I've lost 3.5 mpg and I don't know why
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From: Calgary, Canada
I've lost 3.5 mpg and I don't know why
So nothing has changed on my truck except the air filter was replaced because it was dirty. I track my fuel usage religiously and I have lost 3.5 since Xmas. I was running 15mpg with my 35's and edge, now I am around 11/12.
What the hell happened? The only thing I changed is dropped my tires 10 psi (to 50) to get a bit better ride.
What can I check?
What the hell happened? The only thing I changed is dropped my tires 10 psi (to 50) to get a bit better ride.
What can I check?
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From: mc calla alabama
the psi change and winter gas just guessing. how are you getting 15mpgs ive got gryphon,s&b cai,exhaust and factory size 275/55/20's and only get 13.9?
Last edited by jjntj2003; Feb 13, 2010 at 10:46 PM.
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From: Burleson, Texas
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From: CO
i live in Erie Pennsylvania and i have a 08 V6 manual 2wd and the winter mix plus 150Lbs in the bed drops my mpgs by about 4 mpgs. that and you dropping your pressure 10psi will lose a bit more. plus going thru the snow, letting it idle while you scrape the ice off will bring it down. your truck is most likely fine. wait until april or so, i think thats when they change it back to normal. it should go up again. except i think they start the winter mix here around november or maybe beginning of december.
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Please be advised, before using Seafoam, or any other additive in yer nice clean-burning Triton, that you should do a little research on the topic.
I have, hopefully with your blessings, taken a few seconds of my time to find just a few of the many dozens of posts on this very topic. You'll note that a couple of highly respected members do not advocate using this; these folks are trustworthy:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/3900209-post23.html
https://www.f150online.com/forums/3903396-post31.html
https://www.f150online.com/forums/3903796-post35.html
https://www.f150online.com/forums/3904511-post46.html
https://www.f150online.com/forums/1836990-post7.html
https://www.f150online.com/forums/2507064-post3.html
https://www.f150online.com/forums/1731509-post5.html
... and many, many more ...
[As an OFF-TOPIC bonus -
- while looking for the above, I also found the post by Quintin describing his plug removal method for 5.4 3V's 04-07.5 MY's:]https://www.f150online.com/forums/3903985-post37.html
I am not looking to start yet another Religious Seafoam debate, although the very hint generally results in this anyway ... but I thought it worth bring to y'alls attention that there are risks...
Lastly, for the OP - yes, I also believe it is winter blend fuels - I have the same isues. I run 40+ psi as well. And try to draft anything moving - even Civics, although this practice generally freaks the ricers out, lol!
Thanks for listening.
Cheers
MGD v2.1
Last edited by MGDfan; Feb 14, 2010 at 05:09 PM.
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From: Calgary, Canada
Wow lots of responses since I was last here.
1.) Stealth, anyone can post a link online. With my mechanical and chemical knowledge a fuel filter should not cause fuel use to jump 20%. I dont agree with his argument at all. All the fuel filter filters is dirt and loose debris. It would have to be sucking a ton of **** into the tank to loose 20% of the energy from the fuel EVERY time. Thanks though, I do appreciate the contribution, I just dont agree.
2.) I added some PSI back into my tires. I have 10 ply and dont need to tow, I just wanted a nicer ride but i already notice that at 60 it is a lot less rolling resistance.
3.) I did some reading on winter fuel and think I found my answer:
So 28% on a civic just because of the ambient. 
4.) jjntj2003, I wanted to mention that an intake and exhaust actually cause you to use MORE fuel. I dont care what the company says. If you want me to elaborate I will but I think that I have posted it here before.
5.) Timmypstyle. Thanks yeah I noticed a big drop off with my new tires. I dont think I will do 35's again. 33's for sure. Too bad I cant sell my used tires.
1.) Stealth, anyone can post a link online. With my mechanical and chemical knowledge a fuel filter should not cause fuel use to jump 20%. I dont agree with his argument at all. All the fuel filter filters is dirt and loose debris. It would have to be sucking a ton of **** into the tank to loose 20% of the energy from the fuel EVERY time. Thanks though, I do appreciate the contribution, I just dont agree.
2.) I added some PSI back into my tires. I have 10 ply and dont need to tow, I just wanted a nicer ride but i already notice that at 60 it is a lot less rolling resistance.
3.) I did some reading on winter fuel and think I found my answer:
As if we really needed another reason to hate winter.
Those of us living in northern climes have already started to notice the seasonal decline in fuel economy, even with careful attention to sagging tire pressure (probably the best known effect of the mercury's slide).
Yet, despite diligent all-around maintenance and continued careful driving, cold weather fuel consumption can be dramatically worse than in warm temperatures.
How much worse?
Have a gander at these calculations for a Honda Civic hybrid at 60 MPH in varying ambient temperatures:
MPH-----AMBIENT-TEMP-----MPG (US)
60------------95----------52.98
60------------85----------52.62
60------------75----------51.16
60------------65----------49.12
60------------55----------47.22
60------------45----------44.67
60------------35----------43.05
60------------25----------41.54
60------------15----------39.41
60------------05----------38.09
Look at the extremes: the coldest MPG is 28% lower than the warmest. (Source.)
My own experience supports this: 12.5% worse mileage during the colder half of the year (Oct 15 to Apr 15) than for the warmest half (Apr 15 - Oct 15), on average 2002-2004 in my 1989 Accord. Comparing just the warmest months (Jun-Aug) to the coldest (Dec-Feb), the difference is even more apparent - 21.2% worse (2002).
Why so bad? Off the top of my head, I could think of a couple of reasons to explain it, but together they didn't seem significant enough to account for the magnitude of the change. With this mystery to solve, I hit Google. And here's what I learned...
Those of us living in northern climes have already started to notice the seasonal decline in fuel economy, even with careful attention to sagging tire pressure (probably the best known effect of the mercury's slide).
Yet, despite diligent all-around maintenance and continued careful driving, cold weather fuel consumption can be dramatically worse than in warm temperatures.
How much worse?
Have a gander at these calculations for a Honda Civic hybrid at 60 MPH in varying ambient temperatures:
MPH-----AMBIENT-TEMP-----MPG (US)
60------------95----------52.98
60------------85----------52.62
60------------75----------51.16
60------------65----------49.12
60------------55----------47.22
60------------45----------44.67
60------------35----------43.05
60------------25----------41.54
60------------15----------39.41
60------------05----------38.09
Look at the extremes: the coldest MPG is 28% lower than the warmest. (Source.)
My own experience supports this: 12.5% worse mileage during the colder half of the year (Oct 15 to Apr 15) than for the warmest half (Apr 15 - Oct 15), on average 2002-2004 in my 1989 Accord. Comparing just the warmest months (Jun-Aug) to the coldest (Dec-Feb), the difference is even more apparent - 21.2% worse (2002).
Why so bad? Off the top of my head, I could think of a couple of reasons to explain it, but together they didn't seem significant enough to account for the magnitude of the change. With this mystery to solve, I hit Google. And here's what I learned...
4.) jjntj2003, I wanted to mention that an intake and exhaust actually cause you to use MORE fuel. I dont care what the company says. If you want me to elaborate I will but I think that I have posted it here before.
5.) Timmypstyle. Thanks yeah I noticed a big drop off with my new tires. I dont think I will do 35's again. 33's for sure. Too bad I cant sell my used tires.
Last edited by the_cosworth; Feb 14, 2010 at 10:49 PM.
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From: Paintsville Ky.
here a little food for thought for you, things that I noticed really affected my MPG, I used to get 16.9-17.5 miles/gal.
1) when changing the brakes, if you turn one rear wheel the other turns the other way until the LSD catches right? well mine does not.
Turning two wheels is harder than turning 1, so I need to get that sorted out, had to put the truck in neutral, and then turn one wheel ( caused both to turn ) to rotate them around.
2) speed, when I had my gryphon set to Avg MPG it said 13.5 ( miles/galls is 13.4 when I do it ) and I slowed from 65-70 to 54-56 and now its shows 16+ MPG! considering that it was only 0.1 MPG off when I do miles/galls I suspect that slowing has netting me from 1.5-3 MPG! we shall find out when I next fill up in two days.
3) Tire size, I went from 230-70-17 / to 245-70-17
thats four bigger heaver tires and its turning two instead of one!
I could be wrong but a LSD should normally turn one unless its spinning?
4) winter blend fuels? about the same time I changed the factory muffler to a knock off SI/DO and tire size winter blend was coming around.
5) at 34K miles I went to change the fuel filter, got one for a non flex ( mine is flex ) and after taking the factory one off and giving it a little puff, it fuel spewed about 2 foot out the other end, filter is ok.
Now once I get the rear end figured out, and back to non winter blend I suspect I can see 17-20 MPG at 55, with a custom 93 perf tune.
1) when changing the brakes, if you turn one rear wheel the other turns the other way until the LSD catches right? well mine does not.
Turning two wheels is harder than turning 1, so I need to get that sorted out, had to put the truck in neutral, and then turn one wheel ( caused both to turn ) to rotate them around.
2) speed, when I had my gryphon set to Avg MPG it said 13.5 ( miles/galls is 13.4 when I do it ) and I slowed from 65-70 to 54-56 and now its shows 16+ MPG! considering that it was only 0.1 MPG off when I do miles/galls I suspect that slowing has netting me from 1.5-3 MPG! we shall find out when I next fill up in two days.
3) Tire size, I went from 230-70-17 / to 245-70-17
thats four bigger heaver tires and its turning two instead of one!
I could be wrong but a LSD should normally turn one unless its spinning?
4) winter blend fuels? about the same time I changed the factory muffler to a knock off SI/DO and tire size winter blend was coming around.
5) at 34K miles I went to change the fuel filter, got one for a non flex ( mine is flex ) and after taking the factory one off and giving it a little puff, it fuel spewed about 2 foot out the other end, filter is ok.
Now once I get the rear end figured out, and back to non winter blend I suspect I can see 17-20 MPG at 55, with a custom 93 perf tune.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,390
Likes: 10
Good morning all;
I do believe a hybrid (Civic or any other) is not the optimum vehicle for such a determination....
Please remember - a hybrid derives a large portion of it's mileage advantage running off batteries. As such, the lower the ambient temp is, the less effective the batteries become, forcing the vehicle to use more gas = lower mileage.
So for them a double whammy - less charge/unit battery mass + winter blend. No wonder the delta is so vast.
On a 'normal' gas vehicle, I believe that you are indeed experiencing the bulk of this mileage drop due to winter fuel, just like a lot of us here, IMHO.
On the plus side, cooler intake charge temps do produce higher power levels due to an oxygen density increase. BSFC changes promote slightly more efficiency, so the potential for a bit of mileage gain due to this is possible.
Not enough to offset the reduced BTU content of the fuel, unfortunately.
Bests & regards;
MGD v2.1
I do believe a hybrid (Civic or any other) is not the optimum vehicle for such a determination....
Please remember - a hybrid derives a large portion of it's mileage advantage running off batteries. As such, the lower the ambient temp is, the less effective the batteries become, forcing the vehicle to use more gas = lower mileage.
So for them a double whammy - less charge/unit battery mass + winter blend. No wonder the delta is so vast.
On a 'normal' gas vehicle, I believe that you are indeed experiencing the bulk of this mileage drop due to winter fuel, just like a lot of us here, IMHO.
On the plus side, cooler intake charge temps do produce higher power levels due to an oxygen density increase. BSFC changes promote slightly more efficiency, so the potential for a bit of mileage gain due to this is possible.
Not enough to offset the reduced BTU content of the fuel, unfortunately.
Bests & regards;
MGD v2.1
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,553
Likes: 1
From: CO
Good morning all;
I do believe a hybrid (Civic or any other) is not the optimum vehicle for such a determination....
Please remember - a hybrid derives a large portion of it's mileage advantage running off batteries. As such, the lower the ambient temp is, the less effective the batteries become, forcing the vehicle to use more gas = lower mileage.
So for them a double whammy - less charge/unit battery mass + winter blend. No wonder the delta is so vast.
On a 'normal' gas vehicle, I believe that you are indeed experiencing the bulk of this mileage drop due to winter fuel, just like a lot of us here, IMHO.
On the plus side, cooler intake charge temps do produce higher power levels due to an oxygen density increase. BSFC changes promote slightly more efficiency, so the potential for a bit of mileage gain due to this is possible.
Not enough to offset the reduced BTU content of the fuel, unfortunately.
Bests & regards;
MGD v2.1
I do believe a hybrid (Civic or any other) is not the optimum vehicle for such a determination....
Please remember - a hybrid derives a large portion of it's mileage advantage running off batteries. As such, the lower the ambient temp is, the less effective the batteries become, forcing the vehicle to use more gas = lower mileage.
So for them a double whammy - less charge/unit battery mass + winter blend. No wonder the delta is so vast.
On a 'normal' gas vehicle, I believe that you are indeed experiencing the bulk of this mileage drop due to winter fuel, just like a lot of us here, IMHO.
On the plus side, cooler intake charge temps do produce higher power levels due to an oxygen density increase. BSFC changes promote slightly more efficiency, so the potential for a bit of mileage gain due to this is possible.
Not enough to offset the reduced BTU content of the fuel, unfortunately.
Bests & regards;
MGD v2.1
lol that reminds me, i wanted to get an 04-08 stlye body for one of mine so i could have a mini version of mine.
Last edited by timmypstyle; Feb 15, 2010 at 10:42 AM.