Labnerd - I agree with what you're saying 100%. I was referring to the "recommended" tires in my earlier post. If you put "better" tires on the vehicle, all bets are off. And, I have inflated the tires carrying the "load" (the engine in most cars) to the max on the sidewall and have gotten more even treadwear as a result.

In our Arizona heat though, I'd be reluctant to inflate the things to something above the cold max pressure on the sidewall.

And, since I'm an engineer, I know there is a safety margin. But, there are also manufacturing faults that can eat those margins up pretty fast. In the case of tires, I don't push it.

Tumba - I was not arguing! And I'm happy to be proven wrong. If you prove me wrong, I learn something! This is a "win - win" situation. I simply stated the sidewall pressure was a "max safe" rating. And, as you said in another post, disabling OD CAN reduce strain on the transmission. But, I suspect it matters not a bit in normal, "easy" town/highway driving. Do you think I'm wrong on this? If so, why?

- Jack

 

Yes.

Go on longer drives that allow the engine to warm up before you have gotten back home.

I know a lady that has a Buick (2000 or so model) that gets 13 MPGs driving a mile to work and back home. She got 22 on the highway trip she took with the grandkids to the mall after I clued her in on that.

So, in short, if you are that meticulous with maintenance, everyone else is overthinking this issue.

 

I have a 98 scab 4.6 w/ 109k ... I get right around 16.8 mainly city driving.. I modified my intake which I believe helped me out.. The link is below. Also running Injector cleaner every couple fill ups will help. The biggest thing though is keeping it under 2k on the tach It's hard to do but makes the largest difference lol. Just my 2 cents

http://www.fordf150.net/articles/idx...ification.html

 

thanks for all the suggestion. I think out of all i have heard from everybody my problem may be the sitting and ideling for long periods of time. i am in AZ and have to pick up my son at hes work and have to wait for 5-10 mins for him to get off he works at a sonic and i sit out there drinking a sodapop with the a/c runing while i wait. so that could be my gas milage gremlin

 

Thunderriver, I don't have any "hard" fuel consumption figures for your "sitting at idle" time, but I sure do know that if I have to sit at stoplights much, the mpg goes down - fast!

I think you may have just found your problem! Turn it off, get out and go stand under a tree!

- Jack