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Pickups Dodge Dakota Dodge Dakota Real World MPG Numbers
157 messages, Last post on Aug 31, 2008 at 11:09 PM
You are in the Dodge Dakota Forum. Your Host is kcram
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now has 200,000+ miles, always used lowest grade fuel (87 in w.tx./n.m. but 85 in colo.), but here in w. tx. our fuel is 'freshly minted' without a few additives seen elsewhere... shell fuel is one of the best about low additives, as porsche recommends it for my 944 and all their 911's and boxsters too. their fuel makes for a denser charge and better flame-front (with good plugs and ignition). i have no reason to doubt them, though i don't really like shell much. nobody out here in the w.tx. oilpatch likes them or oxy. lowest mileage was before it broke in fully at about 8k. overall was about 12-13 in town, 18 hwy. after break-in i have regularly gotten 15+ in town and 19-20 hwy. lowest when pulling 5k# trailer in oilfield (don't have figures, but LOW) and highest in mountains of colo. with large suzuki 1200 madura or yamaha xs11 midnight special in bed - 550# or so - averaged 'well over' 20 mpg (i calculated couple of tanks at 22+ mpg back in '01 in colo. mtns. on 85 octane gas!!!). mileage went down when i changed the orig. plugs with splitfires (significantly) at about 110k. i put the old ones back in, mpg went back up. replaced them at just under 150k with oem from dodge dealer. mpg is still good, but i don't drive it much now. will check back here with fresh results. i've kept every receipt and mileage book since day one, and i might go look all that data up someday... would be a large data post... btw - this dakota has NEVER been in the shop for anything. i've fixed all the little user-issue stuff myself, changed the fluids (except for tranny flushes) and i'm no mechanic. it's been a superb truck. still looks brand spankin' new. i've had many, many cars/trucks and it is the BEST by a long shot. it'll see 1/2 million miles fer shur before i park it in the collection. proudly! my overall feeling is that a 4.7 dak, setup like mine, gets the worst mpg when it sees a tundra next to it at a stoplight (or one of the cartoon diesel trucks with the HUGE exhaust and the lil gauge pod thingie in the a-pillar), and it gets the BEST mpg when driven just under 2000 rpm - steadily. it's a torque 'sweet spot' that's hard to maintain since the engine is so playful right about there. addictive is another word. jack b  in midland, tx usa |
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| my 2000 Quad Cab has the 3.9 V-6. I have an AirAid Short Ram intake and Gibson Headers with a Gibson Catback exhaust. on a trip from Oceanside to San Fransisco I got 23.7 almost all highway. lately Ive been doing more city driving and getting 17 though. | |
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Replying to: mjf1 (Apr 01, 2008 1:36 am) |
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At 100779 miles my Dak now has a lifetime average of 16.93 MPG. Interestingly, in April when temperatures here were still in the thirties and forties, I ran five tanks of Mobil 93 high test through the Dakota in a row. I noticed that the idle seemed to improve and gas mileage jumped from a previous four week average of 16.43 MPG to 17.21. When switching back to Mobil 87 it remained the same. Except for changing out the rear differential fluid, I just completed a full tune-up:plugs, PCV valve, air filter, and oil change. I had 49,814 miles on the Bosch Platinum Plus 4s and the air filter didn't seem very dirty. I immediately noticed a difference. The engine was definately performing better with stronger launches and noticeableby more effortless at cruising speeds. Since this the average has jumped to 18.43 with one tank at 19.88. These were mostly around town miles with about 30% expressway driving. Although I've recommended the Bosch Platinums to others, this is the second time I've noticed a difference after changing them out. The first time I cannot say I saw a big increase in gas mileage, but then again as others have noticed, the more miles you put on a 4.7 the better they run and the better the gas mileage gets. Anyway, despite claims I wouldn't leave these plugs in for 100,000 miles. Regards, Dusty |
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i have 2002 3.9L club cab and i get about 12 mpg. i dont hot rod it. i just drive around town, all city driving and usually just for short trips to work or store. it hasnt been on any long huals. but just around town i get 12 mpgs. 230 miles out of a tank, is this normal or what can i do to impove it. i already purchased a k&n air filter.
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Replying to: 65chick (May 28, 2008 9:36 am) |
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Replying to: 65chick (May 28, 2008 9:36 am) However, you didn't tell us how many miles you had on this truck. Its possible it could benefit from a tune-up if you haven't performed one yet. Regards, Dusty |
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I have a 2K Dak with a 4.7 engine, and I didn't think that we had mass airflow sensors. I looked this up in my factory service manual and couldn't find a MAS. I know my Ford products respond extremely well to the cleaning of the MAS. Is there a Dak equivalent to the MAS in Ford products.
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Replying to: ronslakie1 (May 29, 2008 7:54 am) Instead, it uses MAP (ManifoldAbsolutePressure) sensor. MAF actually measures airflow. (much more accurate, costs more, ignores dirty airfilter, more susceptible to contamination and burning out.) MAP has to CALCULATE the airflow based on pressure differential. (less accurate and sensitive to dirty airfilter, very reliable) |
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Can anyone recommend or compare Redline lubricants to Amzoil for the entire driveline of my '03 Dakota Quadcab, 4.7, AT, 4x4. I live in Minnesota and drive it primarily for work, but use it for hunting, but no heavy off road use. Also which oil filter would be best for use with the synthetics? I've heard Redline lubricants are spendy, but how spendy compared to Amzoil?
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