My quest for 30 MPG - Ford Explorer Gas Mileage Tips

[aldive]

Next project in the Quest ....

"Modifications" to my Ford Racing throttle body hopefully will add some MPGs.

[ShadyGrady]

I'M Sorry FOR 2 THINGS Folks: I ain't been around to answer you all who did answer back, and MY mods are not special!
I think the maintenance I do is EXTRA, but that is just what I think...I LIKE WORKING ON VEHICLES!
I drive it real easy, I try to get into 5th gear ASAP!
I try to drive it like my wife drives: So smooth on the shifting that U think it was an Automatic. I'm a HP nut so that is a effort for me!
I just keep it tuned, clean, and maintain it to factory specs.
The only Mods are :
1) Autolite Platinum Spark Plugs.
2) 160 degree thermo-stat that is modded (t-stat I put two 1/8" holes in t-stat base). (Folks who own a OBD 2 vehicle won't Cheaply be able to do this, OBD computer mod chips of some sort are needed to keep the check engine light off, but worh it if you tune it more toward economy)
3) Forklift (scrap-yard) muffler and standard tail pipe/no resonator. (a real exhaust system with headers and cat back mandrel bent system is in the works)
4) Regular ratio/mix of antifreeze, but I use Distilled water and I use Water Wetter...I follow insstructions on bottle. (I will goto the electric fan and Aluminum radiator soon)
5) Walmart synthetic 10W-30 and Walmart filter. (I will put the oil cooler/filter re-locator kit and add a High volume-High pressure oil pump on soon)
6) I only use fuel additives to do a clean up about once every 6 months or more.
7) I use the 87 octain stuff, I try to tune it to the cheap stuff...I used to believe in premium, but the gas prices changed my mind...LOL! I am paticular as to who I get my gas...IF THEY SELL A LOT OF IT, THEN THEY HAVE THE LEAST WATER IN IT...TRY THEM OUT!
8) I only use oil additives to help me limp along till I can fix it the right way...otherwise I don't use additives. (I do use slick 50...I won't blow a horn about it though...OK a short story...I put it in my '85 Buick Regal V6 3.8L...only mod that car had was good care, A turbo-hydramatic 350 tranny(I could not get those stock jobs to last more that 100,000 miles), a High Volume/High Pressure Oil pump, and a race type timing chain and gear set-set to stock timing settings (yes it was a feed back carb till the day I sold it 11 years after I bought it)...I got 475,000 miles on that engine, rear end, and brakes...no rebuilds,no smoke) (Yes...a lot of highway miles)(It got about 26-28MPG highway @ 70+ MPH...I did all the work myself and as always to all my vehicles. I may farm out the alighnment if the Hobby SHOP at what ever base don't let me DYI.)
I drove it like a mad man for most of the 11 years I had it.
**I believe in the maintenance and the improvement over the stock stuff idea...I just keep it toward economy instead if race...Wifes, kids, pets, computers, and race cars don't mix well together on a military budget.
9) I will add the throttle body spacer, high pressure-High volume fuel pump 10) the Type of FRont and Rear IND SuPension when I make up my mind to drift toward the 4wd crowd or not.
11) If it ain't fun to do the why do it?

GOOD LUCK...

[aldive]

I read the post but am not sure what you said. Sorry.

[ShadyGrady]

OK now I'm sure I look like a newby. At work we call it: FNG. I seem to have edited the wrong post or to many edits.
I have been busy latley so I have not answered like I should have. Sorry Folks.
I got this vehicle a year ago; it had 100500 on it. The guy said he thought the head gasket would go. We worked together some, I even fixed his PC, so I got it for $500 bucks.

I put the 160 degree T Stat so I could tell if it had bad heads/gaskets or not, and still get some use out of it for awile. My reasoning was that if no t-stat was in it, it would surely overheat, and the 195 degree one would get it to hot to soon. I thought I could get some time going this way...I gave the guy some credit to his claim but he was wrong. The heads and gaskets never leaked.

I left it in because it gets great MPG, and I been lazy/busy. I stiil got so much to do: Windows Moters, Rear wiper, paint and body work, and my mods I got planed.
1. Headers and cat back dual or 3 inch (I got a Forklift muffler on it now it's like an ugly flow master...Got from scrap yard...free)
2. Car Computer that will be the boss to the fm radio, nav, cd, dvd, and put 5.1 surround in the truck. ( later it may handle the stand alone fuel management...but even I think this souns like a stretch! LOL
3. Oil System: Cooler/re-locate, two big 10 micron-one quart filters, High volume, High Pressure oil pump...I want to see if I can get the oil change nterval up to 2 times a year or less!
4. Electric Coolong fan and Aluminum Radiator
5. Independant suspansion front and back
6. THROTTLE BODY SPACER
7. SOME SORT OF RAM AIR OR COLD AIR IF I CAN. STILL CAN'F FIND IT FO THE '99 CAMRY. IT HAS THE SHORT RAM AND GETS CRAZY GOOD MPG.

I did put in:
1) PLATINUM AUTOLITES AND REGULAR WIRES
2) WATER WETTER WITH NEW ANTI-FREEZE MIXED W/DISTILLED WATER
3) DRIVE REAL SMOOTH...LIKE MY WIFE...SO SMOOTH IT FEELS LIKE AN AUTOMATIC TRANNY.
4) SYNTHETIC WALMART BRAND OIL 10W-30 AND FILTER
5) DID I SAY U SHOULD DRIVE EASY...REAL EASY.
6) I GOT A 5 SPEED 2WD SO IT IS SOMEWHAT OF AN ADVANTAGE BUT IT STILL A TRUCK IN :NEEDS-SOME-WORK-CONDITION...I KEEP EVERYTHING I CAN: CLEAN, AND I MAINTAIN IT GOOD, I'M UNDER THE HOOD WEEKLY IF ONLY TO CHECK ON IT.
7) i DON'T BELIEVE IN ADDITIVES BUT FOR HELP NOT PREVENTION, BUT I DO USE SLICK 50 EVERY 100,000 MILES OR SO.
I WILL GET ABOUT 3-4 HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES FROM THIS ORIGINAL ENGINE...EVERYTHING I'VE OWNED HAS SOFAR...AFTER THE HOTROD YEARS!!!LOL
GOOD LUCK IN YOUR QUEST FOR THE 30MPG...I'
LL SO YOU THERE!

[old mechanic]

Shady Grady! So what are the mods you have done?

[rookieshooter]

Only 2 oil changes a year! How many miles do you plan on drivig a year? I would be getting rid of all extra weight also along with your mods. Reduction of weight ranks right up there with increased MPG's, if in fact you can remove any. Good Luck

[aldive]

Originally Posted by rookieshooter

Only 2 oil changes a year! How many miles do you plan on drivig a year?

Is that good or bad? Why the comment.

Thanks ....

[rookieshooter]

Originally Posted by aldive

Is that good or bad? Why the comment.

Thanks ....

Just concerned about a vehical that he bought used with over a 100,000 miles on it. Was it ran with dyno oil all those years and now wants to put syn. oil in it? I can understand a new engine with syn. oil and those good oil filters gettin less oil changes. If I was him I would have it checked for contaminates before letting it go for like 25,000 miles between changes. Whats the condition of rings,seals? Is water or antifreeze getting in oil? Buyer beware.

[joefnh]

For some time now I have been working to improve my MPG and recently (3 weeks ago) achieved 24.1 MPG on a 800 mile road trip. In sharp contrast to this I have over the period of ~ 10 days gone down to 17MPG, with no appreciable changes under the hood.

Any ides where to start looking? The X runs great etc.. beyond the drop in MPG I do not have any other symptoms

--Joe

[aldive]

Joe, a few ideas for you to ponder:

Have you cleaned the MAF?

Take a look at the O2 sensor(s) function with a scanner.

Are the using winter blend gas up in the frozen North yet?

Keep us apraised....

Good luck.

[Jakee]

Originally Posted by aldive

Joe, a few ideas for you to ponder:

Have you cleaned the MAF?

Take a look at the O2 sensor(s) function with a scanner.

Are the using winter blend gas up in the frozen North yet?

Keep us apraised....

Good luck.

Aldive - I went on a trip to PA last week and was all excited cuss we drove our new Mercury Milan. It has an average miles per gallon meter (At least I thought it did) and it went all the way up to 38 MPG!!!!! then I realized it was 38 MPH!!!!!!! Average. So it's reading the average speed. Found out I was getting 28.5 Per gallon. Oh well, getting beat by an X isn't all that bad I guess..

[aldive]

Originally Posted by Jakee

Aldive - I went on a trip to PA last week and was all excited cuss we drove our new Mercury Milan. It has an average miles per gallon meter (At least I thought it did) and it went all the way up to 38 MPG!!!!! then I realized it was 38 MPH!!!!!!! Average. So it's reading the average speed. Found out I was getting 28.5 Per gallon. Oh well, getting beat by an X isn't all that bad I guess..

If mine got 28.5 MPG, I would be looking for a problem

[snocross1985]

Originally Posted by joefnh@aol.com

For some time now I have been working to improve my MPG and recently (3 weeks ago) achieved 24.1 MPG on a 800 mile road trip. In sharp contrast to this I have over the period of ~ 10 days gone down to 17MPG, with no appreciable changes under the hood.

Any ides where to start looking? The X runs great etc.. beyond the drop in MPG I do not have any other symptoms

--Joe

We do use winter gas here in NH, and I have noticed my mileage drop off from 20 down to 17. I think the gas could be your reason for loss of mileage. I hate winter fuel.

[joefnh]

Al I do not have a scanner just a reader. Any sugestions on a good scanner. If I had one what am I looking for.

The O2 sensors, all 4 are new (Bosch) 7k ago

As far as MAF I clean it every 3 months when I change out / clean the K&N filter. The plugs are new 7 k on them (iridium) I installed these with the MSD DIS-4 ignition controller. I recently cleaned the IAC as well.

3 Mpg for winter fuel ouch... What do they change with that fuel?

--Joe


Current Mods:

Low rolling resistance tires running at 39PSI
MSD DIS-4 igniton controller
Iridium plugs
Jacobs wires
K&N FIPK Intake kit
Tunes by Doug at Bama Chips
Lund Windjammer
Synthetics throghout (Amsoil)

[aldive]

Originally Posted by joefnh@aol.com

Al I do not have a scanner just a reader. Any sugestions on a good scanner. If I had one what am I looking for.

Take a look at the offerings from Auto X Ray ( http://www.autoxray.com/ ). Mine has served me well for years.

[Jakee]

Originally Posted by aldive

If mine got 28.5 MPG, I would be looking for a problem

It's moved up to 29.4 now. The problem was the UP HILL down hill. Thru the mountains for a good portion of the trip.

[Jakee]

has anyone seen the turbo wheels?

[ma96782]

I went on a trip to PA last week and was all excited cuss we drove our new Mercury Milan. It has an average miles per gallon meter

Don't trust the meter.......it will show you a variety of reading under different conditions. So, you'll think you are getting ______MPGs at one time......then under a different driving condition ______MPGs.........still w/ the same tank of gas.

IMHO........those meter readings.......and the quotes from folks who use them........well:

Do your calculations the old fashion way. "Real World." IMHO……..The old fashioned way adds, CREDIBILITY, to a post.

Aloha, Mark

[aldive]

Originally Posted by aldive

Next project in the Quest ....

"Modifications" to my Ford Racing throttle body hopefully will add some MPGs.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=172480

[aldive]

An upcoming trip to the Atlanta area of around 1500 miles will allow me to evaluate the following modifications and their effect on gas mileage.

250 miles on I75 at 68 MPH with the newly modified throttle body (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=172480 ) with the breather tube disconnected and an external filter used.

250 miles on I75 at 68 MPH with the newly modified throttle body with the breather tube connected to the air intake tube.

250 miles on I75 at 68 MPH with the stock throttle body with the breather tube disconnected and an external filter used.

250 miles on I75 at 68 MPH with the stock throttle body with the breather tube connected to the air intake tube.