Its certainly possible that some vans handle badly at high speeds, mine seems to be OK at 80, havent gone past that with it.

Since speed costs money, I tend to light-foot it at around 65-70 most of the time on the interstates...but the occasional passing maneuver will get me into the 75 to 80 range.

 

If you're going to "light foot" it, you might try a bit lighter. My E250 with the 4.6 and a ladder rack up top gets about 17mpg at 65, but gets 21mpg at 55. On highway I just kick back, turn up the tunes, and relax in the comfort that my wallet is going to survive the trip.

OTH, most of my driving is here on island with a top speed of 40'ish so my real average is about 12.5. Oh yeah, and gas is up around $4.70 a gallon. Ouch!

 

Gas is cheaper than time.
You can always get more gas but you can't always get more time.
Anyway , to me it's also a safety issue. Sometimes you just have to go to evade an accident.
"When in doubt , gas it" has worked far better than hitting the brakes 99.9% of the time.
Anyway , I'm looking for shop to do the ECU fix.

PS , if your van is scarey to drive over 70 , SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE VAN

 

More speed is very rarely a solution to a developing road emergency. Remember E=MC^2. That translates to the faster you're going when you hit something, the more damage you're going to do and the more hurt you're going to get.

Remember, these are large vans. They are not Porsches.

 

Large speed differentials can cause accidents and even road-rage so I tend to travel at reasonable speeds around here on the interstate...about 65 or a bit more. At 55 you can get idiots quickly swerving as they come around you on these wide open highways around here. I dont want to drive at a speed thats 20-25 mph slower than everyone else on the road.

Yeah mine seems to get over 20 mpg if I travel at 55, but a single rear end collision would wipe out any savings.Not to mention hurt like hell.

 

I sure agree with that. I guess it must be a regional thing.


On the highways here we get a lot of big truck traffic. I just travel in the right most lane with them. Sometimes I pass them, sometimes they pass me, but the main flow goes quite comfortably at right around 55-60. The real problem comes from people trying to fight their way forward through the main flow of traffic; the ones that want to go 80+ when everybody else is traveling 65-70.

 

It takes much less of an avoidance maneuver to lose control of a van--a 7,000+ pound missile--at 75 MPH than it does at 65 MPH, no matter how good of a driver you are (or think you are).

And, yes, giving it gas can get you out of an accident sometimes. But that works better when you have more room to accelerate because you're farther from the top speed.

Jason

 

I've had mine 12 years, the speedometer has gone to the end and lingered on many occasions, I've not had an accident doing so, and it never felt at the edge of being out of control, it's a 99 15 passenger, so if you don't speed, keep it to yourself, there are times when getting over requires it, because there are jerks on the road who make it a mission to blockade you!

 

If you can't drive it, take the bus, or hail a cab.

 

I guess the flip side also applies. If you want to drive faster than the traffic around you, keep it to yourself. You'll get over, it because there are jerks on the road that just want to push the limits and bully all the traffic around them because they're not going fast enough.

 

My thread has been hijacked.
Enough pontificating.
I just need a solution.

 

I installed a tuner to mine, but I never noticed a limit in the beginning.
Since we have posted limits, no vehicle should be able to exceed them, we'll make it a safer world, what a bunch of hypocrites, to indicate there are vehicles who should be exempt of the law due to design!

 

Your original question was answered
here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14721227
and here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14721402

Both answers you discounted. Since these are the only answers that anybody can think of (and I agree with both answers as being valid) and you don't want to take either of them, there are apparently no answers that will satisfy you. So, either revisit the answers provided (Did you drive to the Ford dealer and talk in person to the service desk?) or live with what you've got. Sometimes in life there is no magic bullet.

 

Agree..........asked, and answered.

Others, just moved on................

 

I discounted neither. I am pursuing both.
then the nannies chime in.......jeez......