Gass mileage drop

[fordwheelinman]

I always try to keep track of my fuel mileage, and recently within the last 2 fillups i have dropped from 19.75 to 17.6. I have also not been using an mid grade gas like i was previously, and the temperature has dropped considerably requiring the usage of the defroster in the mornings to clear the exterior ice and interior fog. Has anyone else seen such drastic drops on their 4.0's when having to use the defroster? Im thinking i really need to put a fuel fiter on it and run some injector cleaner through it since i have no idea when the last time neither of those two things were done. The main thing is, has my lack of using higher grade fuel, coupled with the increased usage of the defroster really killed my mileage that much, or am i looking at something different?

 

[dogboy]

If you let the truck idle for very long at all in the morning, it will suck your milage WAY down. Letting the truck idle for 3-5 minutes, I think, would easily cause that drop in milage. That and the fuel quality decreases during the winter, which cuases milage to do the same.

 

[fordwheelinman]

i only let it idle warm up maybe once a week when i take the trash to the end of the driveway, then let the dog back in the house. I thought this was it, but i dont do it that much. This is is throwing me for a loop, my old truck picks up mileage in the winter, so this one dropping has me puzzled.

 

[snake]

Mine drops usually 1 mpg in the winter, and it is mild around here, rarely gets below freezing. I attribute it to being more windy, fuel formulation, and the engine taking longer to warm up, so it stays in "open loop" longer. All that may be BS, but I notice the drop. I just took a 300 mile trip on the two lane (speed limit 70 tho) and had to pass several times. I got to 85 three times and 90 once passing, but otherwise had the cruise set on 70 or 71. I got 22 MPG. This is about the norm, I usually get 21 in town (but I live in the sticks- it isn't stop -n- go all the time). I didn't use the A/C once...

Edit- Also, all the lubricants in the rear end/s, transmission, engine, etc are cold in the morning and the truck is harder to move. Tires lose air in the winter too so check them and make sure you aren't running 5 or more pounds low.

 

[kkjb4x4.0]

I usually get lower MPG's in the winter. Not sure about your area but here they add up to 10% ethanol in the winter months .From what I hear ethanol does not go as far as gas. Colder fluids can't help either. Also , not sure if this pertains to your particular truck ,but running the defrost cycles your A\C compressor, which in my experience puts allot of strain on the engine. I don't use the air so I disconnected the plug at the compressor. I ;n not suggesting you do this but this is what I've done.

 

[superdave1984]

Perhaps the station where you buy gas is using a good bit of ethanol in there.

 

[Daniel_187]

am in the same boat as you I was getting almost 20 mpg's not its like 17.5 I got to change the fuel filter to so I will keep you posted.

 

[cocoasranger]

Premium gas is not required and does not give better mileage or power than regular gas (on a Ranger). The 87 octane gas actually burns faster and has more total energy than high test. The reason for higher octane is to prevent detonation when used in higher compression engines, which get their increased power from the higher compression, not the higher octane.

You might even find that switching back to regular raises your mileage back up to some degree.

 

[Kona]

Premium gas is not required and does not give better mileage or power than regular gas (on a Ranger). The 87 octane gas actually burns faster and has more total energy than high test. The reason for higher octane is to prevent detonation when used in higher compression engines, which get their increased power from the higher compression, not the higher octane.

You might even find that switching back to regular raises your mileage back up to some degree.

sad but true