11.5 Mpg

[92super4x4]

I recently bought a 92 ranger 4.0 auto with 3.73 gears and it has been getting bad gas mileage for the last three tanks 11.5-12 MPG average. I drive almost all city miles, but I know my mileage should be somewhat better and I wanted to find out what I should check that might be causing the bad gas mileage. I have changed the fuel filter, air filter, oil and differential oils just as maitenance and have checked tha fuel pressure regulator. Also the tach seems to stay pegged at 3k as soon as its started and only moves slightly through acceleration, not sure what is causing this? Any ideas would be great, thanks!

 

[Twizzler09]

In town thats about all your gonna get.

I have a '96 4.0 with 3.08's and I get an average of around 12-13mpg city and 18-19mpg on short-ish highway trips. Long highway trips (130 miles one way or more) I get incredibly high numbers.... last time I was on a good road trip I got 27.5mpg out of it.

 

[almostclueless]

Also the tach seems to stay pegged at 3k as soon as its started and only moves slightly through acceleration, not sure what is causing this?

Are you saying the engine revs at 3K from the moment you turn the key and never really lets down until you turn the key off?

 

[92super4x4]

no the engine is at normal idle the tach will say 3k as soon as the key is turned and move only slightly through acceleration, little more when you get on the gas.

 

[almostclueless]

Hmmmm......the tach itself could be bad, but since you say it's getting horrible gas mileage I wonder if the ignition has problems.


We're working from your description so....does the transmission shift normally? Does the exhaust sound like the engine RPM is going up and down as you drive in a normal manner?

 

[92super4x4]

the rpm's sound fine as it drives , but the transmission has been going for a while, but its not terrible to drive just bad when you try to tow anything or on a very steep hill it might feel like it slips. The tach just seems to go to about 3k when started and will slightly when you really accelerate, it could just be bad though!

 

[Dar70]

The current ford rangers with 4x4 and 4.0 get arond 14-15 mpg city driving. So you really arent off by that much. Especially since its an older vehicle. Are you driving the speed limit?

 

[92super4x4]

I drive the speed limit and take off easy on the gas and try to anticipate the signals so that I am not constantly on the brake and back on the gas. I really baby it and thats why I think something else might be causing this kind of mileage.

 

[Twizzler09]

I dont baby mine in town by any means, but I dont really romp on it, either. The older 4.0's just aren't nice to the gas tank. Yours being 4 years older than mine, its no wonder its not performing in tip-top shape as far as mileage goes. Your also running the Automatic transmission, which means you inherently lose a mile or two a gallon anyway.

The long and short of it is, the older 4.0L OHV motors inherently don't get good gas mileage. To quote someone on TRS (cant remember who, but I like the quote, lol )

"If you were worried about gas mileage you shouldn't have bought something with the aerodynamic properties of a Barn."

 

[Dar70]

^^^^^Especially if that barn has a 4x4 and large engine.

I know its hard to swallow 92super but even todays Ranger 4x4's with the V6 suck on gas. (as do any truck with 4x4 capabilities)

Your truck is 16 years old the EPA rating for gas mileage on your truck was 16 city and 20 highway with a combined 17. Of course they now have a new standard for doing the EPA ratings (running the vehicle with air conditioning etc. etc) Your vehicle with the new epa rating is 14 and 18 with a combined 16.http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorCompareSideBySide.jsp?column=1&id=9226

(todays 2008 4x4 with the 4.0 only gets 1 mile more per gallon)

So you are only a couple miles off the average for your vehicles EPA. Maybe the missing 2 miles can be attributed to the vehicles age or you could be off on your calculations. Its probably were its supposed to be.

 

[92super4x4]

alright, thanks for the info! I willl check on a few things, but if I don't find anything wrong I still love my truck and I will just deal with the mileage!