Well on my baby i pull out only 10mpg and i drive nothing but city

 

I'll probably get flamed for this but... I'd have to say your splitting hairs. The I6 is a great motor but fuel efficiency isn't at the top of it's list. For what it is and what it can pull, it's not bad. However, unless you do a lot of highway driving and towing the I6 isn't much better than a V8. Well, unless it is geared high and then you lose what it is great at, pulling. I get 13-14 average, 90% city with no load. Haven't pulled enough with it to get an average loaded.

Edit: The 5.0 is a great all around motor and they are everywhere and hence dirt cheap.
Mileage rating when they was new http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymod...0_Pickup.shtml

 

well my friend has a 94 f150 5.0l 3.55 gears and E40d transmiison and well he gets an average of 10mpg but when he tows a heavy load on a trailer he gets 12mpg, it sounds weird to me but maybe when some motors work they get a little better mpg.

 

Have a 95 f150 2wd, 5spd 3:31 rear, fiberglass cap running stock sized 235/75/15. I'm a conservative driver, and get 14 city, 18 hwy.

 

I don't know......... I see a lot of 5.8's getting 4-5 mpg better than me.....

 

My truck has a 300 I6 with the automatic transmission. With the 3.08 gear ratio I could get 17 mpg going 80 mph+ all day long.

Had plenty of power for me.

 

how's it goin Bill,.....personally, I love a 300 all around.....

 

i get around 15 with my 2wd e4od with 3.55s. happy with that for what i got

 

Don't even think about regearing yourself to 3.08's if you are pulling! you'll have ZERO pulling power! unloaded you'll have power but 3.08 just plain suck to tow with... I had a 92 m50d 2wd with 4.9L and 3.08's... it won't pull much of a load and you might as well own a ranger... JMO. But others on here who tow will agree that 3.08's are just to low a gear to be pulling constantly.

If you're looking at 4.9L to pull loads you'll need a ZF with granny low. I pulled a 12ft x 6.5ft utility trailer back from Chicago to DSM with a Grasshopper mower on it at about 65mph in 4th gear... I got about 11mpgs and it was all highway. 3.55 rear gear and 4x4...

typical...


You'll get better mpgs unloaded with the 4.9L over the 5.8L, but loaded down you won't be saving much if any... The 300 likes to suck down gas pretty good if your loaded down and have to stay in 4 gear to keep rpms up. 3.55's is about the lowest I would go with either motor if your towing.

What exactly is your job? What are you towing? How much of the time will you honestly be under load?

Maybe your employer needs to kick a few bucks toward you for gas if you're using your truck for their benefit...

 

I work farm work, and do a little land cleaning on the side, honestly over summer (bout 3-4 months) I'll be towing 4000-6000 lbs for 2-3 miles then unloaded most of the extra time up until end of winter-springish (about this time of year) I'll be pulling scrap metal (normal load is anywhere from 500lbs to 2,000lbs) every now and then there may be a truck thrown behind it.

 

the best fuel mileage i had with a 300-6 was 22.5mpg...it was a 92 flareside 4x4 5spd..course i was driving the freeway at about 65mph on very flat roads..day to day driving i would get 17...

but i would agree typically you can expect mid to high teens with the 300.. with a few tweeks you can get better mileage..

 

the 300 I6 has enough grunt to tow the metal now and then... Hell I even towed Ol' Girl on a double axle car trailer from Irwin IA to Norwalk IA... 115ish miles. I wasn't going fast but Thumper got it done! The rest of the time you can expect mid to high teens... Probably 2-4 mpgs better overall to the 351w.

If you were commuting a long ways to I'd suggest getting a old 4cyl of your chioce to get 30-40 mpgs on longer drives. Then use the truck on towing or loading days...

 

Have you tried seafoam or marvel mystery oil type product in your current rig?
I haven't personally used them but a lot of folks swear they really help. Was just a thought before you spring for a new rig. Are you sure your pressure is really low? The gauges on these aren't the most accurate.

 

I hooked a real psi gauge to it and ran it, still low, then after it warmed up a tad it got back to normal, then after letting it idle for 10-20 mins it dropped again, gave it a little tap on the gas and it swung back to normal range.

And yes, I seafoam it every 3000 miles.

Plus, I'm not sure about hooking 4-6,000 lbs behind it with the already weak M5 for a tranny..

And steve, I'm not going far, this is my home, I'm going to trade school here, opening a garage here and plan to live here til I die. If I go anywhere it won't be far

 

My purely stock 2wd F150 300 gets 14.1mpg (winter fuel) 90% highway driving @ 55mph!

3 speed tranny and low geared rear end don't help. 3.55 C6....