[Lumadar]

So I just hit 315 miles and the light came on, so I filled 'er up. I managed to get 26.5 MPG on the first tank of gas ever through the car. From my understanding, engines typically pick up 10-20% better mileage as they break-in and near 10,000 miles, and at least the first two tanks are notoriously poor MPG.

So, needless to say I am very pleased with 26.5 MPG for a few reasons...one being I literally did about 80% city driving on that tank, it was the first time I've driven a stick of any kind in years, and the first stick I've ever owned.... so I expect as I learn to be more efficient, and the engine breaks in I should break into the 30MPG+ club! Woohoo! [] [] [~]

 

[cruzstyle]

nice ive had mine for 3 yeard and i just got 26 on my tank with 90 percent city and 6 runs on the 1/8th mile so i guess thats pretty good i wan tto try and it 30 in city by changing my driving style im hopeing it will work but we will see

 

[SkyPilot]

yeah thats pretty good, now the better part is when you do a road trip and you'll break 32+ mpg!

 

[dantegl36]

Two weekends ago I drove to Cinncinati from where I live (Pittsburgh) and I did some quick calculating in my head (based on the est. mpg listed from ford and the print out from map quest) and figured by the time I finally reached my destination I would have around a quarter of a gallon left in the tank. Low and behold this was a very good guess on my part. Doing that simple math equation to figure out your mpg I got an average of 33mpg and that was going an average speed of 75-80mph all the way there! I was very satisfied.

 

[cruzstyle]

i got 34 when i went to LA to vist my mom

 

[SkyPilot]

gotta love that highway driving

 

[airdrummer]

I don't know what my first tank was, but today was the first tank I've been able to calculate, and I got around 27.8 MPG with my new ST (under 1000 miles on it).

 

[Houckster]

Engine Break-in/2.3L Mileage

What mix of driving led to the 27.8 MPG? Was this mostly highway driving or was it light city-suburban driving. Can you provide a rough percentage split?

The Duratec 23 engine's EPA estimates are very disappointing. A third of liter shouldn't make so much difference relative to the Duratec 20. It really does seem that Ford should have done a better job with the mileage.

Does anyone know if Ford is using variable valve timing now? It really made a difference in the SVT I had. I know Ford has it on their 4-cylinder Fusion but I don't know about the Focus.

I'm still bummed out they don't have the ST package for the ZX3. I was hoping they'd do that in 2007.

Though I love my Ranger and won't part with it, I would like to get into a Focus or at least this class of car again. I'd still have my SVT if it hadn't had 4000 squeaks, rattles and groans. Definitely a bad day at the factory.

Also, how are the 2005+ Focus with regard to this? I definitely don't want another rattletrap.

Finally, a personal opinion about break-in periods. There really isn't one on these cars. I've had a 2001 and a 2002 Focus. In both, I got rid of the 5W20 ASAP (well, the SVT had 5W30) and switched to a full synthetic 5W50 lube. I got great mileage and next to no oil consumption. I mention this because what people refer to as the "break-in" period is just a period of high wear that leads to a shorter engine life and less performance in the long run. It's far better, again this is my opinion, to get a really high quality 5W40 or 5W50 oil and eliminate the engine friction by having a high quality oil film really prevent metal-to-metal contact. That's something a 20W oil cannot do.

 

[jaimz]

i get 32+ all the time, with 135,000miles of daily abuse

 

[airdrummer]

Re: Engine Break-in/2.3L Mileage

What mix of driving led to the 27.8 MPG? Was this mostly highway driving or was it light city-suburban driving. Can you provide a rough percentage split?

Mostly highway. I'd say about 85% freeway/highway (with traffic lights) 15% city.

 

[MightyMouse]

20mpg here.

 

[Fo' SHO]

My very first tank got me 31.5 MPG. I drove like I was 90!

20mpg here.

What track did you run your ST on? You've been bested by an automatic Taurus driver in a SES ZX3 [???] My 1/8th was 10.088 @ 69.14

 

[EricR]

...The Duratec 23 engine's EPA estimates are very disappointing. A third of liter shouldn't make so much difference relative to the Duratec 20. It really does seem that Ford should have done a better job with the mileage...

The ST has a lower final drive gear which adds to its ability to pull, but detracts from the milage seen in the D20.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

The ST has a lower final drive gear which adds to its ability to pull, but detracts from the milage seen in the D20.

No, as of 2005 all Foci have 3.86 gears, the 03-04 D23 PZEV models had 3.41 gears but Ford figured that 3.86 gave better fuel economy. MM has also reported that the lower gears give better economy than the taller gears.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Re: Engine Break-in/2.3L Mileage

The Duratec 23 engine's EPA estimates are very disappointing. A third of liter shouldn't make so much difference relative to the Duratec 20. It really does seem that Ford should have done a better job with the mileage.

Actually, from what other FF's have posted, the D23 gets better fuel economy than the D20. Both engines gain several mpg after installing any CAI, exhaust system, and tuning. I get 30-32 in mixed driving to work.

I know that the sticker at the dealer says differently, but according to Consumer Reports that's a bunch of bogus nonsense anyway since they only recorded 26 mpg in the city in a Honda Insight. From what I've read (search yahoo for fuel econonomy, EPA fuel economy tests, etc), the manufacturers simply run a vehicle at certain rpm's in a test facility for X amount of time- record the fuel usage and use a formula to calculate the approximate fuel economy of a vehicle. In short, it's a bunch of crap designed to help sell the car.

The extra cubes of the D23 translates into more torque, which means less pedal pressure to get going and keep going. I wish I'd known that when I ordered my car, but I couldn't have ordered a wagon with the D23 engine anyway. If I'd done more research I'd be searching green states for some person who thought that the newer engine would give them better fuel economy and was selling off their old PZEV wagon.

I'm working on the wagon that Ford never built, and some day in the next few years (finances permitting) I'll have a D23 engine installed and built with enough torque to push 3.41 gears and get decent highway economy. I'd sacrifice city economy, but southern cities aren't like REAL cities, and most of my driving is highway.

 

[scorpio1118_2000]

I just hit 33,500 and Im getting 28-30mpg in the city with no mods I cant wait to get my cosworth stage1 kit.[thumb]

 

[MightyMouse]

My very first tank got me 31.5 MPG. I drove like I was 90!



What track did you run your ST on? You've been bested by an automatic Taurus driver in a SES ZX3 [???] My 1/8th was 10.088 @ 69.14

Texas Raceway in Kennedale, Texas. WTF 10.088 in a SES. Must be one hell of a driver. What are you launching at? Shift points? Powershifting?

Also, how many miles do you have on that thing?

 

[T-V]

I got 19 MPG last night, my highest EVER is 26, with all interstate driving.

Edit: But then again, I do drive a ZETEC... I feel like a freakin' 3rd grader who walked into the wrong classroom.

[V]

 

[PitchBlack06ZX3]

ive been getting about 30mpg mostly city in my 06 zx3 only bout 900 miles on it. but then again i baby the h3ll out of it

 

[Fo' SHO]

Texas Raceway in Kennedale, Texas. WTF 10.088 in a SES. Must be one hell of a driver. What are you launching at? Shift points? Powershifting?

Also, how many miles do you have on that thing?

I launch at "rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" []

I think it is about 3K or slightly above. I feather off the clutch to launch, dump clutch is baaaad. I shift around 6200 RPM. I believe my shifting style is called "granny shifting"[scratch]

I remember I was within 50 miles of an oil change while at the track, so I guess it had 5950 or so miles.