Hope someone anwsers quick have to make descission this morning, What gas mileage can I expect from th F150 4.6L v8 engine 1998, XLT automatic, 55000 miles? Is this a good truck for towing under a ton?:-staun

 

I have a '97 F150 4.6L 3.55 rear end short bed regular cab XLT with 120,000 miles on odometer. I average 17.5 to 18 mpg in average driving. I just added some new Prestone fuel conditioner at last oil change and my mileage jumped to 21.3!! Now I don't know if that is what caused the jump in mileage, but it is the only thing I did differently. I occationally pull my 28' Terry travel trailer on short trips to go camping, and my truck handles it fine on flat ground, not in overdrive, of course. My mileage, ofcourse drops off to under 10 mpg when pulling the trailer, but that is to be expected. Hope this helps you. I love my truck, and will only trade up to supercrew next time.

 

I have a 2002 SCrew with the 4.6 and 3.55 axle. In town I usually get around 17-18 mpg's. Hiway, 55mph- 25 mpgs, 65mph- 22mpgs, 85+mph-18mpgs. For towing 2000 lbs, you'll barely know its there. Mine starts to let you know it's getting heavy at about 3500lbs.

 

>I have a 2002 SCrew with the 4.6 and 3.55 axle. In town I
>usually get around 17-18 mpg's. Hiway, 55mph- 25 mpgs,
>65mph- 22mpgs, 85+mph-18mpgs. For towing 2000 lbs, you'll
>barely know its there. Mine starts to let you know it's
>getting heavy at about 3500lbs.



What !!!!! 18 mpg in town and 25 mpg at 55!!!!!!

What are you doing, drafting a big bus?????

Seriously, I have never heard of anyone with a Supercrew getting that kind of mileage. Mine has the 5.4 and I am lucky to get 18 on the highway running empty!! I don't think there is that much difference in gas mileage between the 4.6 and the 5.4.

If you have a SECRET about gas mileage, you need to share it with the rest of us !!!!!

I would kill for 25 mpg.

Bru
2002 F150 Super Crew
Black 4X4 Lariat
5.4 Engine Ford Chrome Bars

1979 Bronco 351M 75K orig.

 

The difference is driving technique. I seldom ever have the tach over 1700 when accelerating from a dead stop. All variations in speed at 55 and above are done fluidly. And the most benifit most folks miss is these trucks will coast alot before they loose much speed. But, my counterpart at work has a Supercab with the 5.4 and his mileage is 17 hwy speed around 70. Another thing you might want to consider, your Ford ignition system is adaptive- you can teach one to get better mileage. I have a Lincoln in the garage that gets in the high twenties as well at 65. Live in Texas? We can go for a ride.

 

Oh, please continue on this adaptive theory you have. I'll be good I promise!

Would a person need to disconect the battery to reset the computer? Then drive with a light foot? If there is something I can do to increase my mileage I am all ears. At least until I get a tonneau for the most significant increase, I'll squeeze all I can get.

I have averaged about 17.4 on the tank the only time I have driven long distance. That includes city driving with the highway miles.

Wherebouts in Texas you stay

 

Just to let you know...I just got 20 mpg on my last fillup with my 2001 5.4 Lariat Screw. I have a 100 mile a day roundtrip from Pasadena, TX to the Woodlands, TX for work and it is all highway driving. I kept the speed at 60 mph and never accelerated at a fast pace. I was pleasantly surprised to get the 20 mpg. I usually drive the course at about 70+ with hard acceleration and get about an average of 15 mpg. You can bet that I will be driving the road at 60 mph from this point on.

 

Likely the Prestone increased your octane rating and made the burn more efficient. Most of those cleaners contain ethanol or some alcohol variant, and will improve combustion (especially for regular gas) to the point where MPG can jump. I once hit a gas station in Kansas that sold a gas/ethanol blend, and felt my power increase substantially, and noted a 4-5 MPG jump. Higher octane means the computer can run the engine leaner as well (less detonation), translating to better fuel milage. Also, back then, it was a '97 F150 Lariat Ext'd Cab, with the 5.7; I would get about 22mpg average on the freeway, usually at 75+ mph.

 

Er... *all* EFIs are adaptive, for the most part, adjusting for speed, temp, gas quality (knock) and other inputs. However, I think your success is your driving technique, and the steady-state driving you do. If you run a higher octane fuel, you'll get better milage simply because the computer doesn't have to compensate for detonation during acceleration or steady-state (i.e., it can run the engine leaner overall with 93 octane than with 89 octane because detonation occurs when the lean mix basically "diesels"--not exactly the correct term, but close enough--and it usually detonates before spark, which in a good EFI system forces the computer to inject more fuel to stop the knock. So: higer octane=less knock=>less fuel needed to prevent knock=>better fuel milage). And this is how our frend in message #2 got the milage jump when he added the Prestone stuff.

 

I have a 2002 Supercrew with a 5.4 and a tonneau cover. At 6000 miles the best I have ever gotten is 14 mpg on a 220 mile freeway trip with cruise control at 70mph on flat terrain. When pulling a 2000lb snowmobile trailer with O.D. off it gets 10 mpg. Around town averages 11.5 to 12. My 5.0 Bronco got the same mileage. I was prepared for this because I figured a larger vehicle with a larger engine would have to get the same or worse mileage. The technology is only slightly better. I have a cousin and a friend with a 2001 and a 2002 screw and their mileage is the same as mine. The worst thing about it is the small fuel tank. The pulling power on the hills and the ride is considerably better then the Bronco.

 

I've been getting 16.5 for 17000 miles no matter how I drive it. Thats with a K&N open element and no muffler (by the way I highly recommend this, just cut the muff off and clamp in straight pipe) untill I did these two things I got 15 on a regular basis. I admit to some pretty agressive driving techniques, but no matter how hard I drive it now I get that 16.5. Now if can just finish my sons truck and get a Diablo Chip. Whit

 

how loud did your trk. get when you pulled the muffler off i did it to a powerstroke and when i left the converter on it hardly was any louder i figured a gaser would be pretty loud

 

Aren't you reqd to have a muffler for state inspections? Or are they not an issue in your area?

 

Well I just wanted to add my gas stats to the group. I have an 02, 5.4L and get the same as most of you. I have a K&N open element, tonneau and putting an exhaust on the end of this week.

I did notice an increase with the addition of the filter. I noticed an increase of about 1.5-2 miles more per gallon of the 2 tanks I tested. I usually drive to work at 70-80 stop and go San Diego traffic. Keeping it below 2k on the tach when I am getting on the freeway and not laying down on the gas when passing and speeding up.

Before the filter kit the gas light came on between 305 and 315 on the trip odo. After the filter it jumped to 320 to 335. I just went by that after I measured gas mileage just to keep an eye on what the overal tank was looking like.

I am with the majority any way to get better mileage I am all ears as this has plenty of power for what I need to tow.

Towing a trailer with 2 street motorcycles and the truck filled with gear I lose about 3mpg. The average tank till the light comes on is about 230 to 250.

I'll keep you all posted on what I get after the exhaust. (billet if it matters)

 

02, SCREW, 5.4, 1100 total miles, total average 17mpg,
K&N and Gibson Super truck system. I have had a 97 and 99
with the 4.6 and the milage usually gets better at around
20,000 miles. The 4.6 would run 15-17 average with 22 posibble
on a long trip (not towing). I think the milage is about the same
with both engines. Power wise the 5.4 wins, hands down,
although the 4.6 pulled a 30 ft rv all over the USA. rk