Improving gas mileage????
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,956
Likes: 10
From: MD
Driving with the tailgate down hurts your mileage. Leave it up.
Want to improve your MPG? PARK IT.
No?
Ok.
1) CLEAN OUT all the junk in the cab/bed. aboustely nothing can be in there except a few tools and what came from factory.
2) TUNE IT UP. New plugs gapped to OE specs, new wires, new rotor, new cap, new coil. You get the idea.
3) Keep the tires inflated to proper specs or over inflate it slightly.
4) DRIVE LIKE A GRANDMA. NO RACING FROM GREENS TO REDS, RUSHING TO A STOP, STOMPING ON THE PEDAL WHEN IT TURNS GREEN, ETC...GO 55-65 MAX.
5) Convert all fluids to synthetic.
6) Adjust/repair brakes.
7) Check exhaust for restriction.
8) Lose some weight. Yes, I mean YOU not the truck.
9) Adjust carburetor & choke for economy and make sure it will warm up properly.
Want to improve your MPG? PARK IT.
No?
Ok.
1) CLEAN OUT all the junk in the cab/bed. aboustely nothing can be in there except a few tools and what came from factory.
2) TUNE IT UP. New plugs gapped to OE specs, new wires, new rotor, new cap, new coil. You get the idea.
3) Keep the tires inflated to proper specs or over inflate it slightly.
4) DRIVE LIKE A GRANDMA. NO RACING FROM GREENS TO REDS, RUSHING TO A STOP, STOMPING ON THE PEDAL WHEN IT TURNS GREEN, ETC...GO 55-65 MAX.
5) Convert all fluids to synthetic.
6) Adjust/repair brakes.
7) Check exhaust for restriction.
8) Lose some weight. Yes, I mean YOU not the truck.
9) Adjust carburetor & choke for economy and make sure it will warm up properly.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 246
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, AZ
Well in that case it'll stay up when driving lol and unfortunately I can't improve my mileage by parking it since it's my daily driver and my transportation to and from work.
Lol I don't really think MY weight will affect my gas mileage I'm a lil on the skinny side lol. And driving like a grandma really works! That's how I've been driving lately....I've changed my ways on the road lol I now drive safer and less agressively.
Lol I don't really think MY weight will affect my gas mileage I'm a lil on the skinny side lol. And driving like a grandma really works! That's how I've been driving lately....I've changed my ways on the road lol I now drive safer and less agressively.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Mine is also my daily driver as well as the teen taxi as its just me and my daughters. I commute 74 miles round trip everyday thru Seattle metro and all the groceries and soccer games to boot. I will say it has been one of the most dependable and funnest vehicles i have ever owned. I have wanted one of these my whole life and finally after a divorce it was the only thing I could afford to replace my Nissan that I had to sell to get my daughter braces. I have absolutly no regrets of owning this truck and is my hobby as I have no social circle being a truckdriver and single parent.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
From: Northern California
Removing the tailgate, and using one of those cargo net things, however does increase your mileage.
Also most of our trucks were designed that 55mph would be the maximum speed they would ever see. Because that was the national limit. So with most of our trucks, with factory gearing, the gearing, and ratios are all geared to give maximum fuel economy at 55mph. Not at 40mph, and not at 70mph, but at 55mph.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 574
Likes: 0
From: Paragould Ar
Mythbuster used a newer F150 with all the modern aerodynamics. We have bricks on wheels. Gate down does improve milage on these trucks for sure have checked. I gain about 1to 1.5mpg with it down, not much I know but hey 19 more miles on one tank right
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,282
Likes: 4
From: Oregon
Driving with the tailgate down hurts your mileage. Leave it up.
Want to improve your MPG? PARK IT.
No?
Ok.
1) CLEAN OUT all the junk in the cab/bed. aboustely nothing can be in there except a few tools and what came from factory.
2) TUNE IT UP. New plugs gapped to OE specs, new wires, new rotor, new cap, new coil. You get the idea.
3) Keep the tires inflated to proper specs or over inflate it slightly.
4) DRIVE LIKE A GRANDMA. NO RACING FROM GREENS TO REDS, RUSHING TO A STOP, STOMPING ON THE PEDAL WHEN IT TURNS GREEN, ETC...GO 55-65 MAX.
5) Convert all fluids to synthetic.
6) Adjust/repair brakes.
7) Check exhaust for restriction.
8) Lose some weight. Yes, I mean YOU not the truck.
9) Adjust carburetor & choke for economy and make sure it will warm up properly.
Want to improve your MPG? PARK IT.
No?
Ok.
1) CLEAN OUT all the junk in the cab/bed. aboustely nothing can be in there except a few tools and what came from factory.
2) TUNE IT UP. New plugs gapped to OE specs, new wires, new rotor, new cap, new coil. You get the idea.
3) Keep the tires inflated to proper specs or over inflate it slightly.
4) DRIVE LIKE A GRANDMA. NO RACING FROM GREENS TO REDS, RUSHING TO A STOP, STOMPING ON THE PEDAL WHEN IT TURNS GREEN, ETC...GO 55-65 MAX.
5) Convert all fluids to synthetic.
6) Adjust/repair brakes.
7) Check exhaust for restriction.
8) Lose some weight. Yes, I mean YOU not the truck.
9) Adjust carburetor & choke for economy and make sure it will warm up properly.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 3
if your climate isnt to hot throw that 20 lb factory fan away and get and electic
fan from the junk yard 1 mpg easy i used a fan from a ford tarus wagon v6 it is acualy a zirogo fan rated at 2800 cfm works great on my 501 and 302 in my f250 and 79 granada you dont need that fan turning at high way speeds any ways and when you stop if you use an automatic fan switch set at 160f no worries about over heating gear venders over drive isnt cheap but at 60 mph my 501 is running at 1900 rpm from 2600 [c6 and 3.54 gears] = 15mpg
and still enough ***** to blow away any dodge hemi that pulls up
hope this helps regurds joe
fan from the junk yard 1 mpg easy i used a fan from a ford tarus wagon v6 it is acualy a zirogo fan rated at 2800 cfm works great on my 501 and 302 in my f250 and 79 granada you dont need that fan turning at high way speeds any ways and when you stop if you use an automatic fan switch set at 160f no worries about over heating gear venders over drive isnt cheap but at 60 mph my 501 is running at 1900 rpm from 2600 [c6 and 3.54 gears] = 15mpg
and still enough ***** to blow away any dodge hemi that pulls up
hope this helps regurds joe
Elder User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 514
Likes: 0
From: Northern Colorado
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 152
Likes: 1
From: Truth or Consequences, NM
Airflow comes over the cab, is sucked down, and "dams" at the tail gate causing a parasitic drag behind the truck. Remove the drag by allowing the airflow to smoothly leave the vehicle where the tail gate used to be!
The absolute best way to gain MPG is OVERDRIVE, OVERDRIVE, OVERDRIVE. Tune the engine to operate in the lower RPM ranges and you gain huge increases!
JMHO
The absolute best way to gain MPG is OVERDRIVE, OVERDRIVE, OVERDRIVE. Tune the engine to operate in the lower RPM ranges and you gain huge increases!
JMHO
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 152
Likes: 1
From: Truth or Consequences, NM
Food for thought:
A new F150 will cost from a few hundred dollars to over $600 per month depending on whether you get an XL or a Lariat super crew.
If you have your classic paid for, and are driving it daily, you are actually ahead of the game by hundreds of dollars per month, even paying 100 to 200 dollars a month for fuel!
My story ..... stickin' to it!
A new F150 will cost from a few hundred dollars to over $600 per month depending on whether you get an XL or a Lariat super crew.
If you have your classic paid for, and are driving it daily, you are actually ahead of the game by hundreds of dollars per month, even paying 100 to 200 dollars a month for fuel!
My story ..... stickin' to it!
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 152
Likes: 1
From: Truth or Consequences, NM
Good question! Unless the turbulence from the body increases for some reason?
