I was speaking in terms of VMP's mileage tune. I gained 6 mpg with a slight change in driving and a 93 octane mileage tune in the Mustang. I know it's apples to oranges but it's possible. 1-2 mpg is more realistic but 3 mpg could very well happen and I've seen it happen first hand. I've got a buddy who is getting +3 mpg with a VMP 93 octane mileage tune in his 05 F150 5.4L.

 

Sorry I didn't respond, I wasn't getting email notices that you guys responded...I live in Northern CA, but I am unsure of the ethanol content in our gas. While 17.5 seems great to some of you, I think its worth noting that you can't compare my mileage to those who do mostly city driving. I literally drive 99% on the highway, driving slow, doing everything right to save gas. If I could get 3 more mpgs that would be great! but I don't know how realistic that is...although I think I am in a situation that would allow for good results with my type of driving. Even with that increase I would save 15 bucks a week, and thats before gas goes up again.

 

Mpg gains would also depend on what size the truck is, longbed, shortbed, scab, reg.cab.... I know I'm not getting as good a mileage as some of you out there due to the fact I have the longer, heavier version of the 150.

 

wow I do better than that with both my supercharged trucks

 

In California, it is 5.7%.

I called the California Air Resources board and was able to locate this information online.

http://www.energy.ca.gov/ethanol/index.html

WWW.ENERGY.CA.GOV / ETHANOL
ETHANOL As a Transportation Fuel In California

As of January 1, 2004, California completed a transition from methyl tertiary butyl-ether (MTBE) to ethanol as a gasoline oxygenate additive. With most gasoline sold in the state presently containing 5.7 percent ethanol, California is now the largest ethanol fuel market in the United States. About one billion gallons of ethanol are expected to be used in the state's gasoline supply in 2004.

The Energy Commission continues to study the potential for ethanol fuel production and use as part of California's overall strategy to assure adequate transportation energy supplies and reduce dependence on petroleum. In addition to its use as a gasoline blending component, ethanol can also be used as E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) in flexible fuel vehicles being produced by automakers.

Most of California's current ethanol supply comes from the Midwest U.S. corn-based industry, with a small supply contribution from foreign imports. There are only two small producers of ethanol in California today; however, a number of projects for expanded in state ethanol production are under consideration.

For Fuel Ethanol Price Graphs, please go to:
Last 18 Months
Last 10 Years
Gasoline Components Prices

For more information about ethanol please contact:

Emerging Fuels & Technology Office
Fuels and Transportation Division
California Energy Commission
1516 Ninth Street, MS-44
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-654-4628

ETHANOL (also know has Ethyl Alcohol or Grain Alcohol, chemical formula CH3CH2OH) is a liquid produced mostly via fermentation and distillation processes from sugar and starch crop feedstock. Advanced processes for producing ethanol from agricultural, forestry and municipal wastes and residues are under development. Ethanol has been used in the U.S. as a gasoline octane enhancer and oxygenate since the 1970s when federal energy tax policy was enacted to encourage domestic production and use of this fuel.

 

Turn on the cruse control. It drives more efficiently then you do. I get 15 city 19 hwy. 06 scab 3.55 5.4 6.5 bed.

 

I disagree, when you drop below the set speed it gives way too much gas to get back up to speed than you can do yourself with your foot.

 

I get better mileage as well with cruise. Cruise keeps constant speed with small corrections to maintain only. With the foot I find myself unknowingly speeding up and slowing down killing mileage. I get approx 2 MPG better with cruise on freeway.

 

x2 i found that out just by sure luck! clicked it on and drove the same trip i usually do and saw my avg. mpg. climb past 17mpg... and thast with my 20's on 33's????
My dad used to always tell me cruise control uses more gas becasue it compinsates for inclines?? what was he talking about?
that probably was the case in early cruise cointrols i guess?
but not now!
edit:
just to keep it on track I saw almost 3+mpg improvement using just canned tunes, lvl1 and lvl3!

 

The only time mine slows down is going over a overpass. Little trick when you feel it start to slow down let it, tap the off button and then the on button. You will be going down hill soon. When it gets back up to speed on the down hill hit set. I know you cant always do with traffic this but it helps.

 

Yeah, I think it is pretty crappy myself. I kind of wonder if it is running rich, I don't really know what else it could be, my wife has been driving it most of the time since her commute is a lot shorter and she definitely doesn't get on the throttle that much.

 

Cruise control will always get better mileage over a long distance than your foot will. The computer is better at controlling the fuel input than your foot.

 

Jeremy, here I disagree. The cruise control in MY 150 has way too much "slop". When going up an incline, it doesn't "kick in" until the speed has dropped 3-4 mph. And then, as I crest the hill and start down the other side, it doesn't stop accelerating until I'm about 3-4 mph above the set speed.

I can get a more "constant" engine rpm by starting to manually feed it gas as I go up a hill and "sense" the speed beginning to drop. I don't do this for little hills of course, just the "big" ones.

I used to have a Mercury Marquis back in the late 60s. That car had a mechanical cable from the cruise control to the carb and it was adjustable. I had it set so the cruise control would maintain speed within +/- 1 mph. I never had to "help" it. Sometimes, progress is anything but.

- Jack

 

I already use CC, and my truck is a Supercrew FX4, 2006

 

on my 87 performance tune from bill with my screw 5.4 20 inch rims 3.55 gears, i got 18.5 mpg on the highway going 70mph constantly for 350 miles without ever having to ever flucuating the gas pedal. (amazing truck didn't have to get out of CC for that long due to nice traffic)

i cruised at 60mph for 50 miles and i resetted the MPG thing when i started and i got it to stay at 22mpg. but yet again, on normal highways, who drives 60mph and i was driving on backroads!