how to get better gas mileage

[logman7777]

This horse has been beaten enough already

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Crowding out the 4.0 section are we?

 

[simpler=better]

I think maybe you have a misconception on the Cold Air Intake(CAI).

Warmer air is less dense than colder air, i.e. "hot air rises", hot air balloons, ect.

The point of a CAI is to keep the air going into the engine as cool as possible so the "air temp" sensor on a fuel injected engine will see there is denser air and add MORE fuel, so better performance, but less MPG.

This is why engines are peppier in colder months, colder air = more fuel added = more power.
So generally you will get better MPG in the summer than in the winter.

And CAIs are a bit of a scam, if you want to have cooler air in the intake put in a 160deg or 180deg Thermostat, it will do a better job than a CAI, but won't sound as good.


Best way to get better MPG is to cut down the weight, run narrower tires, leave tail gate UP.
And make sure engine is in good tune, run 192-195deg t-stat, make sure air "pre-heater" is working
New O2 sensors wouldn't hurt, 60-80,000 miles is the recommended expire for these.

Rangers have poor aerodynamics, but cars with good aerodynamics can't haul stuff, lol, so that's your chosen trade-off

Where can you get a "hot" thermostat for the 2.3/2.5? I though it was the redheaded stepchild that only had 185* available.

 

[Kenneth S]

I run a 160 deg thermostat, I've tried the 180 thermostat no change in mpg for me.

 

[Mikel89us]

A stock 89 ranger thermo is a 192. Just buy one of those.

 

[mobilly]

thank you all for your info i was thinking on the less the engine had to work to acheve samn out put like geting up to speed and a steaded rev going down the hwy i drive 25+ miles one way to work and i think why im geting the mileage i am with the car is do to the fact im a motor head and dont lug the engine this is also why i prefer a man. tran. i can put it in a high gear going down a city street and idle instead of being 1/4 or 1/2 throtle in a lower gear burning more gas , my thinking is the engine is a big air pump more air in and out more power. haveing power but not useing 100% of it =s better mpgs i guess im real want to know the best way to tune after i do my mods to better the combos or would the ecu not know of the increse in air flow.

 

[Mikel89us]

The ecu will read more airflow to an extent. Running your truck in high gear through town isn't always a good thing. A lot of times you don't realize you're loading the engine more than lower gears. Buy a vacuum gauge, at cruising you want the vac signal to be between 10 and 15 inches.

 

[myold96]

do your normal tune up and change both o2 sensors they tell the computer whether the engine is running rich or not and get a cruise control you would be amazed at how your speed varies. the purpose of the two o2 sensors is for comparsise by the computer do eliminate them your gas mileage will go down with out them and the catalytic converters they are there for a reason don't try to out think the engineers.