[The Mailman 666]

Anyone one else with my mods getting bad milage. I'm getting about 12KM per liter. Looks like 27mpg?

 

[metallicnotazx5]

mpg please.

 

[The Mailman 666]

mpg please.

looks like 27 mpg

 

[SVT_BMXer]

27mpg on average isnt all that bad. A good tune should not only bump up power, but mpg as well.

 

[metallicnotazx5]

go with autolite 104's they will really smooth the motor out and bump your milage up a little.. you will need to check the gap every oil change, but they are easy on our cars

 

[cruzstyle]

yes im getting about the same amont of miles as you. 27-28 i kind hate it because i see people on here that say they get over 30 with mixed driving andi cant. WTF

 

[Texas Notorious]

With my 05 sedan I was getting around 30 to 32 mixed driving. With my new 06 I am getting around 27. My 05 had cat back system and nothing else. My 06 only has a CAI so far.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

I'm sorry I don't list my mods. I have mentioned several times that southern city driving is not really comparible to REAL city driving. There are only a few places in Memphis where you'll run into stop lights that are not spaced 1/8 mile (@ 1/2 km) or more apart. For example, in my drive to work I hit one stop sign, 7 lights, and approximately 15 miles of the 24 mile drive is hwy. I'll try to get a more accurate account Monday. I use an SCT XCal2 with -2 spark timing, both my cams are set at -2 (though I never noticed a big effect from re-timing the cams), I have a Stealth CAI, and an MBRP cat-back that removed the 2nd cat. I'm currently trying to figure out a way to "fix" the mileage reducing effects of a free flow exhaust missing the 2nd cat. I recently read that wrapping the 02 sensor with aluminum foil for insulation helps some, and I'm going to give that a go on the downstream sensor to see if there is any effect.

I'm also going to experiment with some fuel additives, but I'm having some difficulties locating the right ones. I'll post more in my FE thread if it works.

The SCT helped, but it's expensive. If your future modding will require tuning, then it's worth the expense up front. Just pay attention to which tuner you want to purchase your XCal from because it is usually more expensive to purchase a tune from Y vendor if you purchased your Xcal from X vendor.

I wrote a thread about magnets put around the fuel line in which I reported no increase in FE. This is not completely true. I noticed a 1-3 mpg increase, but I don't think that is significant enough to report because other things like warmer weather, driving habits, or a recent oil change could be affecting the results. It also takes a couple of weeks- I don't know why- for the effects to be completely realized. Recently I re-configured the magnets, and within a couple of weeks the mileage dropped consistent with what I thought I noticed as an increase. PM me if you're interested in my suggestion and I'll relay where I got the materials and what I found most cost effective. Most people who have never tried it think it doesn't work for various reasons. Another good reason to experiment with this stuff is the reduction of HC emissions which are caused by lean fuel issues. The ECU keeps the fuel a little on the rich side for the sake of lower HC's, but by using these and a good tuner it's highly possible to lean out the mix to gain MPG without failing emissions sniffer tests.

There's a link in a long post in my FE thread (not mine, but I'm known for it) that has some suggestions for increasing fuel economy. Most notably and easy to experiment on your own is changing your thinking about what oils increase fuel economy. The writer of the article recommends thicker oils which help seal the rings better increasing compression (slightly) and decreasing fuel to crankcase transfer through the rings. For those of you who aren't familiar ith how rings work on a piston- there is a small amount of leak from the combustion chamber to the crankcase. Common thinking is that lower viscosity oils yield better fuel economy. I can vouch for this writer's findings from my own experience with my old Aerostar. I used 4/5 20W-50, and 1/5 Lucas in the Aerostar to eliminate a slight rod knock for the 80k miles that I drove the van. I went from 15-17 in the first few tanks on thin oil, to 19-23 with thicker oil. No, the motor did not die, in fact, I'd say it lived MUCH longer than it would have on the recommended 5w-30.

"Experts" will most likely disagree and discredit me. Believe them, or try it yourself to see what you experience. I'm going to get back into posting my weekly results, and I'll note when I change my oil from 0W-30 to something more robust, and you can take it or leave it with those findings.

 

[The Mailman 666]

I'm sorry I don't list my mods. I have mentioned several times that southern city driving is not really comparible to REAL city driving. There are only a few places in Memphis where you'll run into stop lights that are not spaced 1/8 mile (@ 1/2 km) or more apart. For example, in my drive to work I hit one stop sign, 7 lights, and approximately 15 miles of the 24 mile drive is hwy. I'll try to get a more accurate account Monday. I use an SCT XCal2 with -2 spark timing, both my cams are set at -2 (though I never noticed a big effect from re-timing the cams), I have a Stealth CAI, and an MBRP cat-back that removed the 2nd cat. I'm currently trying to figure out a way to "fix" the mileage reducing effects of a free flow exhaust missing the 2nd cat. I recently read that wrapping the 02 sensor with aluminum foil for insulation helps some, and I'm going to give that a go on the downstream sensor to see if there is any effect.

I'm also going to experiment with some fuel additives, but I'm having some difficulties locating the right ones. I'll post more in my FE thread if it works.

The SCT helped, but it's expensive. If your future modding will require tuning, then it's worth the expense up front. Just pay attention to which tuner you want to purchase your XCal from because it is usually more expensive to purchase a tune from Y vendor if you purchased your Xcal from X vendor.

I wrote a thread about magnets put around the fuel line in which I reported no increase in FE. This is not completely true. I noticed a 1-3 mpg increase, but I don't think that is significant enough to report because other things like warmer weather, driving habits, or a recent oil change could be affecting the results. It also takes a couple of weeks- I don't know why- for the effects to be completely realized. Recently I re-configured the magnets, and within a couple of weeks the mileage dropped consistent with what I thought I noticed as an increase. PM me if you're interested in my suggestion and I'll relay where I got the materials and what I found most cost effective. Most people who have never tried it think it doesn't work for various reasons. Another good reason to experiment with this stuff is the reduction of HC emissions which are caused by lean fuel issues. The ECU keeps the fuel a little on the rich side for the sake of lower HC's, but by using these and a good tuner it's highly possible to lean out the mix to gain MPG without failing emissions sniffer tests.

There's a link in a long post in my FE thread (not mine, but I'm known for it) that has some suggestions for increasing fuel economy. Most notably and easy to experiment on your own is changing your thinking about what oils increase fuel economy. The writer of the article recommends thicker oils which help seal the rings better increasing compression (slightly) and decreasing fuel to crankcase transfer through the rings. For those of you who aren't familiar ith how rings work on a piston- there is a small amount of leak from the combustion chamber to the crankcase. Common thinking is that lower viscosity oils yield better fuel economy. I can vouch for this writer's findings from my own experience with my old Aerostar. I used 4/5 20W-50, and 1/5 Lucas in the Aerostar to eliminate a slight rod knock for the 80k miles that I drove the van. I went from 15-17 in the first few tanks on thin oil, to 19-23 with thicker oil. No, the motor did not die, in fact, I'd say it lived MUCH longer than it would have on the recommended 5w-30.

"Experts" will most likely disagree and discredit me. Believe them, or try it yourself to see what you experience. I'm going to get back into posting my weekly results, and I'll note when I change my oil from 0W-30 to something more robust, and you can take it or leave it with those findings.

Sounds interesting I shall do some research online and see what I come up with as backup material.

 

[Fredness]

Quote button abuse!!

I've been PM'ing whynotthinkwhynot back and forth. I've done the O2 "wrap" and my first tank was 37mpg (up from an average 35), making it tied for my "best ever" mileage since new. Only more runs will tell for sure. I'm also going to see if I can get the State emissions station to check the tail pipe for possible NOx increase.

This weekend it's NGK TR55's gapped at .035" to see how they do. Then I'll start watching the plugs to see how much colder I can go.

I'm also going to try the Torco oil next change. But that's not for another 3-4 weeks. Been averaging 750 miles a week since I bought it (10 months, 29,800 miles!), so that's a oil change every month...

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Watch that gap Fred, stock Duratec gap is like .051- check the owners manual, page 211 I think, but I know for sure it's in there. Less gap will drive the COP ignition crazy.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

OH, and I'm definately doing that O2 wrap thing this weekend if I can find the parts you used or something similar around town. I might try their aluminum foil trick.

 

[metallicnotazx5]

what is this 02 wrap?

 

[Fo' SHO]

used 4/5 20W-50, and 1/5 Lucas in the Aerostar to eliminate a slight rod knock for the 80k miles that I drove the van. I went from 15-17 in the first few tanks on thin oil, to 19-23 with thicker oil. No, the motor did not die, in fact, I'd say it lived MUCH longer than it would have on the recommended 5w-30.

That isn't the case with newer Ford engines. New Ford engines rated for 5w-20 were clearly designed for only that thinner weight of oil. Down here in Texas we have had 2 engine failures caused by running 10w-30 Royal Purple in a modular 4.6. Who knows how many have actually happened, but these two were documented by MPH (A local shop). The thicker oil couldn't properly lubricate in the close tolerances in the cam and journals. Cookie cookie []

Also intake killed my gas mileage. I thought a filter in the engine compartment (so much hot air in the hot summer) would lean the engine out and increase mileage. I sold my Steeda intake. 3 strikes: Annoying, no performance increase and MPG killer...

 

[Fredness]

Watch that gap Fred, stock Duratec gap is like .051- check the owners manual, page 211 I think, but I know for sure it's in there. Less gap will drive the COP ignition crazy.

I'm going to data-log it starting at .035" and go from there. No offense, but I got the same warningings when I supercharged the Ranger and went to .035". The Ranger folks said I would smoke the EEC-IV ignition. Never had an issue, started great, ran great. I'll post more Saurday night. I'll be at the Stanwood, WA car show with a booth. I'll have all day Sunday to review the data-logs...

what is this 02 wrap?

Using a heat barrier wrap to hold heat in the O2 sensor. It forces it to read slightly rich in closed loop, forcing the engine to add less fuel and helping economy. I would not recommend it unless you have access to data-logging and exhaust sniffing equipment to be sure things are OK before and after...


Which won't help at all if you have "Bad MPG" because that is a sign of problems that need to be fixed first...

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Also intake killed my gas mileage. I thought a filter in the engine compartment (so much hot air in the hot summer) would lean the engine out and increase mileage. I sold my Steeda intake. 3 strikes: Annoying, no performance increase and MPG killer...

I had the same MPG issue with the home-made short ram that I put on my vehicle. I think it has more to do with having a good length to the air intake than anything else. I noticed a lot of improvement when I changed back to just the standard MAF tube with a filter on it. Any of the aftermarket intakes besides the Steeda would be great because those are even longer than what I have. One FF put a flexible intake hose, then a 90 deg elbow, and ended with a cone filter inside the fenderwell very much like the FS and MM intakes and claimed good gains.

Point taken on the cam clearance, on the Duratec it's .001 and since the cam bearings can't be replaced without replacing the head or taking the head to a machine shop- I'll skip that idea until I get some more wear on the motor.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Oh, on the O2 wrap, I went to Advance recently, and the guy there pointed me to some spark plug insulators on the shelf for half the price of the MSD type. DEI I think was the name of the maker. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet. Working on 6 12's and a 10- more hours than I want, but that's the summertime woes of construction [dunno]