My '07 Screw has 66K on it. 5.4L, 3.73 and 20' wheels. The truck has had all recommended service per the owners manual. The one thing that hasn't been changed is the spark plugs. I've noticed recently that the MPG has dropped substantially. I'm getting around 13 where I used average about 14.5. Do you think the plugs are the issue here or has my right foot just gotten heavy. After seeing some of the pictures on here of other plugs that were removed with this amount of mileage I can't imagine that mine would look any better. I'm planning to have them changed at 70K unless you guys think its a waste of money. Any thoughts will be appreciated. By the way everything is bone stock, no tuners or anything....just stock. One other thing, I have run Ethanol but on very rare occasions.

 

Has your gas station changed the blend? Winter blends get poorer MPG.

 

Different gas/blends will change the MPG. I live in the corner of PA where PA-NY-NJ join. Gas in NJ is about .25 cheaper per gallon than in PA. But, the gas in NJ is oxygenated fuel.
So, I drive to NJ and fill up. MPG drops on that tank of fuel almost 3 MPG. Fill up in PA a week later at the Shell station, and the MPG back where it should be. Different brands and locations will give different MPG's..................

 

I agree with that the others said, probably a blended gas issue. The gas here is blended with an oxygenate (10% ethanol) and I get around 13 mpg normally. However, if you got the time, money or patience changing the plugs would probably be a good idea.

 

I agree with the rest. Cold weather, winter gas, and different stations can easily affect MPG's. I noticed the recent change on my mpg's right around the time that it started to get cold and when all of the gas stations changed to winter gas.

 

Thanks for the replies. I never really thought the gas changed enough to make a real difference. I guess trying another station is a waste of time since they are probably all running the same blend. I'll look around and see if I can find a station that doesn't have Ethanol added. Thanks again.

 

Hello,

I just joined the site to find out the same thing. I traded my 2003 chevy Suburban that was getting 17mpg two days ago. I kept looking at the new stickers and reading the 18mpg on the 2010 F150's and thought I would get around the same as teh Chevy. Gosh, I love the 2006 Ford truck but the mpg sucks. Fell like I should have bought the V10 F250. I hear it is better than what I am getting, a whopping 11.2mpg.

I have the supercrew with 20 inch wheels and i believe a 3 inch lift. It looks really good and as far as I can tell the other stuff is stock. Beautiful Red pait with gold bottom.

It has 100k miles on it and it is as new to look close at it. The previous owner drove 50 miles to work (100 miles round trip) every day.

Any tips on how to profect this machine? I think I will change the tires from the 285/65 to a 275/55 AT.

Thanks for the help....

 

I just bought an 05 XLT Supercab 5.4, and was previously driving an 02 Chevy 5.3 getting 16mpg average. I took my first average today in the Ford. 11.6mpg!!!! I got 12 in the Chevy once, and that was pulling a trailer. Let's just say I am not happy.

 

Since creating this post I found a Citgo station that has no Ethanol added to their fuel. I've filled up with that fuel and I can already see a difference. I'll be refilling tomorrow but a rough estimate of the improvement is about 1 mpg positive. It becomes a math exercise as to determine whether it is worth a few extra cents per gallon to gain MPG. With this rough estimate I've made its about a wash and maybe a slight gain with the better fuel. I'll try if for awhile to see how it works out. Thanks for everyone's input.

 

Agree, NJ, winter crap gas too. Plugs 36,000 max for me, I don't care what they say, 36K and out, no question, I'm at 18K now. I dropped from about 16 to 14.5 at best just recently in a 4.2 V6. I started runnin' a few tanks of cheap 93 got back to about 15.5 but not cost effective, so changed 87 to another station. We'll see. There's no winning with this, and Ford recommends BP, my truck pings like crazy with the In"viagra"vate. Cheap inependent gas up my corner, runs good no ping, guy has new tanks and checks water filters often for contamination often and cares about his station.

 

I stopped at my local sears store to talk about tires today for my 20" rims (ouch) and i was told that I have 10 ply (E rated) tires. I have 275/65 TOYO mud looking tires and I was told that could be my problem. Going with a less ply and less of a mud tread would or should I say could increase the MPG on the truck. I have to spend 1200 bucks to do it. So if anyone has changed their tires and seen a difference let me know.

Does anyone have any tire recommendations for the 2006 F150 supercrew with 20" rims and a lift.

 

Did your Suburban have 20 inch tires and a 3 inch lift? The bigger the tires the more energy it takes to get them rolling. The higher it is off the ground the poorer the mileage. My '07 screw with 18 inch wheels and factory stance gets about 16.5 running around my area, but I have gotten 18 on a trip. I have a friend who has a superduty and the v10. He would be happy with 11.2. BTW, is your odomometer recalibrated to your 20 inch wheels? If not you are probabley going farther on a tank of gas than your odomometer says you are.

 

I lose about 1.5 mpg in the winter. I don't use any gas with ethanol in it. If I see ethanol on the pump I just pass it by and go someplace else. Usually run BP, Sunoco, or Shell.

 

I thought all gasoline had ethanol to replace the MTBE additive that was banned. Although some are now starting to worry that ethanol is going to jack up the environment worse than MTBE. But don't mention that to the corn growers that are getting government money, aka our tax dollars. Also don't mention that ethanol production at its current state is a loss vs energy produced from the final product. Think of setting up a campfire to get warm at night. You go around pick out some nice dry twigs, leaves, and branches for the base. You then get some dry logs to go over that nice base. You toss the match in and just as the fire is going you douse half the pile with water. At least that is how I look at it anyways.

I ran some E85(had to see what my tax dollars are making) and it might have been a bit more grunt worthy if I wasn't having to refill 2-3 days later compared to once a week. "Saving" 30 cents a gallon doesn't make up for nearly double the burn rate. Being I know of only 2 stations that even carry it with one being kind of close and the other being down Barker-Cypress on hwy 290.

How I look at it this might be my generation's version of lead gas to unleaded gas switch. Never mind that piston engine planes run leaded fuel still. Just saying.

 

It used to be the case that stations in Michigan had to post 10% ethanol content on their pumps if they had it in the gas. BUT, since MTBE was eliminated, the 10% ethanol has become an additive and there is no longer a requirement that ethanol content be posted. It is my understanding that virtually all winter gas and most summer gas in Michigan is 10% ethanol.

The winter blend loses me about 1.5 mpg in my E150 on a trip, and maybe 2 mpg or more slogging around town and doing shorter runs, and I have been tracking mileage since I bought the darn thing new in 2003.

George