Who cares. These trucks are underpowered pigs that dont get good mileage.

I've only checked my mileage ONCE since I've had the truck about a year and a half ago. It was around 15mpg with 32" tires on it and completely stock other than that. I have never checked the mileage since. For one, it's probably under the 14 mark with the way I drive. For two...I really dont care, and for three...I probably dont want to know. I have 33" mud tires on it now, so that probably brings it down some more. On average I drive about 20-30 miles a day go here and there (work, class, friends houses, stores...) and on the weekends I go all over the place (ATV trails, mudholes, shooting range, ect...).

It's a truck. If you bought it for good gas mileage, then you were obviously in the wrong market. Thats why they make compact cars.

 

10 pulling my camper, 13.5 to 15 grampa driving around town and occasionally 17 on a trip if I keep it below 70. This is with an '01 S Cab/5.4/Kumho 265-70X17/3.73gears.

I about went into hysterics when some guy told me his stock Dodge dually 3500 diesel was pulling in over 40 MPG - could NOT keep a straight face.

 

Even with the differences in trucks, terrain and such, I'm just about believing that there's one thing some of these trucks have going for them that others don't. The differences, even between similar big-tire 4x4's, seems too much.

It would be nice if some Ford tech could help us get past this stage to whatever tune-up some of them need to get what the others do.

Though I think your claim of them being underpowered might account for some of our 4.6L fuel mileages - we have to get into these smaller engines, harder, to get the trucks to do what we want them to.

But I still think there's one little thing that some of 'em need (actually, it might be a major thing, like some of 'em came with better rings, better pistons, computers or engine timing that were adjusted better than others - over the course of manufacturing any of each trucks' parts, any little thing could have changed but still be in spec enough to use it). We may never really know what that thing is though.

 

i'm glad that ATC CRAZY sees the light at the end of the tunnel too...i think we're both too busy having fun and living...gas milage is small peanuts in the bug scheme of things. if it were cutting into my grocery allowance...then i'd be upset...but then i probably wouldn't need a truck... so lets all go for a long drive...imaging how many unemployed people there would be if it weren't for our trucks sucking gas... or---imagine driving a DODGE!!!!!!!!!!

 

Driving a Dodge

 

i had a 2003 scab 5.4 and found many things toscrew up mpg. one thingi noticed was those big tires ....that will kill your mpg. when the manufaturer made the truck they made it with the tire size gears motor all working together to make a certain mpg. now when you changed the tire size to a bigger tire you threw that balnce out of whack. i used to have a jeep i had the same problem with a nd found that changing the ring and pinion gears not only helped my mpg but my acceleration as well. the trick is you have to find out what ring and pinion gear combo matched with your tire size most closely matches the factory specs. its a rather confusing process but if you do enough research from a source that can explain it better than i can it makes sense. i got my information from an article out of four wheeler magazine and got it confirmed by a trusted mechanic in town. not only that but i used to carry alot of crap in my truck, tools and such toolbox etc. a few hundered pounds worth after i took all that crap out my mpg improved. you also have to consider somepeoples avg driving may be alot more rural than what you drive on avg. what i consider to be city driving in lubbock texas may seem like hgwy driving to you therefore you end up with alot of contradicting statements about mpg. hope i helped.

 

Just to share with my experience .... I usually get 300-320 out of my tank, around 15 mpg mixed driving around my area (high desert country) when I first got my Supercrew. After replacing my tires into BFG AT 285.70.17, my average mpg dropped around 1 to 1.5 mpg into 13.5 to 14 mpg overall. Now it gets worse, I get around 250 per tank at 12.5 mpg. Checked my KN filter and found it real dirty. AM going to clean it up with cleaning kit. Hopefully it will improve again into 280-300 as it's now winter. The bottom line is that bigger tire does impact gas mileage and dirty air filter as well.

 

Guys,
Good day ! I had a 99 Expy 4.6 AOD 2wd, when I first got it 12 mpg best I could do...Then K&N FIPK was installed{myself} and mileage would be around 14-15 depending on how I drove it around town. It would do around 20 on the highway if I did the speed limit lol
We are now in an 07 Super Crew with 5.4 2wd and with one oil change and about 1k in miles so far 11-12 around town and approaching 20 on interstate at speed limit. Heres hoping both will improve some...or mabey another FIPK will be in order... A slam on mpg we used to make was to get good fuel economy you had to; buy a little, drive a little, and lie a little! One fellow always bragged about how his vehicle got great mileage...we too called BS on him...The fellow protested swearing he got great milage....for giggles we would pour in a few extra gallons to skew his figures...what a hoot we never told him what we did but it is still good for a laugh...

Rod

 

I think a lot depends on your foot and the stop-lights. My new to me 02 f-150 5.4 fx4 in town lots of idling warming it up while scraping ice off windows 12mpg.

I'm sure highway driving will be better. How much remains to be seen. My last vehicle (jeep liberty) only got 15 in town. My taurus gets 28 to 32 on highway trips.
It's a truck and if I get 16 to 18 on highway I will be satisfied.

 

WOW!!

lot's of comments - but the best is by ATC crazy when he said - "WHO CARES?"

 

Not trying to point to the obvious, but here was the poor man's first post (or, at least, part of it). I think he made it clear what he was asking, yet people continue to give the "you don't like it, don't buy it" attitude that I find common here in the states. ffs people, can't you just give him a decent answer and not tell him to go buy a rice burner?

And as for why we aren't getting 35 mpg stock in a gas truck, think about what we are doing with the vehicles. How many changes has there been to the motors, the weight of the vehicles, the overall aerodynamics of our gas hogs (or lack thereof), etc.

Towards the end of the posts, you guys have been getting to the specifics - there are soooooo many variables to why you get the particular gas milage you do - to reiterate a few: size of motor, size/weight of truck (i.e. 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton, etc), 4x4 or 2, gears, mods, tires, climate, altitude, type of fuel, etc etc etc...

as far as people saying they go easy on their vehicle and keep their right foot soft, i've rode with my buddies who say the same thing yet they are racing off the line and driving 80+ on freeways... and they wonder why I'm gettting better milage... hmmmmm guess it's 'casue i drive barefoot and my buddies boots must weigh his feet down or something, right?

that's my two pennies. enjoy

 

well...i tried to stay silent but i think that i have 2 last pennies for this topic!!!! Seems as though folks want to jump on myself and mr ATCCrazy for the attitude we have towards this issue. The first words out of the man's mouth(keyboard) are saying we're full of cowpies if we claim more than 16 mpg...maybe a different beginning would have produced some different results. As well as suggesting that we may be lying?? sorry dudes...i'll be as respectful as i can when the table's level...but...someone had to lift one end... I'm not trying to start another war...just bring things to the same level. poor mileage is a reality in a pick-up...live with it. SUCK IT UP, PRINCESS

 

and now i await the firing squad...

 

I never said ANYONE was lying. I just said that these trucks are not known for great gas mileage, and shouldnt be bought for it. Then, I gave my description and my 2 cents on what to do if you want good gas mileage.

 

See below. It sure sounded like he was complaining to me....