16.5mpg with a V6 sounds average?

[jetdave56]

Mostly highway with some city driving.....She is properly tuned, tires inflated correctly, cruise control is set 60-65 mph on hwy....can I do better?

 

[IZwack]

You can definitely do better but the vehicle isn't the only variable in the equation, the other major factor is the driver

 

[JohnnyO]

I picked up 3 mpg on the highway with a cat-back exhaust. City mpg is no different.
Keep your fluids changed, meaning oil, tranny, t-case, and axles, and use synthetic. Gives a teeny improvement. Axle lube doesn't necessarily get thinner over time, sometimes it gets thicker.

 

[jetdave56]

Thanks for the replys....drove only the Lincoln Town Car for 14yrs (14-20 mpg) 600,000 miles of driving 4 of them...paid attention to details like burning oil (older version), a plastic part of the intake manifold(a recall) to 2003 change to racon pinion steering etc....plus many aftermarket replacement parts....But this car is new to me..I'm not a machinic on cars....But I work on my jetskis

 

[JohnnyO]

Thanks for the replys....drove only the Lincoln Town Car for 14yrs (14-20 mpg) 600,000 miles of driving 4 of them...paid attention to details like burning oil (older version), a plastic part of the intake manifold(a recall) to 2003 change to racon pinion steering etc....plus many aftermarket replacement parts....But this car is new to me..

SUV's are heavier and have a lot more wind resistance and driveline drag, especially 4x4's. It is what it is. There is no magic remedy to get 27 mpg other than buying a brand new EcoBoost Explorer.

I'm not a machinic on cars....But I work on my jetskis

My Polaris has a water leak around the exhaust manifold.....

Best bang for the buck is a cat-back exhaust if you don't mind the noise. Intakes don't make much difference because the stocker is pretty good as is. Just yank the silencer, get a K&N drop-in, and call it good. Same with headers, JBA is the only company that makes them, they cost over $600, and improvement is marginal because the stock manifolds aren't that bad. A lot of guys like the tuners but they cost $400, it will be a while until I save that on gas, so I don't bother.

Keep it in tune, change the filters etc, tranny flush, change the t-case lube (it takes ATF, I use Mobil 1 ATF), it is easy to do yourself if you get a suction gun to fill it with. Axles, the front can only be changed with a suction machine at the Qwicky-Lube, the rear either by yourself and take the cover off or have the Qwicky-Lube do it too. I had the axles done on my daughter's Jeep and the first thing I noticed afterward was that the tranny upshifted much faster, so God only knows what kind of sludge was in the axles.

 

[jetdave56]

SUV's are heavier and have a lot more wind resistance and driveline drag, especially 4x4's. It is what it is. There is no magic remedy to get 27 mpg other than buying a brand new EcoBoost Explorer.


My Polaris has a water leak around the exhaust manifold.....

Best bang for the buck is a cat-back exhaust if you don't mind the noise. Intakes don't make much difference because the stocker is pretty good as is. Just yank the silencer, get a K&N drop-in, and call it good. Same with headers, JBA is the only company that makes them, they cost over $600, and improvement is marginal because the stock manifolds aren't that bad. A lot of guys like the tuners but they cost $400, it will be a while until I save that on gas, so I don't bother.

Keep it in tune, change the filters etc, tranny flush, change the t-case lube (it takes ATF, I use Mobil 1 ATF), it is easy to do yourself if you get a suction gun to fill it with. Axles, the front can only be changed with a suction machine at the Qwicky-Lube, the rear either by yourself and take the cover off or have the Qwicky-Lube do it too. I had the axles done on my daughter's Jeep and the first thing I noticed afterward was that the tranny upshifted much faster, so God only knows what kind of sludge was in the axles.

wow...Polaris...stopped making those in 04...since your ski is an open loop cooling system where it gets its cooling water from the water your riding on.....that being said it is thus water jacketed possibly a saltwater clogged waterpassage...but water leak is usally a bad gasket or just tightening of a clamp or one of the galvanized bolts...there are quite a few...always determine if the water is from circulating cooling water (hot) or from the outside coming in if there'e water in the bottom of hull....

anyway back on topic.....noise is a big issue...this is a limousine so we like a smooth quit ride...this is a much "truckier" ride than the town car that has its air suspension...WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED WHEN LOOKING FOR THE TRANS STICK UNDER THE HOOD...LOL...we'll take your advice on changing those oils..

 

[JohnnyO]

anyway back on topic.....noise is a big issue...this is a limousine so we like a smooth quit ride...this is a much "truckier" ride than the town car that has its air suspension...WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED WHEN LOOKING FOR THE TRANS STICK UNDER THE HOOD...LOL...we'll take your advice on changing those oils..

Also know that the OE Gen 1 shocks were junk when the things rolled off the transporter new. Assuming yours still has the originals, if you get new shocks it will probably ride better. I got an '05 Trac brand new and replaced the shocks at 12,000 miles. Monroe Sensa Tracs will ride the best, that's what I got, I've since found that the store brand shocks at NAPA are really Sensa Tracs painted blue and half the price. It won't ride like a Town Car (my dad used to have one) no matter what though.

 

[zone 6]

Last time I did a mileage check, I was getting around 16-17, so I'd say your dead on.
The best mileage I ever got was going across Iowa on I80, actually got 20.8MPG with a STRONG tailwind.