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13.7 mpg!! Not good.

9K views 43 replies 34 participants last post by  DRAM1500 
#1 ·
My 2011 Outdoorsman is averaging less than 14 mpg, both city/ highway combined. I love my Ram but not impressede with fuel mileage. I use 87 octane and stock tires. Any ideas to increase mileage? Still waiting for a tuner!
 
#16 ·
I wouldn't sweat it man. There is so much that affects mpg's it isn't even worth trying to compare with what others get. Altitude, gas stations differences, driving habits, driving conditions, etc, etc, etc. people averaging in the upper teens, low 20's are just not very believable IMO. Maybe they drive downhill everywhere they go...lol.

What really cracks me up are claims of 1 to 3 mpg increase from simple bolt on mods. I laugh every time i read those. Im sure mods give you increased mpg, but not what most claim. Based off what my truck says I average 13 to 15 at the very best and I have an extremely free flowing exhaust and CAI.

I saw a show the other night that they are in the process of developing hybrid technology where you'll be able to easily convert any gas vehicle into a hybrid with this bolt on system. Maybe when this product hits the street in the coming years you can install and get 40 mpg's. Until then youll just have to deal with the fact you own a big ass gas hog.
 
#5 ·
I get between 13.5- 14...closer to the 13.5 side
Keep your foot out it. You just got so I'm pretty sure that's the problem. I don't get to drive it as often as I would like to, but when I do, I dog the shit out of it. My philosophy is its got a warranty, and I won't have it long enough to let it expire.
Cold air intake, magnaflow y-pipe, different little things here and there will help with your MPG
My thing is I didn't buy my hemi for the fuel mileage.
Maybe the dart was for you :LOL:
 
#6 ·
I think people are pretty optimistic when speaking of their economy......

I'll be honest: Since I put on 285/75r17 Toyo MTs, my mileage is total crap. like 13 combined :(
 
#8 ·
I also have the outdoorsman, but I'm getting 15.5 city and 18-19 highway. Not sure why your not getting good gas milage. But I do watch foot on the accelerator. Flat Highway driving going 75mph I was getting 18-19. I opted not to do the cold air intake, I just put a K&N drop in filter. If its not your driving style maybe take it in to dodge to see if there is any Computer updates.
 
#9 ·
I had it in my head that with helping airflow through the motor would up my MPG, but for the first time the HEMI proved that theory wrong. With headers, intake, and exhaust I was averaging 13 ish driving like a grandma. The best I have ever pulled out of a tank was 16.4 MPG with a long highway trip. Since I am about to trade in the truck in, I swapped all of the parts over to my friends truck and my milage has increased.
 
#10 ·
Most wrong

My 2011 Outdoorsman is averaging less than 14 mpg, both city/ highway combined. I love my Ram but not impressede with fuel mileage. I use 87 octane and stock tires. Any ideas to increase mileage? Still waiting for a tuner!
We have now 4 hemis 2 from 2009 and 2 from 2012. Thet average around what you get. The hemi does NOT get good around town/city mileage. It can get 20 on level runs on highway.

Most peoiple IMHO are either thinking real positive, or just wishing they were getting these high mileages.

It is a heavy 390HP Truck, if you can average 13 to 15 with balanced highway/city driving, you are getting what you paid for.

We have 3 4.7s now and they get better overall, but they are a smaller engine.

My own 4.7 2009 1500 QC gets 19 to 21 highway average, and 15 to 16+ around town. I am a real lightfoot.

So do not listen to all these miracle mileage Hemis. People that mod their trucks are looking for power and sound, not mileage.
Just saying what actually happens, calculated by hand, and with appx 1000#s of operator and tools onboard for the most part.
When we tow or add more techs the mile drops a lot.

Richie
 
#11 ·
its all how you drive it i can get 14.5 around town if i use cruise control all of the time on 30 and 35mph roads and i get about 18.5 highway with cruise contol set at 75mph ... i also get 10.5 around town when i have fun on a tank and 14.5 on the highway when having fun you should have got a mid size truck if your concern was gas mileage
 
#12 ·
I think you just love your Hemi and drive it like a normal commuter. That is the reason for your 13.7mpg. I run the baby to daycare, commute for coffee and head to work and have babied my truck during the work week to average 16.7mpg everytime. Now when I tow my boat of 3000lbs with a passenger for about 20miles to the lake, I have reset my trip to figure out a 14.2mpg average city/hwy mix with the Tow/Haul and ERS in 5th. Once again, easing on and off the throttle, coasting to the stoplights. But when I am feeling heavy footed and playing some 70's and 80's rock and roll, my economy drops to about 13.5mpg average city. On the highway for an hour and a half, cruise set at 72mph, my average was 20mpg. And that's a no shitter! It aint a miracle; it's called conservative pedal manipulation on level highway commutes. These trucks can put up the numbers when you put down the levels of testosterone. BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT! That's a hard thing to do in our Hemi's brother!:SHOCKED:
 
#14 ·
I have hand calculated my mileage since I bought my RAM. My average over the entire time is 16.2 liters/100km or 14.5 US MPG. I have seen it as low as 10.5 liters / 100km on the highway. I really did not expect great mileage from a full size HEMI powered pick-up so overall I can't complain.
 
#18 ·
I have an '11 Quad cab with the 4.7 In Pittsburgh it's impossible to get decent mileage since there are tons of hills but with every up hill, there's a long downhill that one can coast to increase mpg.s
I average 15-15.8 according to the EVIC. I run 87 octane and if I add a small highway trip for some reason it can go up over 16mpg. If I really get into the 310 horses, it goes down to the 13-14 mpg. I didn't get a truck for the MPGs, its not much worse than my '10 Acura TSX that was only getting 20 in the city..
Maybe try those new Ecopia tires, they have a lower rolling resistance but for the $150+ a piece, it'll be awhile before you notice any savings.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Bighert3rd said it best! So many different factors when it comes to comparing each individuals fuel economy. Out in most parts of central Texas, zero elevation or flat lands. But you get stuck in parking lot traffic, say goodbye to economy. I don't doubt one bit that owners are getting the mileage per gallon stated. The window sticker that comes on the Rams, according to the EPA states in the city; 11-17mpg / hwy= 16-24mpg. So if you throw yourself into either category, we are all spot on with the ratings. Good habit, bad habit; the biggest factor that affects your fuel average is, "The Fun Factor"! Most people drive like they stole it, and then most others drive it to help save a couple bucks now and again. Some people daily drive it and others only use it for work and play. Again, too many factors.:gy:
 
#21 ·
I drive about 22 miles to work each way. I trip the computer in the dash in my driveway before my morning commute (I set the cruise between 60-65mph...it is 5 am though) and it shows 21-22mpg for the way to work. On the way home I am driving much more agressive and when I trip the mileage computer again, I get home and it shows about 16-17mpg for the ride home. It's a 70% interstate drive/30% secondary roads. Overall, my last two fill-ups have seen 17.9 and 17.6 respectively on the ECU for the full tank. Prior to getting my K&N drop-in I was seeing easily 1-2 miles per gallon less economy so I am a believer that the filter works for sure.

Oh yeah I always run 89oct too.
 
#22 ·
'11 Outdoorsman 4x4
5.7
89 octane

15 mile commute, one way, 80% hwy with rush hour traffic on it.
16.5 mpg summer, 15 winter

city
around 13

hwy
55-60mph 18-20mpg
65-75 17-18
one trip 60 miles, 60 mph avg, 10 mph tailwind 22 mpg
one trip to ND with near blizzard conditions, 30mph+ headwind 10 mpg

All on trip computer.
 
#23 ·
I average 10mpg around town. I drive fairly tame for the most part. I don't really deal with traffic, but stop signs every other block and some traffic lights have me going brake-gas-brake-gas like crazy. The best I ever got on a long distance drive was 14mpg. This all based on the info center on the dash. Seems pretty accurate. I only use 87 octane.
 
#25 · (Edited)
You can see over in my info that I've got the '11 Outdoorsman too.
I run 89 octane and have a very open exhaust and CAI. I have NEVER gotten over 16 mpg unless on a road trip. I'm almost exclusive in-town driving, with MDS off, and get 13.5 mpg every fill up. I don't granny it, but I don't kill it either. I drive it like a truck. It's loud and I love to hear it.
None of the mods I did help mpg AT ALL. Made some more power though. :D

Remember guys - what your computer says is probably about 1-1.5 mpg better than actual hand calculating. I've kept records EVERY time I've filled up since I bought it a year ago and the computer is always more generous.
Also, the Outdoorsman has 3.92 gears - better for giddyap as opposed to the 3.55 in other 1500s for better mpg.
 
#26 ·
Mpg!!!

My 2011 Ram Longhorn Hemi gets 13.6-14 city, 20.5-21 highway. Drop in K/N filter. Truck was born with cold air induction, no need to buy one.
My son-in-law put a catback daul exhaust on his 2011 Longhorn, his MPG stayed the same as mine, but he did gain a ticket for excessive noise.
I drive 70-75 on the highway, 25-45 city. Maybe its the clean Montana air or alttude.:gy:
 
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