how to get the best mpg?

[mmterrill]

ive got a 4x4 ranger with a 4.0L and 3.73 gears. im running 31 x10.50x15 tires with stock rims. im needing to get tires so just wanted to see if anyone would know what gain i would get going smaller or changing rim size. also has anyone used e3 spark plugs yet and did they get the 10 to 15 percent gain? is there a way to make it spark more? has anyone ever done a splash shield along the bottom of their truck to cut on wind resistance? i know i got better when i put my truck cap on so i figure it would be the same effect. thanks guys.

 

[RavoHimself]

keep tires inflated. ease into the throttle. get off the gas sooner and coast to a stop. make sure everything under the hood is clean and functional (air filter, plugs, plug wires, maf). my brother has a 97 4.0 with a stick and 31's and gets like 23 doing back roads at about 45-50mph. highway is probably 25-6

 

[AgPete139]

keep tires inflated. ease into the throttle. get off the gas sooner and coast to a stop. make sure everything under the hood is clean and functional (air filter, plugs, plug wires, maf). my brother has a 97 4.0 with a stick and 31's and gets like 23 doing back roads at about 45-50mph. highway is probably 25-6

Wow. I'd be impressed, if in fact that was actually true.

But, I guess it's possible, as I've never seen him drive and he coasts every chance he gets. Neither of my two 1997 4.0L's got that, stock or otherwise.

 

[mmterrill]

no mines 18.2 last i checked and thats mainly highway. im always trying to figure out ways to get more though.

 

[Hahnsb2]

31s are a little big for 3.73s with an auto, 235/75-15s or 30x9.50s would likely pick up a little mileage.

 

[bread4pres.]

Look into a system called browns gas. Some guys here at the shop are running it. A cheap way to gain 2 or 3 mpg.

 

[BlueChariot]

I'm a firm believe in "it's not what you drive, but how you drive".

Like Ravo said, upkeep of the machine is important to MPGs as well.

I've also read that coasting to a stop in gear will help as opposed to coasting to a stop in neutral.

 

[ES894x4]

stay away from e3 plugs like theyre the plague, if you manage to get a set of 6 that all work out of the box it wont be much longer till it all goes down hill. you could get a set of copper tops and side gap and index them if you really wanted to try and gain something with plugs but im not saying that will amount to anything either.

if you really want mpgs change your driving style or buy a 4cyl thats not under powered for the vehicle its in.

 

[RavoHimself]

Wow. I'd be impressed, if in fact that was actually true.

But, I guess it's possible, as I've never seen him drive and he coasts every chance he gets. Neither of my two 1997 4.0L's got that, stock or otherwise.

Well I've never seen him first hand like fill up and drive and measure bjt that's what he says. I'm gonna see what I get on the highway in like 2 weeks. I'm gonna drive up to my sisters house so it will be all highway. Ill be surprised if its not 23 or 24. At least. I'm only at like 2100 when my speedo says 70. So I should be good

 

[legoms013]

back when my truck was stock I got 19mpg all day long highway driving with 31's and 3.73's.

Just keep it maintained and drive like granma.

 

[--weezl--]

i hear a moped swap is good for some ridiculously high mileage numbers...

I'm a firm believe in "it's not what you drive, but how you drive".

Like Ravo said, upkeep of the machine is important to MPGs as well.

I've also read that coasting to a stop in gear will help as opposed to coasting to a stop in neutral.

that doesn't logically make sense... in gear, the engine will be slowing the vehicle down (similar to downshifting) and will be turning faster, thus using more gas... UNLESS you are in an auto, and the speed you are at is below idle speed in what ever gear you are at, and the speed is decreasing still, and slowing the idle, almost stalling it, but the idle is pushing the vehicle forward, as to slow the rate of speed loss, but a) this is virtually impossible, as gear selection in the transmission is partially relative to the speed the vehicle is going, ie, it will go from 4th to 3rd, before the motor reaches idle speed

you will coast farther in neutral than you will in drive (not counting the fact that an auto idling in drive will never fully stop, unless on an incline or on the brakes)

your best bet would be to just drive like a granny... if you have a manual, then coast in neutral, rather than downshifting, i would NOT recommend that in an auto, as it wears the trans out being shifted constantly...

additionally, use your brakes as little as possible, every mph you lose by using your brakes is a mph you had to gain with the gas pedal at some point... if you can coast to a stop at redlights, using minimal brake pedal, then you will have used less gas to get to/maintain that speed over distance, AND you will have to replace your brakes less often... win/win situation, but it WILL take more time to travel the same distance...

 

[Hahnsb2]

that doesn't logically make sense... in gear, the engine will be slowing the vehicle down (similar to downshifting) and will be turning faster, thus using more gas... UNLESS you are in an auto, and the speed you are at is below idle speed in what ever gear you are at, and the speed is decreasing still, and slowing the idle, almost stalling it, but the idle is pushing the vehicle forward, as to slow the rate of speed loss, but a) this is virtually impossible, as gear selection in the transmission is partially relative to the speed the vehicle is going, ie, it will go from 4th to 3rd, before the motor reaches idle speed

Sorry, this is wrong. Fuel injected vehicles with manual transmissions have what's called "overrun fuel cut", the injectors are shut off when coasting in gear, using zero fuel. I do not believe you can cut the fuel supply while coasting with an automatic transmission though, but auto trannys are like dark voodoo magic for me.

 

[--weezl--]

i'm in the same boat for auto trannies...

i would imagine that cutting out the fuel on coasting in gear would cause an extremely lean condition, causing issues with the o2's....

 

[mmterrill]

yeah i drive like a granny and get 18.2 which is better than what i was getting without my truck cap on. anyone else had issues with E3 spark plugs?

 

[Hahnsb2]

i'm in the same boat for auto trannies...

i would imagine that cutting out the fuel on coasting in gear would cause an extremely lean condition, causing issues with the o2's....

Yes, extremely lean as in zero fuel in the exhaust. It doesn't cause any issues because the computer knows it's in overrun.