Help my 'MPG Mission'

Wasatch Wranger

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I'm on a mission. I have owned my Ranger for 2 weeks now. It's lifted and has big ol tires and a winch and all that good stuff. And I love the look of it. I do NOT love the MPG numbers. I'm averaging a pitiful 14.5. So, my mission is to get that up higher. My plans are to swap out the tires to a narrower AT tire, which should help a bit. But I'm asking you: What else should I do for some MPG help? Is there an MPG helping tune? What is the best bang for your buck to aid MPG?
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Best bang for your buck is to change your driving style to be more eco conscious. That's essentially free. By driving an eco forward way, I've gotten up to 28mpg in my stock XLT FX4. I'm convinced I could get 30+mpg if I really put my mind to it and had good conditions.

I did an experiment last fall by driving just like everyone else on the road, instead of my eco style. It resulted in a difference of almost 16%. It's obviously not the only factor, but it is something you can control.

Basically all the mods you've already done are the exact opposite things to do to increase mpg. You've made it heavier, less aerodynamic, and increased rolling resistance.
 

tfisher15

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I'm on a mission. I have owned my Ranger for 2 weeks now. It's lifted and has big ol tires and a winch and all that good stuff. And I love the look of it. I do NOT love the MPG numbers. I'm averaging a pitiful 14.5. So, my mission is to get that up higher. My plans are to swap out the tires to a narrower AT tire, which should help a bit. But I'm asking you: What else should I do for some MPG help? Is there an MPG helping tune? What is the best bang for your buck to aid MPG?
The biggest mpg gains I’ve seen on my Ranger with stock tires and Livernois tune is slow down on the highway (closer to 70 instead of 80) and ease away from the stoplights. Not easy to do. ?
 

myothercarizahearse

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I find cruising without stopping at 40-55 MPH give the best mileage. I averaged a 2 hour trip at around 45-50 MPH with 27MPG. that was mainly country roads no stop lights or signs
 

AzScorpion

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I'm on a mission. I have owned my Ranger for 2 weeks now. It's lifted and has big ol tires and a winch and all that good stuff. And I love the look of it. I do NOT love the MPG numbers. I'm averaging a pitiful 14.5. So, my mission is to get that up higher. My plans are to swap out the tires to a narrower AT tire, which should help a bit. But I'm asking you: What else should I do for some MPG help? Is there an MPG helping tune? What is the best bang for your buck to aid MPG?
With the Livernois tune I gained about 2 mpg with "normal" driving. Once you get one it all bets are off. It's been said many times these ecoboost engines are either eco (economy) or boost (fun) you can't have both. Changing out the tires will help too as I'm running 265/70/17 and you can see my average of 21.7 in my sig below.

This was an all highway trip with the ACC set to 75 mph both ways with the 91-93 performance tune and 91 octane.

IMG_3382.jpg
 


Vitis805

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I like to believe the1mrb and myself have similar eco-conscious driving styles, but regardless, it comes down to too many factors to compare. You have a setup that is not eco-conscious to begin with so you have a battle to get the good MPG the truck is capable of. On the highway/freeway I ALWAYS set the cruise control to 69 as the speed limit around me is 65, but really that means 75 as I am always passed by nearly everything but larger rigs than my own. My area is quite hilly and fairly mountainous with the elevation of the roads changing swiftly at times. I think I read that the1mrb drives @ around 55-60 MPH with an area that is mostly flat, but I could be wrong. With my driving style, as well as the atmospheric and environmental conditions that equaled to a best MPG of 24.8 for a ~500 miles round trip. When I am back in town driving my normal route for work and errands that same 500 miles seem to be pegged at >22 but <24 MPG which can be viewed on my Fuelly page. I do a mix of hauling for work so I bet that I could keep it nearer to 24 MPG if it weren’t for that factor.

As far as things that I believe helped my MPG from a mod standpoint; that would be the tonneau cover and Ford tune. The tune seemed to bump about ~1.5 MPG after install and the tonneau ~1 MPG. I was around 20 MPG for a bit before I installed those items. Hope this helps.
 

E Monty

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What are your current habits? Do you stand on it, warm up the engine, drive in the Wasatch mountains constantly in 4WD, city vs. hwy mileage, if hwy driving what is your speed etc. I am Livernois tuned, run 93 octane, 90% hwy with cruise at 70, stock everything else, short occasional warm ups, standard acceleration, unloaded, no trailer, by myself and I float right at 22 hand calculated. I do see a large difference in speed and the weight of my right foot or pulling a trailer. When I fist fit my tune that tank was 14.5 cause I got as in racer mode!! A lift and big tires is counter productive I’m sure. Look at all the driving variables.
 

DukeCanBuildit

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Members - Let me know if I have this wrong.

Josh,

Have you re-calibrated your speedometer since you added bigger tires?

If not, then when it shows you’re going 55 mph, you’re actually going about 60 mph. Your truck is calculating fewer miles than you’re actually putting on it but the amount of fuel being used is about the same.

Good tuners will calibrate for big tires and improve mpg.
 

Trigganometry

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A few things to be mindful of. We’re on winter blend gas right now. I liken that to a 2 to 3 mpg hit.

Like others in the thread have eluded to, driving style, drag factors and local terrane, morning warmup in cold weather all contribute or subtract.

Right now with my own truck I warmup in mornings, 20 mile commute to work and 89 octane gas I’m getting about 19 mpg right now. Still like to ‘get on it’ now and again but for the most part taking it easy drives. I’m only like 1650 miles so technically still breaking in.
 

DukeCanBuildit

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I find cruising without stopping at 40-55 MPH give the best mileage. I averaged a 2 hour trip at around 45-50 MPH with 27MPG. that was mainly country roads no stop lights or signs
Government vehicles here are often limited to 90 km/hr (55 mph) primarily for the fuel/cost savings. Big 90 km/hr decals are placed on the rear to keep the road rage to minimum. ?
 
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Wasatch Wranger

Wasatch Wranger

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Thanks for all the replies!

My driving habits are really pretty tame. The highway speed limit in Utah is between 70-80 and everyone seemingly drives 80+ but I honestly keep it around 70. And around town, I'm in no hurry. But, as @DukeCanBuildit brought up, my speedo might indeed be off. I bought this truck already built up, which has pros and cons. I fully realize that lift, tires and weight are the enemies of MPG but I assumed like the other trucks I'd owned, Highway MPG would be better than city - once you get the truck moving it is easier to keep it moving. But that hasn't been the case at all. I can't seem to break 16 mpg on the highway. I shudder to think what it will get when I tow our little Aliner trailer behind it. :explode:

I think I will get through these tires and getting more 'normal' tires will help quite a bit. It also has some Westin nerf bars on it, which I'm not a fan of. That's just added weight so I'll pull those off.
 

DukeCanBuildit

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Thanks for all the replies!

My driving habits are really pretty tame. The highway speed limit in Utah is between 70-80 and everyone seemingly drives 80+ but I honestly keep it around 70. And around town, I'm in no hurry. But, as @DukeCanBuildit brought up, my speedo might indeed be off. I bought this truck already built up, which has pros and cons. I fully realize that lift, tires and weight are the enemies of MPG but I assumed like the other trucks I'd owned, Highway MPG would be better than city - once you get the truck moving it is easier to keep it moving. But that hasn't been the case at all. I can't seem to break 16 mpg on the highway. I shudder to think what it will get when I tow our little Aliner trailer behind it. :explode:

I think I will get through these tires and getting more 'normal' tires will help quite a bit. It also has some Westin nerf bars on it, which I'm not a fan of. That's just added weight so I'll pull those off.
I hope someone else can verify my theory.

I have larger, wider, heavier tires, air dam delete, side step nerfs, pocket fender flares, fibreglass canopy, a platform rack, and I drive with my foot in it. Did my mpg take a hit? Definitely. But I’m not fussing over it because if I install a damper I can make it all back plus get a sweet bump in hp and torque at the same time.
 

AzScorpion

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I hope someone else can verify my theory.

I have larger, wider, heavier tires, air dam delete, side step nerfs, pocket fender flares, fibreglass canopy, a platform rack, and I drive with my foot in it. Did my mpg take a hit? Definitely. But I’m not fussing over it because if I install a damper I can make it all back plus get a sweet bump in hp and torque at the same time.

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I'd like to hear back what you avg after getting the speedometer recalibrated for the tire size. I usually avg around 22 in warm weather an 19-20 in the winter. I don't hammer it often but it is fun so I do it a few times a week. I plan on lifting my ranger 2-2.5" an adding 265/70/17 tires an I'm watching the tire weight to be as close to the factory weight as possible. I have the livernois tuner an ran the 87-89 tune for about 1500 miles an have run the 91-93 for the last 3000 or so. seems like I get the same mileage out of both tunes. I think it might be because I don't have to get on the gas as much to get the acceleration I want. It might be a fraction better with the tune than stock but getting the power increase without a mpg penalty makes the tune worth the price IMO. Livernois won't claim an mpg improvement because they say there are so many veritables in driving style, use an fuel quality it would be hard to prove.

You should put a fuel economy tracker or speedometer app on your phone...fill the truck up an track mileage with an app an figure out the mpg that way. I had a Harley without a speedometer an I used my phone as one until I got the feel for the speeds I was going. I never used the tripometer feature though.
 
 



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