99 Ranger only gets about 16 miles/gallon. Any suggestion on improvement. How do I determin the read end ratio and has anyone that has done this seen a signifcant mileage improvement? With the price of gas, got to look at all the options.

 

well ur beating me, im getting around 13

Matt

 

I have a '99 xlt 4x4 3.0 5speed w/3.73 gears. It got about 1.5 to 2 mpg increase with a MAC intake kit, but now running on that garbage they call E-10 which is the only gasoline they sell around here, my mileage is only about 18 to 20 mpg currently.

What engine & tranny do you have?

 

*Engine size = ?
*You noted "gets about 16 miles/gallon". You didn't note if that's city or highway.
*Driving habits? Vacuum gauges help people cure a heavy foot.
*Good maintenance and in tune?
*Correct tire size or speedo drive gear changed (??) so miles used to calculate gas mileage is accurate.

**This is a start.
**Hope this doesn't digress into yet another "what is your mileage thread"; we have those already .

 

I get 15/18 with a leadfoot, a 4.0L, and a 5 speed stick. 3.08 in the rear. A vacuum gauge installed, which I see little real purpose in, but it sure is fun to watch!

RP
Zach

 

Do you g tthe truck out on the highway all that much?

I know an elderly lady at my church who has a 99ish Buick Lesabre that gets ~13 MPGs because all she does is drive two blocks or so to church. Car doesn't warm up by the time she is in the parking lot.

I have offered to help her out by taking the car on a few highway cruises, though. Nothing big, but you know the tranny loves all that shifting to get a half mile or so...

 

You can install a highflow intake, open up the exhaust, call Doug at bama chips, and tell him that you would like a programer with a mpg tune. Run synthetic fluids in the engine, trans, and rear diff. The down side to this, is the cost, you could buy a lot of gas for what these modifacations will cost you, if it's keeps going up maybe not ha ha. The cheapest way, like Cowboy said", is make sure you have a good tune up, and that your tires are properly inflated, and pretend there's an egg under the gas pedal. An electric fan does help, and there not all that expensive. On my 04 4x4, I did the intake, headers, exhaust, bama chip, e-fan, udp, and synthetics, and I picked up 2 mpg from stock, both city, and highway, and I romp it a lot. But thats an expensive way to get 2 more miles to the gallon, it would take a long time to even out. If you don't do any heavy towing, swaping for a 02, and up duratec 4 cylinder ranger wouldn't be a bad idea, they get around 25, and 30, and there pretty reaonable in price. I don't see any end in sight for these high gas prices, and I'm sure they'll get higher long before they ever get lower.

 

Get your foot out of it and you'll probably see a 1-2 mpg increase right off the bat. I've been getting 27-28 mpg out of my 95 2.3L extended cab just with a little change in my driving habits.

 

It is a 3.0 Flex Fuel, but I don't know how to determine the rear end ratio. Can you determine by the VIN Number?

 

You can either look inside the door for the axle code on that little information sticker, or you can climb underneath the truck and look for a small tag on the rear diff that will say like 3 08 for 3.08s or 3L73 for Limited Slip 3.73. You get the idea. If you choose to just look at the sticker in the door, get the code (it's a two digit number) and we'll tell you what rear end ratio you got.

RP
Zach

 

It's times like this I really miss my 94 2.3L 4x2. I got about the same mileage as you. My 03 4.0L 4x4 gets 17-18. Talk about sticker shock every time I fuel up!!!!!!

 

"If you choose to just look at the sticker in the door, get the code (it's a two digit number) and we'll tell you what rear end ratio you got."



RangerPilot, may I horn in on this thread please and give you MY door sticker code, too?


The truck is is a 2000 Mazda B3000 regular cab w/ 4spd auto trans and the door sticker code under "axle" is 86.

Can you tell the axle ratio for Mazda as well?


Also, if my axle ratio is not good for gas mileage, how expensive is it to change the gear? Is it just the ring gear that needs changing?


I bought the truck in March of 2001 with 13,000 mi. and got 22.8 mpg on the highway driving it home (about 90 miles).

The truck now has 48,800 mi. and the mileage has since dropped to around 15-18 mpg mixed driving and the truck is in excellent shape, gets serviced on time and runs great. Just lousy gas mileage.

Thanks,

matis

 

matis, the 86 code is for a 7.5 inch with 3.73 gear ratio. Here is link to a previous post that I made and a member named Tiggie posted a rear end axel code chart https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=486675you will have to cut and paste it.

 

and i like that post and i will add it to the tech folder... nice work matis

Matt

 

Wildstang, Thanks for posting this info and so quickly!


What's involved in changing my 7.5 ring gear of 3.73 to one of 3.08 ratio? Does more than the ring gear have to be changed? Is a ring gear expensive? Is the labor?


Would I get a significant fuel mileage impovement? Any idea how much?


Would my truck's get-up-and-go suffer very much?


Thanks, again.


matis