RE: updated FAQ on Ram MPG improvement (long)
Login  | |
|
RE: updated FAQ on Ram MPG improvement (long) - 10/21/2007 3:49:05 AM
|
|
|
INDEERAM
Posts: 35
Joined: 10/18/2007
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: Caisson06
Whether it got me better fuel economy is debatable, but my old gasser, I put Gibson Headers (designed for towing, not racing, they say) on my 318, and it definitely helped getting up the hills. Before, the truck would downshift on the long grades, sometimes 3-4 times. After, it only downshifted once on the longest grade. Dont' overkill on the exhaust. I put the performance cat and dual Gibson exhaust on later, and lost about 1/2 of my gain from the headers.
I honestly am not being a smart @$$, but: What was your original gain, to begin with???
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RE: updated FAQ on Ram MPG improvement (long) - 11/15/2007 8:56:54 AM
|
|
|
NYPANAMA42
Posts: 914
Joined: 8/3/2006
Status: offline
|
Excellent information HankL. Just out of curiosity, how does your truck do, as far as MPG are concerned?
_____________________________
2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4X4 4.7LTR V-8
K&N Air filter system
Westin Nerf Bars
Line-X Bedliner
Tow Package
Flow Master Super 40 Muffler
Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil
8th Div. Alpha Dogs.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: updated FAQ on Ram MPG improvement (long) - 11/16/2007 3:06:36 AM
|
|
|
HankL
Posts: 2718
Joined: 8/20/2005
Status: offline
|
I have a 1995 Clubcab shortbed
46RH (just rebuilt after torque converter clutch gave out)
Magnum 5.9V8 (has OBD-I and EGR and CR is slightly higher at 9.1)
that originally had 3.55 diff gears, then 3.92, now 3.21
weighs about 5400 lbs loaded
had an ARE tonneau (blew off in Hurricane Wilma)
mileage now about 186,000 miles (odo corrected)
At full throttle acceleration it gets about 4 MPG
At 55 mph on a level highway with the tonneau and vortex generators on the sides it once got 25.4 MPG in 65 degree weather with a 4 mph wind out of the north on an east bound I40 trip from Knoxville to Raleigh. Part of the above trip is on concrete pavement, which makes a difference of about 1 to 2 MPG over blacktop.
At 60 mph steady
(i have done a lot of written down test runs at 60 )
with the tonneau on it but no vortex generators it will get
21-23 MPG
depending on wind/air temperaure/pavement/10% ethanol in gasoline
I kinda have a philosophy that I should get at least 20 MPG on the highway,
and adjust my speed to achieve that.
Most of the time I can get 20 MPG at a speed between 64 and 68 mph depending on the above factors...and how much weight the truck is carrying. If I load the bed up with 6 gallon plastic pails filled with mining ore samples my pickup's weight can go to up to 6200 lbs and the MPG drops by about 2. With a full load of whitewater rafting stuff and two kayaks tied down to luggage bars on the top of the tonneau the MPG can drop by 4.
At a steady speed of 70 mph I get 18 to 19 MPG.
(70 is my normal test run speed from Fuquay-Varina NC to Wilmington and back in a big loop that partially cancels out wind)
Once without the radiator fan blades on I got 19.7 MPG on this loop at 70 mph.
With vortex generators on the sides of cab behind vent windows and also at rear sides of bed, tonneau, and with the radiator fan blades removed, I was able to get 21 MPG at a steady 70 mph on a test run loop over I64 from Lexington to Morehead and back on a 65 degree day with light 2-5 mph wind from the west. I did this twice to make sure it was not a fluke.
If you ask yourself the question:
why did Hank begin experimenting with MPG on his Ram pickup?
The answer is: One day Hank decided that he ought to have a hobby project to make his Ram pickup get
20 MPG at 70 mph and
30 MPG at 55 mph.
I have not been able to get to 30 MPG at 55 mph yet,
but the FEC computer simulation program predicts that at 44 mph with larger rear tires to further lower the rpms it might be possible to 'max out' at 29 MPG or so. I have wondered if some of the new design 19.5 tires with high air pressure and low rolling resistance might do the trick and push the MPG past 30 but it would take custom 5 on 5.5 bolt patterns or custom 8 lug axles.
From a mileage of 141,000 miles to today at 186,000
the average MPG in all driving has been 15.6 MPG.
Previously I had the 1995 Mopar Performance PCM computer in for about 40,000 miles and used 93 octane gasoline and in that period the overall MPG was lower at 14.4 MPG.
Previous to the MPG PCM the MPG had been about 15.5 back then too,
so I pretty confident that either the MP PCM or the higher octane gasoline gives MPG that is slightly worse, although I have read posts where people report the opposite.
Obviously my 5.9V8 engine is getting on in mileage
and although the compression on all 8 cylinders is still good
I have been thinking about rebuilding it to
'high efficiency' standards.
Since I am a fan of the 340 V8 I have thought about de-stroking it to lower the piston speed either to 3.31 or perhaps to the Mopar Trans-Am crankshaft stroke of 3.00 inches.
I am thinking of a static compression ratio of 12 to 1 with a camshaft that will make the dynamic compression ratio about 9.5 to 1.
Perhaps Edelbrock aluminum Magnum cylinder heads with a thermal coating and some combustion chamber millng.
Pistons would be lightweight forged with flat tops with thermal barrier on the crowns and anti-friction coatings on the skirts.
Rings I have not decided yet...perhaps Total Seal gapless although I have been told they cause faster bore wall wear.
Bores larger by 0.020 with a coating for anti-friction.
Since I am thinking of a custom stroke crankshaft I may have it made with Honda main and rod bearing like most NASCAR teams use.
I have been thinking about a budget of about $10,000 for the engine rebuild, which I admit does not make economic sense for a truck that has a present day resale value of $3500...but I like my Ram pickup and it has sentimental value.
I have also thought about transplanting a Jaguar V12 HE with an aftermarket EFI computer into my Ram.
It sounds crazy, but would probably cost equal or less money than spending $10,000 rebuilding the Magnum 5.9V8 like I want.
If the original Lucas electric parts are gotten rid of, this is a sweet & smooth V12 engine and it already has a high compression ratio and a Michael May designed 'Fireball' cylinder head that can run on 87 octane.
The Jag V12 engine flange is set up to fit GM automatic transmissions including the new 6 speed auto in the 2008 Escalade this year and the Silverado next year.
|
|
|
|
|
Printable Version
