26.5 MPG in an OHV!!

[93TwotoneXLT]

I know that it sounds unbelievable, but today on my way back from Hilton Head, SC I was noticing that my gas gauge was going down very slowly. When I got back home I decided to go ahead and fill up because I was curious as to what kind of mileage I got. My fuel gauge still showed three quarters of a tank and the trip odometer had 117 miles on it.(which is exactly the distance from my apt. to my friends house down there) I filled it up and it only took 4.4 gallons to fill er up, and that was after squeezing another 25 cents in to make sure that the pump didn't accidentally shut off! I have cleaned all of the sensors for the engine and have done a thouough tune-up on the X, and it is running better than ever(very smooth idle,etc.) but that fuel economy is rediculous.
I am not expecting it again but I thought that this might be a record on explorer4x4? Anyone had a one time unreal gas mileage phenomenon out of their X?
BTW: Before I did the extensive tune-up, the X would always get 17-18 on the highway, and around 14 in town. Recently, the X has been getting 16-17 around town. This recent trip was the first hwy trip I have taken since I did the big tune-up.

93 XLT 4x4 with 112K on the clock.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

wow did you have it in netural and coast the whole way?....the best my 4x4 OHV has ever gotten is an amazing 21.

 

[93TwotoneXLT]

lol, no, the first 35 miles of the trip are on I-95. I set the cruise at 78mph for that part of the trip. The second part of the trip is on a mix of two lane and four lane hwy, with the cruise set(depending on the area/speed limit) between 58 and 68mph.
I know that it sounds nuts. I still can't believe it but it's the truth.

 

[Spdrcer34]

I just got a best of 24mpg on my trip to Portland....

The 1st gens seem to get better mileage @ 60-65 than 70-75...like a 1-3mpg difference

Ryan

 

[ma96782]

93TwotoneXLT,

That is amazing. Congratulations.

___________________________________________

Spdrcer34,

Was that going to Portland or returning home to WA??

Reason I asked is cause....I've found better mileage when returning to WA......based on a trip to CA and back. And, I live in Vancouver,WA.

Aloha, Mark

 

[DeerSlayer]

I have a therory about the 1st gens and maybe all older cars. You'll notice that they use to highlight 55mph on the speedometer. I beleive the difference is that they were geared for a 55-60 mph highway system (for best economy). vs newer cars which are meant for(Best economy) speeds up to 70 for highway. And they have no highlighted speed since it now varies.
I often take a trip between Bellingham and Bellevue that ranges in 70 to 60 mph speed zones. One trip I just decided to go 65mph the whole way. Stick in the fast lane in 60 mph zones and slow lane in 70 mph zones. My MPG for the trip was 21 vs 18 for my normal routine (65 sometimes and 75mph mostimes.
Those guys who know the rear end gear ratios and tranny ratios feel free to shoot me down. I don't know much about the actual geared differences.

 

[Spdrcer34]

ma96782,

That was the average for the whole trip.

Ryan

 

[93TwotoneXLT]

I've been thinking about my trip home in terms of average speed and have come up with this: The trip is a total of 117 miles, and in terms of speed is devided into three different sections. The first section of the trip is interstate driving with a posted 70mph speed limit. I always set the cruise 8mph over the limit, so I was doing 78 through this zone which stretches over 35 miles. The next section is a 50mph zone, so I set the cruise at 58 for another 40 miles. Last section is a 60mph zone, so, 68. This part is 42 miles.
So, my average speed on this trip is 68mph. This means that my truck is turning at an average rpm of 1900 in OD.
Don't know if this actually helps to figure anything out for the fuel economy, but that is how the trip breaks down. I do stop for the occasional stop light and slow down for the few small towns where 45mph zones are posted, but this is roughly how the trip goes.

 

[Rhett]

Numbers can't lie...burning 4.4 gals over 117 miles is 26.59 mpg. That's got to be the record for a 1st gen. Now tell me what you did as far as tune-up goes?

Best I have gotten is 22.5 mpg, and I've done it all...mileage modwise...
lately I can't seem to crack 21 mpg though...

 

[FROADER]

Don't let aldive see this thread.

 

['97 V8]

Don't let aldive see this thread.

bahahaha.....

 

[93TwotoneXLT]

I did what I at least think is most of it. Plugs, wires, thourough intake and throttle body cleaning with STP intake and throttle body cleaner, all sensors cleaned thouroughly with denatured alcohol(MAF and IAC). I also replaced a stuck open thermostat with a 198 degree thermostat, new temp sender for an accurate gauge reading, fan, fan clutch, pcv valve, air and fuel filter, fresh tranny flush. The plugs are motorcraft double platinums, the wires are motorcraft as well. Still running the stock O2 sensors. Just replaced the radiator due to plastic tanks starting to weep when cold, so naturally the cooling system was flushed as well when this was done. Since replacing the stuck thermostat and sender the gauge stays right between the "O" and "R" on the NORMAL. Before that it would never even make it to the "N", unless I was stuck in traffic for a while then it would creep up the gauge due to the fan clutch not working. As a note I guess that it should be known that I always run 89 octane in my truck. I know that it doesn't make a real difference but I have always run 89 in all of my vehicles and it doesn't seem to hurt anything, and I figure that it may burn slightly better than 87. I may be forgetting something, just like most of you I do most of my own work and it all starts to jumble together when you start thinking of all the little things you've done.

 

[badgett]

My SOHC 4.0 with 3.73 gears will most of the time get an amazing 14. It loves gas more than I do beer.

 

[thewishkah]

I have gotten close to that on a trip from Hawley PA to Brooklyn NY 130 or so miles on just 5 gallons with an avg speed of 60mph, I dont like to cruise at 65 due to that damn vibration from the rear. so I always cruise between ethier 60 or 75mph its annoying between there

 

[aldive]

Excellent mileage; congratulations.

What air pressure did you have in the tires?

 

[93TwotoneXLT]

I run 35psi all the time. The tires are continental sportiva suv/light truck tires. To be honest, I didn't even check the pressure before we left Hilton Head, so I cannot be sure what the pressure in the tires was during the trip home. I guess that I must of had one h**l of a tail wind behind me!

 

[Rhett]

I have gotten close to that on a trip from Hawley PA to Brooklyn NY 130 or so miles on just 5 gallons with an avg speed of 60mph, I dont like to cruise at 65 due to that damn vibration from the rear. so I always cruise between ethier 60 or 75mph its annoying between there

(You probably need to add that 2nd washer in front of your radius arm bushings. It does wonders for that 65-70 mph shake you have there. )

 

[Rhett]

I run 35psi all the time. The tires are continental sportiva suv/light truck tires. To be honest, I didn't even check the pressure before we left Hilton Head, so I cannot be sure what the pressure in the tires was during the trip home. I guess that I must of had one h**l of a tail wind behind me!

Are there any big hills on that trip?

 

[vervepipes]

I get about 14 mpg in town on 31's and 3.73, I havent been on the highway since my semi-finished tune up. what I have finished in my half-completed maintenance is cleaning my air and changing my fuel filter, switching to synthetic engine oil (rest is on the way), cleaned my throttle body and cleaned the MAF. I'm aiming for around your result when I'm through, good to see those numbers as a ray of light. I think when my tires wear out i'm gonna downgrade to 30" and go back to michelin ltx like I had before and really liked the silence of. cheers

 

[93TwotoneXLT]

Rhett, no, there aren't any hills on the trip, it's all flat as can be.