Need to maximize gas mileage

A

Andre G

New Member

Apr 24, 2004

107

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Oct 5, 2005

#1

• Oct 5, 2005

• #1

I have an 02 GT with 80k city wise im only getting 173-180 miles a tanks whats with this It shouldnt be this low...I drive in 5th all the time what should i check on the car or change cause I think there is something up... fuel filter??...what else thanks

 

sgarlic

Founding Member

Apr 21, 2001

3,085

1

56

Oct 5, 2005

#2

• Oct 5, 2005

• #2

Regular maintenance items, i.e. correct tire pressure, decent shape air filter, fuel filter as you said, spark plugs correctly gapped, etc.

Just to let you know, my nearly brand new and (with the exception of exhaust)unmodded '04 gets barely 200 city driving.

Do you drive with the a/c on? What RPM do you shift at?

 

DBMSTNG

I fantasize about it being BIG!

Founding Member

Apr 23, 2002

2,120

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56

not quite here

Oct 5, 2005

#3

• Oct 5, 2005

• #3

do you downshift? when your car is in gear above 1500rpm and you let off the gas, the engine does not use any gas until you hit the pedal again.

 

40th GT

New Member

Apr 7, 2004

916

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Lawrenceville, GA

Oct 5, 2005

#4

• Oct 5, 2005

• #4

It's not always good to leave it in high gear. You want to lighten the load for the engine by giving it minimal throttle. i.e., it's better to leave it in 4th at 2500 rpm than to bog it in 5th at 1300.

Synthetic fluids would help too.

My car gets 19.5 mpg around town with my spirited driving style, and I'm lovin it.

 

ponysarepretty

New Member

Jul 25, 2005

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Oct 5, 2005

#5

• Oct 5, 2005

• #5

Seafoam it

Don't lug the engine

 

DropTopPony

Noob Slayer

Founding Member

Aug 13, 2002

2,570

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south jersey

Oct 5, 2005

#6

• Oct 5, 2005

• #6

damn i still get 300 miles a tank, don't get into the gas so much lead foot

 

ponysarepretty

New Member

Jul 25, 2005

578

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Oct 5, 2005

#7

• Oct 5, 2005

• #7

300 on how many gallons?

Some factors to consider:
1. Time of day you pump gas, morning, you will have more gas than midday.
2. Ambient Temp.
3. Brand of Gas.
4. Amount of carbon build up.
5. How hardto accelerate, brake etc.
6. Most importantly, how long you drive for, if your drivin 10 minutes every trip, you won't get great mileage pure and simmple.

 

DropTopPony

Noob Slayer

Founding Member

Aug 13, 2002

2,570

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48

south jersey

Oct 5, 2005

#8

• Oct 5, 2005

• #8

ponysarepretty said:

300 on how many gallons?

Some factors to consider:
1. Time of day you pump gas, morning, you will have more gas than midday.
2. Ambient Temp.
3. Brand of Gas.
4. Amount of carbon build up.
5. How hardto accelerate, brake etc.
6. Most importantly, how long you drive for, if your drivin 10 minutes every trip, you won't get great mileage pure and simmple.

Click to expand...

whats our tanks hold 15.7
I only really drive on highways for long cruises with it.
last trip to Florida with it I got 24-26mpg
and i always fill up in the morning..didn't know it made a difference?

 

F

ForPointSex

Founding Member

Mar 19, 2002

395

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16

Mercer, NJ

Oct 5, 2005

#9

• Oct 5, 2005

• #9

I just filled up today with 93 octane. 250 miles in 12.7 gallons =19.6 MPG. This is all city driving. I get about 1 MPG less with 87 octane.

 

J

Jetblack

New Member

Sep 24, 2004

22

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Oct 5, 2005

#10

• Oct 5, 2005

• #10

Ambient tempp has nothing to do with it. Unless your getting gas in 1960 the pump you use compensates for anything that could distort the volume(temp, pressure, etc...). Sorry, my grandad was a petroleum engineer for phillips 66. I too get about 285 miles to my 15 gallon tank. Do you guys know how to shift at 2k...It works wonders.

 

Dark Knight GT

I can't get it up......ok that didn't sound right.

May 26, 2003

3,653

2

56

Ozark, Missouri

Oct 5, 2005

#11

• Oct 5, 2005

• #11

I don't see how everyone is getting better gas mileage using a higher octane than 87. I used to use 93, and I got crappy gas mileage.

I agree with what has been said above. Clean air filter, clean fuel system, clean fuel filter, good and rightly gapped plugs, good tire pressure, good gasoline and good driving habits is about the best you can do.

You can try using a fuel treatment, like I do. I use Amsoil PI fuel treatment. It seems to allow me to get more consistent gas mileage.

 

I

Ice782

New Member

Jun 24, 2003

34

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Crofton, MD

Oct 5, 2005

#12

• Oct 5, 2005

• #12

Do you compensate for the gas you have left in your tank? For example, you don't fill up when your tank is bone dry right? I noticed (by using that trick with the digital o-meter to tell the amount of fuel) that I was filling up when I still had around a gallon or so left (20 +/- miles left). The car can run for awhile on a low fuel light, although I wouldn't recommend it. 180 seems pretty low...I normally get that with around $25 @ 2.85 (9 gal) per gallon with city driving.

I also agree with everything that has been said. I did notice a slight increase in MPG with my intake, pulleys and exhaust installed. Do you have cruise control? Sometimes that helps keep your speed consistant and your mpg up on the highway atleast, but around me, highway is almost all that I have.

 

ScottyG00GT

Member

May 10, 2003

141

2

19

South-Central PA

Oct 6, 2005

#13

• Oct 6, 2005

• #13

I significantly increased my highway commute gas mileage (from 260 to 325+ miles per tank) by driving more smoothly and obeying the 65 mph speed limit (I admit I still find it very, very hard to drive 55). I realize that this is probably more practical for me than for many folks, because I am always driving in traffic, where if you speed up to 80 on a regular basis (like I used to) you are forced to slow down again anyway at some point.

Also, try the following:

1) If you run the A/C, Run it on Max (recirculates rather than takes in outside air; just don't asphyxiate yourself on your own carbon dioxide by doing this for three hours straight)

2) Above 50 mph, don't open the windows, instead run the A/C on max

3) Don't tailgate on the highway and try not to brake unless you have to

4) Don't bother with 18" or deep-dish rims (I can't speak from experience, but I heard that these may reduce your mileage and your performance)

5) My stock intake setup gets better mileage than my K&N FIPK did - not sure why

 

tomustang

Psychotic Member

Founding Member

Jun 8, 2000

3,434

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78

McLean Hospital

Oct 6, 2005

#14

• Oct 6, 2005

• #14

go buy a civic and stop whining

 

Gearbanger 101

Straight Outta Locash

20+ Year Stangneter

Aug 10, 2002

9,457

1,377

234

Ontario, Canada

Oct 6, 2005

#15

• Oct 6, 2005

• #15

Keep your foot out of the oilpan. You'd be surprised how much gas mileage will improve with just a little restraint.

 

0

02mingreyconv

New Member

Sep 27, 2003

127

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Bartlett, IL

Oct 6, 2005

#16

• Oct 6, 2005

• #16

ScottyG00GT said:

4) Don't bother with 18" or deep-dish rims (I can't speak from experience, but I heard that these may reduce your mileage and your performance)

why

Click to expand...

Im running DD bullits with a 9 psi kb kit. I get about 17 mpg city driving and 19 mpg highway. I can't tell you what the diff from the DD bullits are but the extra rotational mass will chug up some for sure.

 

Modular2v

Founding Member

Jun 30, 2002

3,222

23

99

oklahoma

Oct 6, 2005

#17

• Oct 6, 2005

• #17

i get around 260 a tank and thats with 4.10s

 

StangPro

New Member

Sep 30, 2004

441

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Roseville, MI

Oct 6, 2005

#18

• Oct 6, 2005

• #18

I drive our Bullitt 100 miles a day roughly and get over 25mpg. That's at 80mph with the windows down, mods listed on StangPro