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My quest for 30 MPG - Ford Explorer Gas Mileage Tips

Aldive,

What would be your recomendations on a limited budget for best mods to help fuel economy? My explorer is currently stock, more info on it in privious post.

Say recomendations in these ranges:

$0-100

$100-200

$200-300

$300-400
 



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Aldive,

What would be your recomendations on a limited budget for best mods to help fuel economy? My explorer is currently stock, more info on it in privious post.

Say recomendations in these ranges:

$0-100

$100-200

$200-300

$300-400

Read this thread, however, it is concerning the 4.0 SOHC motor.
 












Well, its clear then that you're not stock. Babying the **** out of my 97 SOHC leaves me with 18 at best. I find it hard to believe that you get even close to thirty though. The math just doesn't work out. With a 3.73 rear end you've gotta be at 3500 or more rpm on the highway. I realize that 3k is probably about right at 70 but I just really doubt what you're saying. I have the 3.55 with all the fluid changes and drive a full tank off on the highway and almost lose my shorts when i get 18mpg. I'm gonna have to call bullshit on the 30mpg. Severe skepticism.
 






Well, its clear then that you're not stock. Babying the **** out of my 97 SOHC leaves me with 18 at best. I find it hard to believe that you get even close to thirty though. The math just doesn't work out. With a 3.73 rear end you've gotta be at 3500 or more rpm on the highway. I realize that 3k is probably about right at 70 but I just really doubt what you're saying. I have the 3.55 with all the fluid changes and drive a full tank off on the highway and almost lose my shorts when i get 18mpg. I'm gonna have to call bullshit on the 30mpg. Severe skepticism.

I have 4.10's, and my RPM is only about 2600 at 70mph. Clearly his would be much lower, probably 2300 or so.
 






Well, its clear then that you're not stock. Babying the **** out of my 97 SOHC leaves me with 18 at best. I find it hard to believe that you get even close to thirty though. The math just doesn't work out. With a 3.73 rear end you've gotta be at 3500 or more rpm on the highway. I realize that 3k is probably about right at 70 but I just really doubt what you're saying. I have the 3.55 with all the fluid changes and drive a full tank off on the highway and almost lose my shorts when i get 18mpg. I'm gonna have to call bullshit on the 30mpg. Severe skepticism.

where do you get 3500 RPM at 70?
granted I have a V8, but with 4.10s and 29" tires I'm only pulling 2500 RPM at 70. There's no way there's a 1000RPM difference, especially when he has higher gearing.


oh... and I used to get 16mpg with my AWD V8 Explorer. And that was without "babying" it. Back when it was (msotly) stock.
 






The math just doesn't work out. With a 3.73 rear end you've gotta be at 3500 or more rpm on the highway. I realize that 3k is probably about right at 70 but I just really doubt what you're saying.

Math? Sorry, but at 70 MPH with my 3.73 gears and stock size tires, I turn approximately 2300 RPM.

Where on Earth do you get 3500 RPM?

I have the 3.55 with all the fluid changes and drive a full tank off on the highway and almost lose my shorts when i get 18mpg.

3.55 gears are not as efficient as 3.73 for the SOHC motor.
 






Well, its clear then that you're not stock. Babying the **** out of my 97 SOHC leaves me with 18 at best. I find it hard to believe that you get even close to thirty though. The math just doesn't work out. With a 3.73 rear end you've gotta be at 3500 or more rpm on the highway. I realize that 3k is probably about right at 70 but I just really doubt what you're saying. I have the 3.55 with all the fluid changes and drive a full tank off on the highway and almost lose my shorts when i get 18mpg. I'm gonna have to call bullshit on the 30mpg. Severe skepticism.

If your basing the math to come up with 3500 rpm's on your Ex with 3.55's (only guessing because you didn't post your rpm's at 70mph), you might want to just ensure that you overdrive is engaging. If your rpm's are that high, you may have a problem.
 






I have 4.10's, and my RPM is only about 2600 at 70mph. Clearly his would be much lower, probably 2300 or so.

Math? Sorry, but at 70 MPH with my 3.73 gears and stock size tires, I turn approximately 2300 RPM.

Where on Earth do you get 3500 RPM?



3.55 gears are not as efficient as 3.73 for the SOHC motor.

Damn I'm good.

Are you running stock size tires? Are they narrower or something?
 












Well, its clear then that you're not stock. Babying the **** out of my 97 SOHC leaves me with 18 at best. I find it hard to believe that you get even close to thirty though. The math just doesn't work out. With a 3.73 rear end you've gotta be at 3500 or more rpm on the highway. I realize that 3k is probably about right at 70 but I just really doubt what you're saying. I have the 3.55 with all the fluid changes and drive a full tank off on the highway and almost lose my shorts when i get 18mpg. I'm gonna have to call bullshit on the 30mpg. Severe skepticism.

Maybe if his TCC Solenoid failed, or with O/D off, i could see 3500rpm but at 110km/h in my sport with 31" tires im running about 2800rpm with 4.10 gears
Make no mistake mine is no gas sipper, i haven't really dont the calculations but a steady drive with fluctuating highway speeds between 90-110km/h keeping it in overdrive, i can manage 450-500 km to a full tank of gas, which in my eyes, sucks balls.
I've got K&N FIPK, Dynomax Superturbo (which if falling off now) and the XCAL3 from Doug @ Bama, running 91 octane gas and 91 octane torque setting.. Also no roof rack, or spare tire.

I read this thread alot, and have been trying many things but i can't seem to get much of a noticeable improvement for highway driving. But ive almost thrown in the towel and accepted that my 4.10 gears are conspiring with the gas station to suck my wallet dry.
 






I read this thread alot, and have been trying many things but i can't seem to get much of a noticeable improvement for highway driving. But ive almost thrown in the towel and accepted that my 4.10 gears are conspiring with the gas station to suck my wallet dry.

Have you tried underdrive pulleys?
 






3.55 gears are not as efficient as 3.73 for the SOHC motor.


why would this be? Numerically higher gears will make your engine run higher rpms more rmps means more gas how is this more efficient?
 






Because numerically lower gears require more torque from the engine to maintain speed, requiring you to use more throttle.
 






i could see using more throttle from a stop but cruising on the highway you will use less.
 






i could see using more throttle from a stop but cruising on the highway you will use less.

if the vehicle is only producing, say, 100 horsepower at 2000 RPM, but 200 horsepower at 2500RPM, it can much more easily sustain a consistent speed at 2500 RPM. But at 3000RPM you're only making 150 horsepower; more RPMs = more fuel injector pulses, but you're also making less horsepower at this higher RPM.

every engine has it's "sweet spot" where it produces the most horsepower; and of course this sweet spot is never at the high- or low-end of it's RPM range.


edit: basically, at lower RPMs, it is of course using less injector-pulses, but each injector-pulse will be including more fuel than at a slighty higher RPM, due to the amount of horsepower being created at a given RPM.

maybe I'm just confusing myself.... :scratch:
 






Depends on the terain of the road. On flats yes, but in areas with rolling hills or any inclines, no. The 3.73's keep the motor in the power band which actually requires less fuel throttle than when it's below it
Posted via Mobile Device
 






Have you tried underdrive pulleys?

Absolutely not, but i am very interested in trying this. Does this reduce the speed of the accessories? what can be gained from it, what kind of negative impact may it have on my engine?
 






it will cause your accessories to draw less power from your serpentine belt freeing up a few extra hp.. Worse case your AC may not be as cold and your power steering may be a bit firmer. No harm will come to your components it simply makes them run a bit less netting you more power.
 



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Math? Sorry, but at 70 MPH with my 3.73 gears and stock size tires, I turn approximately 2300 RPM.

Where on Earth do you get 3500 RPM?



3.55 gears are not as efficient as 3.73 for the SOHC motor.

I believe that a 3.55 and a 5R55E is a better combo for 70mph than your 3.73 and a 4-speed. Sorry. I bet you know better than the Ford engineers.
 






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