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My '05 Dakota QC4WD gets a wopping 13.2MPG average. In desperation, I purchased an Access Tonnue Cover and a Scan Guage II. So far, I think I am up to 15.4MPG by just adding the cover. Also I run Amsoil lubricants and air filter. I still need to over-inflate the tires, but what else can be done. Do "Tornadoes" work? and what about grill covering?

Welcome jetbatt-
The tonneau cover was a smart purchase.
Tornadoes: no... Grill Block: yes, but watch the summer temps

If you haven't, read about Beating the EPA http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1510
Mods and hardware typically bring about minor changes. They are just tools dependent on the skills of those that use them. The better the artisan, the more valuable the tool.

Keith

jetbatt:

Welcome!

Yes, there is hope for a Dakota. Please read "Beating the EPA" and pump up your tires to sidewall pressure (don't even have to be overinflated).

With stock hauling setup (including tires at rated sidewall), my '94 V8 Club Cab Dakota (Automatic) with Cap is almost identical to yours. Same EPA rating, same frame, close body & weight, everything.

With mild hypermiling going on (Coasting, DWL, shutting down at long lights), I consistently got 16.5-17.5MPG in town, 18-20 on local highways, and 21-23MPG on the Interstate.

The keys for the Dakota are pumping up the tires to recommended sidewall, keeping under 65MPH, and backing off the throttle after shifting to reduce rpms while maintaining speed.

The pumping up the tires is probably good for 2MPG while reducing speed from 75MPH to 65MPH DOUBLED my gas mileage. Anytime the throttle hits 2000rpm, you're killing your FE.

Feel free to ask anymore questions.

-Marc

Correction, your version of the Dakota is rated 1-2MPG higher than mine.

Even better!:)

Just had new tires put on and filled with nitrogen to "doorjam" recommendation. The "Nitrogen and You" pamphlet says that it can be topped off with air, but I want to see how much an improvement just adding nitro will do. The tire salesman says that nitro is worth 2-3mpgs. .....we'll see.

jetbatt-

You are aware of the difference between door label and sidewall recommendation?

Door label will produce the softest ride and least noise according to the car maker. It gives up quite a lot of MPG and load capacity.

Sidewall will give the best tire wear, load capacity, and MPG as recommended by the tire maker. The only downside is more noise and a slightly harsher ride.

I would NEVER run a Pickup under rated sidewall except in the very worst mud/snow. Even while running through cornfields and muck while surveying, my tires were at sidewall.

Inflating your tires with nitrogen helps your MPG because it makes your wallet lighter :D

Unless you get that stuff for free, don't buy it. It doesn't help MPG at all. It only makes a difference in very high performance applications (racing cars, aircraft tires, etc).

Actually nitrogen helps by maintaining consistent pressures in all four tires without respect to temperature changes. The same 40lbs they put in my Jeep Wrangler tires 8 months ago is still 40lbs. No, I don't think the actual nitrogen makes a difference, but the equal and consistant pressures do.
OBTW, I just went back up to the tire dealer and had them max sidewall the pressures in my tires. Of course they tried to argue with me, but I told them, " MY truck, My tires, and My Nitrogen! Fill 'em up!" Besides that, the idiots had 32-41-35-37 lbs in the tires that they just put on. They like to go on and on about how much milage I can save with nitro, but they cant even get the pressures equal!

yeah, stealers always argue if they don't get as much from you as they can from any one else. nice-on coasting works very well, which is what I do except for 2 ile coasts, or coast to a stoplight that will exceed 20 seconds. this plus max sidewall, dwl, dwb, pulse and glide, are the techniques that got me up to where I am. I did start out quite a bit harsh, (ice off a lot) so when i did nice on coasting, and got virtually the same mileage, It feels like I'm not doing that much hypermiling, when i really am! so...its kinda like overindulging, getting used to it, then backing off. it worked for me! and still is ;)

I work at a hospital and have to monitor our medical gas system which includes nitrogen. Our other gas includes nitrous. The gas tanks are stored outside away from the building and out in the sun. We see big changes in pressure on the Nos system with temperature changes but none with the nitrogen. Regular air pressure drops roughly 2psi for every 10 degree drop in outside temperature. It also rises 2psi for every 10 degree increase in temperature. Check tire pressure in the morning in the shade. The sun will give you false readings due to the heating it causes on the tires and the air inside. Though what you said about nitrogen and pressure is true I'd rather buy a $10 to $15 portable air compressor and a cheap tire gauge than fill up on nitrogen. My compressor has more than paid for itself in the 11 years I've owned it and it's still going strong.

All I can say is that going to all this trouble to save an MPG here or there.....WORKS!!
from 13.5mpg to 17.3 MPG! This is my first "Official" tank.

All I can say is that going to all this trouble to save an MPG here or there.....WORKS!!
from 13.5mpg to 17.3 MPG! This is my first "Official" tank.
Welcome to CleanMPG. I would agree with you that it works. I'm a bit slow with math but it looks like you improved just a shade under 26%.:woot: Great job!

Sure, does work. Pretty soon you'll be so used to all the techniques you like to use that hypermiling will be very easy and come second nature. You'll get smoother and smoother gaining experience with each drive as you watch the mpgs climb. :)

What's funny is seeing a line of vehicles in my rearveiw mirror on the way to work. They are following me in the "slow lane" doing 60mph on the freeway. We look like a Nascar race under caution.

We need some window stickers that say," Don't give me the finger, I'm HyperMiling!"

Or, "Get in Line, I'm HyperMiling too!"

Hi All,

A coworker of mine had one of the Dodge Dakota pickups. He was really shocked by the poor mileage. Yep, he put on the toneau cover, too. He said he was getting even worse mileage than his old Explorer (if that is possible!).

I think the issue with the vehicle is the tire and wheel well size. The tires are much too large for the weight of the vehicle, and the wheel wells are oversized for the already oversized tires. And with the large tires, the bottom of the truck sees lots of air flow, as its well off the ground. An aerodynamic belly pan, and narrower tires (if they are even available) are probably what would be needed to help this truck out. You might also try tire airdams, like on a Prius and many other cars. These are bits of plastic that stick down from the car in front of the tires. They help prevent airflow up into the wheel well. You might also try wheel well covers. Check the aerodynamics forums on www.ecomodder.com to talk with some experienced pickup truck aero-modders.

Oh, and my coworker traded his in on a one of those 2.4 liter Hyundai SUV's.

Do some careful testing to see if the Cover is really helping. There was some "real science" thingie on tv awhile back where they actually tested drag in a small wind tunnel with a few of those things. It turned out that the lowest drag was actually with the bed empty/uncovered and the tailgate UP! This was because a vortex of air would swirl around between the tailgate and the cab and actually deflect the majority of the airflow over the tailgate so that only the front of the truck was causing significant drag.

Obviously one can't vouch for "science" on tv, but it could be worth your while to test it.

@Jaral

You may be talking about myth buster episode 64. The first testing was done on episode 43 but they only tested tailgate up and tailgate down, showing that tailgate up is best.

This site has a recap of episode 64, that shows hard top and tailgate up is the same, while a mesh tailgate is the best, improving efficiency by 5%, although I don't know if the 5% is in comparison to tailgate up or down.

http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2006/10/episode_64_more_myths_revisite.html

All I can say is that going to all this trouble to save an MPG here or there.....WORKS!!
from 13.5mpg to 17.3 MPG! This is my first "Official" tank.My wife used to have a Dakota ('97, 5.2V8, 4x4, manual tranny, xtended cab) and routinely got 18mpg. This was mixed driving, probably 60% highway, 40% city. (on a side note: A co-worker of hers had nearly the same truck except it was a V6 with an auto tranny (same year, body style, 4x4, etc) and he could only manage 16MPG. )

Now, I know 18 isn't great mileage around here but my wife has a bit of a right foot issue (so do I at times) but if she can get 18MPG out of a V8 Dakota, someone actively trying for FE should easily be able to get into the 20s. Good luck and that's a great start.

Mythbusters are entertaining,in the cover or tailgate up down thing, well we can see 2mpg in the real world mabey they are wrong?!
With the f-150 i used to drive I saw 1.5 better with the cover
.5 better with k&n
.75 with under drive pulleys but at 200 bucks and them being aluminum and wearing out in 2 years about 50,000 miles they where a lot of work
electric fans would help you as well about 1.25 mpg for me
My guess is 16" rims on your truck when looking for new tires consider 8 or 10 ply tires they will ride a little rough but can be run at 80-psi and try for highway tread type NOT open lug design (mud type) I had a set of MTRs and cut me for 2mpg and rattled my teeth below 5mph
good luck!

I work at a hospital and have to monitor our medical gas system which includes nitrogen. Our other gas includes nitrous. The gas tanks are stored outside away from the building and out in the sun. We see big changes in pressure on the Nos system with temperature changes but none with the nitrogen. Regular air pressure drops roughly 2psi for every 10 degree drop in outside temperature. It also rises 2psi for every 10 degree increase in temperature. Check tire pressure in the morning in the shade. The sun will give you false readings due to the heating it causes on the tires and the air inside. Though what you said about nitrogen and pressure is true I'd rather buy a $10 to $15 portable air compressor and a cheap tire gauge than fill up on nitrogen. My compressor has more than paid for itself in the 11 years I've owned it and it's still going strong.
Nitrous, nitrogen, and oxygen all behave as ideal gases and have the same temperature-pressure dependence. I get so tired of people talking about how great nitrogen in tires is and then all the resulting misinformation. It's not rocket science; it's beginner chemistry.

My explorer gets crap mileage the way my wife drives it (15mpg). I drove it on a 78mi trip to her parents, and got 28mpg. That's what I got in my Accord before I started hypermiling!! Dwl is what makes the biggest difference in a truck, since they have good torque.