Increased MPG?
- Thread starter badtzki
- Start date
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smo0othride
Full Access Members
Well if you're looking to get what you're suppossed to, about 14 - 17mpg, all you have to do is not floor it or accelerate fast at stop lights and getting onto freeways. You know you're not acceleratoring economically if it's going over 3k rpm's.
If you want better than stock mpg - there's cold air intakes, exhaust, and chips. Depends on what your price range is.
If you want better than stock mpg - there's cold air intakes, exhaust, and chips. Depends on what your price range is.
You’re all probably too young to remember the Mobile Economy Run but the one thing that I distinctly remember their preaching was that was that if you wanted to really save gas, just drive like there’s a raw egg between your foot and the gas petal.
Works wonders and who cares if you end up one or two cars behind the speed freak at the next light, or if it takes you an extra minute or two to get where you’re going. BTW, I try to keep it on the low side of 1,500-2,000 rpms and just ignore the stop light racers and while I’m at it; you’d be simply amazed at the mpg difference between 65 and 75. Remember we’re driving a vehicle that leaves something to be desired on the aerodynamic side of the equation and there is an exponential fuel usage pattern that is associated with any speed above ~ 2,000 rpms
Works wonders and who cares if you end up one or two cars behind the speed freak at the next light, or if it takes you an extra minute or two to get where you’re going. BTW, I try to keep it on the low side of 1,500-2,000 rpms and just ignore the stop light racers and while I’m at it; you’d be simply amazed at the mpg difference between 65 and 75. Remember we’re driving a vehicle that leaves something to be desired on the aerodynamic side of the equation and there is an exponential fuel usage pattern that is associated with any speed above ~ 2,000 rpms
c_mccann
New Member
I've found that 1500-1600 RPM gets me to 65mph just fine, and I average 15-16mpg all day in Los Angeles traffic. I own a 28ft. offshore fishing boat and on those, you drive by the tachometer, that's how I drive my car. Getting used to that mindframe is easy, and your gas mileage will improve. Anything below 12mpg and there's something wrong, either with the driver or the car..
applevalleyford
Member
on my message center now, it says 10.1 mpg. mods are in sig. i generally dont hop on it either. new plugs and fuel filter too. oh well, i knew this ahead of time!
ELVATO
Full Access Members
I get around 13 mpg around town. Im pretty aggresive with the accelerator, but I do have the 4.6 motor.
Totoro
Member
I concur with DeepRiver. I did a lengthy roadtrip during the summer and tested my fuel consumption a various highway speeds. I have an 03 EB 4x4 w/5.4 and the selector switch set to 2WD and the Air Conditioning on. I found optimum fuel economy (and sanity) at around 60-65Mph and that kept the tach around 1700-1800 rpm. My vehicle has no mods, just the a K&N filter than replaces the stock filter. If I really wanted to be patient (and that's tough going across the prairies at that speed), I could drive around at 55Mph (I'm sure some of you still remember when the Interstates had that posted limit). I tried a section of my trip at 55Mph and I was around 20-21MPG. Bump it up to 65Mph and I averaged 19Mpg. Once I took it to 75Mph it drops to about 15-16Mpg. Any speed above that, it was a downward spiral.
green03
Full Access Members
I think the 5.4 motor starts getting out of it's cruise effeciency range at about 1900 RPMs. Ford did a really retarded thing when they designed the motors. They use the exact same cams in the 4.6 and the 5.4..... They should have upped the duration of the cams for the 5.4 just a tad to have the same RPM range as the 4.6 with more power everywhere. Chevy used to do the same thing between the 350 and the 454 (different physical cam but similar specs) and the thing would only rev to 4000 RPMs. The more cubic inches, the more cam you need for the same power range and vice versa.
Somebody needs to do a test like the one described by Totoro with the 4.6 (2000-2004) and see if it is mainly due to the aero of the truck (or lack thereof) or the engine's efficiency range.
Matt
Somebody needs to do a test like the one described by Totoro with the 4.6 (2000-2004) and see if it is mainly due to the aero of the truck (or lack thereof) or the engine's efficiency range.
Matt
ELVATO
Full Access Members
I dont do "lengthy" road trips, but on some weekends I do a 114 mile trip from college to my hometown. I usually prefer going late at night since there is less traffic. In the beginning, when I went during the day(more traffic), I used to use around half a tank to make the trip. During the night trips, when I can usually do a constant 80 for a good part of the trip because of a lack of traffic, I use 3/8s of a tank. I dont have the little message thing that says how much MPG Im getting, so the only way I can calculate MPG is when I fill up.
Today, when I had to do 50ish (because of the traffic) for a ways, then 80ish for the rest of the way, I used a tiny bit more than 1/4 the tank.
BTW, I always fill up my tank before making the trip, at the same gas station, so the fill ups are pretty constant.
One day, I could go 50-60ish the whole way just to see just how much more gas I save.
Ill also see just how much I save with a chip later on when I get one.
Today, when I had to do 50ish (because of the traffic) for a ways, then 80ish for the rest of the way, I used a tiny bit more than 1/4 the tank.
BTW, I always fill up my tank before making the trip, at the same gas station, so the fill ups are pretty constant.
One day, I could go 50-60ish the whole way just to see just how much more gas I save.
Ill also see just how much I save with a chip later on when I get one.
angel_ivan
Member
try this yall.........i myself did it about 3 hours ago, and its KILLER! Replace your PCV valve, AUTOZONE part number 1183........and clean your Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor....i sprayed some shoe cleaner
P) on it......let it foam up, then GENTLY cleaned it with a rag, next i sprayed some FOAMING glass cleaner on the sensor, then VERY GENTLY cleaned it up, and blow dried it, SERIOUSLY, my gas mileage shot up...from around 9-11 to 15-17. TRY IT.
P) on it......let it foam up, then GENTLY cleaned it with a rag, next i sprayed some FOAMING glass cleaner on the sensor, then VERY GENTLY cleaned it up, and blow dried it, SERIOUSLY, my gas mileage shot up...from around 9-11 to 15-17. TRY IT.green03
Full Access Members
That's quite a jump in economy. What kind of air filter are you using that the mass air meter is getting that dirty in the first place? I usuallly use electric motor cleaner on the mass air meter element. How long has your mileage been that bad?
angel_ivan
Member
I don't think the filter is causing the dirtyness, i think its the fact that its old and never been cleaned. Its some ebay filter. Still a good jump in fuel economy, this thing is getting better and better everytime i do something\to it........next is the spark plugs, Autozone dont have all 8 that i need, how much are they at the stealership.
pronstar
Full Access Members
Originally posted by angel_ivan
try this yall.........i myself did it about 3 hours ago, and its KILLER! Replace your PCV valve, AUTOZONE part number 1183........and clean your Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor....i sprayed some shoe cleaner
Aerosol MAF cleaner is about $3 at most auto parts stores.
I wouldn't recommend touching the MAF element with anything at all.
angel_ivan
Member
YEAH...the next day i cleaned it with Electrical Parts Cleaner.....
02 Expy Mileage
I've gotten as high as 20 in my 4.6 Expy (4wd) while cruising along some two lane roads at about 50 mph. Generally I get 12-14 around town and 16-18 on the highway. THat's pretty consistent with the F150 S'Crew that I had (also with the 4.6).
From what I understand, those firgures are still better that the comparable model from "Brand X."
I've gotten as high as 20 in my 4.6 Expy (4wd) while cruising along some two lane roads at about 50 mph. Generally I get 12-14 around town and 16-18 on the highway. THat's pretty consistent with the F150 S'Crew that I had (also with the 4.6).
From what I understand, those firgures are still better that the comparable model from "Brand X."
green03
Full Access Members
I found something interesting in the 03 exped calibration on the 5.4 motors. It seems that they didn't change the knock sensor calibraiton for the new "low NVH" engine block they started using in 03. Without going into great details about why it needed to change all i can say is WOW what a difference. My truck never felt like it was running properly during part-throttle acceleration it was doggy and always felt sluggish. The knock sensor both adds and takes away timing as needed. In my case it was never adding much timing at part throttle and know I know why. So all of you users out there with an 03 or 04 exped I can guarantee that I can make your truck run better than any programmer out there....... Stay tuned for the gas mileage improvements once i have a chance to test next weekend when I get back from NJ.
Matt
Matt
carp2000
Active Member
I have a 00 Expy with a 3" lift kit and 36's on 16.5 rims with staight pipes and man I'm luckey if I can get 10 MPG. I really need some dang help cuz I have an hour drive to work everyday. By the way I drive like my 55 year old father, as a matter a fact he tells me I drive to slow. I would rather got bankrupt than start driving my wifes car.. HELP ME OUT!!!
AvroAero
Full Access Members
keep tabs on your temp. a cold engine will burn more, and i'd assume a hot one will to a bit more.
