Help with fuel mileage

[59Bisquik]

I am looking for any help possible with fuel mileage. I know that I have alot of factors against me such as weighing in at over 4400lbs, 35" tires with 7" lift, 4.88 gears and a A4LD tranny.

We are switching from heavy rock crawling to more expedition/camping style wheeling trips where fuel mileage is more of a concern.

I currently cruise at around 65-70 mph on the freeway at around 2300-2500rpms. I run 35 psi in the tires. It has a high flow muffler that is right behind the cat and dumps there...doesnt go all the way out to the rear, clean filters and MAF, new plugs and wires and try to keep the torque convertor locked up. I have gotten the best of freeway only driving of 15mpg. Mixed driving I am getting around 12 and there are alot of hills and grades on the freeways. The 4.0 has been a nice power and mileage upgrade over the 2.9 which averaged 9mpg. But a little more than 12 would really be nice.

What cost effective upgrades would help with better mileage?
Cone filter and or CAI?
Upgraded Coil?
Electric Fans?
TB half shaft?
Flux capacitor?

 

[XLT]

Nah that dang flux capacitor really eats up the mpg. I would look at an electric fan for sure. CAI would help a little as well. DO a search for aldive milage monster. He was the man when it came to mpg. Another thing to think about is driving style. Drive like there is an egg on the peddle. Not sure how plausible this would be, but get a set of 35" all terrains. The MTR will most certainly cut mpg. Or a spare set of rims with street tires and just switch them out when you get to your destination.

 

[59Bisquik]

I will have to look for the aldive threads up.

I used to run a T-bird fan with the 2.9 but went to a stock fan with the 4.0 since I couldnt find a controller that would live up to the current draw and constant duty cycles. I really need to find a better controller.

As for switching tires...no way on that one! It doesnt see that many miles a year and is normally on the way or coming from a wheeling trip, so switching tires for me doesnt make a whole lot of sense. Not to mention 35's with beadlocks are REALLY heavy and a PITA to change.

 

[BWTGUY]

My EX was getting 12.5 MPG in town and 16 - 17 MPG on trips from Glendale, CA to San Diego. After I changed the engine heat sensor for the on-board computer, the Idle air valve, and cleaned the intake air temperature sensor, the mileage jumped to 17 MPG in town and 20.5 MPG on the San Diego trips.

I had previously changed the spark plug wires and the plugs with from little to no effect. You also might try running some injector cleaner through the beast.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I think the only thing listed/discussed that would help is the egg on the pedal. The rest you'll spend more than you'll get back in return (if there is any) until long after your Ex is gone...

 

[Riceburner247]

I would go with the electric fan and cold air intake, you'll get the most out of those two. I noticed a couple MPG gain when I did the electric fan alone.

 

[FIND]

Hot air intake works better than cold air for mileage. This can be done fairly cheap.

Electric fan will help some.

An electric fan will probably cost more than you will get back in mileage for quite a long time....

What kind of muffler and what size exhaust pipe are you using? Any other mods to your exhaust? You should honestly have it piped all the way to the back, you will see more of the scavenging effect if the exhaust is long enough for the exhaust to cool down quite a bit on its way back.

That big lift and those big tires are gonna cost you mileage no matter what. An explorer would normally average 18-20mpg on the highway anyways, so you can't expect to get very much more..... Any real improvement will require lowering it closer to stock and going with smaller thinner tires as well as lighter wheels. An explorer is pretty capable offroad even stock, and if you aren't gonna be doing any serious wheeling, you don't need to bother with lifts and big tires. I get all over the place with stock ride height and what are essentially touring tires.

 

[59Bisquik]

I will look into putting my electric fan back on, all that will cost is getting a new controller. A CAI is on the list anyways after I hydro'd my last engine. Something up high but not a snorkel or anything like that. The exhaust has a 2.5" muffler directly after the cats and then dumps. I have damaged it before when it went all the way to the back, so it just dumps under the truck.

I will have to get my electric fans back on and get a better intake setup.
Thanks guys

 

[little x]

Just wanted to say R.I.P. Aldive. This is the first time I've read his SN since the thread about his passing. . . A goog guy, still doing good work, even after his passing.

 

[Riceburner247]

Whhhaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!?