Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

I know I know I post alot of stuff about gas mileage and the like but its just bugging me. I am getting to the point where if this doesn't start improving I am gonna have to sell the truck. I just spent $585 to have the timing chain tensioner replaced, I replaced the PCV valve(and what a pain in the ass that was) and I really haven't seen a decent improvement. At least its not making any noise now lol. But I am now at 60 miles on the trip and below 3/4 tank. at that rate I would be getting 200 to a tank and roughly about 11 to the gallon. I could be driving a full size and be pulling that down. So my last straw is to pick up some plugs and wires and do those. Any other suggestions to help me out would be appreciated. Just to clear this up I'll list the services I have had performed.

Full Driveline fluid exchanged
Transmission Flush
Fuel Filter
Fuel System Cleaning
New Tires about 3k Miles ago
Timing Chain Tensioner
PCV Valve

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

they could, but possibly not a lot. your larger tires are hurting mpg's, if your air filter is old that could hurt it, it could also be driving style. but, the v6 isnt super awesome on gas. id imagine being paired with the auto is worse.

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

Just putting this out there but have you compensated for the larger tires? 31's over stock will change out the speedo by about 10 percent.So you are actually driving farther than your odo reads and therefore your MPG's arent as bad a sthey seem.

On my truck before i had it recalibrated my speedo said 100km on the nose but the GPS would read 110,So if i got 500 km out of a tank of fuel i was actually getting 550 km which makes a 3-4 MPG differance ISH.
If thats the case you would actually be getting 14-15 MPG and thats pretty much on par for combination city/hwy winter driving.By those numbers i can guess you do about 65 percent city 35 percent hwy.Am i right?

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

Get a vacuum gauge and learn to drive like an old fart.

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

As a matter of fact I haven't had it recalibrated. I was told by the dealer that that size tires were the new stock size for that model year and that I wouldn't need to recalibrate the speedo/tach. How would I recalibrate it?

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

fuel filter might help 2

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

I'd drive with a gps and see if theres a gross discrepancy between it and the speedometer to check the dealer's claim about the tire size. Which I really doubt. Only fx4 trucks came factory with 31s afaik

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

I donnt know how true it is but you could do the acetone trick and I feel atleast in my 94 that the air intake hole is in a poor place... I'm going to move it. Drive like a granny

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

it made a SMALLL DIFFERENCE when i redid the plugs and wires.... but it did nmake a difference

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nad get it recalibrated at the dealer regardless of what they say!

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

Well right now I'm at 235 miles on the odometer and I'm sitting at about just above the empty mark so that's already an improvement over my previous mileage.

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

I know this particular post is from a while back, but I didn't see anybody answer you, so...

I also have a 2001 with the 4.0L V6, with 31" tires and a BL. My speedo/odo were off by about 10% (as indicated by another, earlier in this thread). To calculate your true mileage (or truer, anyway!!), multiply the ODO reading by 1.1, then use the result to divide by gallons to determine a more correct MPG.

To answer your questions here, though: The 31" tires can be compensated for, and they can also make some adjustments in the PCM to adjust your automatic transmission's shift points a little closer to where they should be -- both of these tasks can be done at a competant Ford dealership. The one I went to charged me something like $35 for it.

Starting in 2001, all Rangers had 4WABS, and the signal that feeds the odometer/speedometer is generated within the 4WABS module. They can set this to 31" tires in the menu of their tool. Should take only a few seconds. Prior to 2001, in Rangers that had 2WABS, the signal that feeds the odo/speedo is generated within the GEM and may require a different tool (or a different menu on the same tool, i don't know); not your problem anyway, since you have a 2001. :) The shift points can be adjusted -closer- to where they should be, but not exactly using that same tool, and reprogramming the PCM (Pulse Control Module). If your dealer doesn't know how to do it, or is the same one that gave you the previous response, find another Ford dealership.

I had mine done a couple weekends ago, and the odometer and speedometer are now spot-on with the readings on my GPS. The shift points are improved a bit, as well, but not perfect -- that should give me slightly better MPG, I should think, since the transmission is working closer to where it should be, rather than way off like it was before the reconfiguring.

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

^ good info :top: , I didn't know about any of that with the dealer being able to change stuff
when the light turns on, there's alot left in the tank, too. I think there's a thread about that somewhere.

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

This is another reason why Turbo rocks!!

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

Well I work for Oreilly Auto Parts and we have a gentleman come in fairly often that said he could update my PCM to the newest update through Ford, tweak it to give me better mileage and power. All for $50 bucks. Sounds like getting my cake and eating it too. He's a retired GM guy that sold everything he had for Scan Tools and got one that will work for anything from a Ugo to a Maseratti. He said my truck would be simple to tweak.

Re: Could new plugs and wires improve gas mileage?
 

cool! someone's sure got the sweet hookup!