need ideas for mileage for a 2012 Ram 3500 dually diesel

sirkdev · Jul 4, 2020

So a rodeo mom friend of ours just installed a DPF delete with bully dog GT. Mileage hasn't really improved at all and she is still averaging 11mpg empty. Pulling it is much worse. I am a ford guy and don't know much about the 6.7 cummins. What does it take to wake these things up and get some mileage. She tows close to 15000 lbs regularly. I would like to set the defuel and boost settings max for her as well as the mechanic did not.
Truck has 160km on it seems in decent shape, are EGR systems an issue or do they usually go away with the DPF delete as well?

Thanks for suggestions.

Pink-Inc · Jul 4, 2020

The bully dog is not the best unit. A good Efi live tune from a reputable shop should net much better results on mileage and drivability

sirkdev · Jul 4, 2020

any recommendations? She lives around Rimbey

Pink-Inc · Jul 4, 2020

I don't know many shops down that area. I use No Limit here in GP. CCS in Nisku seems to have a good following although I have no personal experience. That truck should be getting closer to the 20's with a good tune. Not sure if the bully dog does it but the egr will be shut off with a proper tune

ABMax24 · Jul 4, 2020

A lot of times the reason people report such great numbers after tuning is because the tuner never re-calibrated the mileage display for all the injector pulse-width modifications. Hand calculated numbers will rarely match the instrument cluster in these cases.

How is it being driven though? 11mpg or 21.4 L/100km isn't so terrible if it's city driving. I'd start with the basics, dirty air filter, brake dragging, fan clutch stuck on, transmission fluid condition, diff fluid, tire pressure.

Cyle · Jul 5, 2020

If it's deleted, there is no more EGR to worry about so was it actually fully deleted? The pre 13's just didn't get crap for mileage. 13 and the addition of urea up'd the mileage substantially. But if it's deleted there isn't much difference between the years. 11 MPG empty is really bad for a 3500, you should be getting about 10 MPG towing heavy. In contrast my 09 5500 gets about 9 mpg mixed empty and towing, and that's with 4.88 gears and it weights 11k empty and pulls between 12-16k.

Frankenytro · Jul 5, 2020

I actually found my bullydog tuned 6.7 Cummins to get the best girl millage when set to extreme. Sounds crazy, but it is the honest truth. A guys just gotta keep his foot out of it or else the millage gain thought is just a wasted thought lol.

52weekbreak · Jul 5, 2020

My 2012 3500 consistently gets 11 MPG (24 L/100 KMs) pulling a fifth wheel down the QEII at 120 - 125 KMPH. Empty is ranges between 14 L/100 KMS normally to as little as 12 L/100 KMS if everything is just right (wind, long smooth road etc.) which is 19 to 22 and it has not been deleted. The above is using Imperial Gallons not US Gallons and the mileage gauges are set for US which is about 17% less in volume so my ranges above would be 9 MPUSG and 15 to 18 MPG.

Son's 2008 with the 6.7 did the same and improved by about 20% after delete along with an increase in power.

Bottom line, dually or not it seems there is room for improvement. Good luck.

sirkdev · Jul 5, 2020

Ah... you guys are adding more to my to do list.. thanks for all the thoughts it looks like I am going to have get my hands on this rig for a week and drive it to see what is happening was kind of hoping it was an easy fix but it looks like it may be a bunch of things added up.

Luke The Drifter · Jul 5, 2020

My 2012 megacab 6.7 Cummins deleted consistently got 17-19mpg empty, 10-12mpg pulling a trailer. If it isn't gone already, scrap the EGR system, pull the baffle out of the air intake, and if she's willing to spend the cash, open up the intake manifold and charge pipes. Also get the valve lash set, Dodge has a really broad spec range for the valve lash clearances for these engines, .010" intake and .026" exhaust if memory serves me right.

pfi572 · Jul 5, 2020

It’s kind of hilarious listening to all this .
Pulling 12000 lbs with my old 2006 4x4 cc long box standard trans with a 460 and good exhaust it would get 7.5 - 8 mpg . Lol
Not a lot of power pulling through the mountains in BC but still .
Buy a newer diesel and then start spending the coin to get it to work ?
My 2011 f250 6.2 cc long box with 4:30 gears was about the same pulling .
Disclaimer, lol
I do have a 2012 Dmax deleted as well but it gets 23-26L pulling 15000 lbs as well which I thought was good .
Deleting it didn’t do anything for fuel economy and it’s the EFI live tuning .
About a stock tune as didn’t want any more power have have trans problem.

arff · Jul 5, 2020

What transmission and diff ratio does it have?

Reason I ask is my srw 3500 6.7 has a 3.42 rear diff

My 2016 dually I just got has a 410
It’s about 500 more rpm at 110 km/hr

This trip towing my toyhauler on QE2 at 114 km/hr It say I got 28L/100 km. On the dash anyway average. I happy with that.

sirkdev · Jul 5, 2020

These are all good questions and she doesn't know.. I'm going to take it for a week or so a month and see what I can figure out.

arff said:
What transmission and diff ratio does it have?

Reason I ask is my srw 3500 6.7 has a 3.42 rear diff

My 2016 dually I just got has a 410
It’s about 500 more rpm at 110 km/hr

This trip towing my toyhauler on QE2 at 114 km/hr It say I got 28L/100 km. On the dash anyway average. I happy with that.

2010m8 · Jul 5, 2020

sirkdev said:
any recommendations? She lives around Rimbey

Armor inc diesel and suspension in red deer. Did the delete on my truck. 16 ram 3500. Happy with it. They use efi live tuning.

need ideas for mileage for a 2012 Ram 3500 dually diesel

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