Poor mileage
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 190
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Poor mileage
2005 F-150 XLT Supercab, 4.6L 2WD 70k miles
My gas mileage has dropped from an average of 17 to 20 mpg to 13 to 15 mpg.
What's up with that? I've tried babying the truck around, all the filters have been changed, and I even pulled a couple of spark plugs (which look okay and have a gap of around .055). This has been going on for months, so I don't know how I could continually be getting that poor a grade of gasoline (I usually get Shell 87 octane, but I have tried some other 87 octane gasolines). I live in the Northeast Texas area, though I'm sure our gas is like everyone elses. The transmission has been serviced and the fluid has good color.
The truck does seem to be lacking some power (like I'm pulling a small load sometimes), but other than that it seems to run okay.
Any ideas would be appreciated. With prices like they are now, I need all the fuel economy I can get.
Thanks in advance for your help.
My gas mileage has dropped from an average of 17 to 20 mpg to 13 to 15 mpg.
What's up with that? I've tried babying the truck around, all the filters have been changed, and I even pulled a couple of spark plugs (which look okay and have a gap of around .055). This has been going on for months, so I don't know how I could continually be getting that poor a grade of gasoline (I usually get Shell 87 octane, but I have tried some other 87 octane gasolines). I live in the Northeast Texas area, though I'm sure our gas is like everyone elses. The transmission has been serviced and the fluid has good color.
The truck does seem to be lacking some power (like I'm pulling a small load sometimes), but other than that it seems to run okay.
Any ideas would be appreciated. With prices like they are now, I need all the fuel economy I can get.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Last edited by jwdenney2; Jun 20, 2007 at 02:33 PM.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2006
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i have a 2004 f-150 scab 4x4 with 33,000 miles and i am averaging 13.7 mpg. at last fill-up so if you have 2 wd. it does sound odd that you would be that low. also check your air pressure. unfortunately i was 1 mpg worse b4 i had my filters & oil changed so believe me, i feel ur pain. just can't believe ur getting that with 2wd!!!
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 310
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From: West Chester Pa.
You have enough miles that you wouldn't be wasting your money changing your plugs, and what ever other tune up stuff you have. If you have a cap and rotor, wires. I have a 5.4, I'm not familiar with the 4.6. You didn't get bigger tires did you. That killed my MPG.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: CO
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Sick 'n Tired
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,969
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From: League City, TX
Where in TX are you? Perhaps your local stations started using reformulated gas with ethanol? Also, during the summer months gas expands, and thus there is actually less gas per gallon. The national measures standard determines gas volumes at 60 degrees F. If you're in west Texas and it's 120 degrees in the shade you're getting less gas per gallon.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 110
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Got a 04 f150 5.4 was getting 14.2 mpg up to 15.3!!! had a complete fuel sys. flush.$20 bucks!! an fuel filter change.$9.00..at walmart . pushed out a lot of black carbon..more get up an go. an runs smoother.53000 miles.will have it done every 4 months..also it might help when it comes time to change plugs...
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2002
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I'm in between Dallas and Texarkana near I-30 in northeast Texas. I'm not sure temperature (though it's probably not helping) is my problem - the poor mileage has been going on since wintertime.
Last edited by jwdenney2; Jun 21, 2007 at 06:59 AM.
Sick 'n Tired
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,969
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From: League City, TX
In that case, with your mileage I'd run some seafoam through the engine and replace the fuel filter (you probably already did) and see if that yields any increase. Also, have all your sensors checked out.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,833
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From: Honkytonkville
with that significant a difference I'd looked directly at sensors. 02 and EGR to be specific. My egr valve clogged up on my 01 at about 75K and my mileage slowly dropped from the 20 I was getting to the 15-16 I get now. I never changed the sensor, obviously. When/if it gets bad enough it'll draw your engine light.