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Looking for CTD info

big pappa b

3/4 ton status
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Jan 3, 2003
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Toney, AL
I'm pretty well set on an 04 Dodge Ram Quad Cab 2500 4x4 w/CTD and will hopefully be buying in September or so. I've found a few discussion boards for the diesels. What are some of your preferred sources for the turbo diesels be it website or discussion forums?
 
Yeah, I was on that site. Sucks that I would need to pay $35 to register now just to use the search feature. I may pony up the $$$ after i buy it though

thanks /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
If you get the Cummins 600 don't expect more than 13.5MPG avg. city driving and 17MPG avg. (empty) on the hwy at 75MPH. I have 17,000 miles on mine and love the hell out of it, but it doesn't get the mileage I expected from a diesel!
 
What gears? 4.10? Try driving 5-10 mph slower and see what you get.
 
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If you get the Cummins 600 don't expect more than 13.5MPG avg. city driving and 17MPG avg. (empty) on the hwy at 75MPH. I have 17,000 miles on mine and love the hell out of it, but it doesn't get the mileage I expected from a diesel!

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What rpm's are you turning? I found 67 mph is the sweet spot with my 4.10's. I get about 21 down flat highway and about 53 going downhill /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

My last hand calculated average from the last tank which was about 50/50 highway/city was 17.6 Thats an 03 SO though, not HO.
 
Good info guys. And dammit, now it looks like I'll have to wait until after January to buy something. I'm moving to Asheville, NC in Jan and if I buy the truck now the amount of money I can borrow for a house takes a big nose dive. I'll just have to find someone to pull my trailer for me I guess /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
 
specs are 3.73's, auto (4sp), quad cab, short bed, 4x4

If I drive on flat interstate at 65 it will climb up to 18.5 MPG. I live in texas though and unless you live in north west texas there are very few flat highways. I babied this truck for 2 weeks of in town driving (around 12K on the clock) never exceeding 2200 RPM on acceleration and not a bit of change for my in-town avg. of 13.5 MPG. On the highway, the best I ever got was 18.8 and that was driving slow as hell (60-65) on the only flat interstate around me. The '600' has a rep on the net for bad mileage no matter how its driven. /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

My calculations are done by hand over the coarse of several tanks of fuel not just one, so I know they are accurate. My overhead computer thingy reads just shy of the hand calculated mileage 99% of the time. I have tried every damn fuel station around and no luck there either. Even the premium diesel with the higher cetane (45) and no luck /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

I towed about 10K with this sucker a hard 220 miles at about 80MPH avg. speed. Fuel mileage was 9.0 MPG. I didn't care though as I never had to use the chicken lane to climb a grade!
 
Well thats the downside to more power, they made more power by turning up the fuel. Your speed has alot to do with it though.
 
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If you get the Cummins 600 don't expect more than 13.5MPG avg. city driving and 17MPG avg. (empty) on the hwy at 75MPH. I have 17,000 miles on mine and love the hell out of it, but it doesn't get the mileage I expected from a diesel!

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What rpm's are you turning? I found 67 mph is the sweet spot with my 4.10's. I get about 21 down flat highway and about 53 going downhill /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

My last hand calculated average from the last tank which was about 50/50 highway/city was 17.6 Thats an 03 SO though, not HO.

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this is why i plan on stepping up the tire size on my rig a bit. somewhere around a 35 or 36 inch tire, but if i can find a SRW 19.5 inch rim they will be truck tires.

im getting about the same mileage empty, but got 15 to 16 with 9k weigh behind mine from oceanside cali to bosie ID and then to eugene OR.

mine is a 2004.5 with the HO and 6 speed short box crew cab 2x4, 4.10 rear. i also want to put the 3.92 in it.

im ditching the cat as soon as i get back from iraq, so ill let ya know how well it works then.

i LOVE MY CUMMINS AND WOULDNT TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING.
Grant
 
I average 16 to 18 mpg all day long, with a mix of highway/ city and idling time. From all that I have heard and read, some get good mileage, some don't. No one has been able to figure that one out. /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

On my way back from Cali to AZ, My over head was 14.4. That was with a slide in camper. That was more wind break, than weight.

I will be heading to Portland here in 2 weeks to get a travel trailer. Figure it will weight in around 6K. I will report back what I come up with for mileage, if anyone really cares.
 
I love my Dodge so I am always excited to read about it. Can you tell me what the manufature date is for your rig? With mileage like that, I may ask the dealer to flash my computer to the same as yours. Mine was built in Dec. `03
 
I will tell eveyone what mine gets when I buy an '01 or 02' HO CTD, 6 spd, short bed quad cab! /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif
 
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I will tell eveyone what mine gets when I buy an '01 or 02' HO CTD, 6 spd, short bed quad cab! /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif

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Ditto...........same hookup I'm looking for now............ /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
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I will tell eveyone what mine gets when I buy an '01 or 02' HO CTD, 6 spd, short bed quad cab! /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif

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Ditto...........same hookup I'm looking for now............ /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

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15-17 MPG City is what my friends gets and 17 hwy too but he has a heavy heavy foot when on the road! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Well, my 1999 gets about an average according to the console readout of 12.6 on the highway or in town. It has been as high as 16. That is a dually with 3:55's and the auto.

John
 
My '02 ext cab 2wd SWB with the HO 6 speed got 21mpg on the hwy unloaded and around 17 with the K5 on a trailer. The key is towing heavy...yours will break in, Nonesuch. It's just still so low mileage...
 
I hope that my truck is just being slow on the break-in. I have pulled alot behind it but not very many 500+ mile trips. We have 18,500 on the clock now. Once these tires wear out I will step up a size or two and I should see some better MPG then. Most claim a diesel is broke-in around 10K and some have said 20K. I don't care anymore about my mileage as we are accustomed to high fuel bills. However, it will be nice to see higher MPG's and lower fuel bills as the ticker climbs, if that ever does happen.

Somebody said that the sweet spot for the CTD 600 is 1750 RPM's. They said not to shift above that RPM and try not to exceed 2000-2100 RPM while cruising. The claim is 16-17 city MPG, 19-20 Hwy /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
 
I have a buddy who just tows a light ass jeep on 35's with his '01 CTD and it didn't "break in" till around 40K. Me on the other hand, I picked mine up and had a 9000# trailer on it with 100 miles on the ODO. Dropped the trailer off after about 1000 miles and I saw 21 mpg after that. I"m betting yours will break in too.
 

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