2024 Ram 2500 Tradesman 6.4L - Lower than expected MPG

[Fordiesel69]

Not mine. My father bought this to replace his 2014 Ram 1500. The gas milage does not align with a near identical truck.

Dads Truck: 2024 Ram 2500, 6.4L, 4x4, 4 full doors, 6.5' Bed, 3.73 Axles, 18" LT Factory Tires. We are getting 15 ~ 16 hand calculated, empty at 74MPH.

Uncles Truck: 2017 Ram 2500, 6.4L, 4x4, 4 full doors, 8' Bed, 4.10 Axles, 18" LT Factory Tires. Uncle demounts plow and gets 20 unloaded hand calculated, dash shows over 21.x on average, when we drove it. Of course terrible in winter with plow. 11 is best case. Hand calculated.

Two things come time mind here. The new 2024 is not broke in yet, so was wondering if it would do better later on. Also the transmission is usually in 7th gear instead of 8th. I would think unloaded there would be no reason for it to be in 7th on the open highway even with some small hills. Uncles truck was bigger, longer, heavier, and yet got better gas milage. I cannot figure that out.

I know some of you would say this is good for a truck of that size, and frankly if it was not for my uncles truck getting such good milage hand calculated, my dad may have leaned more towards the 1500 again. Im cornered it had something stupid to do with programming of the transmission and such.

 

[drtyler]

15-16 seems like the expected mpg. I would question how your uncle is getting 20 mpg. Perhaps your uncle drives slower?

 

[panthermike]

Break-in may play some role here, but the uncles 20mpg is very good for that size Rig. Perhaps it's mostly his driving habits?

I would agree on the trans though, one would think it could lug along in 8th gear no problem.

 

[Brian123]

Not mine. My father bought this to replace his 2014 Ram 1500. The gas milage does not align with a near identical truck.

Dads Truck: 2024 Ram 2500, 6.4L, 4x4, 4 full doors, 6.5' Bed, 3.73 Axles, 18" LT Factory Tires. We are getting 15 ~ 16 hand calculated, empty at 74MPH.

Uncles Truck: 2017 Ram 2500, 6.4L, 4x4, 4 full doors, 8' Bed, 4.10 Axles, 18" LT Factory Tires. Uncle demounts plow and gets 20 unloaded hand calculated, dash shows over 21.x on average, when we drove it. Of course terrible in winter with plow. 11 is best case. Hand calculated.

Two things come time mind here. The new 2024 is not broke in yet, so was wondering if it would do better later on. Also the transmission is usually in 7th gear instead of 8th. I would think unloaded there would be no reason for it to be in 7th on the open highway even with some small hills. Uncles truck was bigger, longer, heavier, and yet got better gas milage. I cannot figure that out.

I know some of you would say this is good for a truck of that size, and frankly if it was not for my uncles truck getting such good milage hand calculated, my dad may have leaned more towards the 1500 again. Im cornered it had something stupid to do with programming of the transmission and such.

Do both people weigh the same? What are the driving habits of both Vehicles?

 

[IndyIan]

Tire pressures? 32 psi in a new LT tire might be quite draggy? Also what octane is in each one? 89 or 91 could give much better mileage than 87 in these trucks. Caps? Bed covers? The long bed might have better aero too, with the air flow reattaching to the tailgate on the long bed and not on the short bed?
I borrowed a 2018 RAM 1500 5.7 crew cab, short box 4x4 6spd auto(top gear is the same as the 8spd) with LT tires and I could barely eek 20mpg on 55mph roads on my 30 mile commute, maxing out at 60mph in 4cyl mode most of the time, but it has 87 octane in it.

 

[OLEJOE]

I had a 22’ long bed with the 6.4 and 13-14 was what it averaged. Got 16.5 on the evic on one trip 160 miles each way on flat ground and empty. The MDS would not engage on flat ground at 65 mph and the only way to keep it from down shifting out of 8th was to run 75-80 mph. Bought it in September of 21 and got rid of it May of 22. I average 18.5-20 mpg with my Cummins and 11.5 towing 7K TT. Both trucks with 3.73 rears and both 4X4.

 

[Danno]

I say break in is still in play. Engine, driveline, tires.

It wouldn't surprise me if the factory derates the engine for the first 1000 or so miles, to avoid lugging it in top gear.
Therefore the 7th gear situation. Check back once its past 5,000 miles.

 

[Bighorn2500]

15-16 @74MPH is good for that truck.

Sweet spot is 60-65MPH, but it’s a heavy duty it was probably bought to do work not excel at MPG.

 

[OLEJOE]

15-16 @74MPH is good for that truck.

Sweet spot is 60-65MPH, but it’s a heavy duty it was probably bought to do work not excel at MPG.

With the Hemi the rpm needs to be in the 2000 range with speed at around 65 mph. It’s a misconception that to get fuel mileage the rpm has to be lower. It has more to do with engine load than rpm. The Hemi makes good torque and horsepower but it’s at higher rpm. Also my long bed with the Hemi weighed 7800 lbs empty. Cat scale certified.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

What kind of mpg did you expect?

15 mpg isn't bad for a big heavy truck with a 6.4L V8

Maybe you'd do better with a diesel, or better yet, with a smaller truck like the Maverick.

 

[21_6.7f450]

15-16mpg out of 3.73 geared 6.4 gas Dodge is mid...average. They seem to get better fuel mileage than Ford but not quite as good as Chevrolet.

 

[The Critic]

I have a hard time believing 15 mpg on a current 6.4, let alone 20.

Friend's 21 2500 6.4 with the 4.10's gets about 9-10 in-town and maybe a few more on the highway.

 

[meep]

I’m also really not thinking a 2500 4x4 4 door with 4.10 gears is getting 20 mpg.

 

[cptbarkey]

Agree. 20mpg, downhill, after a long bathroom break, maybe.

 

[Nick1994]

People exaggerate all the time without trying.

Sorry, I don’t believe uncle.

 

[Rmay635703]

Feels kind of sad that a 3/4 ton truck gets exactly the same fuel economy my 3/4 ton got in the 80’s and less than the 3/4 ton 2wd 1993 Suburban.

You would think in 40 years and the fact engines are more efficient we could get better fuel economy.

 

[21_6.7f450]

It outweighs an 80's rig by atleast 1700lbs.
It has the aerodynamics of a double wide.
Today's drive trains are much more efficient. The dang things got heavier.
Women were naturally better looking then to, skinnier as well. Today, they feel the need for dying their hair and getting ugly piercings and just like trucks, they've put on weight. Heavy women, err I mean trucks just don't get the milage they used to.

 

[clinebarger]

 

[drtyler]

Feels kind of sad that a 3/4 ton truck gets exactly the same fuel economy my 3/4 ton got in the 80’s and less than the 3/4 ton 2wd 1993 Suburban.

You would think in 40 years and the fact engines are more efficient we could get better fuel economy.

Which 3/4 with gas engine got 16 mpg in the 80s?

 

[clinebarger]

Feels kind of sad that a 3/4 ton truck gets exactly the same fuel economy my 3/4 ton got in the 80’s and less than the 3/4 ton 2wd 1993 Suburban.

You would think in 40 years and the fact engines are more efficient we could get better fuel economy.

6.5L diesel suburban?