<65 mph = 22.5 MPG!

[DeerSlayer]

So I have been doing some experimenting with gas milage in my explorer. I drive between Bellingham, WA and the Bellevue, WA (~100 miles) area reguraly and the speed limit is about 40% 70mph and 60% 60mph and I usually drive 75 in the 70 zones and 65 in the 60 zones. I decided the last two trips to drive below 65 the entire way. I just set the cruise at 63 and only slowed when I had too. Under normal conditions I get 18.5 mpg at best and my truck averages 17.5 for city/hwy driving. Well driving less than 65 on the freeway I got 22.5 mpg! My plugs and wires are 20,000 miles old, 35psi in tires, KKM intake, regular dino oil and trans fluid but otherwise it is stock. Normally the trip takes 1 hour 30 minutes drivng slower it takes 1 hour 45 minutes. 15 minutes and I get 4 mpg! Note I only do this when traffic is light so people have tons of room to pass me. I actually still end up still needing to pass some people even in the 70 zones.

 

[90ranajo]

I just found out this weekend that at an average speed of 2-5mph over 100 miles I get about 6.5mpg.

 

[Turdle]

I keep my speed at 68 mph on long trips, get 22 mpg.
For some reason 70 mph is a wall to these trucks.

 

[briwayjones]

At around 70MPH air resistance becomes a huge factor especially on something like a truck.

 

[DeerSlayer]

JTSmith said: I keep my speed at 68 mph on long trips, get 22 mpg. For some reason 70 mph is a wall to these trucks.

Is that in a first gen?

 

[Rhett]

DeerSlayer: I have gotten 21.3 mpg at 74 mph in my truck over a 115 mile trip. I never tried a 65 mph cruise...will have to try that some time...

 

[Bwana Bob]

Thank you for the mileage tip. I average 18-19 mpg, combined. My commute is mostly highway. I'll try to drop the speed below 65 mph and see what happens. I have a 92 XLT with the 5-speed manual and 3.27 rear end.

It amazes me that the Ford Escape with the 3.0L V6 does not get significantly better mileage (maybe 22 mpg, at best from what I read) than a 1st generation Explorer!

Bob

 

[adam45356]

the escape are acually fairly peppy car my freinds was faster than my explorer untill i got 4.10 gears now mine gets up and goes better his gets way better gas millage than mine though, and he has the 3.0 24v twin cam v6

 

[DeerSlayer]

Most of you bring up a good point, I don't know what my rear end ratio is. I have a 94 sport, 5spd, NO towing package (in case they all had one axle that someone knows). This would make a big difference though. At 75 mph my RPMs are over 2500 rpm so if some one had a higher ratio (lower number, if I got that right, it is late) then they could be at below 2000 RPM and still be crusing at 75. The difference is that it takes more ponies to drive at 75 in a lower RPM.

 

[Rhett]

You probably have 3.27's if I had to guess. With stock size tires, that's a pretty good hwy gear, but it's no good around town.

 

[PTBishop]

18.5 mpg at best and my truck averages 17.5 for city/hwy driving.

man i wish i could get that, i average about 13 to 14 MPG in city driving and about 16 to 17 highway....i also have a stock explorer, but i have 31 inch BFGs and one heck of an exhaust leak...other than that, i replaced my air filter, plugs, wires, and fuel filter about 2500 miles ago

edit: when i do both city and highway on a tank i usually get about 15 MPG

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

hmm...well i do have a second gen but we do have the same engine. I have 3.55's I get about 21 on the highway crusing at 73-74.....but then maby 15 intown.

 

[Spdrcer34]

I do/did (tranny's out! as of 5/9) a good bit of driving with my X. 300-500 miles per week. Alot of mixed driving, no 'heavy' traffic though....too small of a city for that stuff.....

BUT, with that said, with my `92 5spd (BBK TB, and iFab intake), & 3.73 rear gears, I actually get about 2-3 mpg more than when I had the stock 3.27 rear. I am/was up to about 21mpg average (also have 29" tall tires, essentially taking my rear ratio to a 3.6), with a BEST of 23.8 mpg..

Other things I've done was a EE Airdam, and keeping it UNDER 67....I've done some 'non-scientific' testing, just done the EXACT SAME ROUTE on different days (different weather, didn't check tire press., similar traffic) and gone different speeds, and found that @ 68-69mph and higher, mileage just DROPS OFF sharply...70mph+ would only get me ~17mpg

Getting 19+ in a first gen is big accomplishment. Aerodynamics WERE NOT taken into consideration when buidling these vehicles. The front of the hood, and the grill are EXACLTLY perpendicular to the road.....AND straight across left to right....

I read somewhere that once a car gets up to speed, about 40-60% of the energy used to propel the vehicle forward is used to merely push it through the air. The rest is used depending on load weight, and drag (bearings, wheels)...


Ryan

 

[DeerSlayer]

I'm pretty sure the second gens have a different motor than the first gen. Same displacement, different valve train.

 

[Rhett]

I'm pretty sure the second gens have a different motor than the first gen. Same displacement, different valve train.

Well yes and no. While some 2nd gens came with the SOHC 4.0, some 2nd gens also came with the OHV 4.0 engine, and it's pretty much the same as the OHV in the 1st gen...except it is OBD-II (96+)...except that it has a higher compression ratio (98+)....but a 95 OHV is really close to a 94 OHV. Yet the trucks are different gens.

 

[peties3]

All this talk about MPG and gear ratios have me wondering. I have yet to check to verify my gears by lifting the rear and counting the rev but the door tag indicates 3.27. But my RPM's are at 3000 at 65. To verify my gears, does both rear tires need to off the ground for an open dif.?
Mark

 

[Rhett]

All this talk about MPG and gear ratios have me wondering. I have yet to check to verify my gears by lifting the rear and counting the rev but the door tag indicates 3.27. But my RPM's are at 3000 at 65. To verify my gears, does both rear tires need to off the ground for an open dif.?
Mark

If you run 3000 rpm at 65 mph in D, you either have something wrong with your truck (brakes dragging, etc.) or you don't have 3.27's.

With 3.27's you should turn 3000 rpm at about 75-80 mph in D.
2000 rpm at 70 mph in OD.

 

[wildstang]

weight of the vehicle will make a difference as will 4x4 or 4x2. The 2 door sports should get better mpg because they weigh less. I have a 91 4door 4x4 with 3.55 with 235/75r15 and get around 18-19 combined (I live in Vermont so city driving is pretty minimal). I am going to put a shorter belt on it to go under the ac pump because it does not work anyways to see if mpg goes up. My 92 ranger has the exact same drivetrain as the explorer except it has 3.27 in the rear and I have been getting around 22 mpg (it does not have ac).