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ram 1500 4.7 mpg help

17K views 26 replies 15 participants last post by  fmycsmith 
#1 ·
seriously gang.... will a cold air intake and a bed cover really help mileage? i put on a flomaster and dual pipes first. that seemed to help. then i put on a cold air intake. while i do feel more umph, my tail pipes have a lot more black soot in them. i wonder if the computer is dumping more gas because of the more air flow? i seemed to have lost 2 mpg on average...... whats the truth about bed covers and programmers really????? do they really help????

thanks gang
 
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#2 ·
The engine may be running a bit rich.

Since you have an exhaust, while it's a good first step, with more capability to move more air out, why not equalize that with more air in? The CAI helps your engine reap the benefit of the CAI.

The programmer will optimize your fuel delivery & timing, making the engine stronger and more efficient. It is the part that brings it all together.

As far as the covers go, I have no idea. I've never tested it. Good luck!
 
#4 · (Edited)
If you are truley getting 4.7MPG, you have problems that throwing all the bolt-on-items you can buy will not fix the problem!

Running a little rich is an under statement.

Start with checking your Ram for factory specs/equipement, get it running right, then start hanging on the mods.

IMHO, a bed cover will never pay for it self, if your talking MPG savings. They are only for security and/or looks.
 
#6 ·
Im in the same spot with my truck I have the 4.7 with the CAI, flowmaster exhaust and the bed cover I can't seem to get any better the 13.5 if I'm nice to her but on average I get around 12.5 to 13.0 the programer is my next purchase to try and get into the 14's. But it's like I was told about a month ago on this site by someone I didn't buy the truck to get good MPG's...
 
#27 ·
I average 21 MPG with my beast, I run true dual straight pipes, cold air intake, and a Bully Dog Triple Dog GT Programmer. Before the programmer I was averaging 19 MPG. Your gearing and tire size may have alot to do with your low MPG's. I hope you can get it worked out.:smileup:
 
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#7 ·
I'd recommend the DiabloSport Predator programmer. I really like those and how they work, plus I've gotten good results with them. I currently have two Hemi powered vehicles and they both have a Predator on them.

My Ram saw a mileage improvement of 4+ MPG on the highway and 3+ in town after I got the CAI/Exhaust/Programmer on it. I suppose I would get more if I didn't "cruise" on the freeway at 75 vs. 65 and if I could keep my foot outta it around town...but I can't so that's how it is.

The SRT, with a CMR tune put on top of the Predator 91 octane tune, is now a sideways beast...just the way I like it.
Take a look at my Ram Mods link below, go to page 2 and you can see the before and after dyno when the Predator was installed.
 
#8 ·
Bed covers don't do squat for MPG. As air flows over the cab it creates a vortex in the bed that does the same thing. A bed cover is best if you want a really huge trunk.

On mileage, a programmer will help. Otherwise the CAI and Exhaust aren't really doing much for you. They might do all right, but to unlock the performance you have to get the programmer. Many programmers have MPG tunes.

@Maddog: Yeah the only way you can get around that is a driver mod.
 
#10 ·
while the 4.7 may be a good motor...you have to remember big truck + little motor = not a lot of mpgs...that's a lot of weight you are moving around
 
#11 ·
Ahh... but the EPA estimates are the same for the 5.7L Hemi vs the 4.7L so the "little" engine theory is bust. As for the Hemi, I don't need the extra power and definitely don't need the "Hemi" mentality on my insurance premium. It does raise your insurance and property taxes.

I'm thinking about an exhaust upgrade but I don't really want to shell out the $$ for a programmer and a CAI. I understand that if you increase air out you need to increase air in. BUT shouldn't the computer be able to determine fuel mixture needs and adjust in order to compensate? I mean isn't the fuel air mixture automatic? If I drive to high altitudes do I need to buy a programmer to tell my computer that the air is thinner?
 
#15 ·
I just got my truck a few days ago and have just been going by the overhead mpg monitor and set it on a trip and averaged 18.5 and around town it is still over 15.3. I have been driving it a lot too and have not reset it except when i took the trip getting 18.5. That was about 200 miles of town driving ago and 15.3 average is my lowest so far. I have been really easy on it though. The thing i hate about buying used is that i dont know if someone has already programmed it or not. I know i took it to about 105mph very easily, do we have a speed limiter?
 
#16 ·
What about synthetic oil vs dino oil on gas mileage. As much variation as I have seen on these truck in the forums, I am curious if this helps. I know on my ATV, I do get a mileage bump when using the factory synthetic over conventional oil.

Also, I was looking at the Diablo Trinity. Is that as good or better than say another brand. Tune wise, not just the pretty screen and bells and whistles.
 
#17 ·
What about synthetic oil vs dino oil on gas mileage. As much variation as I have seen on these truck in the forums, I am curious if this helps. I know on my ATV, I do get a mileage bump when using the factory synthetic over conventional oil.

Also, I was looking at the Diablo Trinity. Is that as good or better than say another brand. Tune wise, not just the pretty screen and bells and whistles.
Synthetic oil is much better than conventional, and the mpg increase exists, but it is not huge.

Diablo is a good tuner, but I prefer superchips. IMO from experience at the track, the superchips canned tunes outperform the diablo canned tunes.
 
#19 ·
The superchips flashpaq for your vehicle would be #3865, I think it works on most if not all gas dodges (that they support anyway...pretty much anything with a v8 and maybe some v6). I believe the superchips cortex supports the same plus diesel. I'm not sure on the vivid. Also not sure on the diablo's, but do know that the one that works for the hemi ram also works for the 4.7L ram.

I have known a few people with LS1 camaro's and 4.6L mustangs that ran diablo and superchips, and ran a few tenths faster with the SC. For example, my buddies Z28 ran ~13.8 stock. With diablo 91 tune he ran ~13.5. With SC 91 tune he ran ~13.3.

I do prefer SC, but diablo is also great. There are things about diablo that are better, and things about SC that are better, and from my experience the SC canned tunes are the best out there. On my (and your) 4.7L, the SC 93 tune adds ~60hp and ~66lbft, that's pretty significant. (This is MAX gains keep in mind). IIRC (don't quote me on this) but the diablo advertises a gain of ~25hp.

There is a member on here his name is something like "darknight" and he had a diablo, and is now going to use a superchips, he should have good "before and after" comments so maybe see what he thinks. I haven't personally ever run a diablo, but have been around them a lot. IMO if you don't need custom tuning then get the SC.
 
#21 ·
That is pretty good claimed hp numbers. I pull a camper, and I could use the torque. How much are we reducing the life expectancy of the engine?
This is really a "he said she said" topic lol. IMO you don't reduce life at all. That said, if you drive it like it's a formula one race car because it's tuned, then yes it's not going to last as long. But if you did that stock then it wouldn't either. So it really makes no difference, all it does basically is add timing advance and maybe changes fueling slightly. I've several friends that have had 3rd gen hemi rams that ran over 100,000 miles with their SC's (always tuned with 91 tune) and they would race them at the track often, and when they sold the trucks they had no problems. My friend's camaro has like 160,000 miles he's had the diablo and SC for over 100,000 miles and races his car a lot and has had few problems (none really related to tuning.....he had a rear differential issue, a cracked flywheel, and bad rear main seal leak...none caused by tuning).

Just make sure you use the correct octane for the tune and you will cause no damage.

One thing to make note of: The SC gives you control of torque management, and if you disable or reduce torque management you can possibly shorten the life of your transmission. Now like I said my friend's have had no issues with their 3rd gen's, but my point is that if with factory tuning the trans would last 1,000,000 miles, maybe with the TM disabled it would last 500,000 miles. So it may not matte to you, but just something to be aware of. You don't HAVE to mess with the TM, just an option.
 
#23 ·
No problem. One more thing I should have said is that you can't tow/haul with the performance tunes. They have too much timing advance and if you put excessive load on them with those tunes it can cause detonation. If towing/hauling you either need to use the stock tune, tow tune(requires 91 I think), or use a lower octane tune with higher octane gas (like 87 tune with 91 or 93 gas). I prefer the last option, seems to get the most power and best mpg.
 
#25 ·
Do you have to pay extra for the line pressure (firmer shifts) of the transmission? Do you have to pay extra for anything with the sc 3865? I think this is the tuner i am going to get. Thanks a lot.
When you buy the tuner it comes with some transmission control. I believe they don't offer line pressure adjustment options anymore. You can adjust TM to stock or superchips setting, and can adjust the shift schedules to stock of superchips setting. If you want more options you can purchase advanced trans control for like ~50 give or take and can make your own shift schedules (or download and uses someone elses), I think you can manipulate TM and have total control over it, among other things. I don't have the advanced trans so I don't know exaclty, but will buy it at some point.

SC told me that one of the ways they firm up and speed up shifts isn't through TM, line pressure, etc... but through reprogramming the "shift delay" time, or in other words if the stock tune makes it take 1 second to shift, the reprogram it to take 0.5 second to shift. So this shouldn't at all affect durability.
 
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