My 94 explorer is only getting 11-12 mpg (city)

[Mgcauctions09]

What are some of the things I can look for?

 

[FirstExplorer]

That's not very good mileage. There are so many things that affect mileage.
You could try a fuel treatment, I like Lucas products. Check tire pressure and even the type of tire you are using can affect tire resistence. Oil, I gained 2-3 mpg using synthetic oil, I like Royal Purple. I gained 3 mpg after a transmission flush, then I dropped the pan, changed the filter, and replenished with Synergen synthetic fluid (you can mix) ....amazing results. Mass Flow sensor? Check air filter? What are your driving habits? Do you rabbit start, etc?

 

[ricco750]

What are some of the things I can look for?

If the 02 sensors are over 100K, they can go bad without sending a CEL code. This happened twice on my ex, i.e. sudden bad mileage...I changed the sensors, mileage went back to normal, 15-17 in town, 20-22 highway.

 

[Mgcauctions09]

I have changed plugs,wires,coil,changed oil,aired up tires,used fuel treatment, changed transmission fluid and filter, added transx,?????? Anything else? The explorer sat in a mans garage for 5 years. I got it last year with 70,000 miles. I had to get the entire brake system replaced, everything was shot. I then gave it the tune up mentioned above.

 

[gmanpaint]

Check for a clogged CAT. It has to breathe.

Proper PSI in your tires. Good even wear on them also.

O2 sensors are a good thing to replace.

Check the TPS for proper voltage.

When cleaning the MAF sensor, make sure to remove the plate that covers the sensor and only use a MAF cleaner.

Diff fluids, replace with a good synthetic IMO.

Wheel bearings....clean them, and re-grease.

 

[elbow2342]

Dont pull out all your hair , worrying about your fuel milage. its really not that bad for around town.after all it is a 4x4 weighing over 5000 lbs. Doing all the things that you have been advised by other members may help,, but dont expect any drastic changes its a 16 year old. 4x4 suv..My 94 xlt averages 12 to 13 MPG town and country. If your rig runs good and drives good , driving at moderate speeds is about the most helpful thing we can do to increase our fuel milage . It dosent make much sense to spend hundreds of dollars to only increase our milage by a couple of mpg. Elbow

 

[huntman58]

best way to get better MPG is to stop driving like you enjoy it and start driving like your afraid to drive meaning take forever to get to a speed limit if you ever go that fast . even if your the first on at a light and others are next to you be the last one across before it turns red in other words drive like the text book grandma and Grandpa out for a Sunday drive and not the young high school boy trying to be the newest drag racer on the block.
by the way as has been said for a 4x4 that is heavy shaped like a brick and is 16 years old that’s not bad I get about the same in town and only about 17 on the HWY but a good tail wind will get me 18 if its down hill.

 

[deamon3]

Yea 11/12mpg is normal for city. You have to remember that these first gens were not designed very well and even brand new got bad gas millage due to several reasons. The only way to get good gas millage out of it is to change it to a 4 cylinder and cut off about 500lbs of excess weight from the body.

 

[beater93xlt]

I was getting 12.5 when I got my 93 in December. It has 175k on it, I just did oil, filter and plugs and wires and I'm getting 16.5 now. I'd love to get 18-20, but it's a 17 year old beast.

 

[tomc1980]

11-12 isnt that normal in my case i have a 93 in serious need of a tune up 147k miles on it completely stock and i get on average 15-16mpg in town.

 

[luis_lapray]

In my explorer 93 2x2 with 150k, i get 15 mpg in city,but here in mexico the fuel is bad, I think if the fuel will be to better, my mpg will be 17 mpg

 

[elbow2342]

There is no question about a 2 wheel drive getting better milage than a 4x4 due to the weight difference, not to mention gear ratios and highway tires, A manual transmission is also a plus in either case . Elbow

 

[KPSquared]

It can really depend on your definition of "City Driving"...

Do you fire it up in the morning, drive 20 blocks to work, then shut it down for the day? If so, you can barely get the thing warmed up and that kind of mileage is to be expected.

If you are driving around the city all day with lots of stops and starts and never really cruising at a certain RPM, then you should be getting better.

The whole concept of "In town" or "city driving" has to be defined more clearly to determine if you're really getting bad mileage...

 

[Vargas]

It can really depend on your definition of "City Driving"...

Do you fire it up in the morning, drive 20 blocks to work, then shut it down for the day? If so, you can barely get the thing warmed up and that kind of mileage is to be expected.

If you are driving around the city all day with lots of stops and starts and never really cruising at a certain RPM, then you should be getting better.

The whole concept of "In town" or "city driving" has to be defined more clearly to determine if you're really getting bad mileage...

My '94 4x4 automatic gets 15mpg when driving consists solely of trips that consist of a cold start and 5 miles of 25-35mph through 8 stoplights.

On the open highway at 60mph, it gets 22mpg. At 70mph it gets 20mpg. Has 165K miles.

I think it really is all about time spent at idle, burning fuel and not going anywhere, rather than actual speed. On a trip that consisted of a few hundred highway miles with an off road excursion in the middle (50 miles in 4low) it still got a combined economy of over 20mpg.

 

[elbow2342]

I , think cars are like people. Some of them are just special.. Elbow

 

[Potomac30]

Check this post out about the Vacuum Line on 1st Gen Fuel Pressure Regulator
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280272

 

[elbow2342]

Check this thread

Great advise on both the thread, and your Thomas jefferson quote.
Elbow

 

[Curtiswick]

Something to try that is easy

One thing I have not seen mentioned here is the type of gas used. I live in the Rockies, and not sure if this is an issue where you are, but out here they use Ethanol in most of the fuel. I was getting about 12mpg using this fuel. I simply changed to the premium grade, (92 octane here) which does not contain ethanol, and my mileage went up to 15ish city and 20ish at 65mph.

The first time you add it, you probably will notice horrible mileage. I had about 1/4 tank of ethanol fuel in the tank and filled it the rest of the way with ethanol free fuel. I got about 10 city and 15 highway on that tank. The next tank I saw the 15 city and 20 highway.

Add up the mileage change to the price difference and it was a no brainer for us.

Same fuel change in our 2003 buick LeSabre took the mileage from 25hwy back to the 31hwy we were used to.

Do a little internet reading on the damage ethanol does to your engine and you probably, like me, will never run it again if at all possible.

Hope it helps.

 

[Mudboy]

please inform me where to get gasoline without ethanol in it. Ethanol was a replacement for the oxygenate., MTBE which was banned a fgew yeaars back. I work in a refinery and my position is gas chromotagraphy and on of my analyzers is for oxygenates.

Another thing to do is a fuel pressure test, checking to see how long the injectors hold pressure. If you have a sticky injector letting fuel drain that will lessen the mileage. Also dirty injectors will cause an inefficency. I myself would run seafoam through the tank and also through the front of the intake to ensure cleanliness of a ports and valves.

 

[Currency]

I get crappy mileage as well. I do not really worry about it until I'm on e and flat broke.

I average around 14 city, 18 highway with bad alignment and goodyear wranglers with 21,000 miles where two need replaced. Nearly 206,000 miles on my bone stock explorer and I can pretty much say the engine and trans have never been rebuilt. Last owner was disabled, $605 monthly income!

Just an FYI, My 94 explorer, four door, four wheel drive only weighs in around 4,300 pounds with a full tank and me not in it. I've checked it.