gas mileage improvment....... | Ford Explorer Forums

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gas mileage improvment.......

Jake Jackson

Active Member
Joined
August 20, 2001
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City, State
Frisco, Texas
Year, Model & Trim Level
'13 Escape Titanium
hey there guys I am looking for any tips available for improving the mileage that the explorer can get... I just got a 2001 explorer sport and i am in love. (with the suv). well any advice is very much appreciated. whether it is advice on the way to drive the car or on modifications that can be done to the vehicle itself.
thanks alot.
 



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are you getting good mileage now? like what the epa says it gets? if yes, there isnt too much you can do..... explorers are heavy trucks that werent designed for economy.... economy is a honda civic
 






Originally posted by Jake Jackson
hey there guys I am looking for any tips available for improving the mileage that the explorer can get... I just got a 2001 explorer sport and i am in love. (with the suv). well any advice is very much appreciated. whether it is advice on the way to drive the car or on modifications that can be done to the vehicle itself.
thanks alot.
[/QUOTE

Yes you can do things to improve fuel economy. I have and am pleased with the results.

Take a look at Dead Link Removed

Good luck.....
 






Originally posted by jimabena74
there isnt too much you can do..... explorers are heavy trucks that werent designed for economy...

. economy is a honda civic

I completely disagree' anything can be improved.

Economy is an attitude.
 






I agree with my esteemed colleague Al Franklin.

Masher

Air Filter, Cat-Back, less restrictive Catalytic, keeping the windows rolled up. Having the windows rolled down wastes more gas than a/c running at full bore.

One of the most preventative and most often overlooked things is TIRE PRESSURE.
 






Just a poll on tire pressure, what's everyone running on their's? I'm around 35-40. I brought it down to 30 to see what happens and I got around 18. Of course I ran into a few gridlocks and the weather has been around 95 average in Los Angeles. But in the last few fill ups, I got around 20-21 mpg while driving around 70mph.
 






I run 34 psif now and have used 40 psig. The ride and handeling is much better at 34 but the mileage is better at 40.
 






Yes often people look to get the most MPG possible, yet they forget to look at their tire pressure.

More pressure = better gas mileage, it;s just that simple.

Of course if you overinflate them to save 1 mpg and wear out your $700 tires early, then your not really saving anything, so getting the "right" tire pressure is more important.

K&N filter is first thing.
An Aftermarket Mass air sensor can help dramatically (They are often more acurate then the stock units and send signals to the computer twice as often, allowing more fine tuning to be done)

Also I reallylike the Bosch Platinum +4 plugs in the 4.0, despite what peope say, they work great, a noticeable improvement in MPG and performance.

There are aftermarket DIS ignition's you can use, like Jacobs, or MSD that can really boost your fuel economy, simply by making sure that it ALL gets burned in the combustion chamber. However these systems are expensive and the stock DIS is also pretty good.

Also make sure you are not getting any "drag" from your brakes and bearings. You would be amazed how much MPG will suffer if the parking brake cable is not adjusted just right.

Keeping up on maintnenece is a big one. Cleaning the MAS sensor often, replacing the 02 sensors at 60K miles, keeping fresh plugs, a clean intake (IAC),and a clean fuel filter all help.

Then there are synthetic fluids. I gained a pure 3mpg by switching my tranny, tcase, and rear diff all over to synthetic fluids (Mobil One full Synth for me).

Also having the fuel system professional cleaned every 80K miles or so can make a HUGE difference.

I find it's a trade off though, I gain a few MPG with one mod and totally destroy all the gains with another. So in the end you kinda keep good mileage while still making more HP. Like if you want the best gas mileage you want to run your temp at about 210-220 degree's (195 stat) however if you want to make more HP a 180 stat can help, but the fuel mileage will suffer.


Oh and there is one more BIG MPG gainer that people often overlook, removing the mechanical fanin favor of an electric or dual electric cooling fans. Getting a good electric fan that will cool a 4.0L right to fit is another issue.....It can be done, but most of the 4x4 guys dont like it. I tried it, didnt get enough cooling and put the factory fan back on. Someday I will modify my radiator mounts, and fit a huge electric or two in there, the power and MPG gains are worth it. A good electric fan setup also usually requires a beefed up battery and alternator......
 






Very nice , and educational list 410 , but you forgot one crutial key to good MPG , a nice gentle right foot !
 






Proper routine maintenace and repair is the number one thing you can do for economy and longevity. Tire pressure is another un-glamorous and overlooked aspect of fuel economy. Everything else is just gravy. MONMIX reminds us that this is all useless unless we are willing to drive with economy in mind.
 






Oops, looks like I repeated 410Fortune.:(
 






MONMIX:

DOAH!

ala Homer Simpson.

Thats right my dad always told me, right foot = like an egg is under it and you dont want to break it.

Actually I think I have given up that philosophy....
 






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