Poor gas mileage question
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Poor gas mileage question
I have a 1999 Ranger XLT SuperCab, manual 5speed, 2.5 4cyl.
I purposely shopped for the smaller engine for better gas mileage because I drive 90 miles everyday. The spec for this
truck is 20/27 mpg. I drive mostly highway at speeds between
70 - 75mph, all flat land. I have never got better then 21mpg.
Is there something wrong here?
I'm quite disapointed with this.
I just had the truck serviced at the Ford dealer and they ran a
mpg test and told me it was normal (they did a city driving test
not a highway test).
Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks,
John Lillie
I purposely shopped for the smaller engine for better gas mileage because I drive 90 miles everyday. The spec for this
truck is 20/27 mpg. I drive mostly highway at speeds between
70 - 75mph, all flat land. I have never got better then 21mpg.
Is there something wrong here?
I'm quite disapointed with this.
I just had the truck serviced at the Ford dealer and they ran a
mpg test and told me it was normal (they did a city driving test
not a highway test).
Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks,
John Lillie
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Poor gas mileage question
The tailgate being up or down makes that big a difference?
By the way I assume you meant 27mpg down and 23 up.
Is the 4.10 gear ratio stock and is this what my truck should have?
I tried running my tailgate down for a few days but was very
nervous about someone rear-ending me and crushing it.
I live in SW FL and this time of year with all the snow birds
down hear driving while there heads up are up their asses makes it not very safe.
Thanks for your reply.
John
By the way I assume you meant 27mpg down and 23 up.
Is the 4.10 gear ratio stock and is this what my truck should have?
I tried running my tailgate down for a few days but was very
nervous about someone rear-ending me and crushing it.
I live in SW FL and this time of year with all the snow birds
down hear driving while there heads up are up their asses makes it not very safe.
Thanks for your reply.
John
Senior User
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Poor gas mileage question
Believe it or not, you get worse milage with your tailgate down than you do with it up. I forgot how this was explained, something about a giant suction with it down, but it has been proven before.
You can get even better with a tonnea(sp?) cover of some sort also.
Matt
You can get even better with a tonnea(sp?) cover of some sort also.
Matt
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Poor gas mileage question
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 04-Apr-01 AT 06:35 PM (EST)[/font][p]Yes, newer trucks are designed to get the best gas milage with the tailgate up. I get 27 mpg with the tailgate up and 23 with the tailgate down. BIG DIFFERENCE.
The 4.10 geared rearend was stock. To see what gears you have look at the tag on the drivers door jam and see number code under axel. Then take that code to www.mechanicmatt.com and there should be an area that shows you gear ratios.
I mentioned the above thinking that might be want is causing you poor gas milage but it sounds like you leave the tailgate up.
I am sorry, I don't have anymore suggestions on your gas milage. Usually if your vehicle gets 15% less than advertized gas ratings there is a problem and Ford needs to fix it.
Do you have the stock tires on the car. If you went to a taller tire then your milage might be different because your speedo will be off.
The 4.10 geared rearend was stock. To see what gears you have look at the tag on the drivers door jam and see number code under axel. Then take that code to www.mechanicmatt.com and there should be an area that shows you gear ratios.
I mentioned the above thinking that might be want is causing you poor gas milage but it sounds like you leave the tailgate up.
I am sorry, I don't have anymore suggestions on your gas milage. Usually if your vehicle gets 15% less than advertized gas ratings there is a problem and Ford needs to fix it.
Do you have the stock tires on the car. If you went to a taller tire then your milage might be different because your speedo will be off.
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Poor gas mileage question
If you don't like driving with your tailgate down because you are afraid of getting hit then remove it. You tailgate cables are cliped on and can be removed in seconds. Then once they are unhooked the tailgate can be removed and brought into the house.
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Poor gas mileage question
The MPG ratings are for 55 MPH. 75 MPH for the average vehicle uses 10-15% more gas than 55 MPH. I bet if you drove 55 you'd get the rated mileage.
Ken Payne
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin
Ken Payne
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin
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Poor gas mileage question
Yes, my tires are stock size. I went to RangerStation.com
and found that I also have the standard 4.10 rear axle.
I have now been through about 7 tanks of gas, 95% freeway,
with the tailgate up and have never got better then 21mpg.
I just called the dealer and made an appointment to have them
do a freeway test on it. I'll let you know what they say.
Thanks for the input.
John
and found that I also have the standard 4.10 rear axle.
I have now been through about 7 tanks of gas, 95% freeway,
with the tailgate up and have never got better then 21mpg.
I just called the dealer and made an appointment to have them
do a freeway test on it. I'll let you know what they say.
Thanks for the input.
John
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Poor gas mileage question
Actually, I've done exactly that for the last two days.
I plan to put it back on though since getting the information
from this board that having the gate up is actually better.
I plan to put it back on though since getting the information
from this board that having the gate up is actually better.
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Poor gas mileage question
Kens probably right. I hadn't thought about that. Before
I got this truck I had a Probe 3.0 which was rated at 26 highway.
I averaged closer to 80mph and always got at least 25mpg, usually
26 so I guess I expected the same. I'm still going to have the dealer test it to see what they say.
Thanks,
John
I got this truck I had a Probe 3.0 which was rated at 26 highway.
I averaged closer to 80mph and always got at least 25mpg, usually
26 so I guess I expected the same. I'm still going to have the dealer test it to see what they say.
Thanks,
John
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Poor gas mileage question
The Probe is very aerodynamic. My 2000 Ranger is a shoebox in comparison! My 67 F-100 is even worse but its big-block V8 gets 8 mpg at 30, 50, or 70!
Ken Payne
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Ken Payne
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Poor gas mileage question
I got my truck back today from having the mileage checked.
They did something called a loop test. The test said the
trucks getting 25-26mpg at 55mph and 31mpg at 51 mph. They
said their spec is for 55mph not 70 - 80 mph so they would not
give me test results for that. I guess if I want the better
mileage I have to slow it down.
Like the song says "I can't drive fifty-five".
They did something called a loop test. The test said the
trucks getting 25-26mpg at 55mph and 31mpg at 51 mph. They
said their spec is for 55mph not 70 - 80 mph so they would not
give me test results for that. I guess if I want the better
mileage I have to slow it down.
Like the song says "I can't drive fifty-five".
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Poor gas mileage question
S.hit, if I drove 51 mph or even 55 I would have so many people trying to run me off the road.
>I got my truck back today
>from having the mileage checked.
>
>They did something called a loop
>test. The test said the
>
>trucks getting 25-26mpg at 55mph and
>31mpg at 51 mph. They
>
>said their spec is for 55mph
>not 70 - 80 mph
>so they would not
>give me test results for that.
>I guess if I want
>the better
>mileage I have to slow it
>down.
>Like the song says "I can't
>drive fifty-five".
>I got my truck back today
>from having the mileage checked.
>
>They did something called a loop
>test. The test said the
>
>trucks getting 25-26mpg at 55mph and
>31mpg at 51 mph. They
>
>said their spec is for 55mph
>not 70 - 80 mph
>so they would not
>give me test results for that.
>I guess if I want
>the better
>mileage I have to slow it
>down.
>Like the song says "I can't
>drive fifty-five".
