2.9 fuel mileage

[kmansf250]

My son's 88 Ranger is getting 15-17 mpg. Used to be mine, bought it new in 88. Has 353,000 miles on it. I usually got 20-21 mpg when I drove it. Gets regular maintenance. Have never changed any of the sensors other than the O2. Fuel pressure regulator was changed about 60k ago. Heads replaced due to cracking about 30k ago. No codes. Still runs good, a little tired but to be expected. Fires right up. Smells like it's running rich though. Where do I start to look? Thnx for any replies.

88 Ranger XLT 4X4, 2.9, 5spd. Stock.

 

[IMenriched]

well.... it seems to have different/more lead in the right foot of the driver.

all kidding a side...that many miles without ever changing sensors and stuff, its pretty hard to say. Start with basic stuff...Has it had the plugs & wires changed? cap and rotor?? fuel filter.... air filter?? see if it improves

 

[gbadgley]

Why don't you take for a few days and see what kind of milage YOU get, it could very well be his style of driving. Greg

 

[kmansf250]

IMenriched- As I stated it gets regular maintenance which includes those items you mentioned. The driving it for a tank or two myself isn't a bad idea. I did have him baby it for a tank and he got 17 mpg. I've already considered all the obvious things. Light foot, different brands of gas, checked the air filter, etc.. Like I said it does smell like it's running rich and the tail pipe is pretty black which seems to confirm that. So I would be curious as to which sensors input to help control the air fuel mixture other than the O2.

 

[Jspafford]

IMenriched- As I stated it gets regular maintenance which includes those items you mentioned. The driving it for a tank or two myself isn't a bad idea. I did have him baby it for a tank and he got 17 mpg. I've already considered all the obvious things. Light foot, different brands of gas, checked the air filter, etc.. Like I said it does smell like it's running rich and the tail pipe is pretty black which seems to confirm that. So I would be curious as to which sensors input to help control the air fuel mixture other than the O2.

Most if not all sensors will have effect on the fuel mixture.

I had a Coolant Temp Sensor go bad in my 1989 B2 and it wouldn't restart once it was run until after it sat a while.

Seems the sensor was telling the computer if was extremely cold and flooding out the motor while I was driving. It idled funny too.

My first step would be pulling the codes.

 

[Hahnsb2]

Does he drive a different route/distance than you? My dad got 28MPG in his 2.3 ranger but he drove it all freeway 32 miles each way. I got it for my first car for a few months, I averaged 23 MPG since I drove only 12 miles each way with no freeway even when I was easy on it. The less distance you drive the less the engine gets warmed up and the milage is worse, that's why I get 15MPG, since 95% of all my trips are 10 miles or less.

 

[WildSide]

There are always a few things to check first on a 2.9
First check for codes
Check fuel pressure/ FPR condition
Read the plugs
Ensure proper electrical grounds
And of course no vacuum or exhaust leaks, proper coolant level/temp.

 

[kmansf250]

As stated no codes. When I drove it, it was about 75% highway, 25% city. He drives about 60/40. My typical round trip to work was about 60 miles. His is 40. If the air temp sensor was bad would it set a code? The only code I've ever pulled was for a bad O2 sensor. My mileage was always consistent. It would drop down to 19-20 when they started using methanol in the gas during the winter, go back up to 20-21 when they stopped.

 

[mhughes165]

my bets would be driver style, and shift points. shifting a 2.9 in anywhere other then ideal spots will be a cause for less then ideal gas mileage.

that being said, with that many miles.....it could just be tired and hes slightly more spirited driving uses more gas.

i know im still on the young side, and even when i try to baby something i still always find myself given it a bit more gas then i should alot.

a o2 sensor would trip a code, the tps sensor would trip a code, pretty much any sensor would trip a code