My quest for 30 MPG - Ford Explorer Gas Mileage Tips

[aldive]

My supply of FP3000 ( http://www.lubecontrol.com/ ) has arrived.

Mileage experimentation is underway.

 

[joefnh]

What is FP300. I noticed LC20 & FP60 on thier website.

--Joe

 

[Brandons]

Yeah speed DOES kill gas mileage, 55mph is probably the fastest before gas mileage plummets? I haven't read to far before this post so I'm not sure if this is already been mentioned.

I think I'm going to start modifying the focus for better mileage, already switched to a conical air filter, very hesitant to touch the exhaust though, until I can find a nice quiet high performance muffler. From Feb 23 - March 15 I have spent about $300ca in gas for the explorer, at around 300km per week.

Good job Aldive!

 

[CDW6212R]

Let us know how that seems to work Al. The FP60 looks like about $1 per tankful. Regards,

 

[Atom Ant]

JD, No way, Gas for $.77/gal.

 

[RubySlow]

Last week I drove from San Francisco To Sacramento and Back....
(224.86 Miles total) "from where I live" and I averaged 20.5 miles per gallon.
Its a 1999 Merc Mounty AWD 5.0 with 70k miles on her.. and a 22 yr old Driver....
I was very suprised tho , I was mashin the throttle a bit and going up hill in my AWD 5.0 Mounty....
I fueled up with 91 octane Before I left, I also shortened The throttle cable, Added some octane booster, I also have dual 40 series flowmaster with cutoffs, I also changed the engines oil to full synthetic after I added "engine restore". then I changed the TC fluid with some Synthetic ATF. I also Sprayed the Mass Air Flow Sensor with some carb cleaner before I left. I just ordered the Tornado insert, 1.7 Rat. Roller rockers, ford racing valve covers, 1" intake spacer. Some Ford Coil Pack, 4-Tower, PN 8241 thanks to JTsmith,
Also I will be ordering some TM Headers, Iam starting to think twice about the DSS 331 Stroker....
Gas Prices around here are killin me at 3.40 a gallon, So basically I want it as fast as it as fuel economical. any other Ideas.. Im thinking of converting the AWD to a 5 Spd manual....
I also will be having jah81592 from hensonperformance burning be a sct chip with a fuel econ setting..... I was also thinkin about a adjustable fuel pressure regulator..
I think Iam on the right path

 

[trucku]

Tornado insert and spacer? Have you read the reviews on Tornado here?
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153338&highlight=tornado

 

[aldive]

Yes, and I posted my test data there too.

 

[AERBROCONVIL]

truck driving

Your sitting behind semi-trucks on these trips, letting them take the drag. Lots of semi trucks kick an air trail up for many hundreds of feet.

I wonder how far back a convoy would pull air..

I bet if you sat between two semi-trucks, your mileage would be close to your claims. If not more.

The thing I see here is GPS mileage. Big Trucks use it.

How far back are you? 300 feet? 900 feet?

If you added a lowering kit you would reduce more drag from the top as well. Running the speed avg. your pulling and the mileage tells stories.

Anyone knows air friction is the binding element. A brick can't run well on it's own. but put two bricks in line and you have a blocker, and the lead brick catches a push from the trailing brick.

It's not safe to run that close to a car, but you can do it with a semi-truck in front of you.

If you get away from the turbulence zone, your going to benefit.

even in the turbulence your going to gain slightly. just get a crappy ride.

I also bet you have led lighting, and don't require the huge demands of alternator power.

It wouldn't be too hard to pull 36 mpg doing little changes here and there and driving it like it accelerates like a semi, and running with them.

Thats why your mileage is consistently better even as your vehicle ages.

almost all modifications duly noted in my head. I can see you adding an aftermarket overdrive from gear vendors or something as well.

I also wonder about water injection usage.

 

[aldive]

Your sitting behind semi-trucks on these trips, letting them take the drag. Lots of semi trucks kick an air trail up for many hundreds of feet.

No

The thing I see here is GPS mileage. Big Trucks use it.

What is that?

If you added a lowering kit you would reduce more drag from the top as well. Running the speed avg. your pulling and the mileage tells stories.

Been there done that. Yes it helped but the ride sucked so bad I removed it.

It's not safe to run that close to a car, but you can do it with a semi-truck in front of you.

Wanna explain that?

I also bet you have led lighting, and don't require the huge demands of alternator power.

No.

 

[aldive]

My supply of FP3000 ( http://www.lubecontrol.com/ ) has arrived.

Mileage experimentation is underway.

Several months of evaluation has shown no improvement in gas mileage. However, the idle is much smoother when using FP3000.

 

[r37ribution]

It's not safe to run that close to a car, but you can do it with a semi-truck in front of you.

I think he means since a truck is taller you don't have to ride so close since the draft should be longer.

 

[cloaked_chaos]

I think he means since a truck is taller you don't have to ride so close since the draft should be longer.

Ahem... What I think he is saying is that semi drivers in most cases are way more predictable. This comes from the fact that it is their job to drive safely and to save as much money as they can by driving very smoothly. (no sudden movements)

 

[r37ribution]

So your saying a taller truck won't have a longer draft?

Semi or car, I won't ride close to either. Hell, if I had to make a choice I'd rather be on a cars behind then a semi. I'm more concerned about big rocks damaging my paint.

 

[99Exploder88]

how the hell do you get 30+ mpg. i got the v6 4.0 sohc and the best i can get is like 15. the things miserable. ive looked at everything. the motors stock and has a trans cooler. if theres any like cheap little things you've done to improve your mileage i would really appreciate it. i live in michigan and the roads are probably the worst in the country. not to mention every pay check i get goes into my truck because it guzzles the gas so bad.

 

[trucku]

how the hell do you get 30+ mpg. i got the v6 4.0 sohc and the best i can get is like 15. the things miserable. ive looked at everything. the motors stock and has a trans cooler. if theres any like cheap little things you've done to improve your mileage i would really appreciate it. i live in michigan and the roads are probably the worst in the country. not to mention every pay check i get goes into my truck because it guzzles the gas so bad.

Your gonna have to read the thread from the beginning.

 

[aeaglenfitch]

so can we get an updated list of mods you've done to improve your millage?

 

[TheBestUkester]

so can we get an updated list of mods you've done to improve your millage?

ditto...

 

[awdrocks]

ditto...

+2

This a looooooong thread.

 

[Highroller]

I noticed a while back you said you had removed your EE lower kit (blocks,CK,&TT), do you still have the rear kit with blocks & U-bolts? I want to slightly lower my exploder down on the '03 Cobra rims to help a bit with handling. By the way your quest is now mine but with a 5.0 & 2wd '97 exloder. Just let me know.
thanks
Charles