4.0 Gas Tips

[04blackbeauty]

I currently have an 04 Ranger with the 4.0, the list of things I am putting on my truck as soon as I get redeployed is at the bottom. I was wondering if there is anything else that can be added to save some gas? Any suggestions would be great.

 

[MAKG]

The best thing to add to save fuel is critical thinking skills.

Virtually all "fuel savers" are scams. Virtually all claims of increased fuel economy do not deliver.

 

[Ranger44]

Those TB spacers and cold air intakes listed below are also scams.

The spacers don't work on an SFI engine, and have only showed quicker throttle response on TBI engines.

Those K&N cold air kits will only draw warmer air from the engine compartment, and those big filters will only do better at 10,000rpm. The stock intake does a pretty good job at getting more than enough cold air for your engine. Bigger restrictions lie in your engine.

MAKG is right about any fuel savers, they are scams.

The best way to increase economy is changing driving habbits.....or buy a 4cyl.

 

[04blackbeauty]

Thanks for the input but would have to disagree with you, I put the exhaust, throttle body spacer, and cold air intake on my wife’s truck and went from 13.5mpg to 18.0mpg. Granted it is a 4.6V8 and comparing the two is like apples and oranges, but helping an engine breathe better should give it some better mpg out of it I would think. I went a little far by putting the chip and mass air flow sensor in but I figured every little bit would help. The true test will be when I get back, right now when I was home on R&R I was getting about 18mpg out of it, but like I said the true test will be when I put everything on and see. Thanks again for your input.

 

[MAKG]

I call a situation such as this an "accidental repair." You had to replace several parts -- such as quite likely a very dirty air filter -- in order to do the installation. You're barely getting better than EPA (which isn't at all difficult with a stock vehicle).

I can get 35-40 MPG on the highway with a bone stock 1995 Geo Prizm with 280,000 miles on an original engine. EPA estimates 31 MPG for my model. No magic; just good maintenance (and not TOO much speed -- though I get that 35 MPG at 75 MPH in the interstate).

Helping the engine breathe better does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for economy, unless it's thoroughly choked (i.e., broken). It allows the engine to spin faster.

 

[04blackbeauty]

Well finaly back and installed evrything on my ranger and getting ablout
22mpg out of it, going to try and not play so rough on the next couple of tanks and see how it does. As far as you accidental fix there was no accident the filter was only about a month old in my wifes truck so GFY

 

[Big Jim M]

Ok blackbeauty I'll bite.. Please splain to the rest of us novices just what it is that allows better fuel mileage?
Since you have a computer in both of those engines the computer is adding gasoline for ever bit of air that is coming in the intake.. and the spark is BURNING every bit of fuel/air mix.. Now that is about all I know at this time.. Can you please elaborate for me what it is that is happening to both your vehicles that makes better mileage?
I'm always trying to learn things and you have a chance here to teach an old guy.
Big JIm

 

[07rangersport]

And for the $1000-1500 spent on those mods, he could have had a geo that gets 50mpg!! Money well spent if you ask me. You want mpgs..... buy a hybrid my 4.0 needs your gas

 

[pillen140]

tb spacers only work on tbi engines, like he said! they are supposed to give the a/f longer to mix, on a non-tbi engine, it will just make air travel longer distance.

 

[Big Jim M]

Hey Pillen...

tb spacers only work on tbi engines, like he said! they are supposed to give the a/f longer to mix, on a non-tbi engine, it will just make air travel longer distance.

WRONG! Spacers are for carbed engines.. They serve a purpose there. Spacers lengthen the travel and allow a certain velocity to cause better FILLING of the cylinder at a KNOWN rpm. Just putting a spacer on a carbed engine will most likely do the opposite of what the installer THINKS might happen..
On a fuelie such as most of us drive a spacer CANNOT do anything! Cept maybe making the throttle cable too short to work properly. Now if the spacer was perhaps 5 or 6 inches thick there might be better chamber filling at maybe 7 grand or so.. BUT the computer will find the larger amount of air passing and in turn will add MORE gasoline...there goes your ecomony!
Trust some of the guys here that have been around a while and KNOW where and why things such as spacers have been used..
Think about it like this.. If another 1 inch would help economy MOPAR would have put it in there for prolly a buck a car.. WHY didn't their engineers put it in there? Cause it don't HELP anything!
Big Jim

 

[Stardust]

Yep, no free lunch.