Mileage Monster Build

[mountaineergreen]

Hi, new here, not to forums- my username is carried over from explorerforum.com.

I recently bought a 1993 Ranger Splash, 3.0 5 speed. It only has 45,000 original miles. It is my DD as my 01 Mountaineer has grown into an offroading gas hogging vehicle.

My plans are to make the Ranger be as fuel efficient and usable as possible, meaning no extreme modifications or lowering. I still want to be able to tow and haul stuff, it is a truck after all.

I just did a "tune up" - spark plugs, fuel filter, air filter, oil change. I'm planning on cleaning the throttle body and any other intake parts that look dirty.

Plans for now are

Underdrive pulley kit
electric fan

My last tank of gas I got 22 MPG bone stock. I'm shooting for mid to upper 20's.

Anyone have any suggestions on what else to do?

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

without extreme modifications (aerodynamic improvements, lowering, gutting it ect), there isnt much you can do for mileage aside from keep up on the scheduled maintainence. your driving something with the aerodynamic properties of a brick, its only going to do so well.

there are a few things you can change about yourself that might help since, as the driver, you are the biggest variable for mileage. first off, buy a vacuum gauge and attempt to keep the highest reading at all times (using gearing, the 3.0 gets its highest economy around 3,000rpm). second, slow down...youd be amazed at how much mileage you can gain by driving 65 instead of 75. 3rd, dont haul ANY extra weight around.

tonnue covers, caps, bug deflectors, e-fans, and tons of other "fuel savers" have been disproven time and again.

 

[mountaineergreen]

The truck came with a tonneau cover when I bought it- I think it will stay for now.

I drive only secondary roads- 60 MPH and below most of the time.

No tach. I can't believe they made a manual transmission truck with no tach. Seems stupid to me.

I realize the aerodynamics of this truck aren't ideal for mileage, I just want the utility of a truck and decent mileage.

 

[Matthew18]

get the SCT Economizer
http://www.sctflash.com/Economizer.php

 

[mhughes165]

get the SCT Economizer
http://www.sctflash.com/Economizer.php

with all due respect, if anyone ordered that there on CRACK.....i wouldnt spend that much on something of that nature, u can have the computer flashed at a speed shop with economy tables for less then 1/4 of that


now for the OP, unfortunatly i would suggest on lowering the truck, and small things like the valance for the lights up front, just to try and clear up some of the flyin brick shape, lighter wheels and tires might help aswell, along with a lower profile tire....less rolling resistance, and most of all, install a after market tachometer u will want to keep that 3.0 in its happy place....and never undershift(too low of rpms) most people think shifting at lower rpms and cruising at lower rpms usues less fuel....but like has already been said, the 3.0's happy place is at about 3k

 

[mountaineergreen]

I'm now looking for a tach, I'll be installing one soon.

It already sits pretty low, lowering is out of the question.

This picture sucks, but you get the idea-

I think I've dropped the e-fan as most of my driving is at highway speed, the fan change would be minimal.

I'm still really thinking about the under drive pulleys though.

 

[mhughes165]

wow, thats ALOT of red on that truck, personally id paint a few things back to black to break it up a bit

 

[Hahnsb2]

first off, buy a vacuum gauge and attempt to keep the highest reading at all times (using gearing, the 3.0 gets its highest economy around 3,000rpm)

I disagree about this part. I can hold my rig in 2nd at 50MPH at 5k RPMs and be around 15 inches of vacuum, or if I drop to 4th at the same speed around 2100RPM I'm at 10 inches of vacuum, I'm obviously getting better milage in 4th than 2nd. Vacuum guages help to an extent but they shouldn't be followed exclusivly.

 

[mountaineergreen]

I'm guessing a 6k tach will be enough?

 

[MrE_Powers]

actually an explorer instrument cluster is plug and play and most come with a tach. a vacuum gauge will teach a driver how to drive as effecent as possible.

if you dont change accelerating habits,(like most do when they do engine mods) engine mods like roller rockers and headers will help gasmileage.

and properly inflate tires.

 

[whale]

2.9l

Maybe this is treadjacking, but my 1988 Ranger 4x4 2.9L (God bless it), got a consistent 24mpg.

I know, I know this is the 3.0L forum, but the post caught my eye.

Will

 

[mountaineergreen]

Well, Underdrive pulleys and a tach are on the way.

For some reason, I didn't get replies to this thread- it's too late for the Explorer cluster. I guess I could call and cancel the order though.....

 

[mountaineergreen]

Can I use the explorer tach only, no speedo/odometer? I've only got 45k on mine- don't want to swap in another odometer.

 

[Dave]

I bought my '92 Ranger because it gets better MPG than an '88 E350 with a 351 and C6. It needs tires and I'm looking at buying 15" rims (14" on it now) so that I can mount tires that are larger in diameter thus dropping the cursing RPM.

Before I spend the money, please explain to me how a 3.0 geared for 3000 RPM at say 75 MPH is going to get better mileage than a 3.0 geared for 2300 RPM at 75 MPH. As long as the engine is not lugging at 2300 RPM @ 75 MPH, how can it not get better MPG??

My stock tires are 215/70/14. The engine turns 2522 RPM at 75 MPH. Looking at mounting 215/75/15 thus giving 2354 RPM at 75 MPH. A drop of 168 RPM. If lowering RPMs did not give better MPG, nobody would be making OD transmissions.

Thanks.
Dave

 

[Hahnsb2]

Before I spend the money, please explain to me how a 3.0 geared for 3000 RPM at say 75 MPH is going to get better mileage than a 3.0 geared for 2300 RPM at 75 MPH. As long as the engine is not lugging at 2300 RPM @ 75 MPH, how can it not get better MPG??

Except 2300 RPMs is lugging a 3.0, especialy at 75MPH, these motors are meant to be around 3k.

As for the tach, yes, just take yours apart and the cluster comes apart in modules and you can keep your speedo/odometer and install the tach module.