Why Is The Mileage So Bad On The Tremor?

[JimboAnz]

Love to see TFL do a scientific stock vs modified mpg impact test...

1-start with stock truck, controlled mpg testing under specific conditions
2-increase tire size, test again
3-add wheel spacers, test again
4-level/lift, test again
5-add bed accessories, test again
6-add RTT, test again
7-add cargo weight to total 5,500#, test again
8-tow camper, test again

Haha, this is so true. It is a downward spiral progression. I had a 15 Tacoma and at the end I was averaging 12-14 mpg. Everything I did, reduced mpg by a little.

Stock > +1 size duratracs > sliders > lift > bigger tires again > wheel spacers > skids > mo beefy skids > front bumper > rear bumper > regear > roof top tent > mo better rear suspension to lift that saggy ass > tire carrier on the rear bumper. I could not daily drive that thing anymore. 200 miles to a tank.......was killing me. I weighed in at a truck stop fully loaded on the way to the Red Clay Rally the last year I went, I tipped it at 6500 lbs. overweight for sure. weight kills.

Love my Ranger in stock form, averaging 23-24 mpg.

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[JimboAnz]

I don't understand what you are trying to say.

Every vehicle that I have had since the mid 80's with a trip computer worked the same way for the mpg calculations. It used the duty cycle of the fuel injectors to calculate the volume of fuel being consumed and the odometer for the mileage being driven. So average mpg between resets of the trip computer it is a simple miles driven divided by fuel consumed. It is always totaling miles driven and fuel consumed. Instantaneous mpg is calculated the same just using small slices of time.

Over the past 10 years or so the manufacturers have been shutting off the injectors when the vehicle is coasting specifically to save fuel and increase mileage. So during a coasting event you are still accumulating miles driven with no fuel being consumed resulting in the calculated mpg going up. Conversely when you are stopped with the engine running you are not accumulating any miles but are using fuel so the calculated mpg goes down. Another measure to increase mpg is the auto start/stop so you are not consuming fuel when the vehicle is not moving.

The fact that the display on the dash limits the range you see has nothing to do with the calculation going on in the background. It is just done to make the display more readable and/or prevent outlandish numbers numbers from being displayed.

Errors come from injectors varying from their nominal dimensions and/or fuel pressure varying from their nominal pressure. Over size injectors or higher fuel pressure will result in more fuel flowing than what a given duty cycle is programed for resulting in a higher reading than a hand calculation. The converse is true for less than nominal parts.

Another thing to keep in mind is a hand calculation is not absolutely accurate either and it is very easy to get a +/- 1 or more mpg error. The error comes from the fact that it is near impossible to consistently FILL the tank due variations in the pump, the cutoff in the nozzle or the way the nozzle hangs in the tank without topping off until fuel dribbles out the filler neck which is bad for the EVAP system.

I commend Ford for allowing you to adjust an offset to make the in vehicle display more accurate. If you plan to do that the most accurate way you would need to record the displayed mpg and the hand calculated mpg over a number of tanks (more the better). Then average the display numbers and the hand calculated numbers to come up with the numbers to use for calculating the office set. If you have done it accurately you will see the display and hand calculation alternating with the more optimistic number.

I did this and I am now within 0.2 mpg hand calc vs. computer reading for the tank / trip.

 

[Shelby American]

With my mix driving, I'm getting right at 19 more or less. But don't even have 1000 miles on it yet.
And here in Southern Idaho it's been very windy, and wind really screws up mpgs.
Just bought another set of factory take offs there more of a road Tire. We'll see if that improves mileage any or not. Hoping it does but my main reason for changing tires was it's due to the rocks that keep sticking in these all-terrains and flinging out as soon as I get on the highway. I live on a gravel road for a short distance and so it's a real issue.
I figure the tires and maybe Wheels have got to be the only reason for the mileage difference. After I make the switch and ran a couple tanks through I'll report back some differences and the weight of each Tire and wheel setup.

Do you have mud flaps?

 

[rcairflr]

I have almost 4000 miles on my Tremor. I notice the average the computer says is 21-23 MPG but when I do the math with the trip and amount of gas I fill it up with. I notice its off by a 2ish MPG.

You can go in and calibrate the fuel MPG reading

 

[typmoon]

You can go in and calibrate the fuel MPG reading

Ah, Interesting. I'll need to see how to do that. It always throws me off seeing 24 MPG when its really 21 to 22 MPG.

 

[Cclittle72]

I'm sure it's been said already - put a tune on it and some 91+ gas and you'll get some back. My Tremor is being built in 6-7 weeks, so I can't share my experience yet. But I currently drive a 2018 Wrangler JLUR which gets closer to 15 mpg, so I'll take 19.

 

[Stevescootz]

My tremor currently. 90/10% City/Highway. Fairly hilly area, was expecting a bit better. Tons of a fun to drive though so I don’t mind too much.
hopefully it goes up a little as I drive and log some highway miles!

 

[SEkevin]

I had a fun little trip last week and put about 50 miles on gravel in 4H in sport mode and the car registered 21.6. So let’s say it’s off it would still be 19 or better. And it was a blast to drive. Lots of elevation changes and 20-50 MPH. Found my head clearing route! I’ve been getting less than 20 in town but sport mode 90% of the time so don’t care. First less than full size truck and I like it!

 

[Hounddog409]

What are you folks with Tremors getting in regard to MPG?

Thinking this through... the Tremor package (Really just a lift kit and bigger tires) takes the Ranger FX4 from a 20/24 mpg vehicle and drops it down to a 19/19 mpg vehicle?

In town I can see how the heavier tires would be an issue... but cruising down the highway? I mean once you have momentum.. 5 mpg hit seems unlikely no bigger than the Tremor wheel and tires package are.

Maybe simply a gearing thing, the bigger tires change drive ratios?

Wider tires are not as aerodynamic and more aggressive threads do not roll as easy. Both effect MPG.

 

[Dgc333]

I have 4500 miles on my Tremor now. It has the FP tune and a 1" level. I have been on only one hiway trip where I consumed most of a tank of gas. At 65 to 70 mph and an occasional blast past 80 I averaged almost 27 mpg on the way up to Maine. On the way home there was a lot of stop-n-go through Boston and the average dropped to 24.5 mpg by the time I got home.

Most of my driving is suburban where you get to average 35 to 45 mph for several miles at a time and when you hit a light you never have to sit more than one cycle. I am retired now so most of my driving is shorter trips of 10 miles or so. I am getting over 21 to just under 23 mpg. I still go into work one day a week to consult and based on how much my average climbs for that one trip I figure I would be getting about 24 mpg if I was still working.

Note: I have adjusted the off set on my trip computer so it is consistently +/- .2 mpg, I am about ready to stop doing hand calculations. Also, this is my third vehicle with a 2.3 Ecoboost, the other two didn't have there mileage peak until about 6k miles so I am hoping the Ranger will get a little better.

 

[Dochatley]

My Ranger gets 20 mpg. 23K miles. I was hoping for more.

 

[SkyLord]

After 2300 miles I’m still averaging just over 24 mpg (24.6) in my Tremor. It’s about a 50/50 city/highway mix. I commute about a 100 miles a day, it’s hilly and in the Southern end of the Rockies (5200-6800’). I don’t speed and I’ll admit I’m not accelerating hard, but I stay with traffic. Highway speed is about 70 mph. Used to get around 16 mpg in an F-150 3.5EB on the same route.

MPG in a truck is really a drag problem. You exponentially lose mpg as your speed goes up (parasitic drag). It’s especially noticeable above 65 mph. I’m sure some have seen this exacerbated when towing. If I did 80-85 I bet I would drop 4 mpg average over the same 2300 miles I’ve driven.

I fully expected the 19/19 EPA estimate when I bought it. I’m so happy that wasn’t true!

 

[TBR17]

Mine was bad up to 2200 miles roughly 16-18 mpg range. Went on a 3000 mile trip to Cleveland and Niagara Falls at 2200 on the odometer back in Oct. The route was from Florida so it included mountain driving and I averaged 23.7 over the 3k miles.

 

[XLT_TREMOR]

I’m not unhappy with the mileage. But I think from a practical standpoint the rating system is off and that a more representative number should be more like 17/24 city/highway. Better than 19 is possible in city conditions but difficult if there are almost any number of stop lights or signs. But 19/19 means there’s obviously something wrong with the EPA rating system. I’m pleasantly surprised with the actual freeway performance and only mildly disappointed with my actual city mileage.

 

[Cclittle72]

Mine was bad up to 2200 miles roughly 16-18 mpg range. Went on a 3000 mile trip to Cleveland and Niagara Falls at 2200 on the odometer back in Oct. The route was from Florida so it included mountain driving and I averaged 23.7 over the 3k miles.

Any mods, and on what octane?

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