Is this good gas mileage?

WildlandFirefighter · #1 12-22-2010, 04:44 PM

I have a 2.3L FI in my 1985 Ford Ranger 4x4 with 5 spd manual transmission.

I filled the tank up and went 245 miles (seemed like I went nearly 100 miles from FULL to the line (3/4).

Is this ok for it cause I thought it would be getting way more than that.

How big is the gas tank on this truck anyways? 14gallon?

Clinton · #2 12-22-2010, 04:51 PM

I would say that is good for that year truck. Plus it depends how fast you go etc

RangerTruck · #3 12-22-2010, 04:52 PM

Yeah I think it's a 14 gallon. Everytime I fill up (and I run it down til it's pegged), it usually takes like 13.7 gallons.

I don't know why, but it seems that the 1st half of a gas tank seems to last longer than the last half. The gauge drains much faster when it's at half or less. Just my opinion. They give you false hopes.

FireRanger · #4 12-22-2010, 04:59 PM

The gauge is pretty meaningless. Proper procedure is as follows:

1. Fill up
2. Reset trip odometer
3. Drive until almost empty.
4. Fill up
5. Miles driven divided by gallons pumped = actual MPG.

Any other method is not going to determine anything meaningful.

WildlandFirefighter · #5 12-22-2010, 05:03 PM

I drove 245 miles. I reckon I had a 14 gallon gas tank so I filled it up.

245miles/14gal=17mpg

I've been driving at 60mph and below.

I thought I would at least get up to 20mpg or so.

I mean they say these trucks get 28mpg when they were new. I mean they should still get that if you do tune-ups and stuff.

FireRanger · #6 12-22-2010, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildlandFirefighter

I drove 245 miles. I reckon I had a 14 gallon gas tank so I filled it up.

245miles/14gal=17mpg

I've been driving at 60mph and below.

I thought I would at least get up to 20mpg or so.

I mean they say these trucks get 28mpg when they were new. I mean they should still get that if you do tune-ups and stuff.

No no no. GALLONS PUMPED. Not what you think you used. If your using anything other than Miles Driven divided by Gallons pumped, it is useless.

WildlandFirefighter · #7 12-22-2010, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireRanger

No no no. GALLONS PUMPED. Not what you think you used. If your using anything other than Miles Driven divided by Gallons pumped, it is useless.

I filled up my gas tank to the top. To where the gas pump would cut off when you reach the full capacity in yer gas tank. I reseted the miles driven.

I drove 245 on a 14 gallon full tank of gas (I think that's the size of my tank)...is this correct?

I still have 3.73 gears in the truck I think..don't have most of my EGR stuff too...

FireRanger · #8 12-22-2010, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildlandFirefighter

I filled up my gas tank to the top. To where the gas pump would cut off when you reach the full capacity in yer gas tank. I reseted the miles driven.

I drove 245 on a 14 gallon full tank of gas (I think that's the size of my tank)...is this correct?

I still have 3.73 gears in the truck I think..don't have most of my EGR stuff too...

Dude. It doesn't matter how big your tank is. Listen carefully. GALLONS PUMPED. It doesn't matter if you're towing a tanker behind you. Nothing else you do is meaningful. Tank capacity is useless. It isn't all usable fuel. That rough estimate sounds pretty good but its nothing meaningful really until you get some real numbers.

WildlandFirefighter · #9 12-22-2010, 05:25 PM

LOL ok.

Well I jus thought since I filled my tank up I filled it up to 14 gallons (if thats the size of it) may have went over like 14.237 gallons or something..

I know there will be some gas left that the pump can't reach.

I took about 5 gallon gas jug with me today and filled it up to about 5 gallons. So If I get 5 gallons of gas....reset my odometer....gas runs out....and I am on 120 miles...120miles/5 gallons?

FireRanger · #10 12-22-2010, 05:33 PM

NO. OMG. Why are you trying to make this so complicated? Do not run out of fuel. That is an indicator of NOTHING. And that is SOOOO TERRIBLE for every component of your fuel system and engine. BAD BAD BAD. You can not gauge anything by when you run out of gas and what happens with partial fill ups. You need to do this and nothing else. Period. No matter how many different ways you try to come up with something else, it will be useless.

1. Fill up
2. Reset trip odometer
3. Drive until almost empty.
4. Fill up
5. Miles driven divided by gallons pumped = actual MPG.

05RangerEdge · #11 12-22-2010, 05:34 PM

It will only work with fuel pumped! If you fill your tank and drive 200 miles when you fill up you will know how much of the tank you used. Divide the miles driven by the amount you pumped in. Your making it more complicated than it needs to be

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WildlandFirefighter · #12 12-22-2010, 06:01 PM

I'm just trying to understand lol...I'm tired. Haha.

I don't get it.

I fill it up and get on E (but not where I run out of gas).

How will I know how many gallons I used then?

I'm out of it lol.

Ok. Let me say again with an example

Ok. I put in 9 gallons of gas in my tank, right? Right.
I drive til it is on the Empty line, right? Right.
I drove I guess 168 miles til it got on Empty, right? Right.

What now? 168 miles divided by 9? But how will I know I used all of that 9 gallons up? I won't.

FireRanger · #13 12-22-2010, 06:07 PM

Holy shit. I'm going flog you with a gas can.

I'll expand on these instructions some more.

1. Read the rest of this carefully.
2. Go to a gas station and fill up the tank.
3. Reset trip odometer.
4. Drive around as usual until your just about empty.
4.5 DO NOT RUN OUT OF GAS!
5. Go to a gas station and fill up the tank.
6. Get a calculator.
7. Miles driven on the trip odometer divided by the number of gallons you just pumped into the tank to fill it up = Miles Per Gallon.

Please god tell me it clicked?

WildlandFirefighter · #14 12-22-2010, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireRanger

Holy shit. I'm going flog you with a gas can.

I'll expand on these instructions some more.

1. Read the rest of this carefully.
2. Go to a gas station and fill up the tank.
3. Reset trip odometer.
4. Drive around as usual until your just about empty.
4.5 DO NOT RUN OUT OF GAS!
5. Go to a gas station and fill up the tank.
6. Get a calculator.
7. Miles driven on the trip odometer divided by the number of gallons you just pumped into the tank to fill it up = Miles Per Gallon.

Please god tell me it clicked?

LOL!!!

OK. I got you now! HAHAHA. It's been a long day.

Ok. Since I drove 245 miles til my truck died...LOL...should I go back to the gas station and fill it up. I think I put 5 gallons already in it and went already 50 miles.

FireRanger · #15 12-22-2010, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildlandFirefighter

Ok. Since I drove 245 miles til my truck died...LOL...should I go back to the gas station and fill it up. I think I put 5 gallons already in it and went already 50 miles.

You can go do a tap dance and drive circles around the bearded lady until 2am. It doesn't matter. Start at step one. Anything that happens or is done before step one is irrelevant.