The quest for increased Fuel economy

[WhiteThunder]

I will be "tuning" the focus for better MPG. Any suggestions?
I did this with my daily driver (Lincoln towncar) with an intake and custom exhaust 2 1/2 center section , 2 1/4 tails, and high mileage synthetic blend sounds awesome and I get 21/34mpg city/highwa,y more if I pay attention.

[Sponsor]

[CaptainRyan]

Honestly the focus should be tuned from the factory with fuel economy and emissions in mind.

Allowing more air into and out of the motor will increase its efficiency - however everything I have read on the subject states that additional power does not relate to more miles per gallon.

I too am on a quest to increase MPG but I'm taking a different route - I am planning on decreasing the Coefficient of Drag. I plan on sheeting the underside of the entire car to reduce drag as well as dropping the suspension.

[sailor]

Which engine & trans. you have would help with mechanical suggestions.

That said, your easiest & largest gains with the Focus will probably come from removing excess weight (a pursuit taken to the extreme by some members, but just cleaning out the trunk helps), then selecting a high mpg tire set over a more performance oriented type & running an extra 5 psi. in the tires.

While newer tire designs constantly get better at balancing performance vs. mpg & long wear, "factory" types generally favor mpg while most replacements (even of the generic variety) favor increased traction over mpg & long wear.

So, in general terms, when shopping for "mileage" tires you will be looking for high tread wear numbers & lower traction ratings. The more "summer" type the better - almost all are "all season" these days, but for your objective the LOWER the winter capability the better.

The Town Car had a LOT more room for improvement in the intake & exhaust area than ANY of the Focus models, so beyond using a K&N type filter or a cold air intake system your main gains would only be from making sure the "tune up" items are up to snuff. (Plugs, wires, filters, belts, oil & filter etc.)

The other "obvious" area that commonly gets overlooked is the brake system. "Stickiness" in calipers, drum brake hdwe. or E-brake cables - even when not "bad" enough to require immediate attention will drop mpg noticeably.

Luck!

Oh, By the way, the alignment info. in the Wheels Tires & Brakes area will be very helpful in increasing mpg & reducing tire wear if yours isn't set to those recommendations yet.

[mac.mogul]

What engine do you have? That info might make it easier for others to help you out.