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The mid range Hamilton cam seems to be very popular, do not remember the specs but it is one step up from the mild grind.

 

UPDATES: I've crossed a few items off my list for efficiency mods based on Great feedback and More research. And added a few new ones. I listen and want your feedback.
My goal remains focused on improving fuel efficiency while remaining quiet; I'm not after horsepower or speed. Currently, my stock truck is at 19 mpg, I wantED 35 mpg, but have re-scaled my expectations from your feedback to aim at 25 mpg.

New items I am looking at for upgrades:
-- HE351 Turbo mods to compressor and turbine- Turbo Resources has been recommended to me and I am in touch with Austin/Ian. Looking at 'Holset HE351CW Turbine Housing + Shaft Upgrade 67 mm'. Let me know if this is on target or needs adjustment to another Turbo mod (model/maker/sizing/?)
-- Do you think Turbo Resources' 'HE351 HX40 67mm Billet Compressor Wheel Upgrade' (on top of the aforementioned) will increase or decrease fuel efficiency?
-- Cams are an item identified to me as a hard part mod for efficiency- Hamilton 180/220 is on my radar for a daily driver (but my research is in its ground-level stages and open to guidance on manufactures/models/sizing).
-- I'm looking for tips to keep my IAT up (100*) and a thermostat to stay under 200*
Which makes/models have been successful for your trucks?
-- Tuners- Smarty Jr., EFI live, Smarty UDC Pro, and Diablo Sport Extreme or Predator programmers: which programmer is best for fuel efficiency?

Items on my original update list with adjustments or changes in priority:
-- MBRP 5" Turbo back exhaust system (possibly with Quiet Tone muffler as I like quiet) - still looks good to decrease exhaust backpressure
-- Cold Air Intake- Banks Ram-Air Intake System with Banks Super-Scoop Kit; or S&B's equivalent; or just a BHAF by AFE.
-- Banks Techni-Cooler System package (but with the 3 ½” mandrel bent boost tubes from the ‘42766-monster-ram-intake-w-boost-tube-2003-07-dodge-5-9L’ package), and
-- Banks Big Hoss Intake Manifold System- is this intake manifold system necessary if I'm looking at an intake horn upgrade? Which one gets the most efficiency out of the 5.9L Cummins?

Items I've crossed off my original list are: (and let me know if they should be placed back on the 'do' list)
1- BD Ported Wastegate T6 exhaust manifold: not necessary as enlarged manifold does not create the pressure necessary to maximize / power the turbos
2- Turbo Smart Hyper-gate 45mm: not necessary as I'm not looking combining enough turbos to overpreassure the exhaust manifold
3- Wicked Wheel 2 or another turbine wheel upgrade to pull in more cold air: I'm on the fence here as turbine wheel upgrades bring more air into the turbo for efficiency but are usually intended to increase horsepower (I'm considering Turbo Resources).

Achievements:
600 lbs of sandbags placed at the tail end of the truck bed gave me 2mpg. My theory is the added weight over the rear axle transforms the rwhp into moving Big Blue forward instead of spinning the tires. My attention focused here because within 5K miles of buying the truck my rear tires were noticeably worn. I'm looking to place a 1/2" steel plate back there to cut down on the space required for 12 sandbags.

Thank you for your time and insights.
Jay

 

None of these will really give you enough to be worth the cost:
-- MBRP 5" Turbo back exhaust system (possibly with Quiet Tone muffler as I like quiet) - still looks good to decrease exhaust backpressure
-- Cold Air Intake- Banks Ram-Air Intake System with Banks Super-Scoop Kit; or S&B's equivalent; or just a BHAF by AFE.
-- Banks Techni-Cooler System package (but with the 3 ½” mandrel bent boost tubes from the ‘42766-monster-ram-intake-w-boost-tube-2003-07-dodge-5-9L’ package), and
-- Banks Big Hoss Intake Manifold System- is this intake manifold system necessary if I'm looking at an intake horn upgrade? Which one gets the most efficiency out of the 5.9L Cummins?

The first specifically is a no-no for an efficiency paradigm. For all it does, a cold air tube on the stock box and a 4" pleat air filter will do as good as anything.

A 62 mm compressor and the 67 mm turbine is a nice upgraded to the HE351. Whether or not it will add efficiency is the question, that has some other dependencies that may or may not validate it.

I am partial to the Smarty UDC because I like to work on my own stuff and tweak things. EFI Live and HP Tuners are likely as good. The add on boxes do not allow to tune enough, they are not bad but lack sensitivity.

The Hamilton cam you mentioned seems to be a good choice.

Injectors and transmission will come up on the radar soon. The stock injectors are just not tight enough on balance and operation plus mileage will effect the efficacy.

The transmission will make a noticeable improvement, both in efficiency and driveability. Stock unit is sloppy and a power waster.

 

Your insights on the exhaust system and Smarty UDC are good to hear.

The turbo and cam upgrades have potential; I'm looking to see who else has walked this path and where their trucks improved as a result.

On another note, manual hubs (perhaps a dynatrac free-spin conversion) and a Gear Vendor overdrive transmission attracted my attention for mpg gains. Not sure if the costs are worth it, but these caught my eye for further study with a cumulative 5mpg increase. Albeit, only a single truck test generated these numbers. Not sure if this is the route to take on a transmission upgrade. I haven't explored transmission options yet.

Thank you for your time and insights.
Jay

 

The free spin kits, maybe 1 mpg given nothing else is done. It might give you a gain in good conditions if you are getting 15 mpg, once you get to 20 mpg in good conditions there might be minimal or no change.

Pretty much the same with the gear vendors, at some point it just won't help trying to shove an 8000 lb box car thru the air. You can drop over $5000 on those 2 mods and see nothing gained in mpg at 75 mph. Drive 60 mph and you might se 3 or 4 depending on other factors.

Chasing the mileage grail gets to be expensive at times.