mpg problems

mcdonald58

mcdonald58

New Member
so i filled up my tank and clocked my mileage. i got 210 miles on a tank and ended with 12 mpg. i was expecting closer to 20. i was wondering if this could be due to my tool box. im trying to clock it with out the tool box on this time. could it be the weight of my tool box. i have a diamond plate one. i saw a plastic one on craigslist and might buy if it could improve it. im would like to get a tune up since i doubt the truck has ever had one but funds dont allow it right now. so an tips other than modifying my driving which i have already done. thanks a lot for any help.
 
i only get 140 -160 miles per fill up Ihave the uws diamond plate tool box

does not sound like to bad a mileage for a 12 gallon tank comes up to 17.5 mpg for yours
 
any check engine lights lit? it's a '97 so it should be OBDII, so if you've got an engine light on you can bring it to autozone or advanced auto and they'll read it for free. otherwise i'd start with a tune up. air filter, plugs, wires & fuel filter.
 
Change your plugs and put 8mm wires on. You'll get a better spark and better fuel combustion inside the cylinder and not as much going to waste. Also, check if your cat is blocked up. That could cause a major loss in mpg's. I get an average of 12, and I'm on the hammer constantly.
 
mcdonald58 said:
so i filled up my tank and clocked my mileage. i got 210 miles on a tank and ended with 12 mpg. i was expecting closer to 20. i was wondering if this could be due to my tool box. im trying to clock it with out the tool box on this time. could it be the weight of my tool box. i have a diamond plate one. i saw a plastic one on craigslist and might buy if it could improve it. im would like to get a tune up since i doubt the truck has ever had one but funds dont allow it right now. so an tips other than modifying my driving which i have already done. thanks a lot for any help.
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Toolbox weight? That's a minuscule and kind of moot point. In other words, it's not a factor.

I'd start getting a full tune up done to her. I assume you've not owned the truck long? Plugs are cheap. Wires generally don't need done for a looooong while...I'm running original ones with 130k. Ford electronics are top notch.

Any check engine lights? Are you running stock sized tires? What's your typical driving habits and routes? Alot of in-city stop and goes will yield a junk mileage.
 
ive owned the truck since september i was getting about 15 mpg. i think with all the hours ive gotten this week ill either do a tune up or shocks. im running stock sized tires. my driving habbits are slow acceleration and a lot a of coasting unless someone pisses me off or im in a rush. i mainly drive in suburban areas where there is almost never stop and go traffic just a lot of stop lights. ill ask my dad to call the mechanic soon.do you guys have any estimates on how much a full tune up will be?
 
mcdonald58 said:
ive owned the truck since september i was getting about 15 mpg. i think with all the hours ive gotten this week ill either do a tune up or shocks. im running stock sized tires. my driving habbits are slow acceleration and a lot a of coasting unless someone pisses me off or im in a rush. i mainly drive in suburban areas where there is almost never stop and go traffic just a lot of stop lights. ill ask my dad to call the mechanic soon.do you guys have any estimates on how much a full tune up will be?
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I would classify your typical driving environment as city. Mileage will be lower than expected because of the stops and the goes. And when I mean stops and goes, I'm not talking downtown freeway traffic where you're going 5-10mph constantly stopping and going.



I suggest picking up some tools and doing it yourself. Learning the ins and outs of a vehicle is a great thing to know. Even just the basics. Only one way to really learn: picking up a wrench! At least that's how I learned. The general maintenance that likely needs done is pretty simple and great for beginners. Especially on these dinosaur trucks! lol. Pick yourself up a Chilton's or Hayne's shop manual for your truck($20) and grab a good tool assortment at Sears(roughly $100 - 200 w/ carrying case) if you don't have access to basic hand tools.

I'd guess replace spark plugs($2-3 ea...and don't forget to gap them), cleaning mass air flow sensor, throttle body, ($5 can of MAF cleaner), check and/or replace air filter($10-15), as said earlier, spark plugs wires generally don't need done for a long time but if the truck has very high miles and your wires are stock(gray and say motorcraft and are numbered 1-2-3-4, etc), I'd spend the $50 or so for pre-fit length wires.

Best of luck and if you've got any questions, don't hesitate to ask!! Post a thread, etc.
 
so if i were to do a tune up by itself i should replace spark plugs, clean the maf sensor and the throttle body. i had the air filter replaced about a moth ago when i got my oil changed. do you guys recommend changing the fuel filter also? or anything else i should do. i thik im going to take it to my schools shop and ask my friend to help me.
 
mcdonald58 said:
so if i were to do a tune up by itself i should replace spark plugs, clean the maf sensor and the throttle body. i had the air filter replaced about a moth ago when i got my oil changed. do you guys recommend changing the fuel filter also? or anything else i should do. i thik im going to take it to my schools shop and ask my friend to help me.
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Fuel filter intervals should be 30k. If you don't know it's history, swap it out without a doubt.

Swap the PCV valve as well. 2.3/2.5 "Lima" series engines tend to eat through those.



There may be some other things that need tending to that I'm forgetting, hopefully someone else will chime in.
 
im still having this problem of 12 mpg with my 2.3 l 4 cyl 2wd reg cab truck. i have replaced the fuel filter which hasn't given me any noticeable gain. i also cleaned my iac and throttle body which gave me an extra 30 miles to a tank. im thinking a vacuum leak may be my problem. im going to start finding the vacuum lines and testing them with a can of carb cleaner. i have also done a tune up including spark plugs and wires.
 
first off, how are you calculating your MPG?

i see so many people calculate it wrong, this is the first thing i ask always.
 
try divideing the # of miles driven by how many gallons it takes to fill the truck up, see if you get a similar MPG number. you're gas guage could be off...
 
yeah, dont divde by how big you think your tank is.

fill the tank till the pump shuts off. no more, no less.

then drive it, at least half a tank. no need to go right to empty. fill it up again, till it shuts off.

now, take the miles driven since last fill up, and divde it by how much you just put in.

thats the real way to tell your real MPG.

ive been doing it this way since i bought my ranger in february.
this site is a great tool for keeping track.

ill link you to my truck.

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/rathertj/ranger
 
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