21 mpg 95 f-150

[mattri]

Just picked up a 95 F-150 2wd 5spd with 164k. Haven't even done a tune up on it but with a combination of city/hwy it's getting 21mpg. I'm pretty impressed, we'll see how plugs/ wires etc improves that.

[Harte3]

Must be that cool and dry WY air.

[StrangeRanger]

If you're getting 21 MPG in mixed driving, DON'T TOUCH A THING.
When you do change the plugs, use the same brand and gap that it now has (and tell the rest of us what they are)

Let me guess? 2.73 final drive and mostly highway?

[mattri]

It actually has an 8.8 with 3.31 gears in it. I thought that was pretty odd but checked the diff tag and the axle code and they both say 3.31, M5OD and a real mix of driving.

[Ronbo]

You my friend, are a lucky dawg!! The Bronco beast gets 12 MPG with 3.55s and an overdrive!

[mattri]

Yeah I was pleasantly surprised, we'll see what a basic tune-up does.

[Mustang_Geezer]

And I thought my consistant 17-18 mpg with my 92 was good! I wish I could get 21 also......

It is better than the 13-14 I was getting before I changed my O2 sensor and replaced the gasket between the throttle body and upper intake plenum.

Later,

[American Thunder]

I'm still averaging 22-23 mpg in my Bronco for the last 7500 miles since rebuild on the carbed '95 motor with '95 5-speed, 3.55s, mostly cruising 40-50 mph.

[mattri]

Thats awesome. What cam are you running? What exhaust? Changed the plugs, cap and rotor this weekend. Plugs were shot, most gapped out at .76-.82. We'll see what the tune-up does for mpg, Matt.

[American Thunder]

I'm running the stock '95 cam, and '95 dual EFI exhaust manifolds. I'm also running the ignition timing right on the ragged edge. I wouldnt be able to pull a trailer with it set like that, but I use the wife's '96 5.8L Bronc for that stuff anyway.

[mattri]

Thanks for the reply. Having trouble with the fuel pump in the rear tank. Going to get that sorted then I'll get some more mpg calcs, Matt.

[willowbilly3]

Not to pop your bubble but it takes several tanks of gas to get an accurate calculation. The percentage for error is huge on a single or partial tank.

[StrangeRanger]

I consider 1000 miles the minimum for a truly accurate MPG calculation. That removes all variables due to weather, fill level, unusual traffic patterns, etc. I've been logging the Mazda6 since I bought it. Over 29K miles it has averaged 26.5 with a high of 35.7 and a low of 20.5. Single tanks prove nothing.

[mattri]

Exactly, wich is why the first post made mention of it being a calc after only one tank, Matt.

[willowbilly3]

Exactly, wich is why the first post made mention of it being a calc after only one tank, Matt.

I guess my eyes aren't so good anymore, I missed the one tank part. Keep us posted, sounds like a good running little pickup.

[mattri]

The tune up really helped throttle response but didn't seem to affect mpg. Still dancing around 20. Driving is a mix of back and forth to work and then driving out in the sage on wknds. Speedometer and odometer are accurate.

[Asa]

i remember the tanks when i got 20+ mpg....

i believe it was the front driver's side brake assembly... the wear material on one of the pads was gone, rivets eating into the brake rotor, metal on metal contact, and i was so broke that i couldn't afford to replace everything
this didn't stop my supervisors from having me man the remote station, or me from visiting this cute little thing over in Waldorf... went through about three tanks total, i think the average was 21.6 or so, i noticed that the milage was excellent so i kept it up for a while

because those brakes were so bad as soon as i even saw a red light i'd start coasting, i'd let fully loaded semi-trucks accelerate faster than me, when i had to come to a stop i'd gear down before pressing the brakes, downhill in neutral, never went above 45 on a two lane, never went above 55 on a four lane, stayed off of the Beltway and I-95 completely

ahh.... the joys of being young and invincible

[Lupin398]

Well, I have a vacuum gauge and keeping it as high as I can when cruising does a good bit for mileage. Though I have to admit, don't expect to go faster than 60MPH doing that.

[MI6]

My 84 with 2.73 gear and 4 sp OD manual, 130k miles, with all the emissions stuff still attached and working, now gets 18-22 mpg over 2500 miles or so. With an even mix of city, rural and highway. The brand of gas I buy seems to have the greatest impact. Surprisingly the off brands get the better mileage, consistently over 20. I bought the truck new and never got better than 15-16 mpg from then until now. With the increase so far I wonder if 25 is possible.

[American Thunder]

You start to hit an aerodynamic wall after about 23 mpg, where you can't get much better fuel mileage because of the huge frontal area of the truck, as well as the mass you're trying to keep moving. The 300 in something like an old Datsun 280Z would probably be capable of 30 mpg, but the only way to get that high in a truck I believe is with a diesel.