Poor gas mileage 05 Ram Hemi

[meeshow]

Well I know everyone's gonna say it's a Hemi, and spirited driving isn't going to help, but that's not the case. 05 Ram SLT, 4x4, quad cab, 110KM, new air filter, oil done 2K ago, just swapped out all 16 plugs, and gas mileage is around 440km/tank. Or like 10.2 MPG apparently, 50/50 highway and city. No excessive idling, or hard acceleration. What else needs to be done, could swore, 10K ago i had it up to 650km/tank. Suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks guys.:confused:

and does the 05 SLT have the MSD built in? thanks.

[OsO]

Well I know everyone's gonna say it's a Hemi, and spirited driving isn't going to help, but that's not the case. 05 Ram SLT, 4x4, quad cab, 110KM, new air filter, oil done 2K ago, just swapped out all 16 plugs, and gas mileage is around 440km/tank. Or like 10.2 MPG apparently, 50/50 highway and city. No excessive idling, or hard acceleration. What else needs to be done, could swore, 10K ago i had it up to 650km/tank. Suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks guys.:confused:

and does the 05 SLT have the MSD built in? thanks.
Did you replace with the same type plug and did you or they gap them to specs? Make sure you didn't over fill the oil and make sure you haven't sucked a bird into the air intake(yes it has happened):)

[meeshow]

Plugs are different. NGK G-Power. Old plugs were champions. I gapped them. Wire gapper was .044, spec called for .045, so I left them snug. No dead birds or squirrels sucked up into the air box. Would injectors or wires affect the mileage? Owners manual calls for Silver (89) and that's what I have been running, I know with Gold (91) I barely break 400k/tank.

Most likely my gapping abilities are suffering or what?

[OsO]

Plugs are different. NGK G-Power. Old plugs were champions. I gapped them. Wire gapper was .044, spec called for .045, so I left them snug. No dead birds or squirrels sucked up into the air box. Would injectors or wires affect the mileage? Owners manual calls for Silver (89) and that's what I have been running, I know with Gold (91) I barely break 400k/tank.

Most likely my gapping abilities are suffering or what?
Every thing adds up wrong gap, to cold or hot of a plug, air restriction, bad gas get enough little things together and they look like a big problem. If your sure you were getting better gas mileage before the tuneup retrace your steps see whats whats not right. Go back through and make sure you didn't collapse a plug as you were putting it back in. Not saying one plug would account for what your seeing put you got to start some where.

[meeshow]

I'll check the gapping out again this weekend. Ontario isn't the most pleasant place to be working on a truck without a heated garage right now. Thanks for the replies oSo. How much of a difference is .001 mm going to make really? the wire gapper i had was marked for .044 and manufacturer calls for .045. it was snug slipping thru, like it would stay between the electrode and prong if i placed it right... I don't feel like going and spending another 185 bucks on pre gapped plugs just to throw away brand new plugs.

back to the drawing boards. thanks again.

[OsO]

I'll check the gapping out again this weekend. Ontario isn't the most pleasant place to be working on a truck without a heated garage right now. Thanks for the replies oSo. How much of a difference is .001 mm going to make really? the wire gapper i had was marked for .044 and manufacturer calls for .045. it was snug slipping thru, like it would stay between the electrode and prong if i placed it right... I don't feel like going and spending another 185 bucks on pre gapped plugs just to throw away brand new plugs.

back to the drawing boards. thanks again.
No such thing as pre-gaped plugs. They take to much of a beating during shipping always gap your plugs before installation. .001 isnt going to make a difference but if you bumped them during installation they could be a lot futher off then .001.
Im just giving you a direction to go to find a solution, i do not have a answer for you so take what advice you need at will but question all of it and never take it as gospel. ;)

[meeshow]

Ok so here's the latest to add to it, haven't checked plugs yet, waiting til sat or friday night. But when i got home, I was dicking around in low gear high RPM and playing in the snow and when I parked I could smell raw gas, not a gas leak by any means, no rust any where on the truck. Are the plugs not burning right or something?

[OsO]

Ok so here's the latest to add to it, haven't checked plugs yet, waiting til sat or friday night. But when i got home, I was dicking around in low gear high RPM and playing in the snow and when I parked I could smell raw gas, not a gas leak by any means, no rust any where on the truck. Are the plugs not burning right or something?
It is a possibility but you haven't said any thing about codes or it misfireing so i have to assume it is burning fuel decent. Have you tried to run any Race high octane or leaded fuel latley??? Not saying to do it asking if you have.

[meeshow]

Well - running 94 and punching out 9 MPG. that's mixed highway and city driving still. No codes showing up on dash and my head is starting to hurt. What on earth is going on here? Last shot, and than to the mechanic's she goes. I don't get it. Plugs aren't crushed, running 94, and not matting the thing, like under 2200 RPM on take off in the city, people are practically pushing me thru the intersection.

[OsO]

Last few thing unrelated to your tune up that i can think of would be o2 sensors are working but not reading right. Exhaust is restricted.

Cant think of anything else right now maybe Tbird100636 (http://ramtruckforums.com/forums/member.php?u=59) will chime in and tell us what were missing.

[Tbird100636]

Only other thing I can suggest is make sure you don't have a brake dragging. Everything else OsO covered. 2005 HEMI trucks did not have MDS.

[meeshow]

if that were the case wouldn't the truck feel like it were slowing down faster than usual? it's going on the hoist tonight. i'll take a look. thanks for your suggestions guys, as for the MDS - you just made me 50 bucks.

[Gear head]

mine has a 02 sensor that fails when it does the light comes on. code reads bank 2
sensor 2 ive got the new one,going to put it on this week but i was getting 12-14 with a 04 hd 2500 4x4 now it very`s from 7 - 11 and i smell a gassy smell once in a while. i know thats my problem but ill post my result also. make sure you air filter is clean, im sure any drag from pully`s may affect it also, My power steering pump went also havent checked for better mileage yet. i just wait til the ding and say man it`s empty again?lol good luck to ya

[meeshow]

to add to the list ( but doubt will account for 8.3 MPG on 94 Octane) I've somehow managed to shear one of the 8 studs on the passenger manifold gasket completely off, and buried it in the block.... how do you back this lil bastard out? Shop quoted me 500, to install new manifold, back out stud and replace all 8 and gasket....

Leak only comes under load, not noticable while idling.

Another thing to add to the list.

[kevster]

If you have alot of mileage such as 25,000 or more on the OEM plug wires, CHANGE them now. I changed mine at 25,000 and the truck runs way better. I did not use the OEM brand. I also changed my plugs approx 5,000 miles prior just because I do not like Champion brand plugs.

[meeshow]

well- 3 hrs, 2 snapped studs and no reported injuries in minus 16 weather, my baby is purring again, the tick is gone, and highway mileage is back up to just over 18 MPG. City looks to be around 13.5 or so... that's according to the overhead, we'll see when it comes time to tank up. Acceleration loss just from the one stud leaking was insane. It's like a new truck. 112KM on it. NGK G power plugs 2K ago, new air filter, and synthetics the whole way thru 4K ago. Thanks for your help guys - much appreciated. Happy new years.


Eric

[OsO]

I need to go back and edit one of my post so i can say i told ya so.:D

[meeshow]

hahaha - yeah as soon as i found out what the effects of the manifold on the O2 sensor were, that's what I was thinking. I'm gonna get a big "I told you so" in regards to the O2 sensor.

Thanks again for your help guys - it won't be the last you hear of me :( :)

[OsO]

hahaha - yeah as soon as i found out what the effects of the manifold on the O2 sensor were, that's what I was thinking. I'm gonna get a big "I told you so" in regards to the O2 sensor.

Thanks again for your help guys - it won't be the last you hear of me :( :)
Nope no told ya so here, we didn't find the problem but we were beating all around it :)

[Whiskerfish]

Dragging Brake???

OOPs was already mentioned