DL Rupper
Senior Member
In browsing the forum I have seen postings on Ford and Chev pickups, but no postings on Dodge pickups. Does everyone but me own Fords and Chevrolets? I am wondering what performance and mileage other Dodge diesel and HEMI owners are getting?
I currently own a 2003, 2500 Dodge HO Cummins Diesel, 6spd man trans (3.73 ratio), reg cab/8' bed, 4x2 pickup, with Banks exhaust brake & cone shaped performance air filter. It has 305 hp, and 555 ft/pds torque. MPG: I get 21.5 mpg at 70 miles per hr freeway, 17/18 mpg around town, and 10/12 mpg(depending on wind & road conditions) towing 12,000 pound 5W. I have got as high as 23.8 mpg at 55 mph on level road.. PERFORMANCE: I can top a 6 percent grade (towing) in 5th gear at 70mph/3000rpm at about 3/4 throttle (have to back off throttle due to high RPM). Banks exhaust brake works wonders coming down the otherside. The performance purely amazes me as I previously owned a 1995 Dodge Cummins 5spd, that would top the same grade hill at 30mph in 3rd gear with emergency flashers on. The old diesel got 20/18/10 mpg slow speed. It liked to go 55/60mph max when towing.
I talked to a lady in Washington (State) that said her 2004 Dodge HO Cummins, 4spd auto, short bed 4-wheel drive got 13 mpg mostly freeway. She didn't say if she was going 90mph or better. She was very disappointed. I was wondering if the added friction of front transfer case coupled with auto trans was cause of poor mileage. Also wondered if she ever reset her mpg readout on the overhead computer when she filled the tank.
FEEDBACK from Dodge owners appreciated.
I currently own a 2003, 2500 Dodge HO Cummins Diesel, 6spd man trans (3.73 ratio), reg cab/8' bed, 4x2 pickup, with Banks exhaust brake & cone shaped performance air filter. It has 305 hp, and 555 ft/pds torque. MPG: I get 21.5 mpg at 70 miles per hr freeway, 17/18 mpg around town, and 10/12 mpg(depending on wind & road conditions) towing 12,000 pound 5W. I have got as high as 23.8 mpg at 55 mph on level road.. PERFORMANCE: I can top a 6 percent grade (towing) in 5th gear at 70mph/3000rpm at about 3/4 throttle (have to back off throttle due to high RPM). Banks exhaust brake works wonders coming down the otherside. The performance purely amazes me as I previously owned a 1995 Dodge Cummins 5spd, that would top the same grade hill at 30mph in 3rd gear with emergency flashers on. The old diesel got 20/18/10 mpg slow speed. It liked to go 55/60mph max when towing.
I talked to a lady in Washington (State) that said her 2004 Dodge HO Cummins, 4spd auto, short bed 4-wheel drive got 13 mpg mostly freeway. She didn't say if she was going 90mph or better. She was very disappointed. I was wondering if the added friction of front transfer case coupled with auto trans was cause of poor mileage. Also wondered if she ever reset her mpg readout on the overhead computer when she filled the tank.
FEEDBACK from Dodge owners appreciated.