Flamedx4

Okay, so here's a simple way to increase your gas mileage: Slow Down!

I recently took a 250 mile highway trip in the Flamed truck. For reference, I've been seeing 17- 17.4 daily. On that trip (after correcting the odo error) I only got 14.9! I was stunned - I get better than that in the F150! I figure with the aerodynamics of the lifted truck maintaining 80 mph was just sucking the fuel. Well, I had to make the same trip again, and I had an idea.

I recently cut a couple of large holes in the bottom of my airbox. When I have my foot in it I can hear it - sounds sweet! So I took out the piece of foam rubber plugging the gap around the steering column before I hit the road. Once I got up to freeway speed (it's a 3.slow remember) I closed the windows and turned off the stereo. At 75 you could hear the sound from the air intake really starting to come on. By 80 it was really noticeable.

So I backed down to 70 or a bit below (no sound) and did the right lane with the minivans for the entire trip. Got 17.1 mpg. I'd try it at 65 but I'd get run down...

A little more 2 mpg better for 5 mph or so - good trade!

4x4Lamm

I have noticed that too. I drive a lot slower and smoother now, plus I bet its better overall for the rig.

Lamm

ebelen1

As much as everyone has said they hate the high gas prices and that the best way to get better mpg is to slow down, I can't do it. I love driving fast (within limits). My FIPK screams when I hit the gas and I really like the sound. I hate the gas prices and my wallet hurts, but oh well...

Flamedx4

AT least the GF gets decent mileage while being able to play in her car. She drives an SVT Focus. Goes from a normal of around 30-32 to a low of maybe 25. Not bad for a street legal go-cart.

TACOMANATOR

Not bad as long as the wheels don't fall off. Way too many recalls on the focus.

Scofco

6 year warranty on my '05!
Nothing wrong with recalls. The problems get fixed for free, and they do it right the following year.

As long as you don't die before the problem is fixed, it's all good

bob200587

I cant go over 75 or my idle shoots up to 2000rpms when I get off the interstate. I have get out and adjust it back down....My GPS says my speedometer is off by 3-4 mph, how much would that affect my odometer accuracy? I feel like I should be doing better on gas than 18mpg average...

Glenn

I recently did a 1500 mile road trip with speeds of up to 80 mph and still pulled 19-21 mph except for where there was a strong headwind and I could barely keep 70. It dropped to 17 at that stretch.

4x4Lamm

My GPS indicated a difference of 20 miles for every 200, changing my MPG from 14 some to almost 17!

Lamm

kyle_22r

i think that's a pretty big reason why my '91 gets such good mileage. no mods on the engine like my '79. i used to hit 21 mpg regularly with my old engine on the '79, now i've extensively modified the engine and rev it to 6000 quite regularly. last check on the mileage, i was getting about 16

jimbo74

wow, thats even worse mileage than what i see on my truck! i get around 17 if i am andreti, and about 21 on the highway being conservative -- and thats with 31s and 3.07 gears... they help on the freeway for mileage, but 5th gear doesnt do much

kyle_22r

i think with 12.5 gallons i get about 190-210 miles to the tank with mixed driving. it'll get better when i put my other intake and carb on, as well as redo the exhaust and fix the header. however it's not my dd any more, i don't care how much gas it sucks...

dragr1

iTrader: (3)

Yep slow down. I get 15mpg at 75 in the 4Runner, or 17mpg at 65

In the Z-71 I get 16mpg at 80 and 17.5 mpg at 70

Ironmike4x4

I'll just say what my bossman says at work when we get asked the same stupid question... "Go up to the car lot and buy either a Malibu or Cobalt." My suggestion is the same as above slow down and keep up with your maintenence.

Fahrenheit 451

I'm one of those old greenie farts that was against upping the highway speeds to 75 and still am. Although I do find myself sometimes doing 70 in the interstate, I usually see lots of cars coming up fast on my tail. Funny thing is I still get where I'm going and in my bone stock 93 4Runner with the 22re I consistently get 25+mpg. The first time I worked it out I figured I must have it all wrong and kept track for the next couple tanks and it always works out the same. I bet if I'd break down and pay for an alignment I might even break 26mpg once, but I have this fantasy that I'm going to SAS it and don't want to throw away $ on aligning what might wind up being a pile of parts in the corner.
So yeah, why not everybody pretend that it really does matter and slow down some.

JL8Jeff

80 mph is too fast, especially on a lifted vehicle that is not as stable. I get 23 mpg on the highway doing around 65-70. No reason to even want to do 75+, the engine isn't as happy and there's no way the brakes would be happy making a quick stop. You should try to keep the engine rpm's in the 2500-2800 rpm range which is where the 3.0 is most efficient. My old supercharged 93 Z28 got 28 mpg doing around 70 mph on the highway. Obviously it's a more aerodynamic car but 75 mph actually dropped the mpg even on that. But 425hp and 28 mpg on the highway was a sweet combination.

X-AWDriver

So,what did the charged Camaro get around town? My 350hp Eclipse got almost 30mpg on a trip across Nebraska but of course with no boost it just acted like it was stock but around town with good shots of boost it would see 18 on a good tank and at the strip I would use over an 1/8th tank of 105octane at one event which sucked but I still get better MPGs than the Vipers I was beating.

Flamedx4

Haven't been any recalls that I can remember on this one. The SVT is a bit different from the standard car. Quite a bit.

Flamedx4

Had a 3000GT - wonderful car. Got 20-22 around town. But 30+ on highway trips. Aerodynamics matters.

Tofer

when i drove home at the end of the summer i was pulling a trailer, so i kept it slow, i averaged 56mph over the 700 mile trip. (but that was due to being so overloaded i could only do 40 in third over the passes) but i did ~63 on the flats, but i was able to get right about 17MPG. when i drive it empty and stick right around 75 i get 15MPG. and thats is before correcting for my odo being off.. so it should be a little higher then that. i just havent figured out how to correct the math. the odo is off by about 4-5mph at freeway speed