Wanted better gas mileage and power

[Carguy3J]

.......The reason I get 16 now is because of the 3000 pounds of car audio.......ya i know alot of weight and a good reason on why I am down, before the weight I was 20-21. but she does sputter ocasionally and I do get spark knock, however I did do new plugs, wires, master coil (all the best I could find). Hell I swapped all fluids and ran cleaners through everything even did new thermostat with the radiator flushing i did. I just want to show that I have litterally gone over every basic thing. I just dont know any tricks with the vehicle. after i did all of that i got closer to 21 going about 80-83. going 55 on hwy i got about 17....i tried to figure out that one....no luck.

I would like to try and get a little better mileage and hills are killing me with the weight! I was just seeing if anyone found any little tricks/tips that can be done to increase these things.

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Only things are the spark knock baffles me, if you dont start for a day she dies at least twice before will stay running, she will spit and sputter if she is cold and randomly its like i lose all power when in over drive, have to down shift then its all good.

Did anybody notice that? No wonder the OP is having problems. 3000lbs of extra "cargo", in an Explorer!?!?!? You simply can't put that much weight in that vehicle and not expect to have problems. The trans isn't going to live long pulling that much junk around on a regular basis, and you will get horrible mileage until then. That amount of weight is also likely to be a major factor in the pinging under (over) loading. You're asking an ant to carry an elephant.

 

[Fritt]

ok, so since you quoted it. I am completely honest saying the vehicle acts the same empty as it does weighted down. I travel the same roads alot, one hill I will be doing 80 at the bottom and usually 55 by the top empty.....same as loaded. I have had no issues show so far from weight. These are all things that have been there since I got it with the ping/spark knock, that even with new plugs wires coil pack...i have ran 91 and 93 for 4 tanks in a row and had no change. I did run a fuel system cleaner as well. As I said the weight has not changed anything except a little mileage which I was trying to see if anyone had any suggestions of basic mods to do on these to get better or a little more power

I know vehicles, I know basic and advanced stuff. I just dont know about fords and any tricks with them. I know some decent tricks with Chevys and with imports.....but really first ford I have owned. I have considered over hauling it, but also I have considered making it into a trailer queen. I speant about 1500 on all my new suspension parts....and a fair amount on other basic things to give it a full tune up....and then some. I like the vehicle, I have way way newer vehicles but I like this and it works perfect for what I do. And actually now that I am back down south I can pull 20 on highway. However in the dakotas and minnesota i am way down. I have actually never experienced a change like this in any other vehicle....

 

[Fritt]

Also for the weight thing, I did research the trans a bit and I shouldnt have an issue with trans at all. From what I read and the 2 tranny guys I talked to they said no issue with the manual. Also I know a few others with explorers with roughly the same weight, they dont have as big of bog downs on hills like I have (we tested head to head on a hill mine vs friend with almost same vehicle and more weight than myself---both at 85 at bottom and I was down to 63 and he was at 76 at the top), two have autos one has manual and they all are still getting above 20 all the time.

It confuses me.

 

[X~FACTOR]

Weight reduction actually does very little. Aerodynamics is the best place to make mods and see mpg. To really get power and fuel economy, you need to make the engine more efficent. Good luck doin that with the 4.0

Did anybody notice that? No wonder the OP is having problems. 3000lbs of extra "cargo", in an Explorer!?!?!? You simply can't put that much weight in that vehicle and not expect to have problems. The trans isn't going to live long pulling that much junk around on a regular basis, and you will get horrible mileage until then. That amount of weight is also likely to be a major factor in the pinging under (over) loading. You're asking an ant to carry an elephant.

Not according to colintrax. ha!

Until you have removed significant weight off your truck and driven it back to back, you'll never understand this concept. It will not change your total HP or torque, obviously. It may not be dramatic in additional MPG. But you sure will feel it on how responsive the truck feels. Its addictive!!!

 

[colintrax]

Not according to colintrax. ha!

Until you have removed significant weight off your truck and driven it back to back, you'll never understand this concept. It will not change your total HP or torque, obviously. It may not be dramatic in additional MPG. But you sure will feel it on how responsive the truck feels. Its addictive!!!

1. I'm pretty sure the 3,000lbs is a made up number.... Prob closer to 300. Besides it's audio stuff, obviously the OP wants it.

OP did you try running a cleaner and not just higher octane? Seafoam with new plugs is a good idea.

Weight does hurt gas mileage to get moving, but it can help once you are moving. I'm to lazy to explain it but look on ecomodder

 

[Jason94sport]

fritt...you have to post what gears you have. That will lead to a much better understanding & answer.
Also are you using 3rd, 4th or 5th gear going up hill?

 

[Carguy3J]

fritt...you have to post what gears you have. That will lead to a much better understanding & answer.

I think, first he should clarify if that 3,000LBS is correct or if he meant 300 LBS If it really is 3,000, then mileage/power is pretty much a lost cause, and it is dangerous to carry that much weight around in a 1st gen Explorer. If that weight is correct, there are 2 options, pull all that crap out of the truck and enjoy driving it, or leave it in and accept that it is no longer a vehicle fit for use on public highways. It is a display case/trailer queen that roughly resembles an Explorer shaped storage container on wheels.

On the other hand, if the OP "meant to say 300 LBS, then yes there are some improvements that can be made. It sounds like he is having some basic drive-ability issues to begin with, as he mentioned spark knock and rough running, even before the added weight. I think that should be addressed first, before looking for miracle cures to mileage.

Also, keep in mind that outside air temp plays a role in fuel economy. The colder it gets outside, the lower the MPG. You could easily lose 2-3 mpg from the coldest point of winter to the middle of the summer. Some of the people on "ecomodder" actually employ "warm air intakes". I would never do that in the summer, but it may be worth a shot in the winter.

 

[Jason94sport]

A 1st gen can haul 3K lbs. It's not such a big deal. I do think 3k lbs is over guesstimate big time.

 

[Carguy3J]

A 1st gen can haul 3K lbs. It's not such a big deal. I do think 3k lbs is over guesstimate big time.

"haul", as in trailer weight? Yes. But not cargo weight, with all of it on the vehicles chassis/frame/suspension. I've accidentally had 2,000Lbs in my '93 Ranger (4x4, 4.0L, 5spd), which has a higher cargo capacity then an equivalent Explorer. I got where I was going, but it was not fun. It was clearly too much weight. The factory GVW leaves about 1,200 LBS of maximum cargo weight. I routinely carry 1,600 or so. You know its there, but its not a big deal. Anymore and it is pretty obvious you're pushing things. Both acceleration and braking take forever, and it just feels wrong.

 

[Nloln4l]

^all the above. Plus I believe in power to weight ratio.

Remove all dead weight as much as possible. From as little as removing the cruise control to removing the AC components to as drastic as removing the front axle.

I did not know you could just take the axel off a car can you tell me more about this.

 

[natenkiki2004]

I did not know you could just take the axel off a car can you tell me more about this.

Unless your post is sarcasm, I'd imagine you remove the front axle shafts and see about emptying out the differential. People replace/modify the axle shafts in the front all the time.

I doubt it's worth the time & effort unless you never want 4x4 again and plan to drive tens of thousands of miles then it might be beneficial in the long run.

 

[X~FACTOR]

I doubt it's worth the time & effort unless you never want 4x4 again and plan to drive tens of thousands of miles then it might be beneficial in the long run.

If you don't want 4x4, it IS worth doing!

 

[Wolfie_85]

I did the premium gas thing myself to see if it helped the rattle. It did. I decided I would run it for a couple tanks before I went back down to regular. The hell of it is that ethanol is everywhere now. This led me to finding regular fuel without it. I have run 87 with 10% ethanol, 91-93 with no ethanol, and 89 with ethanol.

My findings are that no ethanol increases fuel economy marginally no matter what level of octane it has. My rattling hasn't been as noticeable since I ran the premium and some gas treatment a couple times, even with 87 ethanol, and I also cleaned the MAF.

As for tires, I have some pretty beefy ones on it right now (just all terrain ones that fit the stock wheels), but have thought about more street-oriented ones, like some nice all-seasons that are more at home on a street than a trail. THAT will aid mileage too, as anything with less roll resistance tends to, also lighter.

All this being said, that heavy audio stuff in any SUV will kill mileage. I understand, work. But there's your issue. If you weren't exaggerating about it being 3,000 pounds worth of equipment, that is just about like saying you drag around a small car for kicks. If you had the automatic transmission, it'd have died a horrible death by now.