MPG advice
<HR style="COLOR: #666666" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->I'm a newby to this page, and I have been reading the forum for two days looking for good info and I am about as confused as I can be.

Here's what I have. 1994 E-350 extended. 4.9 inline six, I think I have a C-6, though there is conflicting info on this page. P-R-N-D-2-1. I have tuned this engine completely and am getting all clear codes. I am using sythetic oil. I don't know what gears I have but I will find out.

This is what I do, I am a courier and I run 300 miles a day hauling about 1/2 to 3/4 tons of library books. Mostly flat with a few hills, and the majority of the time 60-65 mph.

I am getting about 14 mpg every day. Which seems about normal from what I have read in the forums. So I am spending about $200. a week for fuel. Under these conditions any increase would amount to a quite a bit of money in a years time. The six seems to be straining most of the time on acceleration and up hill and is at pretty high rpms when cruising.

As best as I can tell, swapping engines would not help a lot and would not be as bullet proof as the 300 is but adding overdrive would seem to be helpful (possible AOD swap?). I don't know about the gears do I need to go a bigger number or smaller?

I know this is pretty sketchy but what advice does anyone have?

 

14 mpg for what you are hauling is really pretty good.

Keep in mind that you willl have to get significant mileage gains to offset the money and time you will spend to get those gains.

In my experience, it isn't usually worth it. In other words, you probably won't see a net gain, but a net loss. It is usually cheaper to stick with what you have, rather than to spend the money to get better mileage.

Just my 2 cents worth!

 

A Manual tranny would be your best bet because 30% of the power is being eaten up by the C6 tranny.

 

Thanks for all the input, it gives me much to consider. Gas is going down a little so I think I will hold off a while on the major changes but I will do the simple things.

 

I'm by no means a transmission expert, but there are things you can do. Start by changing the transmission fluid and filter. I like to run Type F in everything, since it seems to allow things to lock up sooner, and have less slippage on shifts. This includes a '92 explorer with an A4LD. If you have any doubts about it, though, run the recommended fluid.

Adjust your intermediate band. There is a locknut and adjusting bolt by the shift linkage. You want to loosen the locknut to where you can adjust the adjusting bolt. Turn the adjusting bolt in to a specific number of ft-lbs, which varies by year. On my '70 F-100 it's 30-40 ft-lbs. Then back it off a specific number of turns, on my '70 F-100 it's 1 turn. This also varies by year. Then, holding the adjusting bolt in place, tighten the locknut. If it leaks after you're done, you need a new locknut. The book says to replace it on every adjustment, but I've never needed to.

Other than that, a shift kit may help a little. What would probably help most is a towing / RV type torque convertor.

Good luck!

 

I live in the UK and the best way over here to get more value for money out of fuel is an LPG (propane) conversion as it cost half of petrol we pay 84p per liter for petrol and 42p per liter for LPG. if the fuel difference costs are the same over there then itd be worth it.