/23/2002
09:33:11
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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I have a 99 Dak with about 82,000 and I get about the same gas mileage as Warden... about 185-230. I average 190 in all city driving which is about 11.5 miles per gallons. If I drive all freeway I get about 15.5 miles per gallon... I was wondering if I should replace my O2 Sensor and CAT as well. I don't have any error codes or lights from the CAT but that's not to say it isn't bad. I read somewhere those should be replaced at 60k.
I have the following mods and nothing helped on the gas mileage... it stayed about the same.
K&N FIPK (Generation-II Air Intake Kit)
Gibson Cat-Back Exhaust System
Borg Warner Select Cap & Rotor
8mm Taylor Spiro-Pro Wires
180 degree Thermostat by Robert Shaw
Autolite 3923 sparkplugs
32x11.50x15 All Terrain Pro Comp Tires
Moog upper ball joints (K7242)
Raybestos Rotors and Quiet Brake Pads
3 inch Performance Body Lift
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gregdakota
Dodge Dakota
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9/23/2002
18:21:12
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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Dont know what your guys problems are. But my 99 Dak 4x4 5.2L Sport CC gets 17.9mpg highway (75mph all the time), and 15 all city driving. With the average tank getting me around 300 miles on mixed city and highway driving.
-Greg
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99Dak5.2L4x4
Dodge Dakota
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9/23/2002
18:42:02
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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Greg....... have you done any mods to your truck. dude if could get 300 miles per tank..my pocket book would be very thank ful. I'm thinking I need to change my CAT and O2sensor or something... cause I get crappy mileage.
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99blkdak
Dodge Dakota
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9/23/2002
20:50:58
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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But what motor do you have Greg?
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gregdakota
Dodge Dakota
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9/23/2002
23:41:20
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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The only mods i have are K&N FIPK and a custom cat back dual exhaust. It is the 5.2L 318ci V-8. I dont know, my mileage dropped when i first put the FIPK on 3 weeks ago because i loved mashing on it and hearing the roar from the engine. But after i got back to driving normal it is right back up to around 300. To tell you the truth it is usually just under 300. I usually fill the tank about 40 miles after my (it isnt the same on all) light comes on and i will have 285+ and will still have 3 gallons left in the 22 gallon tank. A plugged CAT will decrease power and fuel milage big time. A friend of mine had a semi-plugged CAT on his Caravan and it dropped the milage by about 75%. Could be possible. The FIPK did help with mileage a little...gains of about .5mgp only. But I got it to help with performance mostly.
-Greg
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POWER HUNGRY
Dodge Dakota
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9/24/2002
00:11:25
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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Greg, do you have a 5 spd.? I have a 93 with a 318/auto, rc, long bed, 2wd, 3.55 with 31's on the rear. The best I ever got on normal mixed driving is 270 miles on 20 gals. The best mpg I have ever got is 15.5 mpg driving 120 miles each way on the parkway to Wildwood NJ.
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gregdakota
Dodge Dakota
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9/24/2002
01:03:51
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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Nope, its an Automatic
-Greg
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gregdakota
Dodge Dakota
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9/24/2002
01:08:29
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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My last truck was a 1995 cc 4x4 Dakota SLT with the crappy 3.9L, and with that darn thing average tank would last 245miles on 19 gallons. I hated it. But, the best i ever got was 350miles on 19 gallons...all highway miles but with 2 friends, all their stuff for a 4 day weekend stay in a cabin, and a 600lb 4-wheeler in the back. I was completly Shocked...i have never gotten the milage out of that truck again like i saw that day.
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GasHog
Dodge Dakota
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9/24/2002
13:10:44
|  RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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99blkdak, i would say the msd is the problem, not because it isnt working but because it has probably fried your plugs, most of the people running that ignition on a magnum motor find out very quickly that you will go thru plugs fast.
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Jacque
Dodge Dakota
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9/24/2002
13:45:14
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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Check the cap and rotor button. I went through several on my Dakota after installing a msd. Check the plugs too. With that many miles that are probably ready for replacement. But, usually when my truck went to running rough it was the cap and rotor button. Oxygen sensors generally don't go bad. When they do, my experience is the vehicle will buck and surge at slow speeds like when coming to a stop at a traffic light. If it just runs rough idling, I would bet it is the cap and rotor.
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houptee
Dodge Dakota
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10/02/2002
15:32:15
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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I have 99 4x4 5.2l and get abot 12mpg city also.
I tried a Accel multispark unit and coil which did nothing for mpg so I returned it to Jegs.
I then tried a KN FIPK and it did nothing for mpg, but did have slight increased throttle response, not worth 240 bucks tho, sold it and put stock stuff back on.
This was all done when the truck had 12k on it.
Most of the bolt on stuff exaggerates claims of performance improvements.
The trucks are just gas guzzlers, not much we can do I guess.
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Rob C
Dodge Dakota
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10/07/2002
19:25:30
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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Well? 99blkdak, are you going to keep us in suspense or are you going to tell us what you found on your truck? Was it the cap & rotor? The sparkplugs? The O2 sensor? We want to know.
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hsdracing
Dodge Dakota
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6/17/2003
11:12:04
| Oxygen Sensor Need Help!!!!
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I have a 94 Dodge Dakota V8, I usually get very good gas Milage etc. My Original Oxygen sensor lasted a good time. Then I bought the Bosch Oxygen Sensor from regular Auto Part Stores, They have went bad and I had to Change it 3 Times in the last year. It ends up my truck only gets 10 miles to the gallon, Black smoke from exhaust from Running to Rich, Engine light and Code for Oxygen Sensor and Running to Rich. Question is anyone else have troubles with Oxygen Sensors? Or is this the Part? Id hate to buy 100.00 Oxygen Sensor from Dealer if that isnt the Problem!!
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newbie
Dodge Dakota
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6/17/2003
14:25:01
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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the reason gregg get more milage is because he has the 22gal tank. i know my dakota has the 18 gallon tank. but i am with you guys lately i get 160 miles to a tank where i use to get 220-240. i just put 31's on my truck i did have 235's. i also put steel wheels on it and a flowmaster. just recently changed the transmission filter and fluid.
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TECH
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2003
00:23:33
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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Check the air filter. My 4.7 gets 22mpg on the highway...heeheheh.
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catt ko
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2003
04:22:46
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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97 5.2 reg cab 5spd. i get about 11-13 with a few mods. MSD amp. and coil is going on tomorrow. i have 70k miles. my cat smells like its bad (at WOT) i think i will cut it off, straight pipe it, and attach the o2 sensor to the metal frame. kota on 20s comfirmed that this works and doesnt throw any engine codes.
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DW
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2003
05:17:42
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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Tech, how are you getting 22 mpg on the HWY with the 4.7? I have a 00 Dak CC, 4.7, 45rfe tranny and it's pretty much stock except for an air intake and synthetic fluids. Best mileage I have seen is 17-18 MPG highway, cruising at 75-85 MPH.
Have you done anything to get this great mileage, or is the truck stock? What flavor of DAK are you running, STD cab, Club cab or crew Cab, auto or std trans.
Ah yes, where do you drive and what are your driving habits, this might be the key. I drive in the deserts of Nevada, Arizona and California, lots of heat and big hills to climb, so this might have something to do with the difference in mileage.
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mrman
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2003
17:24:09
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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for speeds under 55mph - simply shut off O/D.
works for me especially in driving that consists of 80% stop and go and 20% highway. After driving around with the O/D off mileage went from mid 13s to mid 14s, upwards of 15 if I can keep my foot out of it
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TECH
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2003
20:17:41
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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DW, I've got an 02 Dak, 4.7, auto, Quad Cab Sport.
WHen I say highway, I mean aaaallllll highway. I'm in the Houston area, and I was driving it easy with the intent of getting good mileage. It's got a K&N FIPK, other than that, its stock. I don't even know what oil it has, as I've only had this truck for a few weeks, w/ 25,000miles.
The terrain is not that hilly here, nothing to really speak of as far as mpg limitations.
Here's what I do to get good economy.
1. Don't try to accelerate hard, keep the tranny in the highest gear you can for your speed.
2. Keep driving speed as low as you can. The faster you go, the more wind resistance the truck has to fight. This is a BIG factor. I drove at about 70-74mph my last trip.
3. Avoid using the cruise control. It uses more fuel with the abrupt corrections it is constantly having to make. Cruise cannot anticipate the road ahead. If you are coming up on a hill, you can gradually apply more power as you approach, whereas the cruise will gun the motor as much as needed only when it is slowing down.
4. Coast up to stops, or slowing traffic, rather than abruptly hitting the brakes. Coasting uses very little fuel.
For comparison, when I first checked my mileage on the highway, I used the cruise control set at 73-75mph for a couple hundred miles, and the truck had the stock intake setup, with a dirty stock filter. I got 19mpg.
After installing the FIPK, and not using the cruise, I got 22mpg. Not bad.
Now if you drive the thing in town, stop and go, mileage goes down a lot. So if you mix in-town driving with highway, I wouldn't be surprised if you or I only get about 15 or so, depending on the situation.
I got 14mpg the very first time I checked it, but its only a 4 mile trip to work, stop and go the whole way.
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DW
Dodge Dakota
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6/19/2003
13:06:32
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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I am getting 17-18 MPG driving in some pretty mountainous terrain, 75-85 MPH, A/C blasting, passing every RV and deisel in sight. So I guess I am not doing too bad on mileage. I am going to leave the cruise control off and see how it affects the mileage.
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TECH
Dodge Dakota
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6/20/2003
20:31:28
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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DW, try staying below 75mph as well.
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SS95
Dodge Dakota
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6/21/2003
00:01:06
|  RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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I have a 95 SLT, 4X4, 5.2L, 5 Spd, 390 LSD. Split Fire platinum plugs and dual core wires. Acel cap, rotor and super coil. K&N air filter and a high-flow cat. 97 wheels (open spoke 15X8) with
BF Goodrich 31x10.5 tires. Very close fit on turning but it does work. I also have a Sportsman cap on the bed. On the highway at
65 MPH - 20.5 mpg, at 75 MPH - 18 mpg, in town it can go down to 16 mpg if I start in 2nd gear alot. This combo gives me about a 3.68 final drive ratio.
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DW
Dodge Dakota
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6/23/2003
02:57:19
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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Not a problem driving 75-85 MPH out here where the speed limits are 75 MPH. Pass Highway Patrol all the time doing 85 MPH and they don't even look twice. A majority of the people drive at 80-85MPH, but if your going 86 expect to see the bright lights in your mirrors.
I guess it all comes down to driving your vehicle safely considering the road and weather conditions. It's up to the individual, If you get cought speeding don't come crying to me. Oh, I have not been pulled over for speeding in 7-8 years.
Hope I haven't jinxed myself, he he
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dkemm
Dodge Dakota
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6/23/2003
23:18:46
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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I just got my 99 4x4 5.2 (3.55 with 31's) about 4 months ago. I have been getting about 12 city, but upwards of 17-19 hwy. Must be all that stop and go trying to turn the 31's. I too have been cruising hwy at about 75-80mph. Bought my truck with 51k miles on it. The 12mpg I am getting was a little tough to swallow considering my 95 Pathfinder v6 was getting about 14-15 city. I am happy though because on the hwy I am about at the same mileage. I am ecstatic when towing because I was getting about 11 hwy when pulling a trailer with an ATV and misc. hunting stuff.
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Direwolf
Dodge Dakota
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6/24/2003
00:34:34
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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'98 Dakota CC 4x4 auto wit little over 50k miles and I average 14-16mpg highway and 10-13 city, get between 240-290 per tank with a bone-stock setup(last fill left me with 277 est on trip computer). Sometime soon I am gonna install K&N filter, ram air and a few other minor upgrades and see how that works. Low on money tho so It looks like at least another month before I get enough extra to spend on truck.
Gas milage is all based on your driving tho. If you like to roast ur tires leaving every intersection, expect bad milage. Best tips I have found are drive 75mph highway for best milage, turn off OD in city(milage goes up 1-3mpg city), and try not to use cruise unless ur driving fairly flat roads since it often overcompensates when facing hills, etc.
I am fairly weak when it comes to diagnosing problems but here is what I would check...Air Filter and housing/hoses for dirt/restrictions, Plugs, cap/rotor, plug wires, fuel filter, oil, and belts. After that I would probably end up having some friends come over and look it over since they are alot better wit cars than I am.
-Eric
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Mr.Sleepy
Dodge Dakota
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6/24/2003
09:14:01
| RE: Gas Mileage. Need Help
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When I first drove my truck home... I broke it in on country roads with only 1 or 2 complete stops within the first 150 miles. Drove it over 420 miles on only 19.5 gallons of gas! 22mpg almost floored me! I own a 4.7 Club Cab 4x2. I haven't gotten that sort of mileage since, but i average about 330 miles per 18 gallons for the first 6 months i owned it. Thats with mixed city and freeway with lots of "Jerk Off" driving habits mixed in. Now its about a year later, and I would be lucky to break 275 miles per 18 gallons. I put in a K&N and a Gibson Split back exhaust.... no improvements in mileage.
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