bad fuel mileage - Page 2

Undrstm8ed · #16 08-19-2017, 02:19 PM

250 miles / 17 gal tank = 14.70 miles per gal.

I'd honestly say with confidence because I've been beyond guilty of it myself, 80% of your issue is driving habits but before you think I am just willfully being an ass, hear me out, I'm not trying to nail you to a cross here, far from it, but more make light of a perspective or new awareness. I doubt you are filling your tank from dry bottom and so your mileage may be closer to 15-17 MPG in actuality.

When they test for MPG, all manufactures and platforms are held to a standard. That standard is in a lab, temp and barometrically controlled automotive treadmill if you will on flat land. There are no hills or changes in elevation, there is no cold or heat, or stop and go traffic, AND the kicker. City driving is tested at 22.8 MPH and Highway is tested at 55.4 MPH and unless you drive those speeds you are NEVER going to get the EPA tested results on the Marony sticker. I promise you.

When you take into consideration all of those variables aforementioned, add to that driving 65+ mph on the HWY, fast starts and abrupt stops locally... your gas mileage is actually right about where it should be with those habits whether you are willing to acknowledge that or not..

Add again to that more variables of larger tires, incorrect gearing, tire pressures, extra weight in cab or bed, watered down gas, lower octane fuel.. you can see where this is going. Math doesn't lie

Sometimes I swear my MPG knows exactly when I need to lose 10lbs

1stFordRanger · #17 08-19-2017, 02:47 PM

U r correct i dont let my fuel guage go past 1/2 tank and it could be me i just have never had to fill up a vehicle this much thats why i thought it was bad mpg

Undrstm8ed · #18 08-19-2017, 04:29 PM

I'd say if you're filling up at a half tank and getting 250 avg.. your getting better than that

1stFordRanger · #19 08-19-2017, 06:03 PM

That was one time when i first got the truck i filled it up and went 250 miles but since then its always been 1/2 tank

MaDMaXX · #20 08-19-2017, 06:29 PM

You've got to start by correctly calculating the mileage, non of this, markers on the tank/gauge crap.

Fill up, drive until you next fill up, note the mileage covered, note how much you need to fill up with.

Divide the miles since you last filled up, by the gallons you just needed to fill it up with again.

Birchhatchery · #21 08-20-2017, 05:30 AM

this is how I do it fill your tank full then reset your milage to 0 drive untile near empty fill it up take how many miles you put on your truck and divide that by how many gallons you put in I must be blessed cuz hiway driving 65-70 mph I'm still getting 23 miles to gallon on 3.0

cowboybilly9mile · #22 08-20-2017, 08:39 AM

The problem we have is, 250 miles / 11MPG = more gallons than the tank capacity. Gut is telling me actual MPG has never been carefully and correctly calculated, ideally over 3-4 FULL tanks driven wayyyy down before refueling, and if so, then no benchmark exists on the vehicle.

MaDMaXX · #23 08-20-2017, 09:58 AM

Obviously the less miles driven before filling up, the less accurate it will be, but so long as the calculation is used, it will still be correct for the time since last filling up.

cowboybilly9mile · #24 08-20-2017, 11:02 AM

No, it's not quite that simple (but it once used to be). Since 1970 .gov required the evap emission to be in all motor vehicles sold in the US, and as such there is an air cavity in the gas tank that, on a Ranger, can hold a tad shy of two gallons after the pump shuts off. This is one of the reasons that a handful of fillups and some patience is needed if one wants a reasonably correct result. Strange that so many people don't understand what 1 gallon of gas over 250 miles can mean to the bottom line.

JAMMANICA · #25 08-20-2017, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birchhatchery

I got a 97 3.0 v6 I get 23 mpg its a automatic if your only getting 17 you got problems

I want to buy your truck because this is virtually impossible. Maybe a later model 4 cyl with a standard but I don't buy it on a 97 3.0.

MaDMaXX · #26 08-20-2017, 11:16 AM

Haha, engines are so finely touchy to driving conditions (road and driver) these days, you can end up with what people thing are similar conditions, but end up with totally different economy. Yes, even with the horribly dated design of the 3.0

Cowboybilly, it doesn't matter if you don't 'top off' - it'll click at near as dangit, the same point every time, you just need a baseline, how much is used in the tank isn't relevant.

cowboybilly9mile · #27 08-20-2017, 12:25 PM

Hmmm, guess I've been doing it all wrong for the last 39 years in both cars/trucks with and without the evap system, the system that makes it difficult to fill a tank to the same level each time without extra effort. I had a feeling most people wouldn't understand this one once again, it's nothing new, lol.

MaDMaXX · #28 08-20-2017, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowboybilly9mile

Hmmm, guess I've been doing it all wrong for the last 39 years in both cars/trucks with and without the evap system, the system that makes it difficult to fill a tank to the same level each time without extra effort. I had a feeling most people wouldn't understand this one once again, it's nothing new, lol.

No one said you were doing it wrong, cheer up

Evap systems are different for every car, only a few cars are known to have difficult fills, generally speaking though, where it clicks off, at least with the same pumps, will be were it clicks off, it doesn't change that.

Birchhatchery · #29 08-20-2017, 01:24 PM

its not for sale but hiway I do honestly get 23 just driving back and forth to work 19-20 no lie! I also have a 2010 ranger automatic 2.3 I get 25-26 mpg hiway

GSF1200S · #30 08-25-2017, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birchhatchery

its not for sale but hiway I do honestly get 23 just driving back and forth to work 19-20 no lie! I also have a 2010 ranger automatic 2.3 I get 25-26 mpg hiway

Heavily depends on driving conditions and A/C use. I can get 31.5mpg on the highway 65mph all day with the A/C off. Ive done this twice on a trip from Texas to Florida. This will drop to 25-26mpg if I'm in hill country. I can also get 14mpg in stop and go rush hour traffic in 100 degree weather with the A/C on full blast. I've had traffic bad enough where I got 11mpg once! If you're idling, you're using fuel and not putting on miles. I average about 21-22mpg a tank which is great considering the traffic in my area.

The OP needs to be a little more clear as to driving conditions. High traffic 11mpg on a 3.0 with an automatic is entirely possible.