Post up your cold air intakes and experience? Looking for better mpg

[cecaa850]

This has been proven to not be the case. There are no MPG gains from adding a cover to a truck of any kind.

I got almost 2mpg.

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[Jeeperjamie]

I got almost 2mpg.

That seems totally unrealistic, but who knows, there is always that 1 in a million chance.

 

[cecaa850]

SEMA, Specialty Equipment Market Association uses a study of drag that was made in 1997 by Todd J. Ortolani and Vanwijak Ewosakul at Western New England College’s Department of Mechanical Engineering titled “Improving Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Dodge Ram Pickup Truck.” Basically they discovered that Cd (coefficient of drag) was reduced by 11.81% when compared to a standard model(without mirrors and tailgate up). It shows that the MPG went from 16 MPG for the standard vehicle to 17.18 MPG with a tonneau cover. It may not seem like a large number, but over time this will make a huge difference in your wallet.

To conclude the argument, some sites say a tonneau cover will save you 10-15% on gas. According to the aforementioned studies, a cover will actually save you closer to 6% based on what type of cover and how you drive. It may be less than expected, but a cover will easily pay for itself over time – especially with rising gas prices. Use the savings calculator below to see how quick your tonneau cover will pay for itself!



Those were from the web. There are others.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

SEMA, Specialty Equipment Market Association uses a study of drag that was made in 1997 by Todd J. Ortolani and Vanwijak Ewosakul at Western New England College’s Department of Mechanical Engineering titled “Improving Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Dodge Ram Pickup Truck.” Basically they discovered that Cd (coefficient of drag) was reduced by 11.81% when compared to a standard model(without mirrors and tailgate up). It shows that the MPG went from 16 MPG for the standard vehicle to 17.18 MPG with a tonneau cover. It may not seem like a large number, but over time this will make a huge difference in your wallet.

To conclude the argument, some sites say a tonneau cover will save you 10-15% on gas. According to the aforementioned studies, a cover will actually save you closer to 6% based on what type of cover and how you drive. It may be less than expected, but a cover will easily pay for itself over time – especially with rising gas prices. Use the savings calculator below to see how quick your tonneau cover will pay for itself!



Those were from the web. There are others.

You shouldn't believe everything you read online

 

[Bonanza]

I got almost 2mpg.

If this was the case every pickup truck in the country would come with them stock. Avoiding the fleet MPG penalties would offset the parts cost. This is the exact reason the start/stop system is in place-- it eeks out a bare increase in MPG for the EPA test. Adding a bed cover has been proven to do next to nothing, based on the properties of air itself. It acts like a liquid, just less dense. So the box full of air is akin to a pool of air. It's not turbulent as you drive along, but the air rushing over it is. In essence, because no air can displace the air in the bed, the air rushes over it and out the back.

I think mythbusters did something on it years ago, and they also compared the tailgate up vs. down-- traditional thinking was tailgate "up" acted as a vertical wing. But in fact, tailgate down caused an mpg loss because it upset the aerodynamics of the aforementioned "pool of air" and created turbulence in the bed area.

A way to replicate this experiment is getting a small box, and fill it with whatever items. Marbles, tacks, etc. Submerge the box in a bathtub, pool, etc. and sling it back and forth while keeping it level. The items inside the box should remain inside no matter how quickly the box travels on a linear plane.

Neat eh?

Edit-- consumer reports link from 2013 with real world test:
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/08/pickup-truck-tailgates-and-fuel-economy/index.htm

 

[Jeeperjamie]

If this was the case every pickup truck in the country would come with them stock. Avoiding the fleet MPG penalties would offset the parts cost. This is the exact reason the start/stop system is in place-- it eeks out a bare increase in MPG for the EPA test. Adding a bed cover has been proven to do next to nothing, based on the properties of air itself. It acts like a liquid, just less dense. So the box full of air is akin to a pool of air. It's not turbulent as you drive along, but the air rushing over it is. In essence, because no air can displace the air in the bed, the air rushes over it and out the back.

I think mythbusters did something on it years ago, and they also compared the tailgate up vs. down-- traditional thinking was tailgate "up" acted as a vertical wing. But in fact, tailgate down caused an mpg loss because it upset the aerodynamics of the aforementioned "pool of air" and created turbulence in the bed area.

Neat eh?

This^

 

[cgflyer]

I agree that there may be areas of the tune that can be improved upon performance wise and MPG wise. There always is. I'd be willing to bet my vast fortune (in nickels, dimes, and quarters, it would fit in a #2 washtub) that the resulting tune would either be potentially harmful to the powertrain or nowhere near being 50 state legal from an emissions standpoint.

A chuck in a truck with a laptop connected to your ECM is all fine and good. He doesn't have quite the restrictions the Jeep guys have when it comes to ECM tuning.

They all advertise 50 State legal, but I will know soon enough. My inspection is due next month and VA has emissions in some counties including mine but I think that is a biannual test, so we'll see next year. I don't think my tune is doing anything to the powertrain however. The meager HP gains claimed by the dyno tests don't occur until like 5,000 RPMs and I am almost NEVER in that range. In fact I can't even get there past 3rd gear unless I really try. I owned a 2012 JKR with the 3.6 Rubi and I've owned 2 Cherokees and a TJ with the 4.0...Luckily I avoided the 3.8...The 3.6 Pentastar has pros and cons. I really wanted a manual, but I have regrets from time to time for not waiting for the diesel. My last vehicle was a 2015 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel and I loved it. I love my current JT setup now, but do miss my ecodiesel. 24-28 mpgs in the Gladiator would be nice.

 

[cgflyer]

SEMA, Specialty Equipment Market Association uses a study of drag that was made in 1997 by Todd J. Ortolani and Vanwijak Ewosakul at Western New England College’s Department of Mechanical Engineering titled “Improving Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Dodge Ram Pickup Truck.” Basically they discovered that Cd (coefficient of drag) was reduced by 11.81% when compared to a standard model(without mirrors and tailgate up). It shows that the MPG went from 16 MPG for the standard vehicle to 17.18 MPG with a tonneau cover. It may not seem like a large number, but over time this will make a huge difference in your wallet.

To conclude the argument, some sites say a tonneau cover will save you 10-15% on gas. According to the aforementioned studies, a cover will actually save you closer to 6% based on what type of cover and how you drive. It may be less than expected, but a cover will easily pay for itself over time – especially with rising gas prices. Use the savings calculator below to see how quick your tonneau cover will pay for itself!



Those were from the web. There are others.

Look at old tailgates compared to newer tailgates, they have redesigned the aerodynamics of trucks and tailgates now to improve the airflow.

 

[cecaa850]

You shouldn't believe everything you read online

I don't but I believe my calculations.

 

[cecaa850]

This^

Don't believe everything you read online.

 

[WXman]

Stoichiometric Ratio.

The ECU is programmed to maintain the right air/fuel mixuture to run at the happy medium for power and efficiency. If you put more air in, then you're going to put more fuel in. It's impossible for a CAI to give you more MPGs if it's really flowing more air.

But, it's also true that you could put the biggest CAI on a vehicle possible, but the throttle body and intake runners can still flow only so much air....

 

[Jeeperjamie]

Don't believe everything you read online.

I don't I believe facts. Your sitting on a rare piece of truck though. The only one to see significant MPG gains after adding a Bed cover. If I were you I'd send the info to FCA so they can sell them stock or so they can experiment on your truck.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

I don't but I believe my calculations.

I guess my real question would be, how soon did you add the cover after you bought the JT and what did you use or how did you calculate the mpgs.

 

[cecaa850]

I guess my real question would be, how soon did you add the cover after you bought the JT and what did you use or how did you calculate the mpgs.

At about 3000 miles. I travel the same 30 minute drive every day to work and had been calculating mileage everytime I filled up. Same pump, one click. The very first tank after the cover showed improvements when I calculated at the pump. The average mpg (although inaccurate) showed an instant increase on my first trip home from work. Personally I don't care if you believe me or not, the improvement was obvious. YMMV, lol.

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

Well, since both cecaa850 and Jeeperjamie have cited online studies, and both have advised don't believe everything you read online, I suppose I will have to do my own test.

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