# need help with my 5.9 dodge 2500 diesel



## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

i just bought a 2007 dodge 2500 diesel 2wd with 127k miles and im getting top 20mpg , its not modified, can any one recommend which is the best super chip out there that I can purchase to install and what else I can add to maximize my mpg

thx 2coolers


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## Empty Pockets CC (Feb 18, 2009)

Not a darn one of them. Delete cat and put a straight thru muffler on it. Replace air box with a afe or air raid and you're done. I've tried them all. I left the edge on mine on Level 0 just to monitor egt and speed. People will argue with me...I tried them all and found out for myself...My .02 cents.


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## BigS1975 (Jan 29, 2013)

I have a Superchips Flashpack on mine.Probably one of the safest programmers out.I've seen edge products cause no starts and mifires.(tapping into the harness).Bullydog same thing.Alot of guys stack chips and turn them all the way up.All it does is over fuel your engine and burn pistons.You can find flashpacks on CL for around $150.


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## andre3k (Dec 3, 2012)

Leave it stock and drive the speed limit. On long trips ive runa bottle of diesel kleen and a small bottle of marvels mystery oil and gotten about 23 mpg hwy on my 2wd 5.9 cummins. 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

thanks guys , i love the truck tho , im getting about 18mpg city 20 to 22 mph freeway


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## hog_down (Jan 11, 2010)

Are you going off what the overhead says, or doing the calculations by hand?


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

yes I'm going with what the overhead says, is that wrong?


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

thats my first diesel truck ever so i have no ideas 
thanks for all help i can get


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

The overhead on Dodge and Jeeps will read about 1-2 mpg better than what you are getting when hand calculated.


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## Durtjunkee (Mar 23, 2007)

Pocketfisherman said:


> The overhead on Dodge and Jeeps will read about 1-2 mpg better than what you are getting when hand calculated.


That's not always true. I check mine from time to time and it's right on.

As far as upping your gas mileage....
Replace the exhaust with a turbo back system....straight through muffler or straight pipe. I went with a system from MBRP. It's been on for 6 years. In that time the muffler broke, but I had it welded up for $30 at the local shop. No complaints other than that.

Do a cold air intake or at least a free flowing air filter. I run a BHAF (Big Honkin Air Filter) on my 2002. Not sure what you can do with the 2007.

Change all of your lubricants out to fully synthetic. Differential, transmission, engine oil. I run amsoil and change my oil every 10k miles.

All this and more than i can ever even think about repeating at www.cumminsforum.com

Do your research. Good luck! The 2003-07 5.9 is the best motor ever put in a P/U.


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

ok thats sounds good, last service on tran was done rite at 100000 miles now truck have 127000 miles, when should i do next service on tran? 
thanks again


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## Durtjunkee (Mar 23, 2007)

STD or auto?


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

auto and 2wd


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## coastman (Apr 18, 2013)

When you pull the tranny pan for service drill a hole in it and add a drain plug. Makes future fluid changes alot easier.


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

thanks guys 
i bought the MBRP turbo blk 4" 
and AFE stage 2 blue
anyone knows were should i go to install them?


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## Durtjunkee (Mar 23, 2007)

Your driveway?
Those are easy installs if you have the tools.
The hardest part is getting the old exhaust off. It helps to have air tools. Most important is an air hammer/chisel to separate the exhaust where it's u-bolt clamped together.


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## Empty Pockets CC (Feb 18, 2009)

I saw jawed my old exhaust off. Took no time at all. I bought the truck used from Nebraska. Needless to say it had some rusty nuts on it. After fooling with one of them I went and got the saw zaw. Off she came!


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

ok so they easy to install then, i paid 850 for them both?


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## Empty Pockets CC (Feb 18, 2009)

You did pretty good on the price. I too have the mbrp 4" on my truck. The hardest part is getting the new downpipe onto your existing turbo. The air intake is a piece of cake.


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

thanks a lot, yea gonna work on it next week so I'm hoping not to hard 
thanks again
i can't wait lol


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

i dont think im going to do the chip, this stuff is not cheap at all lol


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## kowboy243 (Apr 12, 2012)

Welcome to the world of owning a diesel, nothings cheap and if it is its prolly not worth it. On my 2006 5.9 i have Stage 2 afe, magnaflow 4 inch exhaust, 100 hp injectors, 33% over stock cp3 pump, Air dog 150, South bend clutch, with a smarty jr. All that money and its still no better than 18 mpg. Theres always a thought to stay factory if you dont want to spend a lot!


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## theyallbreak (Jan 29, 2012)

I would get a smarty jr max setting is around 100 hp if you do anything. Once you go past 100 hp tune the check book starts coming out.


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

what about the flashpaq?
thanks


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## theyallbreak (Jan 29, 2012)

efish said:


> what about the flashpaq?
> thanks


I would stick with smarty are H&s. efi live is another option just cost to much to buy and then get someone to make custom tunes. If you want to pm me you have any questions I have been messing with these 5.9s since 05. I talked to you about diesel trucks before, I'm the one who bought your trolling motor.


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

lol yea i know how u r


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## commtrd (Mar 18, 2006)

EFI Live hands down the best tune there is. It's a program loaded into the main computer totally customizable on all the parameters. On my truck I changed out the extremely restrictive exhaust manifold with a BD Diesel manifold and went with a Garrett 3782R Powermax turbo which is a ball bearing turbo and is liquid cooled also. Homemade cool air intake keeping the stock airbox with AFE filter element. EFI Live tune (my truck is a 2006). Firestone air bags on rear axle for towing my fifth wheel to jobs. Mag Hytek diff covers and extra deep tranny pan. Garmon Performance Diesel Stage II transmission (best thing I ever did to my truck right there). Air Dog 150 fuel preparator lift pump and removed the wimpy lift pump from inside tank. Mod to allow the tank fill to top of fill tube if desired. Stock CP3 pump. I don't have any lift or big tires on it and always attempt to drive it easy for best mileage. Muffler fell off but still have the cat in as it has almost no resistance in exhaust line. FS2500 oil bypass filtration. Bypass filter on tranny too. Full set of gauges pyro (EGT), tranny temp, and turbo boost. Brake controller for towing. I'm right at 520 / 1086 torque and still using stock injectors! I get a little under 20 mpg hand calculated if I drive at 65 on cruise light truck. At 75 drops down to 18. Of course if I get on it hard a couple times will lose all that good mileage but that's my fault... I did try driving to Corpus from San Antonio at 60 on cruise after a cold front and got 24.9 mpg but who can really drive 60 all the time?

These cummins engines are among the very best diesel engines available in a light truck. Take care of them and they will last a life time. I was in French Ellison getting some filters for oil change and met an old farmer who hauled livestock all over the US and he told me he had 1.5 million miles on his old Powerwagon (he did add an intercooler though) and he said he kept that old 12-valve stock and kept up with the maintenance and said he intended to keep it until he went away. 

My truck is running beyond awesome. Love that truck and it's paid for too! Best kind.


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

commtrd said:


> EFI Live hands down the best tune there is. It's a program loaded into the main computer totally customizable on all the parameters. On my truck I changed out the extremely restrictive exhaust manifold with a BD Diesel manifold and went with a Garrett 3782R Powermax turbo which is a ball bearing turbo and is liquid cooled also. Homemade cool air intake keeping the stock airbox. EFI Live tune (my truck is a 2006). Firestone air bags on rear axle for towing my fifth wheel to jobs. Mag Hytek diff covers and extra deep tranny pan. Garmon Performance Diesel Stage II transmission (best thing I ever did to my truck right there). Air Dog 150 fuel preparator lift pump and removed the wimpy lift pump from inside tank. Mod to allow the tank fill to top of fill tube if desired. I don't have any lift or big tires on it and always attempt to drive it easy for best mileage. Muffler fell off but still have the cat in as it has almost no resistance in exhaust line. FS2500 oil bypass filtration. Bypass filter on tranny too. Full set of gauges pyro (EGT), tranny temp, and turbo boost. Brake controller for towing.
> 
> These cummins engines are among the very best diesel engines available in a light truck. Take care of them and they will last a life time. I was in French Ellison getting some filters for oil change and met an old farmer who hauled livestock all over the US and he told me he had 1.5 million miles on his old Powerwagon (he did add an intercooler though) and he said he kept that old 12-valve stock and kept up with the maintenance and said he intended to keep it until he went away.
> 
> My truck is running beyond awesome. Love that truck and it's paid for too! Best kind.


thanks a lot, Im going to do more stuff to the truck, I sure love it so far i wish i had that truck way back.


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## sargentmajor (Sep 13, 2012)

Tire air pressure at max....probley at 80 psi.rides a little rough but Im proves milage.


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

sargentmajor said:


> Tire air pressure at max....probley at 80 psi.rides a little rough but Im proves milage.


So 80 psi front and back?


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## Knot Kidding (Jan 7, 2009)

Empty Pockets CC said:


> Not a darn one of them. Delete cat and put a straight thru muffler on it. Replace air box with a afe or air raid and you're done. I've tried them all. I left the edge on mine on Level 0 just to monitor egt and speed. People will argue with me...I tried them all and found out for myself...My .02 cents.


X2 unless your planning to run the dog $&#* out of it and send it down the line to the next (unsuspecting sucker, I mean) owner as a lot of folks do. Keep it simple and the oil clean you'll have no problems (with trans, clutches,drive-shafts....). Good luck!


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## warren2343 (Apr 15, 2010)

I have a straight pipe afe filter cold air induction and run a Dr performance set tuner I get 24 city 30 hwy 305 nitto at bought mine at 20,000 miles and got 113,589 now


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## spur (May 30, 2004)

wifes 98 has 325000 still gets 20 to 22 mpg keep it stock .just have valve adjustment every 100000 mi.you can make the 5.9 run like a bat out of hell but engine wont lastover 80 000 to 100,ooo .


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## Jfreeman (Nov 3, 2004)

20mpg highway is better than most folks get. Most people claiming more are full of it, or are cruising 60mph. I've owned 5 cummins trucks and my dad also owns one. 

Lots of factors for mileage. 4x4, auto/stick, lift/tires, cruising speed, engine mods, etc. hand calculate for accuracy.


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## efish (Nov 4, 2012)

my truck 2wdr and original size tire nothing crazy 
i was towing my boat yesterday and its 2400lb total everything on it.
best mpg was 14.5mph freeway
thanks 
i think my problem is the chip here


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