Better gas mileage
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Joined: May 2004
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Better gas mileage
My 2000 SOHC 4.0 has always averaged 20 mpg with 80% highway use since new in 2000. We started driving 60 instead of 65-70, and three tankfuls have averaged 22 mpg. Now I'm going up to 34 psi instead of 30 in the tires. Sidewall says max 35. I'll sacrifice ride for nice fuel mileage at these prices.
Time to get serious!!
Time to get serious!!
New User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 15
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From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
seriously, how did you get this mileage. my wife's 03 4.0L AWD has never get higher than 15mpg with 70% highway driving in the past 5 years. average is 14.3mpg. all the schedule services are up to date. I wish I could have the mileage like yours. great to hear Explorer can actually get higher than 20mpg.
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Explorers have highway fuel economy ratings over 20. Check Fuel Economy (go to the bottom)
AWD is costing you fuel. tradeoff between more driving wheels (which I have never needed) and the additional weight and fuel consumption to drive more wheels.
AWD is costing you fuel. tradeoff between more driving wheels (which I have never needed) and the additional weight and fuel consumption to drive more wheels.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2006
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I'm running 18 to 20 on the highway & around 16 local, I switched to synthetic Moble 1 5w30 motor oil & a Motorcraft filter this time & opened up the air intake on the air box to 4" in front it was very small there I can tell a differnce in throttle responce already Will be testing next week on a trip to Ky.
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I run synthetic engine oil but not really sure it helps mileage that much. I do it for its superior qualities. Filled up yesterday....a consistant 20.9 mpg w/ 130K. I keep between 30-34 psi in tires, am a maintenance freak, don't carry extra stuff around, rarely drive over 65, alot of hiway driving, but some city.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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I took the Explorer on the trip to Ky over the 4th & averaged over 18.5 I was loaded to the max going & coming back, the power was a lot better on the hills, I'm well satifid with it I know if I hadn't been loaded so heavy & so many mountains that my mileage would have been a lot better. I also had to Idle the Explorer a lot because of our 3 cats & the 3 grandaughters that were travling with us. I know that on each tank that I had a hour of idle time so that cut it a lot too.. Still haven't got to change the front end grease over to Royal Purple but will do as soon as time allows. every little bit helps.
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Mass
As srercrcr said 20 mpg highway, is about what I get. I try to cruise at 68. Most of the time, the traffic is flowing over 70 so I dont want be too much of a hazzard on the roads. Im driving a 2000 4.0 SOCH with Mobil 1, and K&N air filter.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2008
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Just be careful overinflating. Keep in mind it's summer and your tires are continuing to build pressure as they heat up. Get a good tread depth guage and watch your center wear. You'll probably find the wear in the center will be quicker.
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Joined: Jul 2003
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Looks like most of you are getting better mileage than our car. I keep our tires inflated, oil changed every 3,000 miles and keep clean air filters in it, so 
Don't know why we get such bad mpg. We drive like old people, because we are old people. We normally drive our explorer when we go shopping. Even when it was new, it would get about the same mpg. Before we bought our newer vehicles, we would drive it on long trips, and still would get 16 mpg at 70 mpg.
Don't know why we get such bad mpg. We drive like old people, because we are old people. We normally drive our explorer when we go shopping. Even when it was new, it would get about the same mpg. Before we bought our newer vehicles, we would drive it on long trips, and still would get 16 mpg at 70 mpg.
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IMO some of the vehicles that don't get the higher end mpg probably aren't running at 100% efficiency...leaking wires, screwy injectors, you name it. Maybe a weak sensor, yet the computer thinks it's good, so it adjusts the engine, making the fuel mileage decrease.
I think it gets worse with carbed engines.
I think it gets worse with carbed engines.
Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 29
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From: Tucson, AZ, USA
mileage
I completed two 2200+ mile trips to Idaho and Wyoming within the last two months. I got 21-22 mph on the highway in a 4.6l 2002 Exp. I travel about 68 mph with the cruise control on but disable it on steep hills where I try not to let it drop out of OD unless the speeds drops below 60 mph. I inflate the tires to 5 lbs over the Ford recommendation front and rear. I also removed the cross bows on the luggage rack for what ever that's worth.
The tires are the original Cross Terrain Michelins. I have not experienced abnormal wear due the "over inflation" -- no higher are in the middle than the edges. The last trip brought the tread down to the wear indicators so time for new ones. Since I got just over 79,000 miles from them, I'll replace them in kind.
The tires are the original Cross Terrain Michelins. I have not experienced abnormal wear due the "over inflation" -- no higher are in the middle than the edges. The last trip brought the tread down to the wear indicators so time for new ones. Since I got just over 79,000 miles from them, I'll replace them in kind.
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Dubuque, Iowa
Gas mileage in 02 Mercury Mountaineer AWD
I run Mobil One 5w30 oil, K&N Air filter, and 35 psi in tires. Driving 60 mph - on a 500 mile trip last weekend avg mpg was 23.7 mpg. Have 73,000 + miles on odometer. Town driving is 15.5 mpg. Engine is 4.0