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How do I get better mileage out of my truck?? (driving style)

3K views 43 replies 15 participants last post by  2003_Ram 
#1 ·
Okay, let me describe my truck so you know what I'm dealing with:

2003 24 valve Cummins 4x4 with a 6 speed
35" tires
Banks tuner (I keep it on 2)
Banks exhuast
Running ALL synthetic fluids:thumbsup:

Now to me this combo should get 15-16 MPG city.. But I did the math (the right way, the only way) by filling the tank, writing down the mileage, running it down to half, refilling it, and dividing the amount of miles driven by the amount of diesel used.

IT CAME OUT TO 12.5 MPG!:shock:

I don't get it, I oly have 83,000 miles (just broken in), shouldn't I be doing better??? I do have 2 straight through mufflers to cut down on noise because just the banks was LOUD.

Whenever I shifted I tried to keep rpms low, around 1500. I also had the tuner on 2.

And I KNOW I should get better mileage because my granddads automatic with the 6.7L and stock echuast is getting 13.7.:doh:


Driving style?? I didn't drive like a granny, but I didn't drive like I stole it either?
 
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#2 ·
did you reset the speedo after installing 35's? they would throw off the mileage. get rid of one of the mufflers, they are only hurting performance. its redundant anyways. thats all i can think of. i dont know much about banks stuff.
 
#4 ·
yeah...try get'n a reading from gps as to how far traveled. because your gonna show less miles travel since the speedo isn't corrected.

you should probably add something like 10%-15% to your milage on the over head.
 
#5 ·
Add or minus??

did you reset the speedo after installing 35's? they would throw off the mileage. get rid of one of the mufflers, they are only hurting performance. its redundant anyways. thats all i can think of. i dont know much about banks stuff.
Yeah I didn't realize that! Do you or anybody else know as to how this is done?? Can I do it? Or 4-wheel parts?
 
#6 ·
Truck in my sig (115,000 miles)........I get about 15 back and forth to work (about 50/50 back roads and town) and about 20 on the highway. Turn your box or programmer UP. That'll change the timing and net you better MPG.
 
#7 ·
One more thing...........NEVER TRUST YOUR OVERHEAD.........EVER.
 
#8 ·
I don't trust it, I wish it was right though!! 15-16 MPG city.

And my tuner is the Banks 6 gun, and its a 2005 model. Will this tuner work the same as others?? All I know is that my truck barely smoke on level 4.... as to where my dads SMOKES with his Bullydog on level 1.
 
#9 · (Edited)
WHOA WHOA wait a minute. You have a '05 box on a '03 truck? That may be your problem right there. They are different engines. Your's should be a HO with the 6 speed trans, but either way, that's a different than the '05 engines.

I'm no Banks guy, but LOTS of people dislike his products. Claimed to be overpriced for what they are. IMO, I'd get something different.
 
#10 ·
WHOA WHOA wait a minute. You have a '05 box on a '03 truck? That may be your problem right there. They are different engines. Is your's a HO or a SO engine? Either way, they are both different than the '05 engines.

I'm no Banks guy, but LOTS of people dislike his products. Claimed to be overpriced for what they are. IMO, I'd get something different.
Whoops no I meant that the tuner was made in 05' because I wasn't sure if they had upgraded them today to different standards. Its for an 03' truck, but the tunr was made in 2005.

And the engines a HO.:thumbsup:
 
#11 · (Edited)
Biggest thing, is that you have to add about 12% to your number of miles traveled on your trip meter. If your trip meter says 100 miles, you actually traveled 112 miles. Because of the taller tires. This will give you more miles, therefore making your MPG higher.
 
#12 ·
right and I have everything on my truck turned up all the way. I am getting around 22 mpg (overhead) so its still pretty good...
 
#13 ·
You think I would be better off turning my tuner up to like 3 or 4 or keep it on 1 or 2? And is it better to keep RPM's low or around the 1800-2000 range when you shift?
 
#14 ·
turn the tuner up to 4 or higher so it changes your timing...shift anywhere from 1500 to 2000 and work into the petal...
 
#15 ·
get a smarty and you will get better fuel mileage and be able to reset tire size in the ecm
 
#16 ·
or you can get an EDGE. One chips no better then the other. People prefer different chips. It's all in what you prefer and what your willing to spend.
 
#17 ·
I put about 60k on the truck a year. I shift by 2k when empty and about 2.4k when hauling. I run 305/75/17, cai, straight pipe. I cruise at 72 excatly and I run 2 cycle oil and I get 21.2 empty 14.3 haulin. My best mpg's was 23.5 once but I was out in Indianna 72mph and pool table flat.
 
#18 ·
Would getting a smarty require removing the Banks six gun?

And when you say work into the pedel, what do you mean exactely?
 
#22 ·
Buy or borrow a GPS unit to get the exact mileage. You're going way farther than your odometer reads. Might be a good time to consider a Smarty which can correct your speedo/odo. and give you more throttle response. How do you like the Centerlines?
 
#26 ·
Well I used my dads GPS, and it said I was going 54 when my speedo read 50. So that's 8% off right?

So if I drive 200 miles with my truck, and read the gas, it will actually be 216 miles.... Correct me if I'm wrong.


PS: About the Centerlines, love them, super easy to polish and look great.
 
#23 ·
Personally, if you don't have guages, buy the Edge Juice w/Attitude. It has the guages built in, and can correct your speed for tire size.
 
#24 ·
agreed and yeah i just mean ease into the throttle...dont be foot down everywhere you go...
 
#32 ·
YES!

UPDATE:

I put my truck on level 1 on the Banks and drove like a grandma for 165 miles (yes I added the 8% for oversized tires), nice and easy on the peddle, never laid into it, and always shifting at 2000 RPM.

I got 14.23 MPG. :thumbsup: Not bad for 80lb tires on every wheel!!

I am now trying it on level 4, which should add around 70 HP. I'll see what it does now.
 
#33 ·
you should be getting better then that. at that speed you should be at 18 atleast. what does ur truck have for a rear end. I have the 3:73's and at 72 2,150 rpms 6spd and I get 21mpg. hand calculated
 
#34 ·
try shifting the truck UNDER 1500 RPM.....and if you have gauges, keep the pyro UNDER 600 deg if at all possible.
 
#35 ·
I have 3:73 in the rear. And that was City driving, not highway.... :D

I hardly ever get on the highway, but when I do I'll get those numbers also.

To Cumminscrazed:
I can try that, and I don't have an EGT gauge so I don't know what my pyro is at. That is the next thing to go on the truck though.
 
#36 ·
ok, ive found if i shift under 1500 RPM it helps my mileage quite a bit. HOWEVER, its hard for me to keep it under 1500 RPM :D
 
#38 ·
Well since I put the Banks on level 4 the overhead says I gained .5 MPG. I doubt it but thats what the stupid little inacurate piece of junk says.

I'll post up what I get with it on level 4 in about 2 days or so.
 
#39 ·
#40 ·
Sweet I'll look into that!

AND I GOT BIG NEWS.........


I got 17 MPG. :D And my overhead read 20.5 MPG. I drove like a grandma and shifted at 1500 - 1600 RPM. Anything lower and exhuast temps go whacky and I loose MPG's.

Thats a good 2.5 MPG over what I got before!!! Thats on Banks level 1.
 
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