The Dodge Cummins diesel is known for its fuel economy and ability to be built up for power…. and known for its transmission for different reasons. The Dodge Diesel trucks are the favorite of anyone that is looking for fuel economy in a diesel and doesn’t have a brand preference, because the dodge gets the best economy of them all. Even at that, things are tight with the cost of diesel and the hard times in the economy. There are some things that can be done to make it even more fuel efficient.


The first thing that anyone is going to do to make their Dodge Diesel more efficient for fuel economy and power is a chip, programmer or module of some sort. Chips, programmers, and modules all do essentially the same thing. They alter “timing” or when the fuel is injected; “duration” or how long the injector is held open to release fuel; or “pressure” which slightly increases fuel line pressure to put more pressure up against the injector get a better atomization of the fuel. Most chips programmers or modules use a combination of the methods to improve the engine efficiency. Most chips, programmers or modules give anywhere from 1 to 5 miles per gallon increases, dependant upon driving habits and the truck configuration itself. The gains for the 5.9L Cummins engines are pretty consistent. The new 6.7L dodge diesels are different however. They have a new emissions control system with diesel particulate filter that hampers performance and fuel economy. Most chips give these new trucks about 1 mpg better fuel economy.


Another way to increase efficiency and power are air intakes and larger diameter exhaust systems. Air intakes generally give about 1 mpg and exhausts can be anywhere from 1 to 4 mpg. If you do a chip, intake and exhaust all together, you actually get a little bit more out of each item. The nice thing is that all the add-ons give more power and pay for themselves pretty quick in the added fuel savings. The newer dodge diesels don’t really need an exhaust upgrade since they come standard with a 4 inch diameter exhaust from the factory since the 2004.5 model dodge trucks, and the exhaust change that can be made on the 6.7L trucks is very minimal due to all the sensors in that exhaust system. It’s nice to know that we have alternatives though.