Ram 3500 vs Ford F350 Highway MPG Comparison - TFL Truck Review
- Thread starter Bohemian
- Start date
Tests . . . shmests. Too many vairables. Pulling a 2014 Cyclone 4100 with a 2013 3500hd Duramax dually, I am lucky to get 10 mpg, level, headed east with a 30 knot tailwind going downhill. With just me, cell phone, empty tool box, hitch and a hat, I never get more than 17.5 driving with an egg under my foot
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My 2013 F350 SWD does 14.0 around town. When pulling my 5th wheel it gets 10.5 ('14 LM Monterey) over 1500 miles between Yuma, AZ and Salem, OR. Would like to get what my buddy does on his 2013 F350, he is getting about 1-2 mpg better. It has a 3.73 with 20" wheels mine is the 3.55 with 18". Not sure if his driving style is same as mine. I generally drive a little faster 65-70 than he does 60-65. When buying this truck I test drove all the brands and most models of those brands. Choose Ford because of the ride quality. Price was a deal maker also. Ford ended up being $3000 less for same options. I do know that going up the grades my F350 has all the power needed to pass any thing else on the road hauling a trailer.
Bohemian
Well-known member
avvidclif
Well-known member
Speed is the enemy of fuel mileage, slow down to 60 and see what happens.
Bob&Patty
Founders of SoCal Chapter
Fuel mileage a very subjective thing. No drivers are the same. No trailer weight is the same. No roads that are traveled are the same. No speeds driven are the same. From Socal everything from here is up hill. I still get between 10-12 MPG towing.
So here we go again, we have people berating a persons choice in trucks. I will drive my GMC and tow with everybody and will be their when they arrive. If you drive what you like...so be it. But you have no right to belittle anyone for their choice in truck brands they buy. Its gets very old to me and I'm sure to other people. Old saying..."if you don't have something nice to say...don't say anything".
So here we go again, we have people berating a persons choice in trucks. I will drive my GMC and tow with everybody and will be their when they arrive. If you drive what you like...so be it. But you have no right to belittle anyone for their choice in truck brands they buy. Its gets very old to me and I'm sure to other people. Old saying..."if you don't have something nice to say...don't say anything".
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
The big three have been playing the game for a while now. Ford has an advantage because their block is designed from the ground up with the latest technology. GM has a great V8 diesel also, they will be tweaking it soon. Cummins has a great platform that is to the point of not being able to advance much further. Look for Cummins or Ram to come out with a high tech v8 platform in the future.
These guys can only do so much with their engine blocks. Its really about durability, all modern 250/2500 and 350/3500 can pull Wolf Creek Pass at a reasonable speed, and decent efficiency in fuel burn. It takes X amount of fuel to do X work. And each of the big three are working on that day and night
These guys can only do so much with their engine blocks. Its really about durability, all modern 250/2500 and 350/3500 can pull Wolf Creek Pass at a reasonable speed, and decent efficiency in fuel burn. It takes X amount of fuel to do X work. And each of the big three are working on that day and night
JanAndBill
Well-known member
Cummins already has a V8 going to Toyota.
I've gotten in the 11 mpg range once or twice, but typically on downhill, no- or low-wind days. Last summer we hauled pretty much the entire way (i.e. almost no unhitched driving) from the Seattle area, down through Utah and across the Rockies on I-70. Average over 9 tanks of fuel was 9.8. I'd consider that my typical long-term average pulling our 15,500 lb. BC. (DRW, 3.73 axle, rear wheel drive). Unless constrained by a lower speed limit, we typically run 65 mph.
A recent forced engine computer update (recall) seems to maybe have increased mileage at least a minor amount (too early to tell, to be honest) but has definitely not hurt it. I seem to be getting 10.1-10.3 pretty consistently lately.
Note that these are all hand-computed (I keep track of all my fill-ups using an app), though our trip computer has consistently been pretty accurate (within 0.2 mpg either way).
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
I just want to make Bob feel better.
Ford guys will alway try to help a stranded GM guy. Ram drivers would too, but Ram drivers don't carry tools. Our lug wrenches won't fit because our nuts are bigger.
Ford guys will alway try to help a stranded GM guy. Ram drivers would too, but Ram drivers don't carry tools. Our lug wrenches won't fit because our nuts are bigger.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
Bob if you're talking to me, that is what I was trying to communicate.
The big three are getting as much as they can out of these platforms. Ford has an advantage in that they have a "from the ground up" design. Designed, machined and built with the latest, greatest, technology.
For example, My 6.7 Cummins is heavier than the Power Stroke (60 lbs) and the Duramax (200 lbs). Think that RAM would like to have that 200 lbs to put somewhere else?
As far as flying apart, ask cummins about their head bolt mod.
The big three are getting as much as they can out of these platforms. Ford has an advantage in that they have a "from the ground up" design. Designed, machined and built with the latest, greatest, technology.
For example, My 6.7 Cummins is heavier than the Power Stroke (60 lbs) and the Duramax (200 lbs). Think that RAM would like to have that 200 lbs to put somewhere else?
As far as flying apart, ask cummins about their head bolt mod.
porthole
Retired
After GM came out with 71 series diesel, Gray Marine took notice and marinized it for WWII landing craft. Quickly followed in the recreational market as a lightweight 2 stroke diesel with good power to weight ratio.
Didn't take long for other companies to start doing their own marinizations including Detroit Diesel and Johnson & Towers, who became one of the biggest suppliers of the 71 series in boats.
Just like in trucks, horsepower started creeping up. Originally only 230 HP marine versions, slowly climbing over the years. 300-350-380-410-450 all the way up to 485 with a J&T TIB's.
Marine 410-TI (turbocharged and intercooled), running all day at 80% power proved to be a reliable engine. 450-TI (turbocharged, intercooled and bigger injectors) were good up to 1000 hours before in-frame rebuilds (very easy with the 71 series).
485-TIB's, bigger turbos, intercooled, aftercooled and even bigger injectors became known as J&T grenades - Someone finally found the limit.
6-71 - 6 cylinders at 71 cubic inches each = 426 cubic inches.
6.7 liter = 408 cubi inches
6.6L DMax 403 cubic inches
I think we might be at the reliability limit with 380-440 horse power from our just over 400 cubic inch diesels.
porthole
Retired
I think most of what we do here is in fun, not belittling.
When I had my Dodge I thought it was the best, when I had my GM's I thought they were the best, and with my current Ford I think it is the best. And I have no doubt, whatever I buy next will be the best.
Bob&Patty
Founders of SoCal Chapter
Duane, as far as I am concerned, the big 3 all make good trucks. It's just a matter of personal choice. It's close to being a mens locker room compareing stuff. Who caught the biggest fish and so on. An inline 6 cyl will always have more torque...thats just the way it is. Long stroke...smaller bore. My question still is...how much power do you need in a pickup truck. If you want brute power, buy a class 8 truck (Pete or KW) that has 3000# + torque and 500+ HP.
As to the Detroit engines, I drove some big ol' trucks with the 71 series engines and some with the 92 series. The only issue with the 71 series, you could not hear for many hours after driving all day. The 92 series was a blast to drive.. Still my personal choice was a 855 ci 350 HP "Cum-a-long". Never did drive a 1693 kitty Kat but they were a brute. It was not hard to tell when one was passing you...you could hear the turbo whine a 1/4 mile away. They would pass you on a hill like you were on jack stands. OH, the good old days of trucking.
As to the Detroit engines, I drove some big ol' trucks with the 71 series engines and some with the 92 series. The only issue with the 71 series, you could not hear for many hours after driving all day. The 92 series was a blast to drive.. Still my personal choice was a 855 ci 350 HP "Cum-a-long". Never did drive a 1693 kitty Kat but they were a brute. It was not hard to tell when one was passing you...you could hear the turbo whine a 1/4 mile away. They would pass you on a hill like you were on jack stands. OH, the good old days of trucking.
avvidclif
Well-known member
Backwards too,,,
porthole
Retired
The marine world is a bit different. There are many of boat captain that just love the sound of a pair of 6-71's cruising along at 2000 rpm in sync, through 8" exhaust pipes (not really much of a muffler). And it really is not that loud, as long as you didn't pull up the insulating floor boards. Now that is an experience in a sport fishing boat under load at 2000 rpm. Better have ear plugs and muffs.
And the start up roll in the morning while they come up to temp is quite unique.
2psnapod2
Texas-South Chapter Leaders-Retired
Jim the bigger they are, the harder they fall! To me I saw no Criticism going on, maybe a little picking, but just for fun!
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