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Gas Mileage #2991904
12/04/21 07:52 AM
12/04/21 07:52 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 668
Hamburg, Pa.
7
72 RR DUDE Offline OP
mopar
72 RR DUDE  Offline OP
mopar
7

Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 668
Hamburg, Pa.
On a 2001 Dodge Ram 4x4 with a 360 is there anything i can do to improve the gas mileage? It has always been bad so i,m just wondering what can be done!

Re: Gas Mileage [Re: 72 RR DUDE] #2991928
12/04/21 10:10 AM
12/04/21 10:10 AM
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 789
massachusetts U.S.A.
1
1969ronnie Offline
super stock
1969ronnie  Offline
super stock
1

Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 789
massachusetts U.S.A.
Hi , What gears does this Dodge have 3.55 , 3.73 or 4.10s ? drive and What size tires and rims does the door sticker say it was born with , and what size is on it now ? dakota Ronnie

Re: Gas Mileage [Re: 72 RR DUDE] #2992143
12/05/21 01:50 AM
12/05/21 01:50 AM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,018
N.W. Florida
F
Fat_Mike Offline
master
Fat_Mike  Offline
master
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,018
N.W. Florida
Truthfully, I don't think you can do anything that's cost effective. Just enjoy your truck and accept that the mileage sucks; that's what I do.

BUT...if you figure something out, Hollar!!!! callme

Re: Gas Mileage [Re: 72 RR DUDE] #2992163
12/05/21 09:04 AM
12/05/21 09:04 AM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,162
USA
3
360view Offline
Moparts resident spammer
360view  Offline
Moparts resident spammer
3

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,162
USA
4x4 are at a -1 MPG disadvantage compared to 2wd.
The higher ride height of 4wd hurts aero and subtracts another 1 MPG.

1994-1995 had EGR with its hateful carbon deposits, but when everything is clean my opinion it adds around 2 MPG to highway fuel economy by opening the throttle more and increasing intake manifold pressure.

On my 2wd 1995 5.9 Club cab short bed that weighed 4900 lbs
I could get a true 22 MPG at 60 mph on level blacktop highways.

I was a “maniac on a mission” and tried
3.21 diff gears
with and without AC on
tonneau cover
front air dam extension
wheeler vortex generators just behind rear windows and just before rear brake lights
low rolling resistance tires
higher coolant temperature thermostat
waterless Evans Coolant antifreeze
no radiator fan
standard and MP PCM computer
syn lubes

My education was greatly helped by an aftermarket Oztrip trip computer that allowed precision MPG measurement “on the fly” as I drove
and by a computer program called
“Fuel Economy Calculator” by the Performance Trends company,
which allowed me to correct for changing wind and weather and not be fooled by those factors on trips.
The program also allowed me to calculate how slippery the truck was through the wind by coasting down hills of constant steepness.

What was my major mistake?

I should have bought a second nearly identical pickup.
There would have been many advantages to a “twin” including pulling engines and modifying them.
I also should have bought Winters “Quik Change” differentials

“Maniacs on Missions” do not care much about money spent to feed their passion.
I do not regret any of the money I spent on the above.

I do regret money spent on other things.

Re: Gas Mileage [Re: 360view] #2992261
12/05/21 01:43 PM
12/05/21 01:43 PM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 257
Alberta
4
440_Offroader Offline
enthusiast
440_Offroader  Offline
enthusiast
4

Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 257
Alberta
Wasn't there something about making a bolt hole/sensor(pickup) hole oblong , to get a little more timing out of a magnum? I don't have a magnum engine, so never looked into it. Maybe someone that knows the details, will chime in.

Re: Gas Mileage [Re: 440_Offroader] #2992368
12/05/21 07:28 PM
12/05/21 07:28 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,195
ILLINOIS
V
volaredon Offline
top fuel
volaredon  Offline
top fuel
V

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,195
ILLINOIS
I dunno. I have heard claims for longer than the Magnum version has been around of guys that get "around" or at least "close to" 20 mpg from a 360. I don't care if carbd, LA, Magnum, TBI, or multi port EFI, I have NEVER been able to get close to that. In my experience a 360 is a 12-13 mpg motor/ no matter what body its in, in town, on the highway, towing, not towing, cruise control on or not, flat land or hills, Ive had several. Most recent (current as well) 01 Durango, part time 4wd is same as every other 360 Ive ever had in that department,
ONE TIME we took a trip from IL to Houston area, TX and back and it surprised me. Been on many such road trips since. No different MPG, than when my wife drives it thru town 11 miles each way to work and back, same MPG. the 360 is and has always just been a gas sucking pig.

Re: Gas Mileage [Re: Fat_Mike] #2992503
12/06/21 10:45 AM
12/06/21 10:45 AM
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,946
Greenville, PA
redraptor Offline
master
redraptor  Offline
master

Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,946
Greenville, PA
Originally Posted by Fat_Mike
Truthfully, I don't think you can do anything that's cost effective.

iagree Yep. Spending dollars to save pennies. Best I've got out of my V-10 trucks is 9-10mpg. So not much joy riding till fuel is $2/gal again.

Re: Gas Mileage [Re: 440_Offroader] #2992523
12/06/21 11:57 AM
12/06/21 11:57 AM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,162
USA
3
360view Offline
Moparts resident spammer
360view  Offline
Moparts resident spammer
3

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,162
USA
Originally Posted by 440_Offroader
Wasn't there something about making a bolt hole/sensor(pickup) hole oblong , to get a little more timing out of a magnum? I don't have a magnum engine, so never looked into it. Maybe someone that knows the details, will chime in.


That is the “Crank Position Sensor” hole and sensor mounting screws.

It is also possible to reach up through that hole and “customize” the ignition retard for any cylinder that would benefit by grinding the flexplate slot.

It might also be possible to custom make a plate with slots and mount this custom piece on the front engine shaft near the damper with the CPS being moveable.
The slot pattern is not just 8 slots, the double slot on the flexplate tells the PCM the cylinder order.

Mother Mopar could have very cheaply added a switch or rheostat to the PCM computer to control timing for 85/87/93 gasoline.
The IAT sensor or engine coolant sensor can be “fooled” into slight timing adjustments.

Many home natural gas furnaces have an adjustment screw on each burner to change the air to fuel ratio.
It might be beneficial to drill and tap such air flow regulating screws into each of the 8 runners of the “beer barrel” intake manifold, but the question is “where.” ?
The end of such screws should be filed into “flat” that could slow flow or adjust swirl.
Locating such airflow screws downstream from the fuel injectors might better “atomize” the mixture.

The most significant fuel economy change would come from running a leaner air to fuel ratio, not ignition timing.
The Fuel Economy Calculator program from Performance Trends Co. predicts a gain of 1.5 MPG at 60 MPH at an A/F ratio of 16.7 rather than 14.7

Before the EPA most automobile engines ran at 18 A/F ratio at highway cruise.

Re: Gas Mileage [Re: 360view] #2992716
12/06/21 10:05 PM
12/06/21 10:05 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,802
Between Houston & Galveston TX
SattyNoCar Offline
Smarter than no class Flappergass by a mile
SattyNoCar  Offline
Smarter than no class Flappergass by a mile

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,802
Between Houston & Galveston TX


In my experience a 360 is a 12-13 mpg motor/ no matter what body its in, in town, on the highway, towing, not towing, cruise control on or not, flat land or hills,

iagree Different animal, but I had a '76 Club Cab that originally had a 360 that I swapped for a (stock) 440 and got better mileage.

While I've never had a Magnum 360, I have had a few of the pre Magnum ones and they all sucked gas. shruggy




popcorn


John

The dream is dead, long live the dream.......😥
Re: Gas Mileage [Re: SattyNoCar] #2993006
12/07/21 07:39 PM
12/07/21 07:39 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,406
Kalispell Mt.
H
HotRodDave Offline
I Live Here
HotRodDave  Offline
I Live Here
H

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,406
Kalispell Mt.
I have modified a ton of these things searching for MPG, found quite a few things that added MPG, most of them are not worth doing just for the added MPG.

A couple freebies (if your time is worth nothing)

1. Slot the bolt holes in the crank sensor so you can advance timing, you can easily get 1 or two degrees, not much gain but hey it's free. If the truck had a death flash this seems to help more than trucks that didn't but it will still be worse than those that didn't.
2. Porting the throttle body, this will give more airflow especially as you get to where the computer ignores the O2 sensors at heavier throttle and quits adjusting fuel to keep the AF ratio correct. It runs very rich at higher throttle AND ignores the 02, porting the throttle body adds more air to this rich mixture. At light throttle it don't do much as the o2 sensor tells the computer there is more air in the exhaust and the computer adds more fuel to match it. Also helps lean it out a little bit before it gets the 02 sensor hot enough to function.
3. I kinda had mixed results with this one but you can swap the o2 sensor to read after the cat and if you have obd2 put the other sensor back infront of the cat. This tricks the o2 into requesting a little less fuel because it is really reading oxygen in the exhaust, after it passes through the cat there is less oxygen so it thinks it is rich and leans it out a hair. I had one that would set a cat code, a couple that picked up a little and a couple it didn't seem to make any difference but again costs nothing to try.
4. remove the fan, just don't ever sit idling in traffic or at the bank or drivethrough, shut it off (shutting it off idling also saves fuel).
5. A little extra air pressure in the tires, I usually run whatever the sidewall says is the max, these trucks are very hard to roll around in the shop and you can easily fell the difference going from say 30PSI to 44 (most light doody tire PSI rating). Be warned though this may cause a little extra wear in the center of the tires.

Some things you can do if your doing them anyhow but are not free

1. Skinnier taller tires, most of them came with 245-75-16 tires, I find a 235-85-16 was a good upgrade and again this is a difference you can feel pushing the truck by hand on a flat surface.
2. If you have bad fuel injectors get replacements for a 5.4 ford, if your truck is 99 and older just tell them you got a 98 f-250 with a 5.4 and they will hand you a better set of injectors.
3. If you find yourself replacing head gaskets, buy one single MLS head gasket from mr gasket, use one single outer layer as a head gasket for each side of the engine, spray it with copper coat, it is gonna give you a little more compression and tighten up the quench about .030 or so.
4. Run a thinner oil, I run 0-20 in my wifes 15 passenger van with a 5.9 magnum and almost 100,000 later it still runs awesome (200,000 total). If that 0 scares you 5-20 is still better than what most guys run in them.
5. lighter weight synthetic gear oil in the diffs.

I could list some others that are a lot more costly but this is just a few off the top of my head.


I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!



Re: Gas Mileage [Re: 360view] #2993007
12/07/21 07:40 PM
12/07/21 07:40 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,406
Kalispell Mt.
H
HotRodDave Offline
I Live Here
HotRodDave  Offline
I Live Here
H

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,406
Kalispell Mt.
Just noticed you said 2001, you can buy adapters for cheap off fleabay to run the earlier injectors. The ford injectors have a better spray pattern for atomizing the fuel better.


I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!



Re: Gas Mileage [Re: 72 RR DUDE] #2993043
12/07/21 09:12 PM
12/07/21 09:12 PM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,060
Atlanta, GA
M
mgoblue9798 Offline
super stock
mgoblue9798  Offline
super stock
M

Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,060
Atlanta, GA
I had a 93 Dakota ext cab long bed with 5.2. Few things that helped mileage were a bed tonneau cover- just the soft vinyl snap type doesn't have to be expensive, removing the clutch fan and replacing with electric, and increasing the tire diameter from the little 235/75/15 stock to 31 inch tires with the stock 3.55 gear.

That said, I now have a 2002 B1500 high top conversion van with a 5.9 and have not found a single damn thing to better the mileage. Doesn't help that I have a heavy foot, but I think the aerodynamics of the high top van are the real limiting factor.







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