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My quest for 30 MPG - Ford Explorer Gas Mileage Tips

Thanks. I've used synthetic in engines for many years. Always got better mpg and easy starting in cold weather ( -40 +). Good to know I can trust them for other areas. Thank you.
 



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Thanks. I've used synthetic in engines for many years. Always got better mpg and easy starting in cold weather ( -40 +). Good to know I can trust them for other areas. Thank you.

Just noticed you are local to me, I welcome you to join the BC ranger club on Facebook.
 






We miss you here Al.

I can still get 100mpg in all of my vehicles with the message centers, driving down hill.:cool2:
 






30+mpg @ 70+mph

The ONLY (and I do mean ONLY) way this was possible in a 4.0L Explorer is by drafting a Semi with a trailer. No If's, And's or But's about it.

Driving habit and style along with 'old man wisdom' was hinted at quit a bit.

85% of the mods listed for the vehicle would have had no measurable effect on mpg and were frivolous expenditures as to the stated goal.

Also, there is no point in stating a mpg without also stating at least an average speed. No point at all.

Agreed, EPA ratings are just a BS number spit out from dyno simulation and does not encompass the differences in states hwy speed limits, fuel quality, terrain, altitude, barometric pressures and humidity, road conditions, wind, etc...

I could get 30mpg out my 5.0L if I drafted a semi at 60mph though a flat state like Indiana. Nothing spectacular about it, just simple physics. As it stands now, I can rock out 23mpg @ 65mph (rounded to the nearest low whole number mpg) not drafting as measured by driving all the way through Indiana on a clear lonely Sunday night with temps around 65-68 degrees starting with a full tank of gas and driving until it sputtered out on the side of the highway. I had a full 5 gallon tank with me and that got me to the next gas station and filled up again. That's about the best way to do it.

But then again, I got lucky with an old 5.0 Explorer once as I sputtered into a gas station and the truck died at the pump. Filled it up and wondered how I just put 22.4 gallons of fuel in a 20 gallon fuel tank. :eek: And that was at a pump at a very busy truck stop. I did get my free donut and soft drink with that fill-up. :rolleyes: You would pretty much need a glass graduated beaker for a fuel tank to know for sure what mpg to the tenth decimal place you were getting and exactly how much fuel you started and ended with. And then there is evaporation of the fuel to consider also.

I drove an 18 wheeler for years. There is a reason most logistic companies give bonus's to whoever get the best mpg ($$$) and those people ALWAYS are the ones who draft other semi's around 60mph and have the same route night after night.



Semi convoys draft, Nascar's draft, ducks flying south draft, Miller Genuine Draft. Drafting is how you Git-R-Done.

:chug:


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One of the best posts I've read!

And I thought getting 21.5 gallons into my tank was good. Pretty sure our tanks are 21 gallons
 






The tanks are all 22 gallons, as are most big Fords not larger truck tanks. I've owned about thirteen Fords, all 22 gallon tanks except the 94 Mustang I had. I've put well over 22 gallons in a few of them, obviously from poor gas pump readings. I think about 23.2 is the most I ever got in one, and that was my 91 Mark VII, stumbling as I drove into the gas station.

The 4dr's have 22 gallon tanks, the 2dr Explorers are supposed to be 17 gallons.
 






Yessir, you are correct.

Typo on my part. I was 'drafting' a bit when I wrote it....
:chug:

:thumbsup:

No, they are not 21 gallon tanks, no matter what any book says. They are 22 gallon tanks.
 












This is the most amuzing thread on this forum...... did i say amuzing, i meant AMAZING, because Al has defied all the rules of the big automotive corperate blood suckers. Man 30 miles per gallon. That's dope....
 






No, they are not 21 gallon tanks, no matter what any book says. They are 22 gallon tanks.

FYI, When my message center says I've used 24.0+ Gallons since last refuel I am able to put it just about 25.5 gallons of gas into my 2000 Limited. This will bring the fuel right to the edge of the spout.
 






I hope nobody is still using the message centers for fuel mileage results. Those are not accurate, every one I've seen or heard about over estimates mileage by about 10%. You have to check fuel mileage by actually writing down the amount of fuel pumped in, and doing the math, for multiple tanks of gas in a row. Checking one is also not accurate, due to obvious differences in conditions when filling, air conditions, parking being level etc. If you check it every time you fill up, then all variances balance out, and you can see accurate mileage figures.

I have on rare occasions pumped more than 22 gallons into my vehicles, each time the gauge being right at empty, not on purpose of course. The most I've seen was 23.4 gallons, and I reported that gas station here, whether it helped to do it or not. I'd never been to that one before, it was near the interstate where I got off, seeing the gauge at empty.
 






I pump in between 24 and 25 gallons at every filling when I am at just about absolute empty. This fills to the spout end.
 






I would suspect that gas station if you ever do get over 22 gallons in, that should be very rare. I don't want to get the tank that empty, the pump is kept from over heating by the fuel.
 






What is the minimum amount of fuel you think the pump requires for cooling? How much fuel do you think the filler tube holds?
 






I think a few gallons left should be enough to keep the pump at the same temperature as the gas. I've been lucky too I think, to let the tank get too low sometimes. I'm going to be using higher flowing pumps very soon also. The stock 80 lt/hr level pumps don't have much stress really, but bigger pumps need extra consideration. I'm working on my 99 V6 truck now, and the tank has to be cleaned out from lack of use, so I'm going to put a new pump in it. Not to want to spend extra money I've bought the pump I plan to use for the 306 I'll swap into it later. It's a 255 lt/hr choice I want to use in two of my trucks, maybe three eventually.

The filler neck won't account for much extra fuel, it's not easy to be able to fill the entire volume of the tank, so anything over 22 gallons points to an inaccurate pump at a gas station.
 






I run my tank to where on the Message Center it says I have used between 23 and 25 gallons of gas. Every station that I fill up at (across the state and adjoining states) I put in between 24 and 25.5 gallons of gas (which fills to the top of the filler tube)

I do "slow fill" after the pump clicks to top off.
 






There could be a couple of gallons of air space left after normal filling, but the time to get more gas to fill that is more than most people will do. LOL, you are too patient Jim.
 






Now wait a minute... are you saying its a 24 gallon tank? No matter what Don says?

:laugh:
The most I have pumped into my tank at one time with it filled to the very top of the spout is just a bit over 25 gallons.
 






I had a close to empty experience two weeks ago. I drove to work and had no issues, but I knew I was close to empty as I got to work. I regularly buy gas leaving work, at the gas station next to my work.

Unfortunately where I park at work is not a dead flat parking lot. The row along the fence where my designated spot is, slopes downward a very slight amount. That was just enough to uncover the pump inlet/sock. My engine started but only ran for a few seconds, I didn't think of the possible problem, until it sputtered, and quit.

I borrowed the mower gas can and poured a couple of gallons in. I then drove easily to the gas station and filled up, with just over 20 gallons, maybe 20.3, I forgot the exact decimal amount. I'm sure I put in about 2 gallons to get it to start, I put three back in the mower gas can, for the maintenance guy who lent it to me. My tank functions as a 22 gallon tank, as all of my Fords have done.

The tank in the 4dr is about four feet long, the pump sucks gas from about a foot from the back end. If the vehicle is parked downward(front down), it will run out of gas with plenty of gas left, say 1-4 gallons depending on angle.

I can post an exact measurement if needed(I have my 93 spare tank outside). If you were to plug the end holes and fill it out of the vehicle, it's likely close to 25 gallons of volume. But I doubt you can force much over 22 gallons in one from empty, in the vehicle. Jim has some interesting experience with his one Explorer.
 






I drove my Explorer as close to empty as I dared. On a 1996, the 'Check Gauge' light comes on when there is roughly 2 gallons left in the tank. (+98' are more precise I've noticed) I drove another 24 miles after the light came on by my tripometer (my speedo read 6mph high). It sputtered once down a long hill coming home last night. This morning I filled up at the gas station a stones throw from my home.

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I fit as much as I could in. This entailed continuously clicking the filler until it wouldn't pump any more and shaking the truck to take out any potential "air bubble" in the full tank. Fuel pump was certified 2 months ago.

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It is indeed 'FULL'.

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I don't know where you guys are fitting another 1-4.5 gallons. I suspect you are getting "hosed" at the pump if your getting more than 21 gallons in.

Factory Ford Manual says 21 Gallons.
https://owner.ford.com/tools/account/how-tos/owner-manuals.html/

Now I don't care what anybody else says. :moon:

Multiple times I've filled more than 21 gallons, sucks your tank doesn't hold as much :dunno::snicker:
 



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:D

Yup, it's a real Debbie Downer.

I think it's about time to drop in a K&N. That should make up for the difference in my lack of fuel capacity. I hear they add 1-3 mpg!

Sucks to be me sometimes...

:laugh:

:chug:
Don't forget sound and huge power increases !
 






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