Foot on the floor to keep up @ 55 MPH, poor mileage

[Shran]

Looks like you run lifts, I haven't gotten that far into the project yet but if I'm at 20 now I'll get better mileage in my F250... Not surprised about the heavy engines or Ford under-gearing the 2wds. What do you make of the stock mileage chart on this site? 80s trucks at 35 MPG on carbs?

None of my 4 cylinder trucks have been modified. I have gotten better mileage out of 2.9's and 4.0's... it is all about the power to weight ratio. I like the 2.3's because they are incredibly durable and there is a lot of room in the engine bay to work on them.

The mileage charts you are looking at are nowhere near accurate. I have a magazine page from the early 80's that claims that full size trucks were getting 30+ IIRC. It's just an impossible number to reach.

FWIW I did get 26mpg on one tank of 85 octane in my Explorer between CO Springs and Cheyenne, WY one time and I hit 26 several times in my '86 Ranger before I V8 swapped it. The conditions had to be just right in order for those things to happen.

 

[ExploreNW]

Thanks again for all the help! I've put another couple weeks and about 1,500 miles on it. I drive a ton for work as well. I gave the truck a new fuel filter and combined with much of the other work I've done, it no longer needs to be floored to keep up in traffic. It has decent throttle response on flat, level ground, even when loaded with the 3.73 open diff (might have to get a locker...). It'll keep up at 75 all day long and still get 22.5mpg! This thing just wasn't made for all these f*** hills out here

When I bought it, it came with some junk Chinese 235-75-15 mud tires in the bed. They're some sort of winter studded tires with no siping and big knobs like a summer mud tire. The tires are trash but they are on 2 good Ford mags and 2 junk spray-painted steelies. The tires actually on the truck are undersized 205-70-14s on good 14" Ford mags. Given that 225-75-14s are rare/expensive out here, I think with 2 more 15s and some 225-75-15s I'll probably get an MPG or two more?