Gas mileage - Page 2

PurplePeopleEaterRanger97 · #16 12-31-2012, 04:28 PM

I got a 97 2.3 lima 5-speed and when my engine actually stays at optimum running temp im getting about 20 in the city. I do very little highway driving so i dont know the mileage there but if it helps I have no P/S or A/c

Reigndeer · #17 05-25-2015, 01:51 PM

i have a 2.3 08 and i get about 18 city as well

jaka_bee13 · #18 05-25-2015, 02:00 PM

Check your tire PSI and clean your air filter. Also I regularly run fuel injector cleaner through my ranger and notice the changes it produces. It cheap and easy.

Put in the cleaner on a near empty tank drive down the highway to get it through the system, let it sit for a few hours or over night and let the cleaner do its job then fill up the tank.

After I did my tires, air filter and fuel injector cleaner to my truck I got close to another 40 miles per tank

GSF1200S · #19 05-26-2015, 07:23 PM

Prolly the best thing you can do for gas mileage is to pick up a Scangauge or Ultragauge. On top of having "Instantaneous MPG" they are also fantastic for monitoring fuel trims, watching the o2 sensor, seeing output from MAF sensors, etc.

As for the question, this is really going to be wildly variable. For example, an extended cab will do worse in town due to extra weight, and the "heavier" city traffic is, the bigger the difference between it and a regular cab will be. Then add in factors like elevation (heavily affects power which is the biggest killer of MPG in these trucks), whether the terrain is flat, common addons like stereo systems (subs are heavy- sound deadening is even worse) and things are almost impossible to reliably track by just saying "I get 19mpg." You also must consider temperature- cooler climates will have more dense air (given the same barometric pressure), and thus the truck has to work harder to push through that air. And then there is the fact most of us have no choice but to run E10 gasoline (which is only like 96.7% as efficient as 100% gasoline).

I have a 2002 duratec 2.3l 5 speed extended cab. I live just north of Austin TX, so I am in hill country. Hills are the bane of gas mileage- I have actually read tips on ecomodder to try and lessen the gas I waste (though I dont do stuff like coast with the engine off, etc). Running E10 here in the summer I get about 21-23mpg in the city. Where my truck seems to be awesome is the highway. Flat and level at about 55mph, my truck will turn in 30-31mpg all day- again add a hill and the value drops markedly. My average combined total is 23-26mpg depending on how much city I do (Austin is one of the 10 worst traffic areas in the country). I have no doubt when winter comes, the more dense air and winter blend fuels might push my averages down to 19-20mpg city as well.

I think you guys are doing good depending on your location. I think the specifics of location are much more important than most realize when it comes to these 4 cylinder trucks.

alphabetcereal · #20 05-30-2015, 01:40 PM

I would recommend keeping track of the exact number of city miles on each tank of a gas. Just keep track of the highway miles and then subtract that from the total miles to get city. Once you start doing that you can see how much your mileage changes as a function of what type of miles you drive. For example on my truck the difference between driving 90% city on a tank of gas and 60% city on a tank of gas, is over a 2 mpg difference. And you can also make a pretty graph with the equation like this:

Minun · #21 06-06-2015, 07:33 PM

The best I've done on the highway is 39 mpg - that was sticking to 90kph most of the way to save on fuel.

Most of my driving is city with 200-400lbs of tools and parts, sometimes ladders that stick out in decidedly un-aerodynamic ways as well. I almost always stay above 28mpg in the city (that's 24 using tiny American gallons)

hat_man · #22 06-13-2015, 01:44 PM

I've got a '97 with about 237k miles on it and still get a consistent 30 mpg on the highway. I don't drive the interstate very often because 70 mph on that little old engine would be lots of RPM's and I just don't want to take the chance of something giving out. 18 city isn't bad, even with the stick. Do you know if you have the 3:73 or 3:45 rear end? The 3:73 is a nice compromise for in-town and out of town driving. The 3:45 is great for highway only but it drags your in-town mpg down. If you don't know sometimes there is a small tag hanging on the differential that has the information and it should be listed on the drivers door sticker. it will be a two digit number like 84 or 82 or something similar. Just look up that number on here or google something like "rear end door code Ford Ranger"

There are a few things you can do to help mpg that have been listed here. These guys on here know their trucks. You can also remove the "air muffler" (sometimes called the "air silencer"). It's free and only takes about 20 minutes or so. It helps these little engines breathe. New O2 sensors and a new Cat can help. Tune-up and new plugs and wires have already been mentioned I think. If you drive mainly in-town try coasting up to stop signs and lights in neutral with the engine still running. drops the fuel used down into the idling range.

GSF1200S · #23 06-13-2015, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hat_man

I've got a '97 with about 237k miles on it and still get a consistent 30 mpg on the highway. I don't drive the interstate very often because 70 mph on that little old engine would be lots of RPM's and I just don't want to take the chance of something giving out. 18 city isn't bad, even with the stick. Do you know if you have the 3:73 or 3:45 rear end? The 3:73 is a nice compromise for in-town and out of town driving. The 3:45 is great for highway only but it drags your in-town mpg down. If you don't know sometimes there is a small tag hanging on the differential that has the information and it should be listed on the drivers door sticker. it will be a two digit number like 84 or 82 or something similar. Just look up that number on here or google something like "rear end door code Ford Ranger"

There are a few things you can do to help mpg that have been listed here. These guys on here know their trucks. You can also remove the "air muffler" (sometimes called the "air silencer"). It's free and only takes about 20 minutes or so. It helps these little engines breathe. New O2 sensors and a new Cat can help. Tune-up and new plugs and wires have already been mentioned I think. If you drive mainly in-town try coasting up to stop signs and lights in neutral with the engine still running. drops the fuel used down into the idling range.

Not familiar with the lima airbox setup. Im pretty sure its airbox was unique to the 2.3l while the 3.0l and 4.0l used a different airbox design.

For those with the 2.3l duratec, there is no need to do the airbox mod. The airbox is similar (maybe the same?) as the airbox used on the 4.0l, so it flows more than enough air.

99Ranger376 · #24 06-13-2015, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSF1200S

Not familiar with the lima airbox setup. Im pretty sure its airbox was unique to the 2.3l while the 3.0l and 4.0l used a different airbox design.

For those with the 2.3l duratec, there is no need to do the airbox mod. The airbox is similar (maybe the same?) as the airbox used on the 4.0l, so it flows more than enough air.

The air box is the same on all engines '98-'11. They only changed the MAF and the clips.

bjurke · #25 06-14-2015, 08:48 PM

i got 30-35 on the highway with a 2002 2.3l 5spd. in city driving was probably close to 20. what you are getting is normal

KemoSabe · #26 06-18-2015, 10:26 AM

I regularly got 27-30 highway out of my 91. How heavy is your foot? A very large portion of your mileage is the result of your driving habits.

Minun: How did you ever manage 39? Best I've ever gotten was 35 (with non-ethanol)? And I'm a pretty economical driver.

GSF1200S · #27 06-19-2015, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KemoSabe

I regularly got 27-30 highway out of my 91. How heavy is your foot? A very large portion of your mileage is the result of your driving habits.

Minun: How did you ever manage 39? Best I've ever gotten was 35 (with non-ethanol)? And I'm a pretty economical driver.

Pretty sure he meant imperial gallons:

39 miles per imperial gallon = 32.47 miles per US gallon, which seems about what most Rangers on highway can do. I dont think I could get 35 like you did and I have a duratec- but I have a supercab and prolly an extra ~80 pounds of weight due to sound deadening for a stereo install.