Stick shift 3.0 eating fuel

[Nightbiker07]

I have a stick shift ranger 3.0, it is eating fuel.
15 MPG or less. Used to get about 25 plus depending on driving habits and city/highway.

Stock tire size, no check engine light. Runs Great. Engine is tight, no ticks knocks or anything.
Stock exhaust.

Truck drives straight as an arrow, no abnormal tire wear.

Absolutely no idea where to start looking for the problem.

 

[MikeG]

Fuel pressure regulator would be my first guess, if you've done normal tune-up stuff.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Somebody stealing your fuel?

10 mpg is a big hit... you live in a cold climate?

 

[Rearanger]

Absolutely no idea where to start looking for the problem.

If you have access to scanner check fuel trims, but if no, start, idle or run issues then doubt you'll find it there.

Theft as Uncle Gump says, or fuel system leak. I don't think you have a vacuum fuel pressure regulator but you should have a fuel pulse dampener on the fuel rail. I would think if that was leaking you'd smell fuel.

 

[RonD]

You are either leaking fuel or burning it

Pull a few spark plugs and look at the tips, if they are dark brown or blackish then you are burning it

O2 sensors need to be replaced every 150k miles or 12 years, period, they run out of chemicals

 

[Nightbiker07]

Definitely not leaking.

Fuel rail is a dampener, not a regulator. I am very familiar with return vs returnless fuel systems.

I own a Genisys Evo scanner, used for daily wrenching, no I'm not your average moron

I switched to copper plugs years ago because it cures the spark knock that the 3.0 is famous for. Only drawback is that you have to change them every 20,000 mi, so I'm pretty on top of what the plugs look like.

Just ordered new plugs, which the coppers are getting harder to find that fit the 3.0. 2 different plugs are discontinued that I used to use, won't be long and nothing will be available.
They are about halfway through their life cycle, so changing them won't be a complete waste.


Yes, I live in a cold winter climate, but this extended into the warm season as well.

I ran out of ideas, so here I am

 

[Rearanger]

no I'm not your average moron

Then you don't need help from us, "average morons" working for free. Good luck.

 

[RonD]

Check the damper vacuum hose for gasoline, that hose is there in case damper leaks, so fuel is sucked into engine instead of dripping on engine or exhaust

 

[stmitch]

Brake dragging?

 

[Blindmullet]

How many miles since a cam synchronizer swap?

 

[Dirtman]

Ever notice how many "my fuel mileage sucks" threads pop up during the winter.

 

[MikeG]

Yeah. Run two or three tanks of no-ethanol gas through it (if it can be found in the area) and see what happens.

 

[Dirtman]

Marinas always have non-ethanol gas. Boats is no likes ethanol...

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Boats go vroom?

 

[Nightbiker07]

Then you don't need help from us, "average morons" working for free. Good luck.

I probably could have worded that better, what I mean is that I've seen people do some really dumb stuff, and then come onto a forum asking really dumb questions that are painfully obvious.

Check the damper vacuum hose for gasoline, that hose is there in case damper leaks, so fuel is sucked into engine instead of dripping on engine or exhaust

That is a very real possibility I haven't considered.

Brake dragging?

I briefly did over the summer, bad parking brake cable. I replaced both cables and all the hardware, and did the fronts shortly after.
New parts are junk half the time, so I jacked up each corner, everything spins freely.

How many miles since a cam synchronizer swap?

Have never replaced it, but I do keep an eye on it, as they are known to seize and then your oil pump stops. I have a few spare known good sensors I could swap out to test.

Ever notice how many "my fuel mileage sucks" threads pop up during the winter.

This problem has persisted since July, it's not weather related.

Yeah. Run two or three tanks of no-ethanol gas through it (if it can be found in the area) and see what happens.

There are several stations that sell ethanol free rec fuel around here. It's all I run in my yard equipment. Everything starts so much better since switching.

I'll fun a few tanks through the truck and see what happens.