Best RPM's for Gas Mileage

[16EBBOY]

2006 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer V6 4x2 72,650 miles. Im a high school junior and looking on way to get the most miles out of a tank, i've started to drive much more economical lately but accelerating to 2,000 rpms and allowing it shift. Since the explorer has more top end torque well atleast the V6 it doesn't take much after that to get to cruising. is there a specific sweet spot to get optimal MPG? Also what is the factory rear tint % im thinking of getting the fronts tinted to match.

 

[rileyrs]

optimal would be as lightly you can have your foot on the pedal while keeping your desired speed.
i run a scan gauge, and vacuum gauge to help monitor load and fuel economy.

i would guess the tint is 35%.... but that could be slightly off.

 

[Joe Dirt]

65mph is a pretty fair sweet spot for most cars, anything above that you start using more fuel. Don't lug the engine though, making it run under a comfy RPM will cause as much fuel to be used as running with a heavy foot.

Good luck- post some results!

 

[seannydeez]

anytime you can drive with the a/c off will help too. I know with my explorer, I have the electronic temp controls and when I shut everything off, the car responded a hell of a lot better and according to the on board computer I was getting about 3 more mpg's without changing my driving habits.

 

[Falconkeeper]

The best mpg speed is just fast enough to keep in the top gear. A2011 Mustang got 48.5 mpg at an average of 43.8 mph-
http://green.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/2011-ford-mustang-v6-runs-776-5-miles-on-one-tank-48-5-mpg-w-v/
Just be patient when accelerating and use the hyper-miler techniques as much as possible. Braking is throwing away energy. Coasting is saving energy.

 

[xplrluvr]

I was surprised recently when we drove over to Baton Rouge from Bama. I am usually kinda of a hyper miler to save gas money. The best we've got with our 4.0 liter has been 21.9 mpg. Well, when we went to Baton Rouge I drove 75-80 and we got 20.9. To me this means unless we drive 55 (I can't and dont use the AC, we aint gonna get much better! I've tested the run AC or not to save gas, and it just doesnt make enough difference to suffer the heat! I will still usually drive conservatively though.

 

[FloridaState]

What is REALLY strange to me is, it seems when I go faster, I either get better gas mileage or about the same.

I'm in college, so I regularly trek 6 hours back and forth to my house, and it always seems when I go faster, it really makes no difference. I've tried at around 70-75, 80-85, and the most recent trip, 90-95mph. I noticed on the 70-ish and 80-ish drives my mileage was almost identical. I usually get about 150 miles to a half-tank. The recent trip, I was going 90-95mph most of the way, and actually got almost 200 miles to a half-tank.

It was the strangest thing. I know there's a lot of conditions that contribute to gas mileage, but I thought it was really weird how I saw such a drastic IMPROVEMENT when I hauled ass and gunned it. I did just get my balljoints replaced and stuff, so maybe that helped (less drag from the wheels or something)? I haven't gone back home yet, but I'm curious to see if it does it again.
Maybe I just had some freak experience last time.

And I can't drive under 70mph...no way. I'd rather spend the extra money and not drive like a senior citizen. Even 70mph is hard for me...I typically don't dip below 80 very often.

 

[xplrluvr]

Well all of that gas money you save will help you to pay for those speeding tickets !!!
JK of course,,,,,

 

[michael loibl]

If you want to match factory tint try 15%. Its actually about 20 % but due to the extra light coming thru the windshield you need to go slightly darker to make it appear the same when viewing from the side.

 

[Gus Gorilla]

If you just go to a tint shop and tell them "match that" they can do it. Don't know what % it is but every time I got windows tinted to match I just told them to match it and it did.

As for 21 out of a 4.0 I would have thought you could beat that when trying to HyperMiler it. I've gotten 19.5 out of my '01 ST on an all highway trip. My wife mostly drives it now and has gotten up to 18.5 in a city/highway 20/80 mix. Drives like an old lady but at that mileage I can't complain. 'Course it was only 15 in the winter. Nothing crazy in the way of mods. Fluids, K&N and such.

 

[willied]

I get right around 21mpg just highway driving. Doing about 70 percent highway and 30 percent city I get about 17-18mpg.

 

[16EBBOY]

I've been getting a steady 16.1 but lately ive needed to drive agressively and its down to 15.4 but i plan on getting it back up. on the highway i get 23.2 mpg and thats going 69 with the front and rear ac on 1 & 2. I do mostly city driving which kills my gas mileage but i only have to fill up maybe every 2-3 weeks which isn't to bad.