Why is my 2001 dodge 3500 diesel auto. only getting 13 mpg empty? Seems to run

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RNLD66

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fine but bad gas mileage. Why? I have a 2001 Dodge 3500 dually truck. It is two wheel drive, with a diesel engine and an automatic transmission and 3.55 gears in the rear end. I bought the truck in the summer of 2007 with 48k miles. It now has 71K miles. The truck runs and drives great but it has always gotten poor fuel mileage. I get about 13 mpg on the highway without a load. If I am pulling something, my mileage drops to about 8mpg. Everyone I have talked to with the exact same truck says that they get about 20 to 21 mpg. My buddie's 2003 dodge diesel gets 21mpg. I have changed all the filters with no results. The dealership says it checks out fine on the computer. What could be wrong with it to give me such poor mileage?
 
Cummings 5.9 Diesel doesn't have spark plugs or wires, so skip that. I'd suggest to your dealer that maybe your valves should be adjusted.did you notice that the exhaust was black and sooty, or white? when you start it? I've seen leaky injectors on this vehicle before causing several different scenarios ranging from poor fuel economy to a no start condition. that's just two possibilities,there's many more.
 
Could you friends be stretching the truth about their mileage figures? You are hauling a lot of weight even for a diesel. Look up your truck on the EPA web site to see what the average fuel economy figure is for your truck.
 
do you have hwy gears or working gears I put a chip in mine it helped also try a K&N air filter
 
possibly your fuel pressure regulator and maybe its time to replace ur spark plugs and wires???
 
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