Half-ton pickup redux

[Seasoned Oak]

Looks like a wimpy hybrid system, not really Prius-like afterall. It's just a 48V motor/generator that can add a little torque when run as a motor. The battery pack is a measly 430wh.

Not sure why Dodge is offering that $149 lease right now, i guess to clear out the 2018s. Not often its that low. Thats about half of what GM and Ford are doing. Terrific deal if your in the market now.

 

[begreen]

Yes, that looks like a good deal.

 

[Stelcom66]

I needed a 2x6x 13 or so.. the closest size was 16. Wasn't sure how I was going to transport it, brought a towel and rope. Was thinking of propping it on the roof, angled down toward the tailgate. I had the back sliding window open on the way to Lowes, walking back to the truck I then thought - take advantage of that. Of course it went to the windshield, I put a towel around the end of it. As shown the most it stuck out was about 2 1/2'.

 

[festerw]

I was thinking about this thread while driving yesterday, and noting that physics generally agrees with my experience, in that every 4600 lb. pickup I’ve ever owned gets the same local mileage. Engine displacement has almost no effect in the mileage I see:

4.3L V6 Chevy K1500 5sp. manual = 14 MPG
4.7L V8 Dodge 1500 6sp. manual = 14 MPG
5.7L V8 Hemi Ram 1500 8sp. auto = 14.6 MPG

Bottom line, when you’re accelerating the same weight to the same velocity over the same time interval, you’re going to use roughly the same amount of fuel. There is no magic bullet, here.

Get to constant highway speeds, and then the game changes. There the acceleration factor diminishes, and drag and efficiency take over. However, I almost never drive my pickup truck on a highway, it’s all local use.

This makes me feel better about the 15mpg I get in my 04 4.7 4 speed auto Tundra Double Cab.

 

[Ashful]

This makes me feel better about the 15mpg I get in my 04 4.7 4 speed auto Tundra Double Cab.

Hah... those are just my pickups. My last two cars (hatchback and a sedan) were 8 mpg and 12 mpg, with my usual commute (local country roads). Both had motors just slightly bigger than 5.7 liters.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Eventually electric or electric assist will take over the short trips in just about every class of vehicle.IMHO. Makes so much more sense. Instant torque, low operating cost per mile,a filling station in every home,multiple ways to generate fuel,no harm to motors not getting up to temp. at present about one third the cost of fuel.(electric vs gasoline),ability to recover braking energy ect. And loads of power for the HP lovers.

 

[Stelcom66]

Eventually electric or electric assist will take over the short trips in just about every class of vehicle.IMHO. Makes so much more sense. Instant torque, low operating cost per mile,a filling station in every home,multiple ways to generate fuel,no harm to motors not getting up to temp. at present about one third the cost of fuel.(electric vs gasoline),ability to recover braking energy ect. And loads of power for the HP lovers.

Makes good sense. I believe GM and Dodge offer electric assist on the new V6 engines. maybe the V8s? This may be the new technology trend, not really a hybrid but the net result like a hybrid is less fuel used and torque. That's the advantage of electric motors - all the available torque is on hand. That's why (I believe) locomotive's wheels are electric motors, no transmission needed.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Im anxiously looking forward to news of the GM 4Cy turbo. Hard to wrap my head around a 4cy in a full sized pickup truck but 325HP is plenty for average use. Even with 2Cy deactivated for cruising your still left with enough HP to maintain Hwy speed.(unless your towing)

 

[Ashful]

...but 325HP is plenty for average use.

Define “plenty”.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Define “plenty”.

Probably for a good percentage of truck owners it is plenty. 40 more than their entry level engine right now. Of course if you have a need for 400+ Hp you can get that too.

 

[rudysmallfry]

From what I've read a stock a 2500HD 6.0L with the 4.10 gears is lucky to get over 13mpg. The folks with the 3.73 rear are doing a bit better.

I have Chevy 2500HD with the 6.0 with the 3.73 gears. I get about 18mpg when not towing my horse trailer. I do agree with others who say the body will rust out on most trucks before the engine and other parts are worn out. Then again I'm in New England with all the snow and salt.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I have Chevy 2500HD with the 6.0 with the 3.73 gears. I get about 18mpg when not towing my horse trailer. I do agree with others who say the body will rust out on most trucks before the engine and other parts are worn out. Then again I'm in New England with all the snow and salt.

Thats not bad MPG for a larger 8cy, im assuming that Hwy miles.What year is that? Could probably improve on that with an 8 or 10 speed tranny.

 

[Stelcom66]

Thats not bad MPG for a larger 8cy, im assuming that Hwy miles.What year is that? Could probably improve on that with an 8 or 10 speed tranny.

I was going to say that's very good for a 3/4 ton and that engine. It is impressive that the new GM 4 cyl. engine is good for 325 hp. I just wonder what the reliability will be like, especially when older.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I just wonder what the reliability will be like, especially when older.

For me its not an issue as im planning a 2 yr lease.

 

[Stelcom66]

Probably highway MPGs will be great with the 4 cyl.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

. Hard to wrap my head around a 4cy in a full sized pickup truck but 325HP is plenty for average use.

Correction :The HP rating is 310 , not 325 . Still 25 more than the V-6 though.

 

[Ashful]

Correction :The HP rating is 310 , not 325 . Still 25 more than the V-6 though.

What’s the heaviest trailer you’ll be pulling at highway speeds? Around town is never the issue on these, it’s always maintaining 65 mph while going up some of those central-PA hills, that causes cursing and frustration.

Me? I’m still thinking of adding a supercharger to my 5.7L Hemi. ;-)

 

[Seasoned Oak]

What’s the heaviest trailer you’ll be pulling at highway speeds? Around town is never the issue on these, it’s always maintaining 65 mph while going up some of those central-PA hills, that causes cursing and frustration.

Me? I’m still thinking of adding a supercharger to my 5.7L Hemi. ;-)

Probably NO trailer . If i have to pull anything heavy id want a HD 3/4 ton for the heavy brakes and 12K towing capacity ,which i already have for the grunt jobs. Lots of choices for high HP . You would want the 6.2 i assume. Good solid engine with lots of power to spare. Respectable Hwy MPG to boot.

 

[woodhog73]

Sorry I didn’t even read the thread......too long.....long time F150 owner a few different years currently 2017 f150 5.0 and its Awesome get 20.5 mpg around town and highway mix and pull a 5,000 camper at 14mpg over 700 miles what more can I say ?

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Sorry I didn’t even read the thread......too long.....long time F150 owner a few different years currently 2017 f150 5.0 and its Awesome get 20.5 mpg around town and highway mix and pull a 5,000 camper at 14mpg over 700 miles what more can I say ?

Thats amazing.My in town MPG is the pits. 9 with the HD 8cyl 3/4 ton and 11 with the v6 half ton.

 

[Ashful]

Thats amazing.My in town MPG is the pits. 9 with the HD 8cyl 3/4 ton and 11 with the v6 half ton.

lead foot.

I drive hard by most folks' standards, and I'm still clearing 14 MPG with a 5.7L Hemi and 3.92 rear in my half ton.

 

[bholler]

lead foot.

I drive hard by most folks' standards, and I'm still clearing 14 MPG with a 5.7L Hemi and 3.92 rear in my half ton.

Hell i just checked the mpg of my bronco with 5.8 and 3.55s and i got 14 after 3 weeks. That is assuming my odometer is accurate which probably isnt a safe assumption. And it was driven pretty hard to.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

lead foot.
I drive hard by most folks' standards, and I'm still clearing 14 MPG with a 5.7L Hemi and 3.92 rear in my half ton.

Most of my in town driving is less than a mile,stop and go. Plus theses trucks are old. But i doubt id get the official city MPG with a new truck that rarely warms up to operating temps.

 

[Ashful]

Most of my in town driving is less than a mile,stop and go. Plus theses trucks are old. But i doubt id get the official city MPG with a new truck that rarely warms up to operating temps.

Same here. My commute is so short that it’s just reaching operating temp when I’m shutting it off. That’s why I’m only getting 14 MPG, and not the advertised (high 20’s?) MPG.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Same here. My commute is so short that it’s just reaching operating temp when I’m shutting it off. That’s why I’m only getting 14 MPG, and not the advertised (high 20’s?) MPG.

I believe your truck is rated somewhere around 14 city 20 hwy.