Yep Mileage Varies...What do I say?

[oldbaldy454]

I've been running a 2000 XLT Ext Cab step side 4x4 with off road package,
245/16 tires, 3.0 FFV V6 with 78,000 miles on it now for about 9 months.
In warm weather and cold, it has been quite reliable, and has never failed.

Mods include:

XP Autolite plugs
Underdog pulley
Flex-0-lite electric fan
Dynomax catback system
K&N filter in stock air box
3" black plastic ABS inlet pipe to throttle body
Dyno boost power chip
MAF sensor enlargement mod

Before the mods, was getting 15-16 with regular 87 gas,
After the mods (but not with the MAF enlargment yet)
got 24 mpg on a few road trips during the warm summer months.
After the MAF mod, the mpg dipped again to 20-21 on the road
due to more air flow. The shift points also changed with this MAF
mod, but seems like it has more punch.

This past winter, for the fun of it I have tried a couple of tanks
of E-85 (since this is Minnesota and where E-85 is plentiful)
for "in-town" stop and go driving at 0 degrees temperature range,
in 4 wheel drive mode when needed, the mileage dropped to 8.5 mpg
on E-85 and about 12 mpg on 87 octane.

After reading the forms again, (as I have not been active since last fall)
it seems like what most are saying about the 3.0 L is true:
its how you drive it, and tire size, rpm and tromping the heck out of it,
all make a difference.
I agree with those that say this engine runs best at 3000 rpm.
Mine purrs at 3000 rpm at 80 mph just fine with the 4.11 axle ratio,
big tires and with the air intake mods!

I considered a smaller tire size, as someone suggested in this forum,
for better mpg, but have not done so due to our snow cover and
nice-to-have ground clearance here in the north country.

Ford was quite stingy with the HP on these small trucks and smaller standard
tire size in most where the smaller engines are designed for, but the bigger
off-road tire size will cut down on mpg with stop & go city driving, for sure !

It still is a fun little truck to drive even if the mpg is bad at times.
We use it a lot for short trip and running errands in town to avoid putting
miles on our other newer vehicles.

I have disconnected the rear drive shaft and even have run it in 4 wheel
drive mode off of the front axle only...it works good that way too with
the Warn Vacuum hubs on this 2000 model. Have used it as a "toad" tow
vehicle for our V-10 motorhome with additional wiring harness for brake lights,
with the switch in 2 wheel drive and rear drive shaft disabled.
What you can't think of ...if you put your mind to it.

Would consider a swap for a 4.0 L/5.0L if it ran as good as this little one does,
but hey, its fun and flexable the way it is!


- JBaldwin, in sunny and snowy southern Minnesota

04 Caddy, 04 T&C, 02 Winne, 99 Chevy 454 dually, 00 Ranger

Enjoy !

 

[Bruce]

You get less fuel mileage on the E-85,that has been proven.

Here in Missouri they are putting ethanol in the all the gas at least 10% and in some cases it has been found to be as high as 30% and i have noticed and so has others at least a 15% drop in fuel mileage.

 

[oldbaldy454]

Yep, all our regular gas 87 and 89 etc, in Minnesota has 10% or more ethanol as well.
In Wisconsin, there is no ethanol at all...and folks get much better mpg there.

Old gov Jesse Ventura help get the E-85 production going...that was just one of his
mistakes... Now its inflationary for every thing that corn is used for...feeding pigs and cattle, meat prices are higher, as well as dairy products. Go figure. Using our food for fuel is NOT a good idea. It takes 10 times the energy to make a gallon of ethanol as it does to make a gallon of gasoline....and it contains 20 % less energy. So even though it cost $.60 less per gallon at the pump, it costs more to run it in your truck.


Hey-Hey...An engineer knows more and more about less and less.
A technicianl knows less and less about more and more.
Knowing sumth'm is better than nut'n.