Hello..... mileage figures for an 89'?

[Cousin Jack]

Hello, all.... this is my first post

Four or five years ago, I bought a 89' Dodge 4X4 pickup (LE 250) and put a herkin' 11' Caveman camper on the back.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/d...ldtruck002.jpg

I'm a ski patroller during the weekends and my wife and I drive it 55 miles to Snoqualmie Pass Friday night, plug it in to "shore" power, ski all weekend, and drive it 55 miles home Sunday afternoon.... works great! For the money I paid (hardly anything), I'm pretty well satisfied, but, I only get about 8mpg... Is this about right? Is there anything one can do to get better mileage?

[DODGEBOYS]

l,d leave it there all winter and with the money you will save on gas buy a neon to drive back and forth with

[Cousin Jack]

l,d leave it there all winter and with the money you will save on gas buy a neon to drive back and forth with

Great idea, except the area won't let you do it..... they have to plow and keep the parking area open, etc....... I've thought about that, though, and even though about parking it close, maybe five, ten miles away.... which is still a possibility. Also, I kind of fell in love with durned thing, and kind of like driving it!

[712edf]

Welcome Jack,
Other than keeping it tuned up & staying off the throttle, not much you can do. Is alot off elevation driving or changes in altitudes involved? That'd make mileage worse than running across western Kansas for sure. These rigs all seemed to get mileage in the lower teens (@13) when new doing "normal" driving, best I remember.
If the carb hasn't been touched in quite a while, you might start there.
Bucky

[TommyDodge]

That 89 most likely wouldn't have a carb on it as in 88 Dodge went to fuel injection on the 239 V6 and the 318 V8, and in 89 went to fuel injection on the 360, unless the engine was replaced with an older one. It should have single point fuel injection. They went to multi-point in 92 with the magnum engines. I am guessing the problem with fuel mileage is that camper. I like the truckand camper combo!
DB69

[Cousin Jack]

Yes, it's got throttle bodies, fuel injected.... I found that out to my eternal shame when I pulled it off and took it to the Dodge dealer for a rebuild kit! I'm a fair bike wrench, but as a competent truck wrench I make a pretty good ski patroller!

It's got 8 cylinders and it's the original engine.... 180,000 or thereabouts... only paid about $3000 for it, and another $1000 for the camper..... I'm not complaining... just trying to ease the pain. It's a mountain pass that we climb with the truck, but only from about 1100' to 3000'..... You're probably right about the camper... it's a biggie..... probably sucks up some gas.....but, it was cheap, it's reliable, and it's mine! Just wondered if anybody knew any tricks!

[712edf]

I dropped the ball when I said "carb". Same for 8-track.

Maybe you could check your compression sometime just to see if anything's awry. And slightly fiddle with timing and /or type of gas, but if it runs good I wouldn't monkey with it too much. A thirsty motor is better than one that doesn't run right.

Bucky