HELP 3.0 getting 11mpg!!

[Totalled]

How much weight do you have in the truck--- Stock weight and just me 200lbs
Do you have a ladder rack/luggage rack--- Nope
Do you do a lot of stop & go driving--- Yes and no but it don't change either way
Tire pressure--- 35 lbs like tire manufacturer recommends
Driving you truck like a rental--- I drive everything like i stole it.
It should get around 18 mpg so getting 11 seem a little low
Anyone can chime in on engine diagnosis
02 sensor-- stock
thermostat. 180 degree and it has been changed.

Duh. Drive it like a normal person. Your mileage will increase.
Put a stock 195 thermostat back into it, that will also allow it to fully warm up and get better mileage.

Changed the oil lately? use 5W30. Synthetic if you can swing it.
How old is the air filter?

Is it an automatic? If it is, they really shift to short and lug the 3.0 more than it likes. The last 3.0 4x4 auto I drove I found myself manually down shifting it allot. The 3.0 like to shift at about 3,000. Less than that and it's lugging. If you are accelerating like a slug at light throttle, downshift it and see if it accelerates easier with the same amount of throttle. Then integrate that into your driving style. Just cause it's an auto doesn't mean you can't have control over the vehicle or that the computer knows better when to shift than you do.

 

[Beef52751]

Mine gets about 12 on 87 and 11 on E85...always had

 

[Hahnsb2]

Duh. Drive it like a normal person. Your mileage will increase.
Put a stock 195 thermostat back into it, that will also allow it to fully warm up and get better mileage.

Changed the oil lately? use 5W30. Synthetic if you can swing it.
How old is the air filter?

Is it an automatic? If it is, they really shift to short and lug the 3.0 more than it likes. The last 3.0 4x4 auto I drove I found myself manually down shifting it allot. The 3.0 like to shift at about 3,000. Less than that and it's lugging. If you are accelerating like a slug at light throttle, downshift it and see if it accelerates easier with the same amount of throttle. Then integrate that into your driving style. Just cause it's an auto doesn't mean you can't have control over the vehicle or that the computer knows better when to shift than you do.

All good advice, especially on where to let the RPMs hang and when to shift.

 

[matty2170]

help please

I do drive normal most of the time. Even when I would drive from Pa to NC a 640 mile drive on 3 tanks of gas and have to fuel up again when i got there it still got horrible gas mileage. It is 4x4 but u took the front shaft out at 75000 miles cause the rubber bushings were bad and the it would vibrate. Not using 4wheel drive in the south much i never put it back in. The oil gets changed every 5000 and I use Pennzoil synthetic. I also put synthetic in the rear end as well and a K&N air filter. Yes the truck /tranny lugs alot under 55 so i usually drive with the O/D off to carry higher rpm. Yes it has A/C that is rarely used. heck it still had factory charge in it.



You say to check the MAF sensor and the O2 sensor but if they were bad wouldnt they just quit working really throwing the truck off?


Could it be something in the computer programing of the truck?

 

[Hahnsb2]

Try the O2 sensor, mine caused mine to run really bad when going up certain hills and stopping. I replaced it a couple weeks ago and can tell just by the odometer and gas gauge I got a huge millage improvement but a fill-up tomorrow will let me know how much of a gain, I'm guessing 2mpg improvement with my mixed driving.

 

[bigboy273]

Mine gets like 12-13 with 4.10s 33 and a auto plus i drive the hell out of it

-Cody

 

[thegoat4]

I got the biggest mileage gains from:
-using shell gasoline exclusively
-adjusting my front wheel bearings
-fixing balljoints and setting alignment
-flushing sludge out of the cooling system and cleaning off the radiator
-replacing the belt tensioner

If your AT fluid is old and grungy it'll suck a lot of power too, and your transmission will run hot.
Anything not stock, make it stock.
Synthetic engine oil of the correct weight.
Synthetic diff oil--there is a lot of sliding contact in the rear end.
Pull your plugs and check gaps.
Check your fan hub and charging system--both can pull a lot of power when bad
If you have a light bar remove it and sell it to a kid
Check your driveshaft. A bad u-joint, a dent or a thrown weight, or bad pinion angle can cause a vibration that you might not be bothered by, but will still suck down gas.
Put in a manual tranny. You WILL see a good mileage gain.
Clean the hell out of it. Cleaning it won't do anything directly, but with a shiny, clean truck, you're more likely to drive better because you don't want to hurt it.

 

[scandog007]

if i dont dog my truck i could get around 20mpg in my 93 3.0

 

[quikshift444]

I get about 13-15mpg in my 99 3.0ltr ff ranger. It has 31's, a 2" rear lift and locked front axles. I can get about +1mpg better if I put my bedtop on it. Also I used to get about 20-24mpg before the new motor and locked front axles. the worst mpg I've ever had in it was 10mpg and I was romping on it hard and getting firewood.