Has anyone been able to get 25 mpg's out of a 2.9l ranger?

[logicgear]

I average 19 mpg on a 50/50 highway/city daily comute. When my girl and I go to Oregon (From Tacoma wa.) with only two stoped on the way i have maxed out at 27 mpg. 2.9L with Automatic Trans

 

[old409]

I used to drive my 89 Ranger, 2.9 , 5 speed manual from Pennsylvania to Delaware. I got 24 mpg going to Delaware and 17 coming back to Pennsylvania. Turns out, I was filling up with gas in Pennsylvania that had no Ethanol and then filling up in Delaware with gas that had Ethanol.

Now everything near me has ethanol and my mpg went south along with some of the power. My wife has a 1992 Old 88 and it runs rough and her gas mileage is terrible. Ethanol is a joke. there have been numerous problems where ethanol has loosened the gum from the previous gas and messed up injectors, fuel pumps, filters, etc. It has really messed up some outboard motors around here. Ethanol is a tree huggers wet dream. It takes approx 4 gal. of fuel to produce 1 gal. of ethanol and then to top it off, Ethanol gives lousy gas mileage. In reality, Ethanol is creating more pollution.

 

[Duane867]

downhill with a tailwind

Being pushed by another car with the truck in neutral and drafting a semi trailer.


Pop a dollar store bottle of octane boost in your tank every other full tank or so and you'll solve the ethanol problem. Only problem then will be concentrated octane boost on to regular a basis could harm the valve train and pistons :-( In lue of I think I would just spring for shell V-power.

 

[fastpakr]

Being pushed by another car with the truck in neutral and drafting a semi trailer.


Pop a dollar store bottle of octane boost in your tank every other full tank or so and you'll solve the ethanol problem. Only problem then will be concentrated octane boost on to regular a basis could harm the valve train and pistons :-( In lue of I think I would just spring for shell V-power.

Um... exactly how will it harm the valve train and pistons?

Not that I"m recommending it as you have no use for it whatsoever. Pure snake oil waste of money.

 

[pontiacfieroguy]

i get 26-28 on trips where its mostly interstate. i average about 23 when its city and interstate mixed. i drive easy, shift between 2500-3000rpm and dont get her above 75 too often. on a side note i didnt see too much differnce wether i use valvoline vr60 racing oil or 10w30 syn blend.

 

[Spitfire1975]

my 86 ranger 2wd with 3.45's gives me 25-26 freeway and about 19 city.

 

[azhrei]

87 ranger 27 mpg

went to florida in mine in april 09 and coming back got 27 at one point, lowest was 21.

 

[2ndgen]

wish i was getting that good

wow im still trying to get mine to get better then 11 MPG doing freeway driving, im jelouse.

 

[Frank The Tank]

i get 26-28 on trips where its mostly interstate. i average about 23 when its city and interstate mixed. i drive easy, shift between 2500-3000rpm and dont get her above 75 too often. QUOTE]

Your shifting crazy high to be getting any kind of economy.......
I'll give you anything you want for your truck.

I'm barely eeking out 26mpg in my 2.3 5spd reg cab 2wd shrt wb.

Frank

From what ive seen of the 2.9's with a 5spd anything in the 18-22 range isn't bad. A fresh auto seems pretty capable of it, but my old auto 2.9 combo sure wasn't.

 

[pontiacfieroguy]

i get 26-28 on trips where its mostly interstate. i average about 23 when its city and interstate mixed. i drive easy, shift between 2500-3000rpm and dont get her above 75 too often. QUOTE]

Your shifting crazy high to be getting any kind of economy.......
I'll give you anything you want for your truck.

I'm barely eeking out 26mpg in my 2.3 5spd reg cab 2wd shrt wb.

Frank

From what ive seen of the 2.9's with a 5spd anything in the 18-22 range isn't bad. A fresh auto seems pretty capable of it, but my old auto 2.9 combo sure wasn't.

if you want it ill let it go for 1200 or trade it for a small super efficent car or a minivan. ill be through western kentucky in the next few weeks anyway.

 

[Frank The Tank]

if you want it ill let it go for 1200 or trade it for a small super efficent car or a minivan. ill be through western kentucky in the next few weeks anyway.

I'll trade you my 1988 Ford Ranger 2.9liter 2wd for it

but if your coming through western Ky you can come wheeling with us (as a passenger) or grab a sandwhich with me.

Frank

 

[pontiacfieroguy]

I'll trade you my 1988 Ford Ranger 2.9liter 2wd for it

but if your coming through western Ky you can come wheeling with us (as a passenger) or grab a sandwhich with me.

Frank

that is what mine is. but mine is an extended cab. id love to go wheeling with you guys. i dont know the exact day ill be through there because i work for tdot and we are not working steady right now so ive been traveling alot when im not working.

 

[Mike Tonon]

Do the 2.9l's with the MAF censor and no EGR valve get better mpg's?

 

[sleeper_inc]

1989 Ranger STX 2.9 auto - I can get 24-26mpg if I drive it nice. 4.10 gears, doing 55mph at about 2200-2300rpm... Thats when I don't feel like abusing it. But on avg I get 16-19mpg doing 80mph at about 3000rpm. Truck see's alot of abuse from me, and it sounds like a ticking time bomb. I got a 2.5" exhaust all the way back, cat delete, and a cone air filter

 

[gaz]

"Mike Tonon",

I have some information for you today but it will be changing. I have a 1987 4WD Ranger 2.9l 5speed manual, reg. cab long bed with a 3" body lift and the Ford Hi-Ryder factory suspension lift with dual James Duff 70/30 in front and single 70/30's in the rear, completely stock engine with the following bolt-ons;

1) Thermostat controlled electric fan
2) Accell 300+ digital ignition
3) K+N air filter
4) All synthetic lubes
5) JBA headers
6) 2.25" stainless steel (SS) tubing
7) Borla SS turbo muffler
8) Ford LS4:10 front/rear
9) 32x11.5-15 all terrain tires
10) Hypertech computer chip
11) Oil cooler with thermostat controlled bypass

This truck gets 28mpg on the highway (I don't drive faster than traffic, usually 65 or less) and between 22-24mpg in town (driving like an absolute maniac). It has 133k on it and is now undrivable due to the cracked head on the passenger side.

I am installing a refurbed set of heads. I am going to add a performance valve job, hi-lift rockers, Aluminum spacers on the rocker shafts and mill the heads .025".

I will report the changes in mpg and driving characteristics.

Of all the bolt-ons the electric fan, exhaust and air filter made the largest improvements in gas mileage. When I have more time I will be rebuilding a bottom end for torque and having the heads/intakes port/polished for the same. I hope this gives you a reason to hang in there. I believe over 30mpg highway is possible and will be the result of a complete engine build with BALANCE and TORQUE as the priorities.