Gas Mileage
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Cisco, TX pop: 2500
I never thought about that. I live about a mile from work, and I will not ride a bike (it gets to be about 100 degrees when i go to work, so 15 minutes on a bike would have me sweating real bad). Never thought that it would kill my mileage.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Travelers Rest SC
I would still check the accuracy of your speedometer/odometer. Say for example your tires were 10% bigger than stock. Your odometer would only read 9 miles for every 10 miles you traveled, since bigger tire make less rotations/mile. This would throw off your mileage calculations by the same amount. That being said, I doubt your tires are off by the 20% mileage problem you are experiencing. Lots of very short trips could account for that, since the engine never reaches operating temperature. It's probably a combination of factors. Best to check that MAF, too, to make sure the engine is operating at peak efficiency.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: SW Va
Driving only a mile & shutting the engine down never lets it warmed up, to operate in "open loop" at it's designed warm operating temperature, so it's always operating in "closed loop", on a rich air/fuel mixture.
So you'll never realize it's full potential mpg capability.
Also very hard on the oil, as it never gets warm enough to evaporate the water vapor condensation, that it collects. SEVERE SERVICE, for sure!!!!!!
The battery never gets recharged from the power used to start the engine twice a day, so it sufers too!!!
How about a Moped!!!!! No pedal, so sweat!!!! LOL
So you'll never realize it's full potential mpg capability.
Also very hard on the oil, as it never gets warm enough to evaporate the water vapor condensation, that it collects. SEVERE SERVICE, for sure!!!!!!
The battery never gets recharged from the power used to start the engine twice a day, so it sufers too!!!
How about a Moped!!!!! No pedal, so sweat!!!! LOL
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Cisco, TX pop: 2500
MY wife just had to use my truck the other day (ugh!) to pick up a mattress cause I had to work. I told her if she needed to get gas, keep the receipt and write down the mileage. Well, she kept the receipt, but wrote down the wrong mileage (I wanted trip mileage, not total). She said the tank was almost empty, but it only took 8.5 gallons to fill up. That's less than half a tank. Luckily, tommorrow I have an appoinment with the dealership to get that looked at. That is one factor in why I think I'm getting such crappy mileage. I'll let y'all know how it goes.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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That's not the only driving it does, usually there is a once a week trip of about 40 miles round trip. When I first got the truck it would get about 15mpg. Then last year it started running rough, missing, CEL came on. I ended up having all O2 sensors, plugs and wires replaced. I think it should do better. I think I will pull the plugs and see what they look like, clean the MAF again. I may take it back the mechanic that replaced the sensors and see what he says, but I that could be a costly inquirery.
I did replace the lower intake manifold, a year and half ago. Last year when trying to track down the problem with the truck missing I rechecked he torque on the bolts and they all needed to be re-torqued. That makes me wonder if the gasket got damaged, and that could be affecting things?
I did replace the lower intake manifold, a year and half ago. Last year when trying to track down the problem with the truck missing I rechecked he torque on the bolts and they all needed to be re-torqued. That makes me wonder if the gasket got damaged, and that could be affecting things?
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Cisco, TX pop: 2500
Well igot my truck into the shop today, and boy do I feel stupid. My gas guage was not reading right (which is one reason why I thought I was getting such crappy mileage) and they fixed it. One of the connectors from the fuel pump sending unit was barely connected, giving me incorrect readings. Probably from a little off-road goof. What an idiot...
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Eastern WA
Originally Posted by bigdavesohc
Well igot my truck into the shop today, and boy do I feel stupid. My gas guage was not reading right (which is one reason why I thought I was getting such crappy mileage) and they fixed it. One of the connectors from the fuel pump sending unit was barely connected, giving me incorrect readings. Probably from a little off-road goof. What an idiot...
For an earlier post of mine:
Originally Posted by CowboyBilly9Mile
Are you checking the mileage over, say three tankFULLs rather than just a few 100 mile trips?
Last edited by CowboyBilly9Mile; May 22, 2006 at 11:30 AM.
Junior User
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Originally Posted by bigdavesohc
Well igot my truck into the shop today, and boy do I feel stupid. My gas guage was not reading right (which is one reason why I thought I was getting such crappy mileage) and they fixed it. One of the connectors from the fuel pump sending unit was barely connected, giving me incorrect readings. Probably from a little off-road goof. What an idiot...
you drive the truck daily and it took your wife to figure out the gage is busted???
man??
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Cisco, TX pop: 2500
Originally Posted by freesplorer
you drive the truck daily and it took your wife to figure out the gage is busted???
man??
man??
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Cisco, TX pop: 2500
Yipee! I took care of the truck, and got it into the dealer. Everything is ready to go, and I got just a tick under 17mpg
! that's a helluva lot better than 11-12mpg. Thanks for all your help and suggestions!
! that's a helluva lot better than 11-12mpg. Thanks for all your help and suggestions!
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Centerton, AR
Wow, that was a dumb problem but the day I bought my 1993 Ranger back in 2004 it was getting 15mpg at best. About a week later, I pulled the water temp sending unit, thermostat (that was stuck open), put in 6 Bosch platinum plugs, and filled it up. Instantly, I was getting 22mpg. Mine is a 4x4, 4.0, 5-speed, 3.73 geared, regular cab, longbed, with 31x10.5x15 mud tires.
Since about December I have dropped to 18-19mpg and put in some Gumout Gas Mileage Improver for high mileage vehicles. It honestly increased its "pep" and I got 21.89mpg on that tank. The two tanks after that I got better than 21 also.
Since about December I have dropped to 18-19mpg and put in some Gumout Gas Mileage Improver for high mileage vehicles. It honestly increased its "pep" and I got 21.89mpg on that tank. The two tanks after that I got better than 21 also.
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2004
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How often do water temp sending units go bad? How can you tell? As noted in previous post, I drive the truck to work which is a short trip, but that is only a small percentage of its driving. So an overall MPG of 12 is pretty bad, especially when I spent quite a bit to have the O2 sensors changed out last fall.
Last edited by mfriesen; May 26, 2006 at 11:15 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Originally Posted by HogTied
It honestly increased its "pep" and I got 21.89mpg on that tank. The two tanks after that I got better than 21 also
How often do water temp sending units go bad? How can you tell?
RP
Zach
Last edited by RangerPilot; May 26, 2006 at 11:40 PM.