My quest for 25

[jturquette]

As aldive has done, I have decided to generate a thread that focuses on my desire to achieve 25 mpg highway mileage.

My Truck:
2003 Explorer XLT 4.6 V8
current setup:
265/70 R16 tires
3.90 rear gears
aftermarket muffler (dynomax turbo)
Halo spark plugs http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1981740#post1981740

Baseline highway: 18.8 mpg
Current Highway: 20 mpg

Future mods:
245 75 r16 tires (thinner)
oil and atf fluid switch to synthetic
hydranox 5000 install
acetone addition (possibly)
warm air intake (possibly)

I will attempt to provide as accurate information as possible to allow viewers the ability to make their decisions on modifications to their X.

 

[Curtis]

I'll be watching... and will add input where I can

 

[shadowless127]

i will be watching this thread like a hawk. Although if I do 68 w/ the air on I get 21mpg highway, so hopefully getting 25 wont be too hard.

 

[jutgin]

Looks like a good deal on the hydranox 5000, only 299.
I'm kinda sceptical of the acetone though. Let me/us know what your results are. I think the brown wire mod helped my MPG.

 

[jturquette]

I had been considering the hydrogen as a possibility, but the price kept me away. When I noticed the hydranox on sale, I decided that either it is going to work or I am the "fool" parted from his money. At 299, I decided to try.

I believe the acetone works if kept in small doses, but I do not know what impact hydrogen will have on it. If I hit my goal without it, woo-hoo.

 

[jutgin]

Sounds great. I'm excited about these mods for my ex also. I cant help but be sceptical of putting something in my tank that I see sitting next to paint stripper at the hardware store though!

 

[Thelt]

I drove from Nashville, TN to Hickory, NC non stop about a year ago. It was all interstate 40 and I was alone in the car with no luggage or other gear. I ran about 70 mph the whole way. I got a little over 23mpg. I have not done anything to improve my mileage other than air the tires up a bit more than the factory specs call for.

I can not replicate that when I have a car full of people and luggage but I usually get around 20mpg highway under those conditions. I could probably get it to 25 mpg, alone in the car, if I spent some time and money on it but I do not drive a lot of highway miles so it is not really worth it to me.

I get a little less than 17mpg in mixed but mostly city driving. I would love to improve on that number but I think that would be harder to achieve than higher highway mileage. Really though for a four wheel drive SUV that can seat seven and tow over 5,000 pounds it gets good gas mileage.

 

[AeroRamer]

This can be good 'cuz the road to 30 hase to go through 25. Good luck.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

just a few questions....

As aldive has done, I have decided to generate a thread that focuses on my desire to achieve 25 mpg highway mileage.

My Truck:
2003 Explorer XLT 4.6 V8
current setup:
265/70 R16 tires
3.90 rear gears
aftermarket muffler (dynomax turbo)
Halo spark plugs

Baseline highway: 18.8 mpg
Current Highway: 20 mpg

Future mods:
245 75 r16 tires (thinner)
oil and atf fluid switch to synthetic
hydranox 5000 install
acetone addition (possibly)
warm air intake (possibly)

1. Switching the OIL and ATF to synthetic is a great idea, also look into your rear differential as well. Anything that moves or is connected really.

2. the Hydranox 5000 just looks to be a HHO kit, we've discussed them on the site and Aldive is currently testing one. Based off of what he finds you may want to just make your own and save some cash.
3. Warm air intake? Are you talking about just replacing your current intake with a cone style filter? Just trying to figure out what you mean.
4. I would also recommend an electric fan, puller style. For the V8 probably a double puller setup. Also a underdrive pulley kit.

One last question, I realize that going thinner on your tire will decrease rolling resistance and hence increase mileage, but I plugged the numbers into a online tire calculator, and the thinner tires would take slightly more revs to keep it going. Maybe there's a "sweet spot" for tire size.

Good Luck

 

[BrooklynBay]

Have you thought about a computer tune or over/underdrive pulleys? Do you use gas with 10% ethanol added?

 

[ohfugit]

I've been shopping for tires in the 265/7x range tires
I've noticed that some of the tires in the E loadrange are 8 or more pounds heavier per tire according to tire racks specs.

Thats a lot of extra weight in an unecessary spot.

 

[jturquette]

just a few questions....



1. Switching the OIL and ATF to synthetic is a great idea, also look into your rear differential as well. Anything that moves or is connected really.

2. the Hydranox 5000 just looks to be a HHO kit, we've discussed them on the site and Aldive is currently testing one. Based off of what he finds you may want to just make your own and save some cash.
3. Warm air intake? Are you talking about just replacing your current intake with a cone style filter? Just trying to figure out what you mean.
4. I would also recommend an electric fan, puller style. For the V8 probably a double puller setup. Also a underdrive pulley kit.

One last question, I realize that going thinner on your tire will decrease rolling resistance and hence increase mileage, but I plugged the numbers into a online tire calculator, and the thinner tires would take slightly more revs to keep it going. Maybe there's a "sweet spot" for tire size.

Good Luck

I have not decided on warm air intake yet. I may look into a cone in the engine bay, or slightly modify the air box to make it less restrictive.

electric fans, underdrive pulleys to me sound more expensive than the benefit, but I will look into it. Anyone got any leads on the fuel savings by swapping these out?

The stock tires were 235 wide (rather puny IMHO). I switched to 265/70/r16 and have not been happy with the sluggish nature of the setup, even after the re-gearing. I changed the tires the other day locally to michelin LTX 245/75/r16. I am very happy right now but will need to make a run to see if there was any impact.

The local brew (gax mix) is 10% ethanol at about every station in Houston.

I have already purchased the hydranox kit, but am trying to take this one step at a time. From my research into HHO kits, if the computer is not told to lean the mixture, the O in the HHO gas that gets through unburned will read as "unburned oxygen" and the computer will respond by adding fuel, resulting in decreasing the fuel economy. The hydranox kit somehow separates the two gases and supplies a more pure hydrogen stream. I should not have to fiddle with the computer. That mod will be done in august, after the synthetic change and tires have shown there impact.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

The underdrive pulley system is one of the most "fruitful" addons. You gain instant horse power and mileage with no tune or anything. Aldive swears by them, I'm not sure of the gains, but even if you gain 1-2 mpg, you're saving money and eventually it'll pay for itself.

Look into the pulleys, it's worth it. You might be able to pick up one used.

The electric fans, you can get one from a junkyard that'll work. You might have to look around though for one that'll work with a V8. I'm personally going for one out of a ford taurus (i have a v6 though)

 

[aldive]

Ielectric fans, underdrive pulleys to me sound more expensive than the benefit, but I will look into it. Anyone got any leads on the fuel savings by swapping these out?

If I could only do one mod it would be an underdrive pulley. The second would be the e fan.

The hydranox kit somehow separates the two gases and supplies a more pure hydrogen stream. I should not have to fiddle with the computer. That mod will be done in august, after the synthetic change and tires have shown there impact.

Sounds like sales hype to me.

You are going to have to adjust the O2 sensor signal , the MAF signal or reprogram the PCM or all of the above.

HHO is good and indeed works ( I just got 34 MPG in town with the last tank ). Take a look at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1982652&highlight=hho#post1982652 # 461

 

[jutgin]

Anyone have a link to buying an underdrive pulley?

 

[aldive]

Sorry, I didn't see that you had a V8; they don't make an UD pulley for that application.

 

[shadowless127]

Sorry, I didn't see that you had a V8; they don't make an UD pulley for that application.

yeah, i was going to ask why everyone was mentioning UD pulleys for the v8, i got really happy for a minute lol.

for the v8 one of the best mods you can do is STAY OUT OF THE GAS. although, I can't seem to get this mod installed :

 

[jutgin]

yeah, i was going to ask why everyone was mentioning UD pulleys for the v8, i got really happy for a minute lol.

for the v8 one of the best mods you can do is STAY OUT OF THE GAS. although, I can't seem to get this mod installed :

Haha! I think I''ll have to give these other mods a shot first.

 

[explornj]

i would look around at mustang parts for ud pulleys for the the v8

 

[Curtis]

for the v8 one of the best mods you can do is STAY OUT OF THE GAS. although, I can't seem to get this mod installed :

I can't either!
I tried to pick my little girl up at daycare today by staying below 2500 RPM, AC off windows down... and it was tough... especially pulling out into traffic. I just filled up yesterday so Id like to try this for a full tank to see just what the difference is but with 100° humidity here I dont know if I'll last without the AC.