Realistic Gas Mileage Gains

[97WillowXLT]

I have a stock '97 4-door SOHC XLT, 3.55 gears iirc.

I just averaged 20.9 MPG on a tank of gas of city/highway combined. I even pulled a mountain about 5 miles of this. My driving habits have improved my mpg from 17 to this point.

If I were to do some type of air intake, maybe a muffler, e-fan, and switch to synthetic fluids in the gears + transmission... what type of realistic gains should i see?

I have read aldive's thread, however i'm not willing to lower my explorer or put on a new front air dam.

The above is what I'm willing to do, if the gas mileage I would gain is worth it (with my good driving habits) i'm going to invest the money/time in it... If not, I won't worry about it.

Thanks for your input guys.

 

[Fredness]

I'm up to 24.99 with 31" mudders and no air dam. Good tune up, fresh O2's and a good XCal2 tune.

 

[97WillowXLT]

Hmm... the tune seems to be where it's at... you don't really have many gas mileage mods. I would LOVE to have my explorer lifted, the only thing preventing that IS gas mileage... if nothing else, I'd like to do the 2" TT + shackles and go 31x10.5 who tunes these? how much is it?

thanks.

 

[aldive]

I just averaged 20.9 MPG on a tank of gas of city/highway combined. I even pulled a mountain about 5 miles of this. My driving habits have improved my mpg from 17 to this point.

Very good.

If I were to do some type of air intake, maybe a muffler, e-fan, and switch to synthetic fluids in the gears + transmission... what type of realistic gains should i see?

By all means get an intake and catback exhaust. The switch to synthetic is also prudent.

Actual mileage gains would be difficult to predict, yet, I would think 2-4 would not be out of line.

I have read aldive's thread, however i'm not willing to lower my explorer or put on a new front air dam.

My truck is no longer lowered.

The EE air damn not only looks good but also works for mileage gains.

 

[briwayjones]

When I got an intake my mileage went up about 1-2mpg and it went up another 1mpg when I switched to synthetics.

 

[97WillowXLT]

Thanks for the replies...

So, I have an MAF adapter + an ebay filter laying here... I really doubt there'd be much hp difference between this using the stock plastic hose vs spending $150 on an intake. What do you guys think?

 

[aldive]

Thanks for the replies...

So, I have an MAF adapter + an ebay filter laying here... I really doubt there'd be much hp difference between this using the stock plastic hose vs spending $150 on an intake. What do you guys think?

An intake is well worth it.

 

[97WillowXLT]

I have an adapter and brand new cone filter... the only differnce would be using my plastic/rubber hose vs getting a metal one in the kits... i doubt there will be too much of a difference just in the hose...

what do you think?

 

[aldive]

I have an adapter and brand new cone filter... the only differnce would be using my plastic/rubber hose vs getting a metal one in the kits... i doubt there will be too much of a difference just in the hose...

what do you think?

As I said before, an intake is well worth it.

 

[Nicksq30]

I went with just the cone-filter vs the entire intake (a lot cheaper…) because I didnt see much difference in the stock hose vs new tube... I don’t honestly know how much you would gain from the whole intake kit, but I know the cone did wonders compared to the highly restrictive airbox that comes stock…

 

[briwayjones]

Until you upgrade your MAF and Throttle Body I don't think a tube would make much difference.

 

[97WillowXLT]

Thanks... that's pretty much what I was thinking, although I don't claim to know much.

I installed the adapter + a pretty big 3" cone filter today... I'll fill up tomorrow and see how the mileage goes. I should do this mod-by-mod to see approx how much each will yield.

 

[huntersteve61]

The new exhaust works good as long as you dont go insane n loose ur backpressure i hadda 95 ohv n pretty much just dumped my exhaust like i've seen and ya it was loud but power sucked! go toa good muff shop n have them custom do ur pipes for u let me kno u shoudl get away for about 250 if the guy likes u... also i got another 2 mpg doin a plugs wires tunup and cleaning the injectors with a motorvac.... probably lost the 2 mpg over the 140K i got on the beast but it made my day to get up to 18 mpg after being stuck at 15 for soo long.. the air filter maybe got me one but it sounds likea beast soo i'm happy

 

[Mad Max]

I notice alot of you guys are running the 6'ers but I don't think I see any 5.0 #'s up here. My '96 runs all day long at 15mpg stock. I only bought it last Thursday, but have been watching the #'s. Factory I beleive when it was new was 22 highway, 18 city. Sound about right?

 

[lowflyingbird]

Hi,
Factory for a 5.0 is 14-18mpg. I average in the lower half of those numbers, I think it bites!! I've had quite a few cars/trucks before all Fords, many 5.0s. Fuel economy was never this bad except fot the early 80's throttle body injected ones.One day my friend saw me literally throw the entire intake out from under the hood! With all this injection and computer controlled crap there is no reason a 5.0 should not get 20mpg average city and Hwy. I've had worked 5.0 motors, carburated with hot cams & more compession, even when I was much heavier on the pedal. In a heavy car get 20 easy. As well as a big 4 door 67 Chevy caprice that got almost 25!!and was faster than my 5.0 MPFI Tbird?
I think that a good chip or reprograming of the computer would do best for economy improvement.