First Long Run - Gas Mileage Check

[Nor'East Coaster]

Took our recently acquired '91 Ranger SuperCab, 3.0L, 5 spd., for it's first real run this weekend. 500 km. round trip, TransCanada Highway, home to Eastport and return. Filled it and reset the odometer before leaving, and on arrival in Eastport. Topped up again back in Kelligrews. Terrain is hilly, lots of up and down in both directions. Truck had a light load in the box both ways, 2 people and a small dog in the cab, FG hi-rise cap.

Going out, we ran it in fourth gear, about 2,900-3,200 rpm, 90-100 km/hr. Truck felt good, not overrevved and lots of power. Almost like driving an automatic - you could just about do the run without changing gears! Here's the gas comsumption:
247 kms. 30.3L 12.2L/100 kms. 19.3 mpg (u.s.) 23.1 mpg (imp)

Coming back today, we drove as we normally do, using 5th whenever possible to keep the rpm down without lugging the motor. 2,200-2,400 rpm, 90 -100 km/hr., downshift to 4th for the hills - truck felt fine, with less power on tap but not feeling under-revved. Had to pay attention to gears and rpm, but hey, that's one of the things we like about 5 spds....here's the results:
237 kms. 24.4L 10.3L/100 kms. 22.8 mpg (u.s.) 27.4 mpg (imp)

That's close to 20% better, which translates to about $10.00 per round-trip less fuel at our gas prices ($1.16 per liter). (For comparison, the '95 2.4L, 5 spd. 4Runner the Ranger replaces did the same trip at about 9.5 L/100 km; our '97 1.6L Sidekick 5 spd. uses about 8.5L/100 km; the '99 Saturn SW1 1.9L auto about 7.5L/100 km.)

I'm reasonably pleased with today's mileage, and really pleased with the truck overall; it felt nice and tight, no rattles or clunks, very solid and strong and reliable. Still can't believe it's a '91 - an Alberta truck, hence NO RUST, drives better than a whole lot of 2000+ rigs I've been in.

Next thing is to clean it well (salt in the runoff from melting snowplow banks), then get an anti-rust oil treatment done later the week. After that, replace the air and gas filters, finish the fluids - rad, transmission, rear end, brake fluid - and we should be good to go. Looks like we got a keeper...

 

[JTO]

Close to the mileage on my '04, the key to the 3.0's is to keep the rpms low. I have a scangauge and 5th gear in any situation uses less fuel than higher rpms.

 

[fourwheelford]

The downside is that all of the power is in the higher RPMS.

 

[Nor'East Coaster]

Power??? We have a 1.6L Zook and a Saturn SW1, and just parted with the fourth 4 cyl., 5 spd. 4Runner. The Ranger feels like something hot off the track - even at low rpm, the 3.0L can eat all three of 'em for lunch...