gas mileage revisited

[fivespeedsteed]

dont anyone dare bash on me, im proud to own a v8 and nothings gonna change that. i hate to be the one to ask questions about this, but money is tight for me right now. what can i do to improve gas mileage? what can be done performance wise that wont affect it allot? i know gears are a no no but what can i do that wont hurt mileage. im just making sure there isnt something im forgetting about.

the check engine light comes on for any codes it throws right? my lights never been on, dont even know what it looks like, but i didnt have a grommet holding in my pcv valve so it h ad a vac. leak. my 18th bday is tomorrow so im trying to get an idea of what i can do that wont kill gas mileage. i know nothing aside from cleaning the iac and tps with brake/carb claner and keepin the tire psi straight. i got my 225/60/15 bfg's at 35 everywhere, is that low? right now i think im getting about 200 from the pump cutting off, to it being on the last red tick. but thats almost rare, recently its been like 260-180, i keep my foot out of it allot too. i dunno whats going on? jus throw some average advice at me, i dont need anything complicated.

oh yeah and does bumping initial from 12 to 14 help or hurt?

think if i painted it it would be better? that way my peeling clear coat wouldnt casue drag

 

[vristang]

Go through and pull your diagnostic codes.
You can get trouble codes without the CEL coming on.
Also, you should see the CEL come on when the car is started. If you don't see the CEL at start up, then most likely the bulb is burned out.

Fixing the pcv seal should help.
For a cheapo fix some silicone will hold it tight.
OR the Ford parts are supposed to fit the best.

Follow recommendations on the sidewall of the tire for pressure ranges.

paint wont' gain any mpg.


jason

 

[Black1987Stang]

U could have codes stored in the memory that can tell what might have went wrong a time in the past...Def check for any vacuum leaks, i had the same prob with my pcv too and just found a leak the other night from a line rubbing on my iat sensor making a cut on a line under my gt40 intake...Electric fan would help out with mileage, i would stick at stock timing (10 degrees) and put in regular gas if it does alright with it, keep engine in top shape, but most of all drive it like an old lady...shift under 2500rpm (2200-2300 is good for me on a flat road, higher going up incline etc), dont load the motor at all, I got a vacuum gauge i always look at while I drive, I stay around 15+ or higher inches on the gauge...I got 18mpg give or take a mpg by doing this...I was shocked since normally I was at like 10mpg normally driving around

 

[90_Red_LX]

U could have codes stored in the memory that can tell what might have went wrong a time in the past...Def check for any vacuum leaks, i had the same prob with my pcv too and just found a leak the other night from a line rubbing on my iat sensor making a cut on a line under my gt40 intake...Electric fan would help out with mileage, i would stick at stock timing (10 degrees) and put in regular gas if it does alright with it, keep engine in top shape, but most of all drive it like an old lady...shift under 2500rpm (2200-2300 is good for me on a flat road, higher going up incline etc), dont load the motor at all, I got a vacuum gauge i always look at while I drive, I stay around 15+ or higher inches on the gauge...I got 18mpg give or take a mpg by doing this...I was shocked since normally I was at like 10mpg normally driving around

I got worse gas mileage driving like an old lady then I did driving it turning 3500 between shifts. So I said to hell with it and to hell with gas mileage and now I drive it like I want to.

 

[PJB]

Mine gets about 14 mpg no matter what I do.
I just accept that and try to drive my other car most of the time because it gets 30+ mpg.

 

[95GTAODE]

Well, at the high side(260/tank), you're getting 17MPG, and 12 at the low(180). That's an average of 14.5 MPG....

Considering it's optimistically rated at 19 city, 22 highway, you're not doing too bad.

 

[750chopperman]

take some weight out of your car. I removed over 400 pounds and now get 25mpg instead of 18 on the highway.

 

[vristang]

No EFI 302 in good running order should be getting less than 15mpg!!!

My cammed 408w hit an average of 17mpg.
I could see as high as 20mpg on highway trips.


Pull your codes guys.
Something is not right.



jason

 

[Black1987Stang]

No EFI 302 in good running order should be getting less than 15mpg!!!

My cammed 408w hit an average of 17mpg.
I could see as high as 20mpg on highway trips.


Pull your codes guys.
Something is not right.



jason

thank u!
totally agree with u, I got mine up 18mpg with my mods and thats pretty good, for a stock 5.0 to be getting under that, theres something not right or someones at Wot everychance they get

 

[HISSIN50]

thank u!
....... for a stock 5.0 to be getting under that, theres something not right or someones at Wot everychance they get

Or someone who sees extended idling and short intervals from stop light to stop light.

 

[gruvee87vertgt]

take some weight out of your car. I removed over 400 pounds and now get 25mpg instead of 18 on the highway.

400 pounds? jeez what the heck did you remove?

 

[RsStanG1987]

Seafoam the hell out of your car.. Put it in the crank case fuel tank and into the vacum lines. I seafoamed my Car before every big trip and i got 36mpg+ on the Highway. Around town i usually shifted around 2500 and got 25mpg in orlando traffic. Give you car a good tune up to. Change the oil add lucas to the oil. All of theese helped my MPG a great bit.

 

[srothfuss]

RS coverd it but don't forget all of the basic items like a tune up, good filters and fresh fluids in the car. There are many factors that work against your MPG, but keeping a car properly maintained can really help. Driving at 65MPH instead of 70MPH can even help...

Advancing your timing will hurt your MPG. Leave it at in a postion that will give you the best average performance you can before jumping to a higher octane level.


Edit: to properly calculate your average MPG, record how many gallons your car takes to fill up and then record your trip mileage. You say 200 miles per tank, but is that 200 miles per tank using 15.4 gallons [the size of the tank] or is that using 10 gallons?

And for proof of why you need both numbers...

200 miles/15.4 gal =12.99 AVE MPG

200 miles/10.0 gal =20 AVE MPG

If you're really dorky you can also store all of these figures on an excel sheet to track the MPG of your car through its life

 

[vristang]

If you're really dorky you can also store all of these figures on an excel sheet to track the MPG of your car through its life

Who you calling a dork?!?!?!?


I have every mile of my 408w tracked in excel

This is a good way to keep track of miles to oil change, when oil needs to be added (for tracking consumption), and of course fuel economy.

I make notes of everything in that sheet, including tire pressure changes.

jason

 

[srothfuss]

My program highlights the cells between 2000-3000 miles in yellow so that I know it's getting close to oil change time.

I'm still planning on adding a couple columns for Tranny, rear end, etc so I can track overall maintaince with excel.

And yes, i was calling myself a dork.

 

[vristang]

My program highlights the cells between 2000-3000 miles in yellow so that I know it's getting close to oil change time.

I'm still planning on adding a couple columns for Tranny, rear end, etc so I can track overall maintaince with excel.

And yes, i was calling myself a dork.

Cool,
I thought I was all alone

I like the highlighted cells idea. I'll have to incorporate that



jason

 

[Boss 351]

I got 26/27 on the highway (2:73 gearing) driving like an old lady that doesn't have long enough legs to hit the throttle

 

[jtfairlane]

think if i painted it it would be better? that way my peeling clear coat wouldnt casue drag

You're joking, right?

Anyway....

My 5.0 has 126,000 miles on it, and after having replaced the spark plugs, plug wires, cap& rotor (all tune up stuff so far), ensuring the tires are inflated to max recommended pressure at least once a month (if you're not sure what yours is, it says what max psi is right on the tire sidewall), and having recently replaced the EGR valve and PCV valve, I get about 25mpg on the freeway, which is pretty damn good considering the factory advertised 23mpg freeway when new.

However, my street mpg is terrible, that has never changed.

 

[HISSIN50]

.........ensuring the tires are inflated to max recommended pressure at least once a month (if you're not sure what yours is, it says what max psi is right on the tire sidewall).............

That's a new one on me. I prefer to use what the car manufacturer recommends (on the door sticker, in the owners manual, etc).

 

[Black1987Stang]

Edit: to properly calculate your average MPG, record how many gallons your car takes to fill up and then record your trip mileage. You say 200 miles per tank, but is that 200 miles per tank using 15.4 gallons [the size of the tank] or is that using 10 gallons?

And for proof of why you need both numbers...

200 miles/15.4 gal =12.99 AVE MPG

200 miles/10.0 gal =20 AVE MPG

I dont like that way cuz its not 100% accurate unless u completely use every drop in the tank and no ones gonna be running that low on purpose...I like Filling the tank to the top, driving ur distance noting how many miles it was and then fill up the tank up to the top again and noting how many gallons it took to fill it back up...then with that figure u can figure out how far u can go on a 10 gal, 15 gal or w/e fuel tank...Much easier and safer way imo