2002 dodge ram economy

[mopar367]

I have a 2002 dodge ram regular cab short box with a 4.7 engine. Its 2 wheel drive. The truck get horrible mileage. I calculated it on a trip and it gets 13 mpg!! All fluids in truck are fresh, plugs have 20 000 kms, air filter is clean. Just wondering if anyone else get such bad milage or is there something wrong with my truck?

 

[kb67mopar]

That kinda depends on the trip.

I had a 02 Dakota 4.7 4x4 Auto would average around 13 in town and 17-19 hwy, mixed averaged around 15.5 mpg.

My 04 5.7 hemi 4x4 quad cab averages 14.5 mixed and around 12 in town. on the hwy if I am nice to it I can get around 17-18. over 70mph 16. But with 5000lbs behind it I get 11mpg.

So 13 hwy would be atrocious

 

[67 coronet]

you might want to try an injector cleaning depending on the mileage of the truck.done with a force feed machine is much better then"pour in"types.

 

[mopar367]

Ya I guess Its just the nature of the beast. I sometimes use the lucas injector cleaner in my gas. Doesn't really make a difference. It could be the fact that its been -20C here for like 2 weeks. and my truck is full of snow.

 

[kb67mopar]

Ya I guess Its just the nature of the beast. I sometimes use the lucas injector cleaner in my gas. Doesn't really make a difference. It could be the fact that its been -20C here for like 2 weeks. and my truck is full of snow.

I notice a definite drop in economy when its cold out and (-20 C = -4 F) -20 C is pretty cold, I would imagine my average would be around 13 mixed with that weather and when its snowy and I am driving around here in that I end up with 12 mpg.

 

[moparsteve636]

4.7s are just poor mileage engines!!! I've had two in different Dakotas,and the best I could get was 16mpg.Tried everything!To be truthful I would'nt walk across the street for one.The 3.9 worked better not much difference in performance either!

 

[64BEL]

We just bought a 2000 Grand Cherokee with a 4.7. I don't know if the Jeep engine is the same as the Ram, but the Jeep 4.7 is a real hog too. The full time 4wd doesn't help either. But we do like the Jeep - it's a nice ride. Much better in the snow than the PT Cruiser GT was.

 

[Budnicks]

Get a programable tuner, 195* thermostat, K&N air box, spacer, tube & gauze filter, a Flowmaster cat back 3" exhaust system, it will wake it up some for sure, your mileage will get minutely better too, if you can keep your foot out of it, I went the extra mile in my old Dakota with larger ratio rockers & shorty Edelbrock headers and what was listed above....

 

[detmatt1]

I heard that those were not great on gas but had no idea they were that bad. I just got a `02 3/4 ton with the 5.9 gas engine in it, 4.11 axles and only 73K miles on it and it has gotten 12 and 13 MPG driving a mix of city and highway. I thought it was going to be worse and am very curious to see how well it does with a loaded trailer behind it.

 

[kb67mopar]

Get a programable tuner, 195* thermostat, K&N air box, spacer, tube & gauze filter, a Flowmaster cat back 3" exhaust system, it will wake it up some for sure, your mileage will get minutely better too, if you can keep your foot out of it, I went the extra mile in my old Dakota with larger ratio rockers & shorty Edelbrock headers and what was listed above....

The 4.7 is overhead Cam and wouldn't really work with the rocker idea. On my 02 Dakota I put the 03 Grand Cherokee 4.7 HO camshafts and springs in it to wake it up a touch and it ran considerably stronger. I used to get decent fuel economy with that but it was also a regular cab Dakota, so much smaller (still weighed 4000 lbs) I think my best was 21 hwy, but most of the time it was around 17 hwy which is what my 5.7 ram will do...so really not impressive.

If you want to make your fuel economy increase and your smile grow just put an STS tail pipe turbo kit on it, will help with power and increase efficiency.

 

[Budnicks]

4.7 overhead cam

The 4.7 is overhead Cam and wouldn't really work with the rocker idea. On my 02 Dakota I put the 03 Grand Cherokee 4.7 HO camshafts and springs in it to wake it up a touch and it ran considerably stronger. I used to get decent fuel economy with that but it was also a regular cab Dakota, so much smaller (still weighed 4000 lbs) I think my best was 21 hwy, but most of the time it was around 17 hwy which is what my 5.7 ram will do...so really not impressive.

If you want to make your fuel economy increase and your smile grow just put an STS tail pipe turbo kit on it, will help with power and increase efficiency.

I get the difference in the motor designs, I was just using an example, of how I got much better driveability, better overall performance & way better Hwy mileage, than before the mentioned improvements, effectively the 1.7 rockers were a 10% camshaft improvement... 1999 SLT Dakota ex/cab, 4x4, 5.2ltr., auto, 4835lbs, 32" tires, now on flat ground 20-22mpg strictly Hwy {maybe 12-15mpg before}, average 15-17mpg combination {maybe 10-12mpg before} stop/go town & mountain road driving, there's not really to many Freeways or City were I live....

 

[kb67mopar]

I get the difference in the motor designs, I was just using an example, of how I got much better driveability, better overall performance & way better Hwy mileage, than before the mentioned improvements, effectively the 1.7 rockers were a 10% camshaft improvement... 1999 SLT Dakota ex/cab, 4x4, 5.2ltr., auto, 4835lbs, 32" tires, now on flat ground 20-22mpg strictly Hwy {maybe 12-15mpg before}, average 15-17mpg combination {maybe 10-12mpg before} stop/go town & mountain road driving, there's not really to many Freeways or City were I live....

Yeah I get the idea, I mostly wanted to clarify since there are lots of guys (even on here) that don't know much about the 4.7 or that its an OHC engine. All very good advice though.

 

[Budnicks]

OK

Yeah I get the idea, I mostly wanted to clarify since there are lots of guys (even on here) that don't know much about the 4.7 or that its an OHC engine. All very good advice though.

OK, no big deal, no offence taken/ment, I was just clarifying, what I was getting, with some easy bolt-ons & a tuner.... Never owned a OHC 4.7ltr. V-8, yet....

 

[kb67mopar]

Never owned a OHC 4.7ltr. V-8, yet....

I know a lot of guys say they would never own one or another one but I have to say, it was a dang good engine for me. Twice as peppy as the old 318 was in my experience and my truck was no slouch before the cams. I think they aren't worth the scrap price in a full size ram, but in a Dakota...give me one all day.

 

[Budnicks]

I know a lot of guys say they would never own one or another one but I have to say, it was a dang good engine for me. Twice as peppy as the old 318 was in my experience and my truck was no slouch before the cams. I think they aren't worth the scrap price in a full size ram, but in a Dakota...give me one all day.

I was just saying, "I haven't personally ever owned a 4.7", not that they are bad, or to never have one, I wouldn't know for a fact either way if they are good or not...

 

[kb67mopar]

I was just saying, "I haven't personally ever owned a 4.7", not that they are bad, or to never have one, I wouldn't know for a fact either way if they are good or not...

I wasn't implying you did. I was just making a statement. Basically I was saying that you wouldn't necessarily be disappointed with it, I wasn't

 

[scotts74birds]

Beware of some issues with these. Starts as a "lifter" noise. Then your rocker arms fall off! They have a newer rocker design that sprays more oil, but some folks say that isn't it. Some theories are that the valve stems carbon-up, and dont travel all they way up [I find this doubtful]. Another scenario is that the hardened valve seats are backing out of the aluminum heads [likely!] That would put play in the valvetrain! Also, exhaust manifolds can crack, or break bolts. Is this the exhaust manifold, or is this the head deforming? Alot to think about. I'll check and see if there are any TSB's on the mileage. There may be some computer updates for them.

 

[Cranky]

17-19 in town and 23-25 on the highway with a 5.9.......Cummins Truck weighs 6050 without me in it.

 

[64BEL]

17-19 in town and 23-25 on the highway with a 5.9.......Cummins Truck weighs 6050 without me in it.

Must be a 2wd? I get about 16/20 with mine - weighs right around 7000lbs.

 

[Budnicks]

Thanks

I wasn't implying you did. I was just making a statement. Basically I was saying that you wouldn't necessarily be disappointed with it, I wasn't

Thanks that's great info...