MPG??? what should i be getting??? how can i improve it???
 

I hear all my CR buddies getting in the 20's for MPG. But i get around 11.5-12.4 MPG driving in mixed conditions without beating up the skinny pedal too bad. What do you guys get so i can compare and what have you used that actually worked to boost your numbers? I plan on a programmer soon (since i just got over having a bad EGR and Oil cooler and 2 weeks later head gaskets), I just got my head studs in and still feel that i am babying it a bit out of paranoia of another Gasket blow....

My signature has the mod's i have done so far.... any advise will truely be appreciated.

I have a SCT with Erics custom tunes, I use Extreme Race as my DD. I get the best MPG with that tune. Also my truck is an 03, and the later flashes on these trucks get terrible milage. When I've been able to keep it at 65 on the highway I can get 20-21 MPG. When you go much over 65 the milage drops off. Power Hungry Performance has been reflashing with older flashes and apparently that helps.

My 05 6.0 gets 14 to 15 and I only have exhaust and hardly any highway. I pull a trailer twice a week. I could prolly get better but I'm always trying to race somebody:argh:

Around town towing a 10,000 pound equipment trailer 10 - 11 MPG (Tow tune)
Highway speeds with no trailer 16 MPG (Extreme tune)
I have custom SCT tunes by Eric, but I tend to get better MPG running an Extreme tune on the highway as compared to running a better mileage tune. :c:

interesting how i keep hearing that the real high output tunes actually lend more for MPG aswell.... So an SCT tuner seems to be the best bet for me long run then for a tuner... then just find a tune i programer wise? Any other bolt ons that might help out as well? I will eventually add a 4 inch exhaust i think...Mine already has a damn near new stock set up underneath... so I was putting that off to get more use out of it before i rip it out.

SCT is the only way to go on these trucks, it also programs the transmission. Get custom tunes written for your truck. Do the 4in exhaust, at least dump the cat and muffler. Your stock air filter is all you need until about 500hp. you also need some guages. The big thing on these moters is maintenance, change the oil don't try to stretch your intervals and use OEM filters. change the fuel filters at every other oil change, use OEM filters. Don't baby this moter, wind it up now and then.

Thanks Papa... a bit of Trans program would be nice too i think... about once every 50 3rd-4th shift i get a slip so that might help with that. I want to add a Pyro and gauge at least. the one thing i always do is maintain what ever it is very well and usually ahead of schedual....and as for babying it... i usually get on it rather heavy time to time..just to do it... but after both coolers and head gaskets... I've been good to it... I'm sure that will wear off soon and I'll be back to over 25lbs boost soon too. Thank you for your thougths on this.

Talk to Eric about what you would like to get out of having custom tunes and he will dial in exactly what you want. Don't waste your money on a mileage tune. The tow tunes are great if your hauling a trailer.

Innovative Diesel
20 Wood Chip Rd.
Elkton, MD 21921
1-866-642-7844
Fax: 1-800-793-3175

If your getting Extreme tunes I would recommend a pyro and fuel pressure gauge also. You don't want to starve the injectors. If your towing stuff get a trans temp gauge also.
:c:

Well.... I ordered a SCT 9600 with the EGT kit and mount.... will see how it goes now once i can download some custom tunes into it.... would really like to get away from the 11-12 MPG range i seem to be stuck in...

What gears do you have with that dually and what bed/cab configuration do you have? You have a heavy rig there no doubt. I get around 15 with my extended cab short bed auto, and less when I'm driving like an idiot, which is 99% of the time.

Half the guys I know with Dodges tell me they get 20 and half of those are lying. My buddy sold his 04 6.0 (had a LOT of issues with it, but mostly his own fault) and went and got an 06 CR cummins, manual tranny big horn. The big horn does had 3.90 gears (or at least his does) so that doesn't help, but he gets like 12mpg driving easy.

SCT with custom tunes is the way to go. Did you order your programmer from Eric?

I ran X-race for a daily driver for a while and I wouldn't recommend, leave the race tune for the race track. Use the x-street which is the same power, but doesn't have the torque converter lock in 2-5. I blew a stock torque converter apart with only about 10k miles of tuning on the truck and maybe 3k miles of x-race driving.

Re: MPG??? what should i be getting??? how can i improve it???
 

SCT all the way.

Luke Buchanan
www.DieselDawgs.com
828-631-1546

Yea... i have 410 LS gears per code in the door jam. it is a crew cad long bed duelly... so yea..it is heavy.... the Ranchhand full rear bumper and the front full bumper/grill guard dont help that fact either. I'm also running a 8' campershell here on the west coast now since I'm off my farm back in NC and not pulling my 5th wheel here....I'm looking forward to getting my SCT installed i just ordered. Got the EGT kit too to monitor it right there on the SCT... after that i want to run a 4" stainless Exh even though i think I'd like to keep the kitty when i do that...... after that i really dont know what else to do to it to improve MPGs. I'm Curious if Meth/H2O injection would help with MPG along with the boost in power and lower EGTs....hmm...

3.90 gears are non existent in the AAM 11.50 they came with 3.73's or 4.10's unless someone put 3.90's in it, which i doubt cause i think that'd be stupid, I have an 06 common rail on 40'' tires and get around 15 in the city and 18-20 on the interstate if reasonable speed is kept

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oh and esetzer get rid of the cat, it's doing nothing but restricting flow, keep it handy for the day we hope never comes when diesels get smogged but that shouldn't happen for a day or two

I get around 12mpg in my truck, and i dont stay out of the skinny pedal to much. I was gettin 25mpg avg in my 05 CR.(hand calc not lie-o-meter)

I think I will take your advise and kill the kitty on mine when i upgrade the exhaust in a few months on mine... i actually hit 13 MPG on my trip back from LA to San Diego this weekend.... .5 MPG than i have ever gotten before... I get my SCT tuner this Thursday so hopefully that will help a bunch too all around on my truck power, MPG and to firm up my shifting some.....I"m even thinking about going full synthetic on my front and rear Diff's. I've heard of it having a slight increase at times for MPG... But even if it dosent... I'd like to know I'm good in there with lube for years to come maintains wise....

Hmmm. I will have to check that again, I could have sworn it said that they came with 3.90s or 4.10s. I thought he should get better mileage anyways, but it is what it is. He's got a vegi-ram on it now anyways so it doesn't hurt his feelings.

Esetzer, do an exhaust for sure and lose the muffler and kitty, you'll love it.

Suggestions required!!
 

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Any updates on the tuner? What did it do to your mpg?

whats the best aftermarket air intake? I dont have tons o cash so could I get a large afe pro dry and cut the old box off leaving the mass flow sensor and rig the open filter in place? I know its hillbilly but would it still work?

I just picked up my 03 Excursion that got bulletproofed and new components (turbo, radiator, HPOP, etc.) and driving home 140 miles with cruise set at 70 mph I got 23 mpg overhead and when I filled it at the end I put more fuel in it than before (almost overflowed) but got a hand calculated 22 mpg. This is pure highway driving since he lived right off of the entrance ramp. I was running a street tune I think from Innovative.

Get a extreme street tune from eric. Just got 15 mph out of my tank but I have a f350 cclb with a 4in bds lift and 35s