gas milage

[FordSDF250]

My friend has a 02 escape with a v6 and he is getting horrible fuel economy. Like 18 highway. We just changed the air filter ( put in a k an N) and put new plugs in and the economy is not improving. Does any one have any suggestions. We are thinking of repalcing the fuel filter to see if that helps any. thanx

[sfcwoodret]

Check the MAF sensor.

[FordSDF250]

You think that is the problem. Where is that located

[FordSDF250]

would it be right on the hose connecting the air box to the throttle body. And how could i tell it would be bad.

[DoctorCAD]

I don't now your location, but these vehicles are by far the worst cold weather vehicles I have ever owned. I went from 20 mpg in town to around 15 every winter.

As to MAF, oil from the new K & N may have been pulled onto the sensor. It can be cleaned off with a q-tip and some carb cleaner. You probably can't tell if it is dirty, so I'd clean it off anyhow.

[FordSDF250]

yea my location is upstate new York in the catskills

[Nitramjr]

Check the air pressure in the tires as well. Cold weather will soften the tires considerably and will also cause the fuel economy to suffer.

[YoGeorge]

I have never noted SO much dropoff in mileage in the winter as I have this year. It seems like all of our vehicles (5 assorted cars and trucks) have lost gas mileage to the tune of 10-20% this winter. I'm in the Detroit area, for what it's worth.

One additional problem is that I buy my gas at Costco, which had traditionally used Amoco/BP gas, and they switched to Marathon (10% ethanol) in December. This is likely part of my mileage falloff, although I have used a few tanks of non-gasahol from other brands in our cars and that doesn't seem to improve the mileage much. Hopefully the warm weather and summer gas will return soon.

As for K&N air filters, I have never been a fan of oiled filters and have become even less of a fan with MAF/MAP sensors in the intake stream.

George