Gas Mileage

[exBar]

So I drive a 2000 Ranger 4.0L V6 4x4 with just over 180k on it. Y'all know how many great things there are about the 4.0, but gas mileage is definitely not one of them! I'm averaging I'd say around 14.7-15 MPG, and the highest I've gotten is around 16.5. This is a bit problematic, since I drive for work. Just wondering if y'all have any suggestions for mods I can do to increase MPGs? Main things I've found that might help are replacing the intake (cold air intake?) and aftermarket exhaust. Thoughts?

Here's what I've done already that has or may have effected gas mileage (all within last 10,000 miles):
Replaced spark plugs and wires
Replaced fuel filter, pump and sending unit
Ran SeaFoam through the injectors (actually woke the truck up pretty good, I'd recommend doing this in higher mileage engine if you haven't already)
Replaced TPS

 

[MikeG]

I get a little better than that in a 2wd truck, but not much.

When gas hit $4 a gallon, I bought a Mazda 3, get 35-38mpg, truck sits in the driveway most of the time.

I drove enough at the time that the car payment, insurance, and fuel for the car, was less than just the fuel for the truck. So it saved me money to have two vehicles, not an option for everyone, but....

I'd like to hear how to improve the mileage on my truck as well, but kinda suspect with the fairly low compression of the OHV engine, not sure there's a huge amount that can be done. Anyway will be watching this.

 

[dvdswan]

^^^+1.

Sometimes is cheaper to have a second vehicle. Where I work you see 1Ts everywhere and they can't park. Usually story is I tow on weekends. Your not towing now... LOL Some folks just feel the need to compensate. LOL

Bite the bullet and get yourself a economy DD.

 

[09fx4guy]

That does not seem too far from the norm actually. Questions- What gears do you have in the truck (you can look at the axle code on the door tag)? Also, what tire make and size are you currently running? This can have an effect on gas mileage.

I usually average 14-15 around town and maybe 17-18 on the highway. When I was rolling on Goodyear Wrangler RT/S 255/70R16, I could get up to 20 on the highway if I really tried. I currently run General Grabber AT2 265/70R16.

I have also thought about getting a slightly older economy car to use as a DD. It would save on gas, and god forbid I got hit, I would be not as disheartened as if my Ranger was wrecked.

 

[RhodesCD]

So I drive a 2000 Ranger 4.0L V6 4x4 with just over 180k on it. Y'all know how many great things there are about the 4.0, but gas mileage is definitely not one of them! I'm averaging I'd say around 14.7-15 MPG, and the highest I've gotten is around 16.5. This is a bit problematic, since I drive for work. Just wondering if y'all have any suggestions for mods I can do to increase MPGs? Main things I've found that might help are replacing the intake (cold air intake?) and aftermarket exhaust. Thoughts?

Here's what I've done already that has or may have effected gas mileage (all within last 10,000 miles):
Replaced spark plugs and wires
Replaced fuel filter, pump and sending unit
Ran SeaFoam through the injectors (actually woke the truck up pretty good, I'd recommend doing this in higher mileage engine if you haven't already)
Replaced TPS

 

[RhodesCD]

A cold air induction system could help, test pipes where your CATs are, a change in tire size & possibly a little more air pressure in the front tires could all help. And oh yeah, non-ethanol fuel by itself helped about a mile a gallon for my 98 4.0 ohv ranger

 

[Dirtman]

That truck has a cold air intake on it from the factory. Replacing it will have no benefit, in most cases the exact opposite.

 

[8thTon]

That truck has a cold air intake on it from the factory. Replacing it will have no benefit, in most cases the exact opposite.

Yes, the CAI nonsense is out of hand. Every vehicle made in the last several decades had a cold air intake from the factory!

 

[RhodesCD]

Everyone has an opinion, so what I do is to ask the questions & then test & evaluate for myself.
Actual testing & results, are reality. But in this case, I would agree that it depends on the application of stock vs what your actually testing with.

Here's an interesting read
Performance CAI
Anyone who has gone fishing — or free-diving, for that matter — knows that water becomes denser the farther down you go, and the farther down you go, the colder it gets. The same holds true for air. Colder air is denser than hot air, and, in our examination of whether stock intakes are better or worse than aftermarket intakes, we need to look at the source of the air in this equation. A stock intake which draws hot air doesn’t promote combustion nearly as well as a cold air intake, and that’s why upgrading a CAI pays off with increased power.

Airaid Intake SystemThe best intake system brands
Over the years, K&N cold air intake systems have won over legions of drivers — and for a lot of good reasons. These are top-quality products from a company with a long history in the racing industry. They are also among our highest sellers.

Of course, they aren’t the only players in the game today. Airaid cold air intakes have their fans too, as does the individual product, the AEM Short Ram Intake. Check these out and you’ll see that they are designed with bigger bore piping and with minimal twists and turns. This gives the fresh cold air a straighter shot to your intake manifold.

Less resistance equals a greater flow of air, which is exactly what you get with these units. This is another reason why drivers experience gains in hp and torque.

 

[MikeG]

Look where the air actually comes from on the 4.0 OHV stock intake ... just sayin' ....

 

[gaz]

exBar,

Do you have an OHV 4.0 or a SOHC 4.0?

 

[RhodesCD]

exBar,

Do you have the OHV 4.0 or a SOHC 4.0?

I have the OHV 4/0

 

[8thTon]

Everyone has an opinion, so what I do is to ask the questions & then test & evaluate for myself.
Actual testing & results, are reality. But in this case, I would agree that it depends on the application of stock vs what your actually testing with.

Here's an interesting read
Performance CAI
Anyone who has gone fishing — or free-diving, for that matter — knows that water becomes denser the farther down you go, and the farther down you go, the colder it gets. The same holds true for air. Colder air is denser than hot air, and, in our examination of whether stock intakes are better or worse than aftermarket intakes, we need to look at the source of the air in this equation. A stock intake which draws hot air doesn’t promote combustion nearly as well as a cold air intake, and that’s why upgrading a CAI pays off with increased power.

Airaid Intake SystemThe best intake system brands
Over the years, K&N cold air intake systems have won over legions of drivers — and for a lot of good reasons. These are top-quality products from a company with a long history in the racing industry. They are also among our highest sellers.

Of course, they aren’t the only players in the game today. Airaid cold air intakes have their fans too, as does the individual product, the AEM Short Ram Intake. Check these out and you’ll see that they are designed with bigger bore piping and with minimal twists and turns. This gives the fresh cold air a straighter shot to your intake manifold.

Less resistance equals a greater flow of air, which is exactly what you get with these units. This is another reason why drivers experience gains in hp and torque.

This is classic marketing hype, starting off with "A stock intake which draws hot air doesn’t promote combustion nearly as well as a cold air intake", which is not false, but there are no stock intakes that draw hot air.

Then it changes topic to less restriction, which might be important if you've made mods to increase air flow but wasn't the issue here. Beyond that, many of the after market so-called cold air intakes are clearly open to the engine compartment, and are therefore hot air intakes. Surprisingly enough, the engineers who design these systems do actually understand air density and temperature, and hours of dyno time during development would reveal free power if it were that easy.

 

[exBar]

Thanks y'all! I'm gonna have to do more research on a CAI before I bother spending the money for one. I'll probably start with trying smaller tires, since I can just swap wheels with my dad's truck for test purposes. Anybody have any experience with changing exhaust? I really don't see how it could improve mpg, but I read somewhere that it can...

 

[Dirtman]

A stock intake which draws hot air doesn’t promote combustion nearly as well as a cold air intake

The stock intake draws air from outside of the engine compartment... hence why the stock intake IS a cold air intake.