Where is the BS flag when you need it?
No way you gained 8mpg from new plugs and a 75mm TB.
Unless half your old plugs weren't firing.

 

Here ya go....

 

He has messed that truck up so bad now that he can think just about anything.
The problem is, coming on a board and telling people absurd things like that and the recent time he went on another board and attack TP and got caught at that.
It's pretty easy to mess with an engine, sink it, and then claim these things, when it begins to run better again, when restored with the right parts.

 

I agree, and I work in the auto industry. There is a great deal myself and my co-workers could do to increase performance and lifetime of the parts we design. A compromise has to be made to keep cost competitive.

The big kicker really comes from reality and competition. Automobiles are designed by their engineers to get the most bang for the buck, and still meet government requirements...and still keep their customers happy, or at least as best they can. This is why it takes $2000 to get another 2-4mpg out of these vehicles...and yes, there is no guaruntee, you would have to buy the right parts to replace the less than optimized factory parts.

So what does this have to do with the competition? If Ford spends millions...I'm not exaggerating here, on research and development and then even more money on the new high end parts the cost of their vehicles would increase...alot. The catch-22 is the fact that all this work would only gain a few mpg's at best. That means a Ford truck gets much more expensive than it's competition, yet only offers a little better gas mileage in return. Definitely not a good deal for Ford, or for us.

That is where the aftermarket, in my opinion is a blessing. What they sell is not always worth it's cost, but some of it is...just depends. Opinions from forums like this one help to gain useful knowledge.

I read earlier someone was claiming trucks can never get better mileage because it takes a certain amount of fuel to move a given amount of weight. That rationale, that there is a given amount fuel needed vs. weight moved is in and off itself correct. What was failed to be mentioned is any reference to efficiency. Most factory gasoline engines these days are at best 50% efficient...with many, and I assume our trucks are closer to this number, around 35%. It is true that you can only get x amount of energy out of y amount of air and fuel. However, if you have loss...the efficiency I mentioned, then you can get more power to the ground if you make better use of the fuel burned.

In other words, increase the efficiency of the motor.

That is exactly what some, and I use the word "some" because there is trash for sale, do for our vehicles.

Think of it like a high-efficiency water heater. The water you bathe with gets just as warm...it just gets heated to that temp on less fuel, because less fuel is wasted, not because it mysteriously makes the natural gas or propane produce more energy.

Of course everyone is welcome to their own opinions, and I only wish to friendly debate, not make anyone mad with what I have written.

Mike

 

Like I said, I'm not an expert, but this makes perfectly logical sense to me.

 

Fuel mileage is a touchy subject, so I'm only going to make one post here. There isn't much you can do to a truck to increase fuel mileage without "hurting" something else. Underdrive pulleys, different gears, e-fans, they all have their disadvantages. So there's no way to really change the laws of physics. There is a set ammount of fuel required to move your truck. You can reduce that ammount by SLOWING DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!! You can also reduce that ammount by putting a lot of air in your tires. But aside from those things, there isn't much to do. A smaller engine choice will always yield better mileage, because smaller engines are more efficient at part throttle. (99% of normal driving)

Don't be fooled by "high flow" air filters, CAI's etc. because they do not increase fuel mileage AT ALL!!!! Your engine has a throttle body, and that negates any fuel mileage gains that could have come from such mods.

Think, if there was a simple (harmless) way to increase fuel mileage, don't you think ford would already have it on the truck? They switched from 5W30 to 5W20 just because of a MINESCULE mileage increase!