I have a 93 3.0L short version. Since it used to be my wife's car, I have no idea what kind of gas mileage to expect. I have recently rebuilt the engine, and I now get about 19 miles per gallon combined. About 2/3 of the mileage is from highway driving (about 70 mph) and the rest is city driving. Is this about normal or did I screw up somewhere? It didn't seem right since my brother's Windstar (2004) gets better mileage with a 3.8L engine.

 

If I remember correctly, the EPA for Aerostars was something like 17/19 (that might be for the 4.0L AWD).

19 combined doesn't sound all that bad to me, since we get 17 in the city (96 4.0L AWD) and maybe 19 on the highway (but I don't drive very conservatively with the throttle).

 

I would agree with Jeff, 19mpg combined sounds reasonable. Some minor tweaking with plugs, wires and O2 sensor may give some incremental improvement. Here in Colorado, the type of gas used has the largest affect on mileage. During the winter months we are forced to use either an MTBE or ethanol blend which cuts my mileage to around 17-18 mpg (4.0 AWD). Last week I filled up with straight 89 octane Wyoming gas and my mileage on that tank rose to 20 mpg (mostly highway miles).

 

would you all be jealous if I told you I got 31mpg out of my 91 3.0 2wd shorty?

not for the faint of heart, but heres the mods I did to get that...

cold air, ram air intake.

dual glasspack exhaust.

removed the cats, both of them.

brass contact dist cap and rotor.

and I bypassed the air cond. compressor with a shorter belt.

31 mpg on the hwy, cruise set at 70 mph, 280 mile trip to aberdeen washington every month. 31 mpg consistantly. I heard that you can get even better with an electric fan, but I never put one on. loud as hell, but economical too!

now I have a 95 4.0 long body, E4wd, and I am back to 19. back to the drawing board I guess.

 

copper9068
I am just stock Ilive in northern minnesota. Running down the high way 60 to 80 I run from 24 to 26 mpg if I baby it it will get better. the worst I have gotten is like 16 to 17 but that is dead of winter when it runs all the time at idle,warm ups,staying warm and all of that. 93 extended with very close to 250000,Iburn about a quart of oil in 1500 miles. I have replaced just about every part that is replaceable like ele emm parts.

 

Thanks guys. I live in California where we have to have the car smogged once every two years, so no can do koala. Besides, I'm getting too old for all those mods, supposed to look dignified in old age and all that, you know!

 

well guys
Here is one for koalamazed, checked out my mpg again today 537miles on 16.4 gal. I am wondering what is wrong it must be going to blow up or something like that,32+mpg.That is not suppose to happen is it? may be just cause it is warm out now.

 

Or may be you filled it twice, Yender, you cheater

 

Worn out more like.

 

My brother used to consistently get over 20 on the highway with his shorty 3.0 - up to 25 mpg. Around town was 18+ or so. Since you recently rebuilt the engine, your mileage may increase as the engine loosens up. You may want to check your timing or experiment and see how much advance you can get away with (just make sure you put the timing back to factory spec before the smog test).

 

copper90680 About half of them miles I was drafting behind a 18 wheeler though,still very good mpg

 

yendor:

I wasn't doubting you. Just a little levity

 

Well before whatever happened happened I was gettin 21 around town and about 25 on the highway... decent enough for me considering the age mileage and aerodynamics of the van. I'm running a terrible 10-12 in town or on the highway right now. She's eating it like it's goingout of style and is rough all the time. I dont know what's wrong... I do know I don't have the cash to fix it so I'll deal I guess... I was really hoping it was just a fuel filter or something but I'm starting to doubt... maybe it's the plugs? I know there hard to change (5 and 6 andyway) I've heared horror stories of $700 and $800 full tuneups (something about having to drop the engine and take off the front wheels to get to certain parts...) It's scary! I don't have that kind of cash... Also power is falling off intermittently. I.E. somedays she'll merge onto the highway like nothing's wrong and zoom along at 125 kph(75 mph) like she used to other days she's weak and anemic and shudders her way on at 70 kph (45 mph) and I have to keep it floored just to hold 100 (62.5) and don't even mention hills on those anemic days... let's say I'm glad the hazards work otherwise I'd get rearended something fearce... maybe it's the O2 sensor or something. how expensive/hard is that to change?