Fuel Efficiency
#1
#2
A heavier throttle return spring.
If there were inexpensive mods that did anything significant, they'd be stock.
With gas prices like they are, some mods may become more economically attractive but there are usually negative tradeoffs as well, usually in areas like NVH (noise, vibration and harshness.) It all depends on what you're willing to live with and how you use the truck.
If there were inexpensive mods that did anything significant, they'd be stock.
With gas prices like they are, some mods may become more economically attractive but there are usually negative tradeoffs as well, usually in areas like NVH (noise, vibration and harshness.) It all depends on what you're willing to live with and how you use the truck.
#3
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St. Louis (Out in the woods)
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Buy a dozen eggs. Affix one on the gas pedal, another to the brake pedal. Drive so you don't break either. In lieu of buying the eggs, pretend they are there anyway.
Buy an accurate tire gauge. Use it every week and keep your tire pressure adjusted throughout the seasons.
Install a vacuum gauge that measures intake vacuum. Make a game of keeping its reading as high as possible. Used in conjunction with the eggs above, you can achieve constant high scores.
Install a retro 55 mph speed limit sign on your dash. Don't exceed the speed limit.
Keep up on your other maintenance: Filters, oil changes with proper oil, etc. Don't skimp on required service, get it done.
YOU are the single biggest contributor to fuel economy improvements, not "engine mods".
Steve
Buy an accurate tire gauge. Use it every week and keep your tire pressure adjusted throughout the seasons.
Install a vacuum gauge that measures intake vacuum. Make a game of keeping its reading as high as possible. Used in conjunction with the eggs above, you can achieve constant high scores.
Install a retro 55 mph speed limit sign on your dash. Don't exceed the speed limit.
Keep up on your other maintenance: Filters, oil changes with proper oil, etc. Don't skimp on required service, get it done.
YOU are the single biggest contributor to fuel economy improvements, not "engine mods".
Steve
#4
Only you can prevent lost mileage
I agree completely with "projectSHO89"
In addition: In local traffic, time your lights. Don't race up to them. I tried this, Gained about 1/2 MPG. Doesn't sound like allot, but any little bit helps.
BTW Don't be annoying if you do this. you will still need to keep up with traffic flow , so rush hour it may not work.
Good luck, Keep truckin!
In addition: In local traffic, time your lights. Don't race up to them. I tried this, Gained about 1/2 MPG. Doesn't sound like allot, but any little bit helps.
BTW Don't be annoying if you do this. you will still need to keep up with traffic flow , so rush hour it may not work.
Good luck, Keep truckin!
#6
Filling your tires with nitrogen can help a bit too,
Put 6psi over the recommended 40 because Nitrogen doesn’t react to cold or heat like air does, this is why you have to boost the pressure.
In city driving the tires never get a chance to warm up so air doesn’t expand to the 46psi you get at highway speeds thus increasing drag and fuel consumption
It’s even more noticeable in the winter.
And nitrogen molecules are bigger than air so it will keep the tire pressure optimal longer.
You lose pressure because the air molecules pass through the rubber. Being bigger the Nitrogen molecules takes more time to do the same.
Put 6psi over the recommended 40 because Nitrogen doesn’t react to cold or heat like air does, this is why you have to boost the pressure.
In city driving the tires never get a chance to warm up so air doesn’t expand to the 46psi you get at highway speeds thus increasing drag and fuel consumption
It’s even more noticeable in the winter.
And nitrogen molecules are bigger than air so it will keep the tire pressure optimal longer.
You lose pressure because the air molecules pass through the rubber. Being bigger the Nitrogen molecules takes more time to do the same.
#7
Partially incorrect
There is no such thing as an air molecule. Air is a mixture of gasses, 78% of which is nitrogen.
The biggest advantage of nitrogen in filling tires is that it is dry, )i.e. it contains no water vapor.) It is the water vapor which causes the problems with temperature/pressure. Nitrogen's advantages over dry air are minimal.
There is no such thing as an air molecule. Air is a mixture of gasses, 78% of which is nitrogen.
The biggest advantage of nitrogen in filling tires is that it is dry, )i.e. it contains no water vapor.) It is the water vapor which causes the problems with temperature/pressure. Nitrogen's advantages over dry air are minimal.
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#8
#10
Buy a dozen eggs. Affix one on the gas pedal, another to the brake pedal. Drive so you don't break either. In lieu of buying the eggs, pretend they are there anyway.
Buy an accurate tire gauge. Use it every week and keep your tire pressure adjusted throughout the seasons.
Install a vacuum gauge that measures intake vacuum. Make a game of keeping its reading as high as possible. Used in conjunction with the eggs above, you can achieve constant high scores.
Install a retro 55 mph speed limit sign on your dash. Don't exceed the speed limit.
Keep up on your other maintenance: Filters, oil changes with proper oil, etc. Don't skimp on required service, get it done.
YOU are the single biggest contributor to fuel economy improvements, not "engine mods".
Steve
Buy an accurate tire gauge. Use it every week and keep your tire pressure adjusted throughout the seasons.
Install a vacuum gauge that measures intake vacuum. Make a game of keeping its reading as high as possible. Used in conjunction with the eggs above, you can achieve constant high scores.
Install a retro 55 mph speed limit sign on your dash. Don't exceed the speed limit.
Keep up on your other maintenance: Filters, oil changes with proper oil, etc. Don't skimp on required service, get it done.
YOU are the single biggest contributor to fuel economy improvements, not "engine mods".
Steve
Gotta love a truck
#11
Better ignition + tuner
I have not finished my project build. But from the past I have always gotten beter economy from installing an ignition system.
I know that there is pretty much nothing out there for all you Coil-Over-Plug owners. It's why I bought a 97 4.6 with front mount coil packs. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Jacobs DIS milemaster ignition system for it. Think about it, better ignition = more complete fuel burn= more power= less foot on pedle!!
People can say whatever they want about the COP system, but from all my experience I can tell you that I have NEVER come across such a crappy setup as Fords COP's. They fail so often that every time I hear of a miss or power problem, it's the first thing I check. Over 75% of the time, it's the culprit. I hear that the GM's are better as well as some foreign makes. I believe one company is making a conversion set of GM's to run on our Fords.
Second item in my build list for economy was ofcourse a tuner. I use a sniper tuner to get my fuel enrichment down a hair. Ford as most all manufacturers add in a bit of a safety factor in the fuel ratio.So it's not exactly an optimal mix.I did it on my previous vehicle a 99 Expedition 5.4 and gained a noticeable couple mpg out of it. I only wish that there was a dyno shop local to me that I could tune it even better. By me there is either no one, or no one that can be trusted. although more than willing to take your $$$
Lowflyingbird
I know that there is pretty much nothing out there for all you Coil-Over-Plug owners. It's why I bought a 97 4.6 with front mount coil packs. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Jacobs DIS milemaster ignition system for it. Think about it, better ignition = more complete fuel burn= more power= less foot on pedle!!
People can say whatever they want about the COP system, but from all my experience I can tell you that I have NEVER come across such a crappy setup as Fords COP's. They fail so often that every time I hear of a miss or power problem, it's the first thing I check. Over 75% of the time, it's the culprit. I hear that the GM's are better as well as some foreign makes. I believe one company is making a conversion set of GM's to run on our Fords.
Second item in my build list for economy was ofcourse a tuner. I use a sniper tuner to get my fuel enrichment down a hair. Ford as most all manufacturers add in a bit of a safety factor in the fuel ratio.So it's not exactly an optimal mix.I did it on my previous vehicle a 99 Expedition 5.4 and gained a noticeable couple mpg out of it. I only wish that there was a dyno shop local to me that I could tune it even better. By me there is either no one, or no one that can be trusted. although more than willing to take your $$$
Lowflyingbird
Last edited by lowflyingbird; 05-21-2008 at 08:43 PM.
#12
Dang you guys took the wind out of my sails. I can't sell my truck because I can't even get a $1k less than trade in value for it, even with all the goodies I've got in mine. And driving it is costing me $400/month. I don't even drive all that much.
Wow what a bummer. I'm left with scrambled eggs and Marvin Gaye records.
Tom
Wow what a bummer. I'm left with scrambled eggs and Marvin Gaye records.
Tom
#13
#15
Hey, all jokes aside, here's some info. I bought an Edge programmer for 200, and a used set of Troyer underdrive pulleys (crank and water, I believe they're 20% under) for 100, installed myself. I'm in for 340.00 (add shipping). From my track days, I'm a compulsive data logger, old school with notebook and calc in the truck. I've done almost every tank (fuel cons) since I bought it. I was 11.5 to 13 in town before and now I'm 12.8-14.9. The Edge mpg function has also backed up the long division. So: based on the cost of fuel at 4/gal- every 25 gal I'm banking about 14.00. I fill up about every 10 days. Over the course of 1 year that's a little over 500 I've saved from stock set up. So it's paid for. I have a set of electric fans to install but I'm waiting on the release of a new controller before I put them in (paid 125 for the pair of 16" used Troyer fans without controls). A 2mpg improvement is a 17-19% gain, and in the mechanical world that's huge. I don't start highway driving till summer, so I don't have good data for that, yet.