Hey everyone,
I have a 01 Super Crew 4x4 w/ a 5.4 liter engine. Is got about 25000 miles on it, so it is break in good. I am getting the worse gas mileage I have ever seen. 10-11 in town and 13-14 on the highway. Sticker on the truck says 14 in city and 18 on highway. Whats up? Is anyone having the same problem? If so, is there anything to improve the mileage. I have had 6 new gmc trucks in the last 11 years and they have always got what sticker says or better. Anyone got any Ideals?

Thanks
aatmac

 

I have a 2002 S'crew w/2wd, 5.4L and get a consistant avg. of 18mpg 50/50 - city/hwy. I don't usually get over 60mph, on the road, but occasionally "hit it" to pass (probably burns more than if I just did 70mph consistantly). I usually get up to speed quickly then utilize "cruise control". I know that 4X4's get a couple of mpg less and lifted w/taller tires get even less. The taller a truck is, the more air drag going under it (lowers mpg). Ofcourse the taller the tire w/o a gear change the lower the mpg. I hope this makes sense, but I don't know if it will help. Good luck!

 

At the risk of repeating myself:

Check your cab temperature controls.....
I got my '03 5.4 4x4 SC in November of 02.
I used the "Panel/Floor" position to direct heated air throughout the cab (all winter long).
It wasn't until spring "broke" around here that one day I realized
that I wanted some outside air to come in through the "panel/floor" setting.. I had the temp (red/blue) all the way blue (assuming that it would be outside air)
IT'S NOT.
The air coming out was FREEZING...much colder thatn the outside temp. This got me wondering~~

On the Panel/Floor setting, you are engaging your AC compressor.
I drove around all winter WITH MY AC COMPRESSOR RUNNING.
This is not something I would normally do.
You don't have your HOUSE AC running all winter ..right?
Why?.... Its an energy hog~~

The only climate control settings that avoid compressor use are:
PANEL (OR) FLOOR (solely, at any temp)
My truck was getting 12/13 mpg....honestly, I was stunned.
Now, after using my climate controls more wisely, I'm turning a serious 16/17 mpg (after 5 tanks of fuel)..
By the way, my truck seems like its much peppier, too.
with less down shifting.. I've read that the AC compressor requires 10 to 20 hp to turn at speed.

Sure, Ford wants us to be nice and comfy in our trucks,
but at that abyssmal rate of 12/13mpg, let me sweat a little.

***Special thanks to the FTE Moderator for this AWESOME tip
that is now saving me alot of money for a simple switch-flip change.

Kudos!
Thats what these rooms are all about..... INFORMATION.

DN

 

I've tried what Daven suggests. And while what he is saying should work, it has not inproved my fuel economy.

I consistently get 13 - 14mpg. One time I hit a new high with 15.75mpg. But only once.

I'm going to continue hounding Ford about the issue. If my mileage isn't going to improve, then I'll put some 4.10's in and rock!! lol If the mileage is going to suck, I might as well have some power out of the hole.

Greg

 

Right now I've about 7000 miles on my 5.4 Supercrew. Last I checked it was 13.5 local and 16 highway. To me it feels great compared to the 11.4 local and 13.6 highway with the V-10.

 

I gave mine at least 5 tankfulls before attempting to recheck the mileage. (this was about 1 month of "no AC" driving)
You might not see a difference in a week.
Your desire to have better "holeshot" power may express a little more about your personal driving habits.
I've seen the different schools of thought out on the roads after 25 years of driving...

a) there's "me", who drives calmly and quietly, letting my engine
get me up to speed without laboring. I rarely pass anyone, or
cause my engine to downshift by gunning the throttle down into 3rd or (gasp)..2nd.

b) then there are "others"~~~
Every stoplight is a dragstrip, every stoplight is an ABS test.
Weaving, darting, flooring, .... and yet magically, we pull up next to each at each red light.

That's one thing I've learned from driving in Metro maryland,
NObody wins the race...
Maybe I've mellowed since I turned 40....I have learned that I
can prolong my trucks life by taking it a little easier.

When I want to feel some G's in my pants, I get out my 1968 Fastback...

 

My 2001 F-150 Supercab 4x4 5.4L 3.55 gears only gets between 11.7 & 12.4 mpg around town. I has 27,000 miles on it. I was hoping for closer to 14 or 15 myself too. I don't drive the truck hard and I have seldomly used the a/c yet. I am hoping that a K&N filter and a Flowmaster Cat-back system will help it breathe easier and get better mileage. If nothing else, at least it will sound good. The stock muffler is about 2 ft. long. WOW!! Jimmy

 

I'm getting the same mileage than you. I have a '01 F150 Supercrew 4x4.
Six months ago I started using Amsoil engine oil and now I'm geting aobut 3 more MPG. I'm doing some research on the 2 stage air filters.
Still I don't think I should be doing these changes to get the mileage I'm supposed to be getting.

 

I drive a '01 F150 SuperCab 4X4 Flareside with only a cat back into two pipes, and a bed cover as far as modifications. Get 15 -16 all the time in town, 17-18 on the road. Got 19 at the best just the other day. We (the wife and myself) do not drive it easy as the pipes do sound good plus I have always been a bit agressive on the gas. I run the A/C whenever I want to (otherwise why have it), and have noticed very little difference with it on or off as opening the windows creates a whole new drag problem in any vehicle.

As far as having the A/C on all winter, it only would operate the compressor and create the engine drag IF the temp setting on the dash was in the cool to cold area.

Different gas formulas will make a difference if there is a change in your area for the winter vs summer fuel.

 

Just got back from a trip. I got 19.1 MPG on the highway/ flat road with 35-45 MPH speedlimit (basically no stop/go driving). I drove an average of 53 MPH according to GPS. On the interstate I did about 65-70. Around town I get about 12-13 MPG. Truck is a '97 Spercab F-150 5.4L 4X4 with 108,000 miles.
-Steve

 

Hey i,ve tried about everything to get better mileage. I've got an 01 supercab 150 4x4. The things that got me from 11 to 16 mpg were K&N fipk, Flowmaster cat-back exaust, Gibson Headers, and in my opinion the best of all was my tonneau cover(jack rabbit re-tractable). The mods helped some but since the cover i picked up 3.5mpg.
Good Luck

 

Indeed, it would make sense that the AC compressor would only
kick in when set at the cool or cold thermostat setting (AzPete)
I ran a little test....
I had a friend set my dash settings all the way warm (red) and
then flip it over to "defrost"----the AC compressor activates
immediately..apparently to "dehumidify" the cabin (which does work quite well)--the wife's Villager minivan does the same thing.

Gone are the days of just blowing warm air on the windshield
to remove the fog... (i.e. my 1968 Mustang)

Everything Ford makes now is hugely factored by climate control.
If I listen carefully (and watch the tach) I can see what those little
gizmos are doing under my hood.

One thing I've learned after driving a truck for 20 years.

We love our trucks...or we wouldn't have them.
I love:
a) The high riding visibility.
b) Hauling anything I want, whereever, whenever.
c) Helping friends move so they owe me favors.
d) Undercarriage maintenance without ramps or jacks
e) Looking down into other peoples' cars to cop a look
f) Getting it filthy and not really worrying about washing it.

Yes, mileage is important, it extends the fun.
But I trade it all for the enjoyment of being a truck owner/driver.

Rock on~~

2003 XLT SC 5.4 3.73LS
1986 F150 4x2 4.9 4sp
1972 F100 Custom 302 3 on tree
1968 Mustang fastback 289 3sp PS

 

I just rechecked my mileage. There are now 8100 miles on it and the local milage is up to 14.5 mpg. I do nothing special for oil or anything.

 

The biggest problem with getting good mileage on any vehicle is "Driving Habits".
I tend to have a heavy foot, and my gas mileage suffers because of it.
Since no two people drive the same way, then gas mileage comparisons are really moot.
I have always been able to get the posted sticker mileage on every vehicle I have owned, if I remember to drive and accelerate slowly. However, this is not much fun, and goes against my driving style. So, I drive my way, and gas mileage be damned!

 

I haven't paid cash for gas in 10 years....

slide the card, fill it up...move on!!

Every month, pay the bill....

I'm glad the prices are coming down a little (at least around here)

.... Does anybody know why gas companies can charge that extra $.009 for the gallon????
That has always puzzled me....

A gallon of milk isn't 1.899