My quest for 30 MPG - Ford Explorer Gas Mileage Tips

[stiffy44]

I have a 2003 Explorer it has a 80 L (21 us gal) tank
I get 610 <> kms (391 miles) on a tank
so how the hell did you get 30 + mpg must of drove 7 mph not 70
that crazy.

[FamilyTradition]

32MPG huh. BioDiesel booo, Hybrids just say iiiiiiiiimmmmgggggaaaaayyyy as they go by.

Doc and I Just put the Mr. Fusion on and dumped the plutonium because the local drug store has been out, re-fluxed the Flux Capacitor, now when that baby hits 88mph you wouldn't believe what happens next.



Seriously we all drive "Bread Boxes" we should be happy that we get good enough gas mileage to make it to the next gas station. Let's be realistic here. SUV's were ment to be hauling things, sure it's nice to get more than 9 in town and 15 on the Highway, but don't spend your kids college fund trying to squeeze another 1MPG at that rate forget about it, buy a corolla or something at least they are made by americans instead of the Big 3 made down south.

[bart_mcilroy]

well thats why your getting at least a little bit better gas mileage than some of us because you've got the 4.0L v6. i've got the 5.0L v8. i get like 13mpg when im messing around and going off road and i get like maybe 16 or 17mpg on the highway and when i need to save gas.

[mechjames]

Originally Posted by FamilyTradition

Seriously we all drive "Bread Boxes" we should be happy that we get good enough gas mileage to make it to the next gas station. Let's be realistic here. SUV's were ment to be hauling things, sure it's nice to get more than 9 in town and 15 on the Highway, but don't spend your kids college fund trying to squeeze another 1MPG at that rate forget about it, buy a corolla or something at least they are made by americans instead of the Big 3 made down south.

Wow, I don't know how its so hard to believe. My 1994 First Gen has gotten 22 MPG with a full load on a 5 hour highway trip. Only things I did was synthetic engine oil and synthetic rear diff oil, and a cone air intake.

This guy gets 30 because his computer is tunable, he runs synthetic in everything, doesn't drive it hard, and has researched each modification he's done to his truck. If my first gen can get 22MPG, I see no reason a 2nd gen can't get 30. Its more aerodynamic then the brick that I drive.

[mtuboi86]

I've got a 1994 (1st gen) Ford Explorer EB edition... 190,000+ miles on it.
My last trip (1,000 miles round trip), I got about 21mpg on the way there, and 23 mpg on the way back.
Though, The only way I was able to even get above 19mpg was because I finally fixed my EGR valve and tube, and the valve position sensor (they were all bad)... immediately after that fix, I was getting 21+ mpg highway driving between 55mph (speed limit) and 60/65mph (speed limit 70).

I made a thread about my experiments on another forum... though, not nearly as well-done as this guy's thread as I'm a college student doing everything on a shoe-string budget with very limited time.

I'd post the link, but I can't seem to load that forum's website anymore www.gassavers.org. Well, if you can... my handle is the same on there as it is here.

Edit: Found the link. Here it is: http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=11676

[Lil' Pig]

Originally Posted by stiffy44

I have a 2003 Explorer it has a 80 L (21 us gal) tank
I get 610 <> kms (391 miles) on a tank
so how the hell did you get 30 + mpg must of drove 7 mph not 70
that crazy.

All I can say is this "Bread Box" as they call them is what I call my "Lil' Pig". Sure I have the V6 2 door 4x4, I had a Lincoln Mark VIII with a 4.6 V8 in it, always gave it Sunoco's 94 octane (nothin' but the good stuff) so I figured....how bad can this little truck be compared to the V8...well lets just say my gas consumption doubled! I have gone to the K&N filter, I've switched to synthetic, I've tried driving it like I'm 87 years old....hard to do after driving a rocket... and although I gained about 50 kms.(30 miles) to a tank by making those 2 changes, it seems my driving habits don't even make all that much of a difference, other than driving like grandpa nearly getting me run over on the QEW in the morning. I only have the 16 gallon tank (60 L) which yields me a whopping 360 Kms. (223 miles) on the highway and in the city I can squeeze around 280 kms. (175 miles) out of it, driving until the light comes on in the dash. Anyone know how much further one can go once that little light comes on?! HA! I simply have gotten used to the fact that it is what it is- glad most gas stations offer a points program, so at least my car washes are free!

[Hitchhikingmike]

Hey Aldive, how about adding a section to the very first post of this thread about the top best ways to improve mileage that you have found through experience. This would be a lot better than having to wade through 103 pages to find out. I haven't seen you post anywhere yet the top best ways to improve mpg.

[Essex4x4]

Oh but i do believe i figured out how to get my 06 explorer to get 22 city and about 35 highway.

read my info to find out how.

<<<<< see left

[Hitchhikingmike]

Originally Posted by Essex4x4

Oh but i do believe i figured out how to get my 06 explorer to get 22 city and about 35 highway.

read my info to find out how.

<<<<< see left

Whaaat? 3.5L V6? This is no explorer.

[Essex4x4]

Originally Posted by Hitchhikingmike

Whaaat? 3.5L V6? This is no explorer.

My point exactly, i have fully achieved the impossible by getting a new record of 40mpg. Yes i got 39.7 mpg in my "new" "explorer" haha

[Glen4X4]

Well the thread is for achieving great gas mileage for an explorer not a pontiac.

[Essex4x4]

Oh come now friend im simply stating i gave in and found no solution to getting better mileage, i praise aldive and his hard work. I however chose the easy way out by selling and buying.

[900993-Trey]

ultimate fuel mileage/power combo for an explorer: Cummins 4BT, turbocharged mated to a ZF6 tranny. oh, what i would give for the time and money...

[djwhoo2005]

13-15 mpg here 2002 v8....i need better milage. im gonna take it in for a tranny oil change.. go with the mobil 1

[99EddieBauer4.0]

Originally Posted by aldive

The following is a list of modifications that have resulted in the mileage reported on my 99 4.0 SOHC:
Mobil 1 5 w 30 synthetic motor oil
Mobil 1 ATF in auto tranny ( a complete change )
Mobil 1 in the 3.73 rear end
KKM Tru Rev intake
Custom cat back exhaust system
Remove roof rack
Many coats of Zaino polish
Tire pressure 40 psig
Explorer Express X Spec air dam
Amoco 87 octane gas
Secondary tranny filter ( don’t know if this helps )

Driving habits help also:
No race like starts
Windows up always - usually with AC on
Keep top speed at or below 70 MPH

as a working 18 y/o with barely any money for modifications, let alone gas, (i get around 16-17) i thank you for revealing this lol.

[Glen4X4]

Unfortunately Aldive is no longer with us any more, so read his words of wisdom and absorb it

[ShadyGrady]

NO...He was a good guy...RIP Aldive! He was the FATHER of MPG in a Explorer!

What ever you do, follow this man's advice! I think he forgot more than any of us would ever know!!

[Fifty150]

After countless hours of reading research material, wrenching my own trucks, and then performing field trials of various mods & driving patterns; I've figured it all out.

Buy a Prius. Rip off all the Toyota emblems. Rebadge it as a F-350.

[austin93]

LOL, I am 17 and I use lots of car wax too.....but it don't help with MPGs. But, I never tried full Mobile 1 oil. Also, what kind of exhaust did you use? Did you change the cats or just the muffler? I was thinking of some high flow cats (worried about my check engine light) and a single in , dual out Cherry bomb performace muffler. Also, was thinking of air intake system (again worried a check eng light). will these add ons trip my eng light?

[austin93]

RIP....I guess I should have kept reading the other post, before I replied. Very sorry