Can I get better gas mileage?

[Jon Teeter]

I have a 98 dakota 4x4 ext cab 5speed with a 318, I get about 12-13 miles to a gallon in the city.Thats not beating the hell out of it.I was wondering what the best way to gain mileage is thats not going to rob the bank.Will a throttle body spacer do anything except whistle?Maybe dual exhaust or air intake?I love the truck but I have had a chevy with a 350 I got at least 15 mpg in so I would think this truck should do better.

[neon_rt]

If you add a low restriction exhaust, you may not gain enough mileage in town driving to measure, but you may gain 1-2 on the highway. You are best off to make sure that you keep the engine tuned up and you can gain some mileage (5-10%) overall by changing your diffs, transfer case and engine to synthetic lubes and oil. Using a K&N air filter direct replacement or FIPK (performance replacement) can add some potential to your mileage. Removing the mechanical fan and replacing it with an electric setup will save you some gas. This mod will also make your A/C (if equiped) work a lot better while idling in traffic on a hot day (if you set it up right). You can also dilligently check your air pressure in your tires and make sure you keep at least the minimum requirement in them. I use the door sticker guidline for the back tires but add an extra 3 psi to the front so the front and back tires look the same when the truck is parked. Tires on a 4wd can make a huge difference in mileage. A radial all season tire may yield 15-20% better gas mileage than a mud/off road tire. I change the tires on my Jeep before/after winter mostly b/c of mileage. I get 18-19mpg with the winter tires on and 21-22mpg with the all season tires on. A mod that you can do to save money that doesn't cost money is, improve your driving technique. That doesn't mean you have to drive slower, just smarter.

[dogpals]

Replace the Fan and Fan Clutch with a Black Magic electric Fan. I have a 99 Dakota 5.2 and picked up 15 HP and 3 miles per gallon average. You have no idea how much power it takes to turn that monsterous fan. The electric Fan has a thermostat that comes on 200 deg. In the winter it hardly comes on at all, saves the water pumps also.

[Michael Shatto]

Costs, but the best thing I did for my 98 3.9 was Gibson headers. Scary acceleration and better MPG. Works best around 2,000 RPM, where the engine lives.

[xtremespeed999]

Tornado, Torpedo???
i have a 03 r/t and i put a 14" air cleaner with a tornado sitting in it? i am getting 14.7 mpg on avg. in the city with 17-19.5 on the highway, pending on head wind. When tonneau cover is on 18-22 mpg on the highway.

[soapsuds22]

Don't waste your money with a tornado.

[Jon Teeter]

I think I'll look into the electric fan and maybe the headers too since I plan on getting a dual exhaust also.As far as the tornado I havn't heard of any difference from the half dozen or so people that I know have bought them.

[Jon Teeter]

What about a throttle body spacer? I've heard claims of a couple mpg better.

[w9awx]

The throttle body manufactures that I have read about claim no increase of power or mileage. The only difference is possibly better throttle response.