I Call BS!
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 485
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From: DIXIE
Originally Posted by OTwoSuperCrew
A few things, I am feeling the same way as maticuno, I am in no way trying to deny the claims of good milage by some, but i know exactly what my truck is getting and it isnt anywhere close to 16-21 that some are claiming. I own an 02 supercrew lariat fx4 with a 5.4 and I am consistently getting 12.2. I am desperate. I have added a k&n, no change. It seems regardless of what i do there is no change. Im getting desperate.
I hear people talking about cleaning the intake, how is that performed?
How do I check what type of gear ratio I have in the rear end?
I have also thought about getting the tranny fluid changed. Does anyone know an approximate figure as to how much it cost do have this performed?
I told my wife tonight I love a ford but so dissapointed in my truck I dont know what to do. Please someone give me some direction.
I hear people talking about cleaning the intake, how is that performed?
How do I check what type of gear ratio I have in the rear end?
I have also thought about getting the tranny fluid changed. Does anyone know an approximate figure as to how much it cost do have this performed?
I told my wife tonight I love a ford but so dissapointed in my truck I dont know what to do. Please someone give me some direction.
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 127
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It holds 20 gallons, and I can burn all of that off in 1.25 hours. About 4mpg. If I stay out of the secondaries and play on the lake in a traditional fashion, which is ski, then rest, then tube, then eat, then goof off, then tour, I'll use about 8 to 10 gallons a day. This is with the 455 Olds, this year its getting a 540. 
New User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 24
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12.8 mpg mostly city/little highway
15.7 mpg on highway trips.
I've been tracking this since new and it was a bit better new but has held steady for years, despite my conservative driving style.
97 F150 4x4 xl ex.cab with 4.6L. auto. - 85,000 miles.
I did notice about 1 mpg drop when I mistakenly had p245/75/r16 wrangler's put when the LT wranglers wore out. Lower tire pressure I guess.
Recenttly tuned up with plugs, fluids, cleaned MAF, throttle body, EGR port, all filters. Mileage was down 0.5 mpg compared to previous tank. Conclusion- made no difference, except to my pocketbook.
I also run midgrade gas which eliminates the pinging. Not sure if this helps or hurts mpg. Didn't seem to make a difference.
Ironically, when I pull my 2500 lb pop up trailer, I get slightly better highway mileage. That may be because I drive about 5-10 mph slower.
15.7 mpg on highway trips.
I've been tracking this since new and it was a bit better new but has held steady for years, despite my conservative driving style.
97 F150 4x4 xl ex.cab with 4.6L. auto. - 85,000 miles.
I did notice about 1 mpg drop when I mistakenly had p245/75/r16 wrangler's put when the LT wranglers wore out. Lower tire pressure I guess.
Recenttly tuned up with plugs, fluids, cleaned MAF, throttle body, EGR port, all filters. Mileage was down 0.5 mpg compared to previous tank. Conclusion- made no difference, except to my pocketbook.
I also run midgrade gas which eliminates the pinging. Not sure if this helps or hurts mpg. Didn't seem to make a difference.
Ironically, when I pull my 2500 lb pop up trailer, I get slightly better highway mileage. That may be because I drive about 5-10 mph slower.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 303
Likes: 0
From: "Garden State"
I have a 2002 F-150 4.6 V-8, 5 speed 4X4 long bed with a large heavy fiberglass cap. Driving "normally" I get 15.8 mpg overall in the warmer temps, 13.8 mpg in the winter. In the warmer temps I usually get 16 mpg with 65-70 mph on the highway. This is on NJ oxygenated gas. If I use non oxygenated gas from PA I get 21 mpg for the same type of driving. So the Government says that by burning 5 more mpg to go the same distance I'm "saving" the planet 
. Typical Government response to a "non problem" in this age of computer controlled engines 
. Unfortunately it costs us $$ out of our pockets to fund their "feel good" programs 
.
Whimsey
. Typical Government response to a "non problem" in this age of computer controlled engines . Unfortunately it costs us $$ out of our pockets to fund their "feel good" programs . Whimsey
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,038
Likes: 3
From: South Kitsap County, WA
Originally Posted by Greg123
I did notice about 1 mpg drop when I mistakenly had p245/75/r16 wrangler's put when the LT wranglers wore out. Lower tire pressure I guess.
Originally Posted by Greg123
Ironically, when I pull my 2500 lb pop up trailer, I get slightly better highway mileage. That may be because I drive about 5-10 mph slower.
(and got passed by many big rigs and motor homes
). So there's the problem... when to go with the flow and eat gas or just say "bite me" and take your time.
-Kerry
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
From: DIXIE
Originally Posted by OTwoSuperCrew
Dang you jbabbler. You didnt have to rub that crap in. hehe If my truck got 20 i would drive it naked.
No complaints here. I drove a Jetta Diesel for a year and got used to the 47mpg I was getting with that. It was hard to drop to less than half of that but I don't think the Jetta would have liked pulling my #3200 boat out of Lake Allatoona 15-20 times a year.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
From: Cottage Grove, Minnesota
I'll add the specs I can on mine. I have 1997 F-150 Lariat 4.6L 4x4. K&N filter, no computer programmers, stock exhaust, goodyear wrangler rt/s tires, 3.55 open rear end, tonneau cover.
Winter milage around town is 14.
Summer milage around town is about 15-16.
Get about 18-20 on highway during summer cruising at 60-65.
Winter milage around town is 14.
Summer milage around town is about 15-16.
Get about 18-20 on highway during summer cruising at 60-65.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,338
Likes: 4,349
From: SW VA
1997 F150 XLT 4.6L 4x4 Automatic:
3.55LS gears, 32" tires, everything else is stock. (not for long...muhahaha!)
Im getting about 16-18 mpg with a combination of city/country
Country driving includes steep hills, windy curves, a couple stop signs, and an average of 40-45 mph.
City driving (on my way to classes) includes everything in "Country driving" plus hills, 8 traffic lights, 2 miles on the highway, and a couple of really steep hills near my destination.
3.55LS gears, 32" tires, everything else is stock. (not for long...muhahaha!)
Im getting about 16-18 mpg with a combination of city/country
Country driving includes steep hills, windy curves, a couple stop signs, and an average of 40-45 mph.
City driving (on my way to classes) includes everything in "Country driving" plus hills, 8 traffic lights, 2 miles on the highway, and a couple of really steep hills near my destination.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,489
Likes: 45
From: Central NY
Originally Posted by maticuno
I call BS on anyone who claims to get 16MPG with a truck identically equiped as mine. I've seen some people make the claim and I just don't see how it's possible. I've gone back to stock tire size (and recal'd the speedo), replaced the spark plugs and the fuel filter. I've cleaned the EGR and the MAF. And what kind of improvement do I get? None! I'm still getting the exact same mileage I was before I did all that. 12.7MPG. And it's consistent. Multiple tanks, varied driving style, everything. This last tank I thought for sure would show an improvement because I drove exactly how you should to get best mileage. Accelerate slowly, stay under 55, brake earlier. I knew what I was getting into with buying a gas hog...that isn't my complaint. I just can't believe someone with the exact same truck can get 16MPG or better. Is there something wrong with my truck? Or are they just lying?
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by maticuno
Last time I checked the clutch felt free. I am running a pretty big amp for the subs, but I'm not even running the amp at half what it is capable of. I do know the alternator will eat some power, but 3-4MPG worth? That seems a bit extreme. I swear I hear an exhaust leak somewhere, but neither I nor my mechanic can find one. We'll see what happens when I get those Edelbrock shorties come tax return time.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
From: lugoff, sc
When I was running my k&N air filter i was getting about 300 miles to a tank which was around 14 to 14.5 mpg, but the filter was a few years old and nasty from several cleanings so i replaced it with a stock filter. To my surprise i dropped 20 to 25 miles on a tank after a few months. Now im waiting on my new one to come in. Guess they really do make a diff. All in all i say it made around 1-2 mpg diff. All mostly highway driving 60 miles round trip to work.
