how to increase miliage when towing

G

Georgesalmon

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Any tips out there to increase mpg when towing? Short of buying a new tow vehicle or smaller boat I mean.

I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4 X 4 with a 5.7L and factory installed tow package. I get about 15/16 mpg empty but it goes to 8/10mpg towing my boat. About 3000lbs boat/motor/trailer. I also get the same low mpg towing my car hauler at 7000lb.

Anything that might help, even to the point of changing gears front and rear ends.(don't know whats in there now)IMGP0793.JPG

Must be some boating motorheads out there with a lot of good ideas.
 
oldjeep

oldjeep

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

Find the happy speed and stay there. I get between 7 and 15 mpg towing with my 09 Hemi Ram and it all depends on the speed. The sweet spot for my truck seems to be between 60 and 65 (3.21 gears). At 80 I get 7-8 MPG

The aerodynamics of a boat on a trailer really suck, I get better milage towing a car hauler at higher speeds.
 
spoilsofwar

spoilsofwar

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

Draft behind an 18 wheeler.
 
spoilsofwar

spoilsofwar

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

oldjeep said:
LOL - you ever tried getting close to the back of an 18 wheeler? The air swirls back there and really tosses even a pickup around.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, the sarcasm of my post was lost on you.

My underlying message was that towing mileage is an "is what it is" sort of thing. The OP mentions changing rear end ratio; I dunno, you can buy a lot of gas for what that would cost you.
 
QC

QC

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

spoilsofwar said:
you can buy a lot of gas for what that would cost you.
Click to expand...
This is true of almost anything significant you could do, and nothing will be significant except slowing down. How far? How fast George?
 
C

CoffeeHound

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

All vehicles have a speed sweet spot -- My V-10 Dodge loved 56-60 mph when loaded --- but got 9mpg at anything over that .
Best i could get is 11-14 at that speed, in overdrive, with 5000 - 20,000 lb. trailer loads of anything !! Texas is mostly flat land running too .
 
R

ricohman

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

Speed, or lack of it is probably the best way to increase economy. The faster you go the more air you are pushing.
 
buildmark

buildmark

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

I'm not sure about gassers, but I can tune my 04 powerstroke diesel with a programmer. Otherwise, find that perfect rpm that will get you the best mileage you can. Mine is about 60-62 mph and I get about 16 mpg pulling my boat on the highway.
 
F

fishrdan

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

See if you can clean up the aerodynamics of the boat with a cover, the boat's windshield is acting like a sail at towing speed.
 
tpenfield

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

Only tow downhill :D

go 55-60 mph :(

let up the gas as soon as you get to the top of a hill and coast on the down side. ;)

accelerate slowly :rolleyes:

if you see that you will have to slow or stop ahead, get your foot off the gas right away and coast a bit, making a more gradual stop.

That's all that I can think of so far. :cool:
 
G

Georgesalmon

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

I like drafting the 18 wheeler idea, lol. I typically run about 90 miles one way per trip at to fast I guess, 70mph. Thats once or twice a week. Already getting up at 2:00AM to beat the salmon guys at the landing when biting $#@%&%$@ and now I gotta slow down? One or two trips to Erie a summer for walleye 500 miles one way. I hadn't thought of the boat cover idea, I have one and a commercial sewing machine, could probably tighten it up some. Will try that, looking for something to do today anyway. Anyone think leaving the windshield open in the center would help?

No offense, the wing might help but it is UGLY.
 
J

joewithaboat

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

Hooking up a vacuum gauge and finding the cruise speed that draws the highest vacuum number will get you your key mph for the best mileage. You can add a cheap cockpit gauge or you can use a mechanics diagnostic gauge set up temporarily. Ive done both.

They also have Fancy electronic models that monitor lots of other things, like trans temp would be helpful for towing.
http://www.scangauge.com/
 
D

dlngr

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

check your tire pressure.
 
J

jkust

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

Earn more money so you don't care. Seriously though, I don't think you will find anything that will make you say 'wow' when you manually calculate the mileage. My tow vehicles, both newer with 5.3liter v8's get 14ish towing my 4000lb sig boat/trailer. Each had Displacement on Demand but no indicator to tell you when it drops into 4 cylinder mode. I know it's not supposed to kick on when towing but man I swear on long trips towing the boat it moves into 4cylinder mode and the mileage bumps up. I got 18mpg for a good portion of a trip last year which never could happen when I had the identical tow vehicle without the DOD. My point I suppose is I'm betting the 5.7 didn't have that mode in your year. I seem to recall it was added on a couple years later. I would love the ability to force it into 4cylinder mode on those highway trips.
 
G

Georgesalmon

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

I got an old vacuum gauge out in the garage from back when I could still work on engines with a dwell meter, timing light and vacuum gauge. Just run a hose from the intake somewhere? ain't got no carb anymore.
 
G

Georgesalmon

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

Be better for me if YOU earned more money. Maybe my SS checks would go up, lol
 
oldjeep

oldjeep

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

jkust said:
I would love the ability to force it into 4cylinder mode on those highway trips.
Click to expand...

Mine has the 4 cyl mode but it rarely comes on when towing and is disabled if you actually put the truck in tow haul mode.
 
Scott Danforth

Scott Danforth

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Re: how to increase miliage when towing

the best way would be to switch to diesel.

or you could get an alignment for truck and trailer, clean your air cleaner to a brand new one (or switch to a K&N), get a free flowing exhaust, a cover on the boat, change the gear ratio to 4:10's, inflate your tires to maximum and move to synthetic lubricants. each change is incremental.
 
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