I am new to the forum and did a quick search but it seems as if info is all over the place.

I have a 2003 Excursion Limited with 7.3L. It has about 188,000 miles on it. Pretty much stock. Gets about 14.5mpg.

I keep hearing that I should do intake, exhaust and some sort of chip or programmer. I tow a boat a few miles every weekend and then make long road trips without the boat.

Question is: which is the best to do first and what exactly is the name brand of product to use? then what to do second? and third? what sort of increase in mpg should i expect to see? Not so worried about horsepower or blowin smoke. MPG increase is my main concern.

I have had people tell me I can easily get 25+mpg. TELL ME HOW.

Thanks

 

If you like the car as-is and are only looking for MPG, save your money. None of that stuff really helps enough to be worth it.

 

Yep. Keep your money on your pocket if all you're after is mpg. You won't see any measurable improvement, and certainly won't make up the cost of parts, even if you do the work yourself. Your 14.5 seems about right. The 25mpg guys are wrong, or selling something.

Mark

 

Mpg mods are bogus, drive slower.... now if you want more power go get the checkbook

 

Only if you want more power and performance.

You've had uninformed people telling you bad things.

Stewart

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Very helpful thread guys. Thank you!

 

If you have a 7.3L PSD in your Excursion, drop down to the 7.3L PSD forum and you'll get a lot more specific help for that engine.

I would have moved this thread there, but there was no need once I saw the OP had been given bad info and we corrected the misinformation for him.

Stewart

 

Thank you!

 

I get right about the same MPG in the city 15, and that's on the summer fuel. We'll probably be switching to the winter blend pretty soon that that usually drops it down to 13.
As for highway MPG, I did hit 20mpg (calculated), one time on a road trip from Littleton CO. to Grants NM.
I think that was in prime conditions though.
All fluids/oils from front to back were changed, ZooDad mod with a CAI, driving at night (ambient temp was ~70*) and not using the cruise control. Driving right at 73mph (or lower based on the speed zones), keeping the RPM just under 1900.