I am getting ready to take a trip of about 1500 miles and was trying to get some better gas mileage.

I have a 2009 Escape with 2.5L, I was wondering what are some good air intakes and any other ideas and mods?

Thanks

 

Your fuel economy is probably going to be more about you than the car.
Jackrabbit starts waste fuel.
A lead foot wastes fuel.
The brake pedal wastes fuel.
Driving fast wastes fuel.
A heavy load wastes (or uses) more fuel.

If it's due or nearly so, install a new Motorcraft air filter. Prior to a long trip, I may change the oil & oil filter (it depends). Check the tire air pressure. If you aren't using it, remove the roof rack (I haven't tested that yet). Drive moderately. Keep your speeds below ~60 mph. Use the cruise control, especially when the going is relatively flat. If the car has an automatic transmission, learn to use the tachometer to adjust your speed. The fewer rpms yer turnin', the less fuel yer burnin'.

My 2002 w 2.0L I4 normally gets 22-25 mpg city/mixed driving, but I can get 29-31 mpg on the highway by driving very moderately. My car has a manual transmission & I keep the speed in the lower end of the rpm range for that gear.

 

Ditto on what Martin said. The main thing that decreases gas mileage is speed. The second factor is not looking ahead to what's just down the road. If you get on the highway, and start to accelerate to speed, you might as well pokey along if traffic has slowed or is checking how well their brake lights work. You can do the same while traveling, so you can plan your slowdowns earlier and coast to whatever is blocking rather than coming up at full tilt and then having to use the brakes. A good smooth driver rarely has to apply brakes except in emergencies, on hills and coming to a stop. If you can look down the road far enough, you can plan your deceleration and acceleration for maximum fuel economy. A second thought is when traveling in hilly country, if you had an automatic, the cruise control will downshift for a bit if the speed drops off too much while climbing, and then back off the throttle severely when you have crested the hill. Using your foot to 'help' the cruise when YOU know you are coming up on a hill can prevent the original speed fall-off and need to downshift. The cruise doesn't know a hill on either the up or down side, but you can plan ahead, so to speak. A manual transmission cannot do the downshift, but can be helped by an aware driver, and vehicle speed will remain much nearer to desired with a little help.
I experienced significant increase in consumption traveling faster than 65mph, ~100kph + a bit. Go 70 or 75 and your mileage will drop off more than 10%. In the 23-24 range rather than the 26-28 a 3.0 can achieve when going 65. If you can, try to avoid fuel that has the signs for 'ethanol' being up to 10% of the fuel. But good luck with that. Ethanol has less energy per unit of measure than gasoline, increasing consumption.
You can find a study that says plugged air filters have no effect on fuel mileage until they are almost completely blocked. The computer will adjust fuel flow to match available air blah blah blah. True, but there must be some pumping loss when the air intake is restricted, I would think. If I can't see light somewhat, they get replaced.
tom

 

I was expecting someone to chime in & say that if there was a way to improve the mpgs by a simple air intake change, Ford would have done it already. hee.

 

Martin, it has been said so many times that people are tired of typing the response. In short, they all realize that if Ford could up the mileage with a simple change, they'd do so at the factory. Those who are still unaware of the financial impact of mileage, and how much thought and analysis goes into design and material selection to meet mileage standards will remain unaware because they choose not to learn and instead rely on 'testimonials' that are likely paid for... Or ignorant statements about energy efficiency and 'acceptable' sources for same from those whose closest experience with science was taking an aspirin for a hangover.
tom

 

I kinda figured as much. hee.

Instead of an air intake change, the absolutely, positively, best, super duper way to increase your fuel economy is to use
this super technologically advanced super duper chemical additive....

SAVE MONEY ON GAS.

PS: I can't believe people are that stupid.

 

I read somewhere to remove the roof racks will increase the mileage.