DODGE RAM FORUM banner

1998 5.2L Mileage Expectations

7K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  frealz13 
#1 ·
Hi folks, I recently bought a 98 1500 extended cab 2WD with the 5.2L V8. I started out only getting 200 miles on a tank of gas when driving around town. I had the engine tuned up and am now up to 250 miles. These are local road miles and not highway miles. I had a 2000 1500 5.9L V8 in the past and got up to 300+ miles to a tank so that is what I am comparing it to.

My questions are this:

Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to improve my mileage?
Is this what I should expect for my mileage with the 5.2L engine?

Any assistance here is greatly appreciated.
 
#4 ·
I checked the CAI to see if maybe it wasn't fully connected or was dirty. It did look like the tube that connects to the engine bay wall wasn't fully in place but wasn't hanging free. The connection to the air filter housing doesn't seem to be the tightest either. The air filter didn't look too bad. Do you feel that it needs to be a snug fit or is it okay that it is a little loose?
 
#7 ·
Is it a quality CAI unit? I had a low cost unit I put on my 06 with the 4.7 and it actually caused a drop in mileage and kept throwing computer codes. Replaced it with a K&N unit and saw an improvement. Is it possible that you are getting leaks with the lose fittings?
 
#6 ·
I can tell you from expertience, that biggest MPG improvement on the LA series Magnums, is to remove the engine-driven steel fan, and replace it with an electric.

This was suggested to me by Marty at KRC performance a few years back, and damn if he wasn't right.

My '99 Dakota 5.2 picked up over 1 MPG on the highway, and about .75 MPG around town, by switching to a BM 180 fan.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top