Hi, being in the UK I get stuck a bit for information on my van. It is an E250 with the 5.8 EFI Windsor. Getting around 7/8 mpg (I know your gallons are different to ours), so have converted to yours. It has always done this amount since I bought it - first found out when driving it home. Check engine light comes on occasionally under heavy load on a gradient, then goes out again. Only code I have ever managed to get once is, I think, air intake sensor - not too sure where this might be located or if it is my problem. With the price of gas over here, I don't feel like driving it.

 

You "get stuck a bit for information on" what? MPG? How often is it "under heavy load" in stop & go traffic & how heavy is that load? How old, how many miles, how confident in your calculations? What tranny & rear? Had it long? All the 'usual suspects' up to snuf?

Sure sounds low, but I can see a heavily loaded 12+ YO E250 5.8 in traffic getting less than 10 MPG. Any of dozens of things, could reduce MPG. I wouldn't expect more than 12-14 MPG on the best day from many 5.8 E250's. Any time CEL "comes on" it should 'throw a code' - save this code.

Or were you looking "for information" that might make you "feel like driving it"?

 

Stuck for info on the mechanics of the vehicle on the EFI side - our Haynes manuals over here only give half a page on it, just explaining how it works. Its an 89, 41k, 3sp auto box, in good condition, confident in my calculations over a few hundred miles main road/motorway driving. Very little stop/start or heavy traffic conditions. Terminology - by 'under load' I mean pulling hard and not a loaded vehicle. 12-14mpg equates to what I feel I should be getting.
Certainly not 'looking "for information" that might make you "feel like driving it"?', just some plain, honest advice.

 

Normally I wouldn't be very confident in MPG "calculations over a few hundred miles". My '92 will go well over 400 miles on just 1 tank.

A 20 YO E250 can lose some of what little fuel efficiency it has b/c of, in no particular order; dragging brakes, clogged cat, vacuum leaks, ignition issues, FI issues, compression issues, or common maintenance issues like plugs, wires, O2 sensor, air/fuel filters.

I'd have thought Haynes was the same on either side of the pond. Have you considered shopping ebay & other online sources for genuine FORD (Helm) manuals?

 

another place for info on the efi system is here
www.fordfuelinjection.com

 

Don't know about that. I am not knocking Haynes at all - full of great info if you have an early van. Only goes thru to 91 from 69, so a lot of late stuff does not seem to be covered fully. Will have a look for genuine Ford manuals as you suggest.

Many thanks for the info, particularly fordfuelinjection link. Can I ask, as my original posting - I assume there is an air intake temp sensor - if so, where is it located? - gather it might be somewhere on the upper intake manifold?

 

Perhaps try Chilton? Have used their '89-'96 manual. Also have Haynes '92-'95 & '92-'01manuals, sold an older, simpler version that included pre '75-mid 80's Econoline. Not sure what might fill any gap back to '69-'91 version, wonder if they published a '75-'91 exclusive?

The Intake Air Temp sensor is located on the intake manifold. Look for a short, fat, brass hex plug, w/2 contacts, that screws in. Chilton shows "typical" locations on several motors, not the 5.8.

 

Many thanks - will now look for a Chilton as well as genuine Ford - hopefully will get enough info in the end. As far as I can see in the UK the only Haynes is this 69-91. Now I know the IAT sensor is actually on the manifold and I know what to look for, I can check it out. Probably going to be OK, but I did get that one error code up that pointed to it. Thanks again.

 

An E250 with a 5.8 is going to be hardpressed for anything above 10. 6-8 may not be wrong.

 

For IAT sensor Chilton has a simple VOM test & chart of resistance values for temps.

 

Haven't logged on for awhile, wife and I been traveling. FYI, We have a 95 E250 Sportsmobile 5.8, 4 speed auto, 373 limited slip, just turned over 141000 mi., original motor, and trans. never gone into, just the usual reg. tune ups and religious oil changes 4-6 thousand. Total weight 7560#, full tanks and gear, 8'3" oah. Flat highway 65&70- 14mpg all day long! Hill country 60-65- mpg drops to 11or12! This is consistant. I use it but don't abuse it! Am the 3rd owner, always garage kept and somewhat babied. Guess I'm just one of the lucky ones. Thanks for letting an old guy ramble.

 

Thanks guys for all your help and comments - reckon its up to me, now I know where I stand. Must admit, it is nice to hear genuine answers to gas mileage - there have been one or two club wagons and vans up for sale recently in the UK, with claims of 15mpg plus, up to the low twenties. Bobbyv, from one old guy to another, thats not rambling, just a pleasure to read.

 

I beg to differ. My dad has a '92 E350 with a 351w and it gets 17mpg on the highway and about 14 in town. I'd be checking the timing, replacing the timing chain (after 20 years and who knows how many miles they do get sloppy), and O2 sensors. Then see what happens to the mileage. If that doesn't fix it replace the catalytic converter as it's probably clogged up causing it to run very poorly under load.

 

Always nice to hear some higher E250 & 350 MPGs. Pretty sure "consistant" 14mpg all day, going 70 MPH in a "7560 lb...8'3" oah" E250 & "17mpg on the highway" in an E350 are not numbers most 351 owners see often.

I seriously doubt my under 5000 lb '92 E150 regular Club Wagon Chateau 5.0 AOD ever consistantly achieved 14 MPG at 70 mph. I very seriously doubt it ever achieved 17 MPG on the highway once in its entire life, not even w/an exceptional tank of gas, a strong tail wind & loaded w/helium balloons.

Suspect most see MPG in the 10-13 MPG range for E250. EPA estimated 10/12 for '89 & 10/13 for '92. My E150 estimate was marginally better, in real life it only rarely reached 14. They don't list E350, but its safe to assume less MPG.

For a 20 YO vehicle it wouldn't take much to reduce that 10 down to 8. Some members have claimed 2 MPG changes just from different tires. In any case, our friend in the UK might be happier if his goal was 12-13 MPG, unladened, at a consistant conservative highway speed & on his best days. That's over 60% improvement, anything better is gravy. He's got a tough job to more than double 8 to match pfogle's 17!

Surprised nobody asked about axle ratio. A good number of E250's get 'urban heavy delivery' diffy gears instead of a 'normal' set, whereas a 'tall' set can deliver even higher MPG.

 

Club Wagon, I had a '92 E150 with a 351w that got 17mpg at 70mph all the time. It only got about 13 in town tho. Dad's van is a bit of an oddball I must admit. It's got a 3.73 rear end and he claims he towed car to and from springfield ohio to cardington (about a 175
mile round trip) on 1/4 tank of fuel.