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2002 RAM 1500 5.9L 4x4 Performance chip question MPG and HP

33K views 18 replies 11 participants last post by  bluethunder 
#1 ·
Well I have a 2002 1500 5.9L 4x4 Ram Sport... And im sad to say i'm only getting 10mpg or less at times... i just moved up from a ford f150 in which i was getting 18mpg in...thats about the only thing i miss about the ford...

I was looking on ebay and there are a bunch of performance chips for my truck in the range of $30 that say they add 3-7 mpg and 40hp...that seems cheap to me, what do you think of those chips, has anyone looked? Are there better chips that i should get? I'd like to know, i'd like to see atleast 15mpg out of this beast, more would be better...
 
#2 ·
I bought one of those "chips" from eBay and it didn’t really do anything, at least nothing that noticeable. All those things are are resistors that you wire in to trick your rigs computer. If you want something that will improve your gas mileage your gonna have to buy an actual chip and they are all expensive. Also try aftermarket stuff like air intake systems, exhaust systems, ect...
 
G
#4 ·
I'd go with an intake and exhaust first. Get more air in and out of the engine. That will help efficiency.

Then, for a bit more power but not a lot more in efficiency or MPG, you could get a SuperChips 3865 or contact B&G Performance for a re-program of your existing computer.
 
#5 ·
any brand intake and exhaust known for saving gas at all?

as far as exhaust your saying go with a dual prolly... is there anything i should get installed on the exhaust like glass paks or anything...i want a deep good rumble sound...dont want annoying loud...

and as far as intake?
 
#6 ·
going with the exahust or intake would be a cheeper way to go... ive been looking for an exauhst for my truck as well... course i'm going louder but i have come across the cherry bomb turbo which sounds more of what you want... also mangaflow and flowmaster are great brands to look at, tho they're more on the expencive side.
 
#8 ·
I bought a spectre CAI and it seems to be of good quality for only costing $92 shipped to my house. It came in today,and we happened to have a 55 degree day on the last day of December here in Pa so I got to put it on.

It will probably be a week or two before I can tell what it really does performance wise, but from all the old threads I've read on here the people that had them were all happy with the performance outcome as well as the Mileage increase.
 
#11 ·
With the 5.9 your not gonna get great mileage no matter what you do . I'd stay away from those ebay chips . Their garbage . Start off with a CAI , then some free flowing exhaust , electric radiator cooling fan etc ... You may even consider a set of headers . If you want a programmer , check out the Superchips products . I have a Hypertech unit on mine and am not happy with it . Don't waste your money .
 
#13 ·
i'm suprised at how many threads i read where people are getting 10 mpg or worse. i have 2001 5.9 sport with almost 130k miles and i get at least 12mpg city, and i've gotten up to 15.5mpg highway (driving conservatively). i would think that for now maybe the biggest thing you need is a good engine tune to bring it up to what it should be stock, and see what difference that makes. and of course make sure the tires are inflated real well.
 
#15 ·
chrome - the 1st thing i did to upgrade my '01 1500 4x4 was put in a K&N CAI and an oval 18" catback Magnaflow muffler, single pipe (http://www.magnaflow.com/wideopen/wideopen.asp). the mileage barely changed, if at all - but that could be because i can't keep my foot off the floor! i'm having Way too much fun juicing my truck up hills & down highways but am paying for it, literally, at the pump: the most i've squeezed out of my 26 gal tank (with mostly freeway driving) is 300 miles.

i'm looking at ~10mpg avg, and $300/mo in gas - so if a couple hundred bucks on a real-deal chip can save me even $50/mo that thing has paid for itself in four months and kept me from a heart attack every time i see the Chevron sign. let us know if it works!!

ps: the magnaflow rumble is good & loud, but you can roll the windows up and not be drowned out by it. you won't wake the neighbors up but girls will tremble and get all buttery when they hear you coming! ok maybe not. still, i think of it as "understated badass" and love every minute of it.
 
#17 ·
I have a single Flowmaster 40 on my '00 5.9L and it has a good, deep, loud roar. I would suggest putting a tailpipe on the new muffler, though, because i have turndowns straight off the muffler and it resonates just a little too much and is a tad too loud in the cab. Also. my Superchips Flashpaq 3865 added about 45 hp and 3 or 4 mpg city. I bought it on ebay for $195
 
#18 ·
Does the Superchips Flashpaq 3865 change any shifting points?

My truck doesnt like hills at 50k/hr, it likes to stay in the lowest gear till 5/6 grand and then changes up I think 2 gears. then will drop back to first again till it gets up the hill or more speed. at 80/90k/hr its fine.

if you get 3 to 4mpg city whats it like in the country? and how many miles do you get of a tank now?
 
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