Dodge's 3.6L Pentastar V6 - Mileage and Towing?

[sledhead5000]

Thinking about buying a 2013 Ram 1500 with the Pentastar V6 motor, 8 speed trans, and factory airbags.

Primarily use my current truck (06 F150 gas guzzler) for highway with a sled or bike in the back, some towing (4000lb camper or sled trailer). Want to upgrade after the F150 ate a 2nd Diff, and my gas mileage on the highway is around 16L/100km... brutal.

Heard the Pentastars were 10.2L/100km on the highway and 6200lbs towing, figured it might be worth a shot.

Looking for anyone with experience on the gas mileage, and if it'll handle my camper okay in the mountains.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

We own one in a 2013 Dodge Journey AWD and its about 9l/100 highway and 16l/100 mixed. IMO I would not own a V6 in a truck. Couldn't imagine one in a 1/2 truck pulling 4000lbs,.. YIKES!

I know the V6 was offered by Dodge in the 1500 for years, but IMHO it should not be put in a truck.

 

[brutematt750]

Ya , what he said. V6 and truck equals chit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DragonCFI]

Well I had a 2005 Tacoma with a V6 two quads on an open trailer and could barley make 300km to 80L tank. Now have 2011 F150 with 5.0 gets better millage empty and pulls enclosed with 3 sleds around 19-21L/100Km

 

[handyandy]

With an 8 speed tranny it should handle it just fine it has 300 horses after all. I have towed way heavier with my worn out 170horse 318. If I were you I would look at the v8 options too because they seem to be getting decent mpg so I think price should be your main concern

 

[Rockwerx]

I recently drove a 2014 Hemi 1500 for a week. It had the 8 speed auto. I was very impressed by the fuel economy, engine response, torque and hp that the truck delivered. The 8 speed transmission shifted flawlessly. Overall a very smooth riding truck with plenty of torque for towing within it's class. I have not driven the v6 truck to know how it performs but one thing is for sure, you can't beat the sound of the V8 Hemi when you rev it up!

 

[sledhead5000]

Still haven't heard from anyone with the 3.6L Pentastar in a dodge truck who has tried to tow a 4000lb trailer.... there's gotta be someone out there with one?

And my honda civic (1.6L 99hp) can tow a loaded sled trailer on the highway in 4th gear, so I'm thinking a new V6 should be able to handle a smallish camper.

 

[handyandy]

Still haven't heard from anyone with the 3.6L Pentastar in a dodge truck who has tried to tow a 4000lb trailer.... there's gotta be someone out there with one?

And my honda civic (1.6L 99hp) can tow a loaded sled trailer on the highway in 4th gear, so I'm thinking a new V6 should be able to handle a smallish camper.

Would the dealer let you have the truck for a weekend? You could hook it up and try it

 

[d mills]

Would the dealer let you have the truck for a weekend? You could hook it up and try it

Or pull two plug wires off of a buddies truck, stand back and see how it does........lol

 

[Spike98]

I ran a Grand Cherokee with the V6/8 speed combo. GREAT fuel economy city and highway. However, if you put anything behind it that changes dramatically. I struggled to town a 3000lb TT with it despite it being rated for 6500lbs. Id say get the V8 or bust.

 

[sledhead5000]

Still haven't heard from anyone with the 3.6L Pentastar in a dodge truck who has tried to tow a 4000lb trailer.... there's gotta be someone out there with one?

 

[52weekbreak]

My FIL had a 6 cyl GM reg cab that he hauled a pop up camper with from time to time. Absolutely at the outer edge of what it could handle. It had adequate power to pull a 16 boat but the camper was a real problem. Trucks have become more capable lately though. Good luck

 

[Summitric]

I have the hemi with air ride suspension.... Best ride you'll ever have in a truck. And remains solid when pulling trailers.... I get around 10l/100 hiway and 13l/100 city...not bad for 1/2 ton. It pulls a 19ft sled trailer with 3 sleds and a 27ft travel trailer like nothing and a great ride

 

[retrored]

Still haven't heard from anyone with the 3.6L Pentastar in a dodge truck who has tried to tow a 4000lb trailer.... there's gotta be someone out there with one?

It pulls fantastic. I couldn't be happier.
I have a 2013 Ram 1500 Crew Cab with the 3.6 Pentastar. 8spd transmission and 3.21 gears (2wd)
My trailer dry is 3100 lbs and loaded I'm guessing is about 3800 lbs with canopy, canoe, water, food, 2 30 lbs propane tanks and trailer battery etc.

I just came back to Kelowna on the Coquihalla Hwy in British columbia. This is a long haul hill with 6% grade up to I think 8.4% at the max.

Doing 110km/h - 120km/h most of the time and rpms where 2100 on flat, 2700 on mild, 3000-4000 on most hills and occasionally up to 5000 for like 10 secs then I would slack off and let it shift up and continue at 4000.

On the steepest grade I was doing about 85km/h at like 4000rpm (this is the section semi trucks are crawling with hazards on)
I got 13mpg imperial on this trip, I could have been lighter on the throttle and gotten better but I wanted to get home.

On other camping trips (not such a hill to climb) I typically get 23-28mpg imperial while towing which seems crazy but with that 8 speed transmission it shifts beautiful and holds the power at the right gear.

Around town not towing, this engine is peppy. I generally get 28mpg imperial on the hwy and about 17mpg imperial in town .... but I have a heavy foot and pretty much race anyone that I can. It just pulls away from the lights like crazy. Fun truck to drive.

I would be comfortable towing up to 4500lbs with this configuration. I think if you get the 3.55 gears it can tow more.

Hope this helps. Like you I could not find much on the 3.6 towing so that's why I'm sharing as much info as I can.

 

[craggar2011]

The 3.6 in my 2015 Rubicon sucks for towing, I know the 2 door JK is only rated to two 2,000 lbs. and I was just under that towing my Rhino a couple weeks ago but anything over 100 kph it wanted to shift into 3rd on the slightest incline. Maybe the 8 speed makes that much of a difference.

 

[Cat401]

My son & I were just comparing mileage on our trucks this evening. We both have GM 1500's with 6.2L, 8 spd.(He has a Chev, mine is a GMC)....

It keeps track of average fuel economy in the last 50km, the last 100km and the last 650 km.

I set my cruise on the way home this evening from Edmonton (roughly 80km trip) at 102km/hr and got home with 8.6L/100 (last 50km ave) ...9.6L/100 (last 100 km ave) and 12.2L/100 (last 650 ave)....he is actually getting a bit better with his.....overall quite satisfied with the large 6.2L getting that kind of mileage......

 

[D.C]

It pulls fantastic. I couldn't be happier.
I have a 2013 Ram 1500 Crew Cab with the 3.6 Pentastar. 8spd transmission and 3.21 gears (2wd)
My trailer dry is 3100 lbs and loaded I'm guessing is about 3800 lbs with canopy, canoe, water, food, 2 30 lbs propane tanks and trailer battery etc.

I just came back to Kelowna on the Coquihalla Hwy in British columbia. This is a long haul hill with 6% grade up to I think 8.4% at the max.

Doing 110km/h - 120km/h most of the time and rpms where 2100 on flat, 2700 on mild, 3000-4000 on most hills and occasionally up to 5000 for like 10 secs then I would slack off and let it shift up and continue at 4000.

On the steepest grade I was doing about 85km/h at like 4000rpm (this is the section semi trucks are crawling with hazards on)
I got 13mpg imperial on this trip, I could have been lighter on the throttle and gotten better but I wanted to get home.

On other camping trips (not such a hill to climb) I typically get 23-28mpg imperial while towing which seems crazy but with that 8 speed transmission it shifts beautiful and holds the power at the right gear.

Around town not towing, this engine is peppy. I generally get 28mpg imperial on the hwy and about 17mpg imperial in town .... but I have a heavy foot and pretty much race anyone that I can. It just pulls away from the lights like crazy. Fun truck to drive.

I would be comfortable towing up to 4500lbs with this configuration. I think if you get the 3.55 gears it can tow more.

Hope this helps. Like you I could not find much on the 3.6 towing so that's why I'm sharing as much info as I can.

Street racing in a V6 dodge 1/2 ton? Tell me more!

 

[Summitric]

We have a 2016 chrysler 200c awd with the 3.6l pentastar.... It's a beast for power, and a lot of fun to drive

 

[Frosty19]

The 3.6 in my 2015 Rubicon sucks for towing, I know the 2 door JK is only rated to two 2,000 lbs. and I was just under that towing my Rhino a couple weeks ago but anything over 100 kph it wanted to shift into 3rd on the slightest incline. Maybe the 8 speed makes that much of a difference.

Do you think with the manual trans it would be any better? Been throwing around the idea of a 2dr wrangler with the 6 speed...

 

[pfi572]

I think all the Jeep Wrangler’s sucks on fuel . IMO
Had a 2010 two door Rubicon wrangler and it was terrible.
Others tell me the new ones aren’t much better .
Sad when a 420hp 6.2 is just about double for fuel economy.