hey guys, i was just wondering how you guys are driving your 300's, i babying mine and still getting crappy mileage, i changed plugs, and used that lucas injector cleaner stuff, and keep up with general maitanance. I was wondering if going a touch harder on it would increace, maybe im going two soft. It is a 95 4x2 l6 with the 4 speed auto, single cab long bed. I dont have a tach so giving a rpm number wouldnt help much.

sorry if this is a dumb post, but thats how you learn, right?

 

I think a major factor could be where you are driving and not just how you are driving. If you are driving in town more than highway, and are in a lot of stop and go situations you should expect your gas mileage to be bad. I don't know if 6mpg is normal for your year of truck in that situation so I can't tell you if that is a really bad number or not. I know that this isn't really an answer to your problem but is the best I can do. There are many great people who belong to this site so I am sure one of them will have a better answer. And remember there are no stupid questions...!

 

On my 66 Ford F100, I-6, 300, 1 brl carb ( carter used on 84 model year), 4 speed manual T-18 tranny, I get 263.67 Miles full gas tank (19 Gal capacity type) in the highway, not bad I guess.

For gas consumption, I suggest you check your wheel bearings, repack it or replace it, check your brakes if the pads are not kin of tihgt on the hubs specially the front.

 

thanks so far, next tank im going to calculate my milage, and i do mostly highway driving.

I have the dual 19 gallon tank model, but my front one dosent work, so.... i just use the rear one.

 

I have 1980 F150 300 six 4 speed tranny. 16 gallon tank, I get just a little under 200 miles a tank, but my truck it defienetly tired and probably in need of a good tune up.
This was me running it pretty hard going between 45 - 85 You can never run these trucks too hard and putting a little more foot on the pedal doesn't make to much of a difference.

 

Mine is a 81 E 100 Automatic with a Carter 1 brl carb. So, it's pretty much "basic stock" compared to yours. No early computer, fuel injection et.c. Outside of two front seats, it's empty inside (former water delivery van). Dual tanks (22 main/18 auxillery) but largely use the auxillery because the gas gauge works for it. It has new plugs, a tuneup, new fuel pump, and all. Gets 15 mpg average with highway driving in my rural area. A little more if I remember to roll up my windows (vans have the aerodynamics of a flying brick)

Was hard used by it's first owner as a delivery truck/van. When I got it the front wheel bearings were shot, the back brakes were missing parts (guy drove it for years from Phoenix to ShowLow with only front brakes intact) Some new wiring was needed and a good bit of TLC in general. But the engine was still sound (had been gone over before I got it), the tranny in very good condition (had that checked too) And the body was still sound. Overall, despite it being generally work worn, it's like the "EverReady Bunny". Not fast but just goes and goes and goes.

I wanted a van and a general light work "truck" (it's empty inside...first owner took out all the racks) I kept reading about how good the Inline Six was and that clinched the deal. Have not been disappointed since.

Not a quick "pickup" from a start but once you give it it's "head", it will get up to 65 and stay there on level ground. Most of my driving is highway anyway. The main state hwy speeds here (95 and 72) are 55 MPH and I do not drive over that. No need. Only have to drive 65 while switching from HWY 72 (at Hope) to Hwy 60 to Salome. First three miles are uphill, though, so has to work to get to 65 at first. The rest of the way is pretty level. No problems going back, though.

As my husband's truck (86 Chevy V8) not working right now and his 83 E 150/302 (camper) is not setup to take anything other than bagged feed. Lately I have been hauling what few haybales we need for our goats. When he goes with me, though, forgets my 300 just does not have that immediate "V8 umph" to get it up to speed on the up hill to Salome. So when I drive, he keeps telling me to "punch it" to go faster on this section (like he could with his van)....but you just plain cannot floor it to do that. It will steadily "get there" at it's own pace, I remind him. Been over 20 years since he last drove a Six of any kind (64 Dodge Slant Six).

No, I do not necessarily "baby" it either. I have offered to let him drive my van to haul the hay, but he prefers not to because it's mine.

"Driving Tips?" Mine did better AFTER replacing the wheelbearings, checked all the brakes (replaced all the lost rear parts and installed new front disk pads). Keep your windows up if you can......(amazing how much wind drag you get with them down) Keep your tailgate up despite what you may have heard. In wind tunnel tests, trucks do not do better aerodynamically with the tailgate down. Tune up is always good.

 

I pretend mine is a dump truck and get about 17mpg mixed city and highway.

'92 f150 m50d 4wd, 3.55s on wore out 32" at tires. I'll post more numbers after swapping in the 10.25 w/ 4.10s and 34" tires.

 

Geese do you have my truck???!!! It sounds exatically like mine!

 

I have a 1996 F-150 with an NP-435 Heavy Duty 4 speed, and 3.08:1 gears, and if I drive conservatively (keep the revs below about 2,200, stay under 60 MPH) I can squeak out 21 mpg without AC, or 19.5 with AC. Recently I towed a 5,800 Lb Trailer and another 600lb of cargo in the bed for a 132 mile trip and manage 12.1 MPG with the AC on. I think that the thing that is killing you is the automatic trans. In my exparience, the 300 doesn't like torque converters. Too much usable engine power is below the stall speed of the converter. When my truck was an automatic (a funny story actually... it started out with the 5 speed and 3.55:1 gears, and squeaked out 20 MPG, but that trans was weak, and it blew. Replaced it with a C6 and got 11 MPG. Replaced that with an AOD, and got 13 MPG. Replaced that with the NP-435, and got 17-18 mpg, then changed the rear gears to 3.08:1 and get what I have now...anyhow) as I was saying, when my truck was an automatic, it was lousy on gas. This engine pulls happily from 700-800 RPM, which an automatic just wastes.

 

ive gotten as high as 23 on the highway with my 83 (NP435, 3.55s, 32"s). that was after i flushed the tranny and rear end and built a bed cover for it (aerodynamics).

But i get like 12 in town.




So im gonna get rid of it. for that mileage i'd rather have at least a 351.

 

yea don't rub it in...I want a manual...oh well

 

I think anything above 17-19 mpg is normal for around town or highway. Depending on gearing, transmission, temperature, drive cycle that sort of qualifiers. My 94 F-150 std. cab XL with E4OD and 3.55 rear end driven about town for short miles gets about 17.5 mpg. Highway mileage at 80mph is at 19 mpg. Pulling something in town is anyone's guess and on the road doing 60 mph with a trailer loaded it's close to 16 mpg. I used to keep records, but the truck is reduced to me commuting to from work 6 miles and is consistently at 17 mpg nowdays...

 

Funny my front tank doesn't work as well.. don't use it ne more.. lol Mine's a 1980 Shortbed 4.9 300 Np435 What are ya'll?

 

calculated it the other day, but i messed up and kept filling after it stoped the click at the pump, but it came to about 14 mpg, but i whent muddin for like a half hour the day before so that dosent help,

does anybody know what the red tick at 55 mph on my speedo means???

 

when the truck was manufactured the country's speed limits were still set at 55mph.