gas milage help
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New User
Joined: Mar 2009
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gas milage help
Hey everyone,newbie to the forum,great site,I hope someone can give me some ideas.I've mostly been a carberated smallblock guy so be gentle. I just bought a 1997 F250hd (1992 to 1996 body style) with a 460, e4od, 4x4 and 4.10 gears.This truck is in almost new condition with 74000mi on it.I use it mostly for towing my race car,(4500lb car&trailer) and general use.I've given it a standard tune up including plugs,wires,cap and rotor.I also installed a K&N open filter kit I scored at the boneyard.I cut off the restrictors?/noise reducers? in the intake tubes.The truck came with a flowmaster cat back exhaust.Now that you have some background,here are some questions
1) I've heard it helps to gut/remove the cat.Yes/no?
2) Does any one make shorty headers for this,I can't find any listings.
3) Does it hurt/help to disconnect or remove the air pump and plumbing.
4) Where is the spout connector located,so I can check timing?
Any and all suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
1) I've heard it helps to gut/remove the cat.Yes/no?
2) Does any one make shorty headers for this,I can't find any listings.
3) Does it hurt/help to disconnect or remove the air pump and plumbing.
4) Where is the spout connector located,so I can check timing?
Any and all suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 88
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don't mess with the emissions controls you can use a programmer and keep the injectors clean and the carbon down with injector cleaner and a separate intake treatment that gets pulled in by vaccume and a fuel catalyst will help a little
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 219
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From: Maricopa, AZ
Congrats on the new truck.
I can't say for sure, but, I don't think there is really much you can do to get good gas mileage from that rig. Except the obvious tune-up that you've done. Or, a wooden block under the accellerator pedal.
From what I understand, disabling/removing the air pump is not going to help fuel mileage. Gutting the cat - I don't know, but a new one is going to be expensive if you ever need the truck to pass an emissions test.
Headers sound like a good idea, and googling 'headers Ford 460' brought up a bunch of hits, many of them 'shortys'.
As to the spout, I'm guessing here (because my service manual refers me to a manual I don't have), but I think it should be somewhere on the drivers side wheel well by the ECC.
Those who know more than I will probably chime in.
I can't say for sure, but, I don't think there is really much you can do to get good gas mileage from that rig. Except the obvious tune-up that you've done. Or, a wooden block under the accellerator pedal.
From what I understand, disabling/removing the air pump is not going to help fuel mileage. Gutting the cat - I don't know, but a new one is going to be expensive if you ever need the truck to pass an emissions test.
Headers sound like a good idea, and googling 'headers Ford 460' brought up a bunch of hits, many of them 'shortys'.
As to the spout, I'm guessing here (because my service manual refers me to a manual I don't have), but I think it should be somewhere on the drivers side wheel well by the ECC.
Those who know more than I will probably chime in.
Zombie Survivalist
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14,809
Likes: 3
From: Rock Springs, WY, USA
well, what is your mileage right now? if its around 8 or higher, BE HAPPY! cause thats about all your gonna get out of it. one of my tricks for the cat: take it down and knock ALL of the guts out with a hammer and chisel. my 91 is a 460 with a 5 speed, and im pushin the h-e-double-hockey-sticks to get 10 unloaded. short of a rebuild, 10 is about all your gonna get. maybe 12 or 13 unloaded, but with a load, unless your getting under 7, be happy with it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 2
Welcome to the site! My dad's '97 F250HD SC 4x4 has the 460, E4OD, and 4.10s. It gets 12-14 mpg on the highway, empty. Usually right about 13, but it got 14 once! Don't even bother monitoring mileage towing, it will be bad and that's that. If you are getting much less than this I would say the cause is one of three things:
1) You are driving too aggressively, get your foot out of the pedal and your mileage will improve a lot.
2) Is your truck jacked up? Lifts create more wind resistance and negatively impact mileage.
3) You have an engine problem. Run the codes and look for problems
P.S., Put the K&N open filter kit on eBay or Craigslist and reinstall the factory stuff with a K&N drop in filter. All those open filter setups do is suck in hot underhood air (which is less dense) and make the truck louder. The stock setup is actually pretty good at bringing in cool outside air, which is denser, which is better.
1) You are driving too aggressively, get your foot out of the pedal and your mileage will improve a lot.
2) Is your truck jacked up? Lifts create more wind resistance and negatively impact mileage.
3) You have an engine problem. Run the codes and look for problems
P.S., Put the K&N open filter kit on eBay or Craigslist and reinstall the factory stuff with a K&N drop in filter. All those open filter setups do is suck in hot underhood air (which is less dense) and make the truck louder. The stock setup is actually pretty good at bringing in cool outside air, which is denser, which is better.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 23,849
Likes: 20
From: McKenzie River
Welcome to the site! My dad's '97 F250HD SC 4x4 has the 460, E4OD, and 4.10s. It gets 12-14 mpg on the highway, empty. Usually right about 13, but it got 14 once! Don't even bother monitoring mileage towing, it will be bad and that's that. If you are getting much less than this I would say the cause is one of three things:
1) You are driving too aggressively, get your foot out of the pedal and your mileage will improve a lot.
2) Is your truck jacked up? Lifts create more wind resistance and negatively impact mileage.
3) You have an engine problem. Run the codes and look for problems
P.S., Put the K&N open filter kit on eBay or Craigslist and reinstall the factory stuff with a K&N drop in filter. All those open filter setups do is suck in hot underhood air (which is less dense) and make the truck louder. The stock setup is actually pretty good at bringing in cool outside air, which is denser, which is better.
1) You are driving too aggressively, get your foot out of the pedal and your mileage will improve a lot.
2) Is your truck jacked up? Lifts create more wind resistance and negatively impact mileage.
3) You have an engine problem. Run the codes and look for problems
P.S., Put the K&N open filter kit on eBay or Craigslist and reinstall the factory stuff with a K&N drop in filter. All those open filter setups do is suck in hot underhood air (which is less dense) and make the truck louder. The stock setup is actually pretty good at bringing in cool outside air, which is denser, which is better.
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,691
Likes: 6
What do you mean here by "hot air intake"? Are you saying K&N filters are bad?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 23,849
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From: McKenzie River
Nope, K&N filters are great, the drop in kind. The under hood "cold air intakes" draw in heated under hood air instead of cold outside air, which the stock 460 air tube gets from the grill area. Find a way to run your "K&N cold air " outside the engine compartment then you will have as good as a stock 460 air intake.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 23,849
Likes: 20
From: McKenzie River
Trust us on this one, for max. efficiency,mpg, performance you want the air entering the fuel/air mix to be as cold as can be achieved under the circumstances. Hot, under hood air is less desirable.
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New User
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gas milage help.
Wow,what a response! Thank you all. When I drove it home before any mods except the exhaust, it got 11mpg.That was with the cruise set at 75mph.Man,that thing didn't even notice our hills(Montana).Much better than my old 92 5.0. I realize this thing will never be a Prius, but I'm shooting for mid teens.I plan to fab a cold air box around the filter, it seems to me the larger filter area would be better on a 460. According to the manuals I have the air pump system seems totally seperate from the engine electronics,yes/no? It sure would be much easier to put on headers without having to deal with that. Thanks again.
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 40
From: EXTREME southwest CT
Pinto,
With 4.10's and a 7.5l you'll never see 15mpg @ 75 mph.
Drag goes up in cube to velocity, and you are pushing a barn door.
I know it's a big State and the daytime limit is "safe and prudent" but try cutting it back to 60-65 and you will see your mileage increase.
In response to Q-man. Yes, you are right in that both fuel and oxidizer are "consumed" in combustion.
With 4.10's and a 7.5l you'll never see 15mpg @ 75 mph.
Drag goes up in cube to velocity, and you are pushing a barn door.
I know it's a big State and the daytime limit is "safe and prudent" but try cutting it back to 60-65 and you will see your mileage increase.
In response to Q-man. Yes, you are right in that both fuel and oxidizer are "consumed" in combustion.