I had been getting about 10 MPG in town in my 1983 F150 (300 I-6) and about 16 MPG hi-way. I had toyed with the idea of selling this truck. It runs really well and the body is straight. I have had it for about a year. I put in a new clutch kit, new master cylinder, new battery and replaced all the hoses, belts, plugs and wires. Also new shocks. But 10 MPG just wasn't cutting it.

A co-worker mechanics full time during the day and on his days off. He set the timing forward about 3 degrees. My MPG jumped to about 13 MPG in town. I haven't got it out on the hi-way yet but I'm guessing I will get about 19 MPG. These are much more acceptable numbers.

Now, about that paing job.....?

 

if you get 19 mgp out of the 300 6 your doing good, those are good engines. not much on speed but torquey beast non the less. my company work van (95 E-150) has a 300 6 in it with 200k on the odometer and still going. but it doesnt get 19 mgp lol.

 

In the 80's they used water colors on the trucks - you knew that didn't you? If you can find an 80's truck with original paint, someone has been hiding it in his bedroom closet.....................

 

gees, i wish i could get 10 miles a gallon on my 302,lol

 

Actually, the paint job on my truck isn't bad. The problem is a little bit of surface rust where the paint has bubbled in a few places. Not bad for a South Dakota truck.

 

I get about 17MPG out of my 300-6 83 150.

 

It wasn't until the mid-80s that I started seeing paint problems, so I'm thinking that's when they switched to water based......anyway, here's my original paint 83, right out of the closet! Never had a paint problem.

http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f8...gAnch=imgAnch2

 

If you are getting less than ten miles per gallon on a 302 you got major problems. the least i ever got on mine was 13 and i eventually tuned it up to 23mpg highway and that is with 148 thousand miles on a never rebuilt motor

 

I concur with this - on both of my 86's I always get more than 10 mpg. The F150, 302 EFI, AOD and 4x4 will get about 14 - 16 mixed driving, and I have seen close to 23 on the hiway.

The Bronco (same drive train) will run about 12 in town, 16 or so on the hiway, not nearly so good! Shows the effect of bigger tires and a lift kit.

David

 

Hey Ya'll, this is the reason I came to this forum-83 F150, 300 6 cyl, 76,000 actual miles and only get 10 mpg-and with only a 10 gal tank ya can't go far. So there was'nt any positive replys to how to increase mpg or not?

 

Well take it out of 4 wheel for starters . Then check the usual stuff. Check & Clean/Replace the air filiter. Check for any thing ovious that is not in proper working order. Torching the guts out of the Catilytic convertor will help ALOT on fuel mileage. Also an exhuast system in poor shape will contribute to poor fuel mileage. Driving like a bat out of ..... will affect fuel mileage.

 

Besides general tune up stuff:
Try to move your carb around. If it is loose, tighten it. Also, just because it has only 76000 miles, doesn't mean some parts aren't worn out. My carb had a lot of worn parts that I needed to replace and I have only 86000 miles on it. The one thing that made a big difference on mine was setting the timing forward 3 degrees. Hope this helps.

 

I think that you didn't understand what I was trying to state and took a lot of the advice as negative. First of all I (and others) was trying to let you know what to expect in a base line condition. So the first step is done. You now know that you should be getting better mileage.

Second step is to look at your truck. is it stock? Lifted? Stock tires? Is the engine stock or has modified? Is the drivetrain in good condition as far as tranny slipage, compression, stc? Other changes?

Third step would be to put the engine and truck back to a stock condition. Tune up / service the truck as needed. Then see where your mileage is.

Forth step would be to look at your driving habits. Do you warm your truck up? Do you race up to stop lights? Do you let the truck idle for extended periods? Stop and go traffic? I know on my touring sedan I doubled the fuel mileage over what the previous owner got, simply by changing the driving habits. How do I know this? Well the computer keeps tracks of all mileage.

Now what about a 10 gallon fuel tank? I don't know of any 80-86 Ford truck with a stock 10 gallon tank? If someone modified the fuel tank, who knows what else someone might have modified?

Food for thought -

David

 

my 83 f150 explorer 4x4 has a 351w built slightly and I just put an edelbrock performer intake and 4 barrel carburator on it and I am averaging about 11.5-12 mpg. I looked up the original specs for it and it was only rated to get 12-14 mpg. So I dont think that I am doing all that bad.

 

My sister just bought a new truck 1980 F-150 4x4 with a 300 straight 6 and it is making 21 miles per gallon it is a rebuilt engine with stock parts the rebuild has 6000 miles on it
with poor milage the timing makes a lot of difference might try setting it up a couple degrees. make sure you listen for pre-ignition if it pings set it back until it stops. work with the timing until you find the best setting with a 429 on propane 1/2 of a degree will drop you 6-7 miles per gallon