4.0 question

[stren_g]

I know these engines are notorious for their not so great gas mileage, but what exactly makes them so inefficient? I've got a 2000 ranger ohv and its gettin around 15 city... which I understand is average, but why. I've seen v-8s get better... nothing against my truck but id like some explanation.

 

[4rd Xplora]

My 96' 4.0 was getting 18 and within the last year or so, after I replaced the O2's, she's dropped to 15-16.5. But remember when it was built gas mileage was not a major issue.

UPDATE: She's back to getting a little better than 18 at 18.6mpg.

 

[94Eddie]

I chalked it up to the OVH engines being taken from an old design and being pushed to its displacement limit. Many new engines are designed from the ground up to operate under more defined displacement parameters. The 4.0L OVH was a derivative of the old Cologne engine that saw beginning production back in 1968. Over the decades it has seen 1.8, 2.0, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.8, 2.9 and 4.0 liter displacements. I had a 2.9L version in an old late 1980s Ranger and it got about the same mileage as the 4.0L I had in a 1994 Explorer.

 

[Lube]

Small, low hp engine dragging around a heavy suv shaped like a shoe box will do it every time.

 

[stren_g]

And it seems to me that there's not a lot you can do to make it much better... am I right? The "obvious" mods are relatively expensive compared to what little fuel you would save?

 

[Tbars4]

..There are many, many, reasons to suffer from poor fuel economy..

..There are several threads here on what to do to improve your mileage, performance, and maintenance of your vehicle..

..But, an automatic trans will not help you get as good a mileage as a manual trans..Then their is Aldive's Mileage Monster thread if you want to learn a lot about improving fuel economy..

 

[94Eddie]

There are only two ways to improve gas mileage for a well running Explorer. First is to dump weight and the second is to change your driving habits. The thread mentioned above is required reading for people wanting to improve gas mileage for about any vehicle.

 

[mr cribb]

well my "shoe box" as it was said gets 16.5-17 city.... 2wd 5 speed though. This is up from 14 when I first got it. All I did was a tune up.

 

[stren_g]

I drive pretty easy, keep it under 70mph, and try to keep the rpms under 2k. Its very well maintained and only 75k miles. Ill take a look at that thread. Im up for bout anything that will help

 

[94Eddie]

I drive pretty easy, keep it under 70mph, and try to keep the rpms under 2k. Its very well maintained and only 75k miles. Ill take a look at that thread. Im up for bout anything that will help

Going from 70 mph to 55-60 mph will make a difference too. Also, keeping your tires at 32-35 psi will help but driving like and old lady delivers the best results, IMO.

 

[mr cribb]

but driving like and old lady delivers the best results, IMO.

I have pissed a lot of prius owners driving like this.... HAHAHAHA

But yes it does net a few more mpgs

 

[stren_g]

Just out of curiosity, were there any diesel rangers?

 

[nickb123]

Going from 70 mph to 55-60 mph will make a difference too. Also, keeping your tires at 32-35 psi will help but driving like and old lady delivers the best results, IMO.

you say to put 32-35 psi in the tires but on the door of my 96 it says to inflate them to 26 psi. Why is that?

 

[94Eddie]

you say to put 32-35 psi in the tires but on the door of my 96 it says to inflate them to 26 psi. Why is that?

I don"t know the rational behind recommending 26 psi but it is too low. I have run my tires at 32-35 psi for 15 years with no ill results. On the road, tires at 26 psi are doing nothing but wasting gas.

 

[skillz105]

does anyone know where i can get a air intake from for 94 explorer 4.0??

 

[mr cribb]

does anyone know where i can get a air intake from for 94 explorer 4.0??

Are you looking for a factory tube? If factory a JY(junkyard). I have a factory tube sitting on my shelf in my storage building that came off my 92.

 

[skillz105]

no like the chrome ones do they make them for the 91-94 explorers if so where can i find one

 

[mr cribb]

no like the chrome ones do they make them for the 91-94 explorers if so where can i find one

You have to make one. I made my own.

There isn't a "bolt on" air intake for the explorer. Why are you interested in one?

I hope you are aware that there isn't a power increase to be had with one.

In fact there isn't any type of modification to be done to an explorer to make it fast. It's a 4k lb suv being driven by a power lacking v6.

I built mine because I wanted to and because I had an idea and wanted to see if it'd work out like I thought.

I can take pics of mine tomorrow to show you what I constructed.

 

[skillz105]

no I didnt want it to be faster I just really want to see what it would look like and yea I would like to see them.... what about tail pipes do they have dual tail pipes I want to put a flowmaster set up with dual pipes but I hear I would have to get them made like I just have so many ideas running thru my head of what I want do to my truck i have a 94 explorer sport 4x4... one last thing my gas gauge doesnt work how can I fix that

 

[ranger7ltr]

Of course...

Just out of curiosity, were there any diesel rangers?

Ford made a 2 liter diesel in the 1st Gen Ranger...Don't remember if they continued it past 88-89 though...