MPG tricks that work?

[Adieu]

Programmer and exhaust

Mr. 10K

The felonious kind? Or a 100% street legal, smog check clean pass tune?

 

[USMCBuckWild]

Tire pressure, low rolling resistance tires, servicing transmission with fluid/filter change, transfer case fluid change, diff fluid change. I changed all of them to Amsoil and have been happily impressed thus far.

Alot of around town driving you want to opt for higher numeric gears (3.73), highway go with lower numeric gears (3.31).

You can try a programmer for an economy tune as well.

Some people go as far as to remove front driveshaft in an attempt to reduce rotating drag.

Hell, if you want to get REAL squirrely you can remove the entire front differential, cv shafts and driveshaft to reduce all rotation drag on front end........ You can put it in the closet with your winter clothes until you need it.

 

[Adieu]

Wow....diesel seems easier.

 

[USMCBuckWild]

Wow....diesel seems easier.

Don't be a quitter!

 

[The Swagonmaster]

Don't go over the 2000rpm mark,

Minimize idle time

Don't use AC

Do the speed limit

Use cruise control often

Remove all unnecessary weight

Lose weight

Drive with windows closed to reduce drag

Get a low gear ratio if you use highway frequently or high ratio if you use city roads more

Don't use 4x4

I will give a consideration about not using the a/c. While tests have shown a small mpg increase below 45mph it may not be what you want to do a lot of since newer a/c compressors draw a lot less power from the engine than older ones and comfort may be worth the money. We are talking so cal here.
Tires pressure is the biggest help if not overdone and don't overlook that a dirty truck has more wind resistance than a clean one. Owners of racing aircraft spend hours polishing their planes to minimize drag. Just a thought.

 

[Zidjan]

Lose weight

Hahahahahaha.....epic!! that's 1 mpg improvement for every 50lbs lost

 

[briangelc]

All the things you need to get maximum MPG's is described in a word: HYPERMILING.
This is a method of driving that sacrifices speed and safety in order to maximize fuel econony. Wikihow has a how-to section for hypermiling. After you get your car set up to do it, as many posters here have shared tips, you drive like you are in no hurry, and have no brakes. Its freaking crazy, but sometimes the MPG results are amazing. Some hypermilers tailgate semi trucks, and turn off their motors while coasting down hills. It is usually annoying to nearby drivers.
The elephant in the room is this: Expeditions are not built for any measure of economy. Open your wallet and get over it.

 

[Snag]

Buy a Datsun B-210

 

[Adieu]

And yet....different people get totally different MPGs....

 

[jeff kushner]

All the things you need to get maximum MPG's is described in a word: HYPERMILING.
QUOTE]


I vowed to do this years ago for a solid month in my '99 Expy with the 5.4 engine. Boy was it difficult! I NEVER exceeded 55mph, let it get into the next higher gear as quick as possible without hardly touching the accelerator and planned slow-downs and stops as far ahead as I could depending on traffic and avoided the brake pedal as much as possible without killing anyone. My route was from the intersection of Mountain Rd & Rt 100 in Pasadena Md to Duke Street in Alexandria Va...53 miles each way, 106 round trip....through secondary roads, a dozen red lights, highway and a couple of city type miles but the vast majority was highway.

It was nerve racking to say the very least. It was actually more stressful for me than roadracing motorcycles in the '70's was! Anyway, the truck had approx 45,000 miles and was in excellent shape with all fresh fluids, tire pressures set 2psi above recommended & set while cold. The truck was empty except for me. Filled and recorded all fill-up's using the same pump held at the bottom of the fill spout(same angle). Began with a full tank and ended with a full tank (shut off at the pump's first auto-turn off).

I had been getting 13.5mpg driving back and forth to work and I was hoping to get up to 20 mpg.....I was sadly mistaken. As I remember, I was able to squeeze 16.something out of each gallon but no better.

Was it worth it to me? HELL NO! The stress alone made me consider quitting dozens of times but I stuck with it. To me, all the gentle driving, seeing and anticipating traffic 3 miles ahead can't overcome physics and a nearly 6,000 pound truck is a 6,000 pound truck and no amount of minimizing is going to change that. Just my experience.....

FWIW- my '17 has just under 6,000 miles and since new, it's got 17.2mpg with normal driving.

jeff