My New Ram 2500 6.4 MPG Update

[akronharry]

Posting this because people ask about the mileage:

First 300 miles: 12.2 mpg mixed driving. 2 days were in below zero weather and gas had 10% alcohol mixture.

[ScottG]

Dodge guys, don't trust your overhead MPG meters. They're often wildly optimistic. And just because it's accurate one time doesn't mean it is the next tank.
OTOH, if a 6.4 is getting 12.2 mixed then I think thats pretty dang good.
I'd like to hear about how it does towing as well.

[jmtandem]

Hmmm....20-21 would be highway? Not mixed? And it would NOT be in sub zero temperatures in Nevada with winter blended fuel. And you have considerably more than 300 miles on your truck on your 10 year old truck. As you did experience when you bought your truck, MPGs do improve as it breaks in.

Apparently you have never been to Northern Nevada in the winter! You mentioned the below zero temps, and the winter blend, but forgot the wind. The great American author, Mark Twain, described in his book Roughing It the Washoe Zephyrs, very strong winds that occur in Washoe Valley that is five miles from my home. Stong winds have a drastic effect on mileage especially a head wind. As to my first 300 miles on my new 2005 truck back in 2005, it was from Reno to Sacramento and back, half on the Interstate Route system; over two passes, the lowest at 7300 feet, the highest at 8500 feet. And yea, it got good mileage. And as I posted earlier the diesel broke in at around 35,000 miles and then again at around 85,000 miles with slightly better mileage numbers.

Anybody that spends time on the TDR website knows that the '05 Rams got very good mileage, mileage became less with later models mostly due to environmental issues and more power increases. The 6.7 has more power; the 5.9 gets better mileage. That is fact, not exaggeration!

[jmtandem]

The other "diesel thumpers" as Kalaman put did not bash the OP either. Maybe you should go back and re read their post and try and look at it a differnt way.

Right on! Some on this forum and thread are so thin skinned that they think any response to a post that does not gush about how great the truck or RV is-- is bashing the poor OP. How incredibly dumb. The OP posted because he wanted to and on any forum the responses are expected. Fuel mileage is a topic that brings with it many adding their experiences. Exaggerated or not, it is all discussion related to the OP's topic. If the OP did not want to get feedback he should not have posted. From the OP's comments back to a response, my sense is that he wears big boy pants and enjoys the feedback and it is not in any way hurting his feelings.

As to the truck, I am happy for the OP as the new Rams, gas or diesel are great. The OP will tow a 30 foot fifth this summer so we can get a real world assessment on how well it tows, power and fuel mileage. I hope the OP keeps posting and understands all of us are happy for him and his new ride.

[Taco]

Congrats on the new truck. MPG seems to be about normal for a 2500 gasser. Might get a little better with age.

Has anybody seen a chassis dyno graph for the 6.4 hemi yet?

[spud1957]

jmtandem wrote:

Posting this because people ask about the mileage:

First 300 miles: 12.2 mpg mixed driving. 2 days were in below zero weather and gas had 10% alcohol mixture.

My Ram/Cummins gets 20-21 mpg not towing. It gets 12 or slightly better towing.

You obviously did not purchase the truck for mileage. 12.2 mpg not towing???

Hmmm....20-21 would be highway? Not mixed? And it would NOT be in sub zero temperatures in Nevada with winter blended fuel. And you have considerably more than 300 miles on your truck on your 10 year old truck. As you did experience when you bought your truck, MPGs do improve as it breaks in.

Back to the OP's topic. Good luck with your new truck. Those MPGs will get better. Think we are going to see a lot more of the 6.4s in the campground.

S

[Targa]

akronharry wrote:
Posting this because people ask about the mileage:

First 300 miles: 12.2 mpg mixed driving. 2 days were in below zero weather and gas had 10% alcohol mixture.

Thanks for the info, you are already averaging what my 2012' 5.7 4x4 did. The most I ever averaged with it was 13mpg, typically it would stay around 12.5. Once that beautiful beast gets broken in a bit you'll certainly average another mpg. Congrats on the truck, I loved my 5.7 and I can only imagine that the 6.4 is even better.

Just to add and I am sure you are already aware of this, you are not going to average 16 or 17 mpg's, none of the HD gasser's will do that.

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

Wow I do not know why some of you think anyone is bashing this man for buying a BB 6.4 Hemi.

My post about mileage was meet for campingken not the OP. The other "diesel thumpers" as Kalaman put did not bash the OP either. Maybe you should go back and re read their post and try and look at it a differnt way.

End of my rant thank you very much!

Don

[Hannibal]

Something must have been wrong with my Cummins Rams. They all gave 19~mpg highway cruise set on 70mph in sunny flat Florida, 18~city and 10.5 towing 65-68~mph. My 5.7L Hemi powered 2500HD gave 12-14 same very light city, 17 same highway and 8.5~ towing same 5th wheel. Don't be discouraged by those who wish to make you regret not getting the diesel. If I reset the DIC while cruising 45mph, my F250 5.4L reports over 20mpg. Then with a couple of stops and starts, it's back to it's more realistic, within .5mpg, 12-14 mpg.

Forget the egg on the gas pedal. Get on up to speed with traffic. Drive like you have an egg on the brake pedal instead. Use momentum and coast at every opportunity. At long lights, I put my F250 in neutral.This and tires aired up to 65psi front, 75psi rear makes a difference.

[srt20]

Bionic Man wrote:
Sounds like reasonable MPG for a 400+ HP engine. Not sure why so many like to exaggerate regarding mileage.

X2

So much bs on here it's not funny. I'm a cummins fan, but some of these guys are just ridiculous.


Put a good heavy load behind that 6.4 and let er eat. That mpgs will go up after the rings seat good.

[Kalabin]

Keep in mind that in the winter gas mileage drops a lot. I get 12.4mpg in the winter, but around 15 in the summer on the same drive to work. The other thing is driving, if it is mostly stop and go traffic he is doing better than me and I drive almost entirely on the highway. Give it some time I am curious to see how it does on highway driving. Oh and my 6.4 diesel never got over 15mpg.

It gets old hearing the diesel thumpers coming in and bashing another mans truck. I have driven and know guys that drive newer diesels and none of them claim the mileage some of you post. Beyond that if you want better facts go to fully.com and research.

I hope you enjoy the new truck and would like a post with more handling and performance on that setup.

End of rant.

[Bionic_Man]

Sounds like reasonable MPG for a 400+ HP engine. Not sure why so many like to exaggerate regarding mileage.

[N-Trouble]

Break-in might yield 1MPG at best...

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

campingken wrote:
20- 21 mpg with an HO Dodge dually?? Wow I really need a new calculator. Our 2003 non HO SRW 5.9 will hit sometimes hit 20 mpg if it's flat and the cruise control is set at 60 mph.

Man you are not going to like this then. My HO with 2WD and 3:77 rear gears hits 26 all day long at 60 MPH, the best it's ever done was 30 running behind a big truck from Perrysburg to Dayton Ohio. Note I said tucked in behind a big truck. And yes I ask him if he was good with it via the CB.

As far as the 6.4 only getting 12.5 it's not even broke in yet. My bet is it is going to top out at 16 to 17 MPG. Not bad for a big block Hemi IMO.

Don

[RamTC]

akronharry wrote:
Posting this because people ask about the mileage:

First 300 miles: 12.2 mpg mixed driving. 2 days were in below zero weather and gas had 10% alcohol mixture.

Good info, thanks. I considered the 6.4, hoping for higher but it is what it is. Is that hand calculated or using the dash meter?

[FishOnOne]

Thanks for the follow up. I suppose the cylinder deactivation on this 6.4 engine only activates at highway speeds and that maybe where the improved fuel economy over the 5.7 hemi will come into play.