I am planning on taking a long trip soon and I am trying to get the best gas mileage possible. I see a lot of posts where owners claim anywhere from 15-20 MPG on the highway, how fast are they going?

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1999 SC XLT ORP 4.6L 4X4

 

Then just make it a point to drive the speed limit.

1) You will be a law-abiding citizen.
2) You can use your cruise control, no one slower in front of you.
3) Everyone that passes you will be able to admire your truck.
4) You will know you are getting the best possible gas mileage without being ridiculous about it.

 

jake,

i have the 4.6 and get , i think, great gas mileage for a heavy 4X4. my truck gets the best highway mileage at 65 mph using the cruise, when i get above 70 the bottom falls out. 65 gets me 17.5 mpg on the highway. not too shabby compared with ither trucks i have owned..good luck on your trip, Rich

 

I agree with everything Raoul said.
My truck has the 5.4 and I've gotten better than 18.5 on several occasions. I travel the speed limit ....never over 70 mph. Make sure your tires have the proper air pressure in them as well.

-jeff b.

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2000 F150 4x4 SC/SB 5.4 Auto, Tow Package, ORP (with the sticker for 2000), Cab Steps, Lariet.
Oxford White/Harvest Gold 2 tone.

 

Thanks for the reply everyone. Does lowering the tailgate do anything for gas mileage?

 

Thanks for the reply everyone. Does lowering the tailgate do anything for gas mileage?

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1999 SC XLT ORP 4.6L 4X4

 

Well from what I have heard, lower the tail gate hurts your mileage. The truck is designed to have that "pocket" of air in the box....so I would say that it doesn't help....never tried it.

 

Or, if you have the right gearing, you may see your mileage improve at a slightly higher speed. With my setup, the best MPG occours between 70 and 75. Anything over about78 or so and the mileage drops off. The cap on the bed improved the mileage by 1 to 2 mpg. Right now, the truck averages 17mpg, with freeway mpg's at 20-22 doing between 70 and 75 mph (only where legal). Actual milage varies considerbly by setup.

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1997 F150 XLT, Flareside Bed, Moonlight Blue, 4x2, SC, Auto, 4.6L, 3:08, Matched cargo cover, Blue Oval reciever hitch plug, 235/70/16 Firestone Wilderness AT's, Sliding rear window, and a bunch of sand tubes (it is winter, ya know...)

 

Gopher,
I have 3.55LS and it seems as though 60-65 is the ideal speed. Out west the speed limit jumps to 75 on the interstate, their goes my gas mileage I guess I will just take it slow, better to get their cheaper than in a hurry!


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1999 SC XLT ORP 4.6L 4X4

 

Yep, that's part of why the truck is set up like it is. It meets all my light hauling needs, but still goes easy (for a full size truck) on the pocketbook. I drive enough miles (I have 99,000 on the odometer right now) that this setup works for me. In fact, I'm on my way to Denver this weekend, so we get to confirm the numbers again!

Like you said, if you have the time, might as well make it cheaper. We'll see you when I go by on the freeway doing 75 . Sometimes I do wish I had the low end grunt and 4x4 to fall back on, but I sure do smile when I get 450 miles on a tank of gas...

 

Jake,

I have a 5.4 4X4 w/3.55 gears & an A/T. Unloaded, at 65-70 I get the mid fifteens on my trips up & down the valley here in California. Two weeks ago, I towed a 2,000-lb. trailer from Sacramento to Las Vegas. I kept the cruise control @ 55. I got, the mid fifteens.

My guess is, the extra weight cancelled out the slower speed, or the truck just gets 15 mpg! I think the only way I will ever see 16+ MPG is to drive at 55-60 mph.

If you can afford the time, 55 mph appears to be the way to go.

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BOB
97 F150 Lariet 4X4 SC Everything except ESOF plus Line-X Bed Liner, Power Rear Slider, 16X8 Chrome Centerline Starfires, 305-70 Goodyear AT/S, Alpine Alarm, Deflecta-Shield Sportrends Running Boards, Edelbrock IAS Shocks, a new "no piston slap" 5.4, and a new "no-crack" door.

 

I just came back from a one-tank round trip to Cape Cod and back; 240 miles of highway and about 80 miles of backroads driving. I have a cap on the bed and bug deflector. With the 5.4 and 3:55 L.S.,4w.d., auto trans I got 16.5 MPG exactly....I even filled up at the same pump to the same # of click-offs of the nozzle when I got back. Next week I am driving to Carlisle Pa. for the spring car meet and am going to see what I get from straight highway driving. It's 420 miles from here and I've been going for 15 years now and usually can average 65-70, with some 75 or so mph. Will let you know.
Oh.....ps: the around town mileage stinks, although probably OK for the 4wd. I get 11 in the winter and seem to be getting 12 now during spring warmup.
Hope this helps!

 

As everyone has said earlier, if you reduce your speed you will increase your fuel mileage. I found this out on my own, last weekend.

On my 10 hour drive to visit my wife-to-be, I usually run between 70 and 75 MPH. On these trips, the best MPG I have reached was 15.8. I have a 1999 5.4 and the 3.55 LS gears, with 7000 miles.

Last weekend, I went on a shorter trip. I drove 346.8 miles, with only approx 50 miles on an interstate. I had the cruise set at 60-62 on the two lane roads, and 70 on the interstate (again, for 50 miles). Even though the two lane road was rather curvey at times, had many hills, and often heavy traffic where I had to cancel the cruise, I obtained excellent fuel mileage. The mileage was so suprising, that I had to double check my math with a calculator -- twice. My previous best was 17.6, which was just after my exhaust mod - and I have only seen 17's once since. I figured if I could crack 18, I'd be a happy camper. This trip, I got 20.556 MPG. Mileage was checked with the same number of clicks at the same station.

If you have the time, take a lesser used two lane - not only will you have better mileage, but I'm sure you will enjoy the countryside a bit better as well!
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_________________________
1999 F150 Lariat Supercab
5.4 - Auto - 3.55LS
Black/Harvest Gold/Prarie Tan interior.
Flowmaster 50 Series w/18" Stainless Tips


[This message has been edited by goneloco (edited 04-19-2000).]

 

Goneloco says:
If you have the time, take a lesser used two lane - not only will you have better mileage, but I'm sure you will enjoy the countryside a bit better as well!
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I don't agree that the two lane trip will give you better mileage. You would have too many slow downs, stops at all the little towns, and other traffic. Impossible to keep a steady speed that insures good mileage. Putting the cruise at 65-70 on the interstate will always beat the two lane trip.
Now, having said that, I totally agree with what you said about the pleasure of the drive on the "blue highways" as opposed to the Interstates. I spent 21 years working for an airline so I flew everywhere. Now, when I travel (though I still fly for free as a retiree) I love to drive those long trips and when possible, I get off onto the back roads. It makes the drive longer, but much more enjoyable. And the food at those Mom and Pop diners sure beats a McDonalds on the freeway!
If you really want to get into the romance of the road, traveling the roads not taken, read the book "Blue Highways" by William 'Least Heat' Moon. It's a great book and will make you want to start planning a road trip.

 

Amen! Scenic bypasses are great!

If you get sick of the I-5 in the Central Valley (CA) then try the 33 - nice farm and orchard country, no traffic, and quaint little towns with beautiful classic cars everywhere.




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Tom Kenney
tomk@bearcomp.com
tom@fluxtech.com

My truck, Sparky, is a 1992 F-150 XLT SuperCab shortbed 4x4, 302, A4OD, silver-on-black two-tone