Terrible Fuel Consumption

[explorerjosh]

Hi, I've a 2004 Explorer XLS BASE with the 4.0L RWD. I have had fuel issues for a while, but I've been driving it for the last few months and fuel consumption is just absolute ass. I drove 11 miles today, with 2 gallons in my tank, and after driving, I had used 1.5 gallons. Is this normal? What mpg do you guys get? I sat in traffic for about 10-20 minutes, but I just hate constantly needing gas. Also, what is the best/quickest solution for better mileage?

 

[Joe in NY]

well in traffic easily 10mpg, and sat still for 20min, 1.5 gallons sounds about right.

 

[explorerjosh]

UPDATE: turns out, I actually forgot, but I do not have an EGR valve.

 

[TechGuru]

Run a full tank of E85 to clean everything out then fill next tank with gas from a TopTier retailer.

 

[07gtman]

These truck eat a half gallon of gas just warming up...im getting average of about 13 mpg half city half highway driving to work and back is a 35 mile trip. 8 stop lights and 12 miles highway one way, and i go through about a tank 15 to 18 gallons a week just driving to work...its a little worse in the coldest part of winter...just tuned it up last fall new bearings and u joints. these truck weigh close to 6000 lbs you wont be getting 25 mpg no matter what you do...

 

[07gtman]

UPDATE: turns out, I actually forgot, but I do not have an EGR valve.

are you sure about that? #7 would be the egr for your 4.0

 

[Joe in NY]

These truck eat a half gallon of gas just warming up...im getting average of about 13 mpg half city half highway driving to work and back is a 35 mile trip. 8 stop lights and 12 miles highway one way, and i go through about a tank 15 to 18 gallons a week just driving to work...its a little worse in the coldest part of winter...just tuned it up last fall new bearings and u joints. these truck weigh close to 6000 lbs you wont be getting 25 mpg no matter what you do...

I don't know where you got 6,000lbs from but you are way off. 4,400lbs is correct. A 1500 suburban isn't even 6,000lbs, close, but not quite.

 

[IIGood]

I'm getting about 17 mpg out of my 2003 4.0L 4WD now. It's gone down since I got new tires...the old tires were pretty much bald, so less rolling resistance...LOL. Now that the tires have some real tread on them, it's dipped a bit and my driving hasn't really changed. A lot of mixed driving, highway and city. My tire pressures are at 35 psi all around.

Right now I'm driving it every day as my other car is at the body shop. So my daily commute is about 8 miles each way, 6 of which is highway. In the morning it's typically a breeze getting to work. In the evening going home, there might be a traffic backup on the highway for 2 miles at times.

Weekends have seen mixed driving...my girlfriend and I might go around running errands around town...if I go to pick her up it's 25 miles each way...etc.

Before I changed the tires, I could easily get upwards of 20 mpg.

 

[TechGuru]

These truck eat a half gallon of gas just warming up...im getting average of about 13 mpg half city half highway driving to work and back is a 35 mile trip. 8 stop lights and 12 miles highway one way, and i go through about a tank 15 to 18 gallons a week just driving to work...its a little worse in the coldest part of winter...just tuned it up last fall new bearings and u joints. these truck weigh close to 6000 lbs you wont be getting 25 mpg no matter what you do...

WOW! I guess you or you + your passengers weigh 1,666 lbs because the curb weight is only 4,334 lbs.

 

[TechGuru]

Here is what we all "should" be getting...

 

[07gtman]

TECH GURU ..YOU ARE RIGHT ON THE CURB WEIGHT THOUGH MY 05 MOUNTAINEER CURB WEIGHT IS 4490 SORRY ABOUT THAT... IT WAS GVWR I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT..AND I AND MY PASSENGERS DONT WEIGH THAT....

 

[07gtman]

IIGOOD MEMBER ID LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU GET 17 MPG DRIVING A SHORT TRIPS. I HAVE HAD MY 02 MONTY 4.0 FOR 10 YEARS AND IT CAN HARDLY GET THAT ON THE HIGHWAY LONG TRIPS WITH THE CRUISE ON AROUND 65/70MPH. I NEVER GOT 20 MPG ON EITHER OF MY TRUCKS ...WHAT YOUR SECRET? MY 4.6 DOES BETTER THEN THE 4.0 ON THE MPG ON THE HIGHWAY. MY TRUCKS ARE MAINTAINED VERY WELL..

 

[imp]

FWIW, my 2004 consistently gets over 16 mpg, sometimes at fill-up time it turns out to be a bit over 17.5, 4.0L 160K. Hot weather use of A/C continually drops it just a bit, not even 1 mpg. Driving is start-stop semi-rural residential. imp