Bad Gas?!?!

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Amber Clymer

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Feb 23, 2007
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Location
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So I have been very upset with my Trac & dealership lately. The dealership basically drags their feet and tells me to change my driving habits when I go in concerned about getting 7.8 mpg with only 6500 miles on the clock. I have been driving around for quite some time getting around these mpg, with very little change. I took in the ST and inquired about it and all they had to say to me was to change my driving habits...:blink:. They never even looked at it.

After being overly heated about the whole situation (couple months), I took some time back to think about it (yeah it took me a while). I get gas at the same place almost all of the time. A light came on in my head, maybe I am filling up with bad gas all of the time. I emptied the gas tank, got some fuel injector cleaner, and filled up with Shell V-power at a completely different gas station.

Once I got in my ST I reset the info center to zero out the average MPG. I then took my Trac out for a nice winter joy ride for about 45 minutes through the city (which is where I drive the most). When I got back into my garage I checked the MPG again. It said I averaged 12.5. MUCH better then the 7.8 I have been averaging the past couple of months.

So I am much more happy with my ST again. I think I was in dismay that the dealership put forth NO effort to help me with my issue, not even go look into it. They flat out told me to change the way I drive, which IMO is a bunch of horse poop.

If my mpg stay at that or better, I may just hang onto the ST instead of trading her in this spring. I had big plans for her & was soured, but I am getting happier once again.



Now all I have to do is get the dealership to make my transmission stop thrusting me forward when I let off the gas....still not a fan of that.
 
The average MPG for a 45 minute joyride is pretty much meaningless.



My wife's Pacifica is rated at 19mpg city. It's computer typically reads an average mpg rating of 15.x mpg as it rarely sees the highway. Are we ticked? No, not really. That's within the tolerance expected.



She did a road trip a few weeks ago, averaging 80mph for long stretches. The computer read avg of 22 mpg for several days thereafter.



The way you drive typically is the biggest factor in mpg.



I suspect all that what you did (flush, different gas) had little or no impact, and it was the reseting of the computer and the short driving that gave you a higher than normal, but accurate "interim" mpg rating. It made you happy.



I doubt it was the gas. But if you want, keep going to a different place.



If you want a more accurate mpg assessment, keep a log of fillup amounts (actual amounts) and miles driven in logbook and over long periods (a month or two) add up all the miles driven and divide by the total of all the gallons purchased.



Good luck.



TJR
 
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Yeah I understand 45 minutes isn't much but after resetting the info center, it helped. I also did log my miles after fill up, then miles driven and plan to keep track of those as well. I have reset the info center before but never used the fuel injector cleaner and it instatly went to 8.2 and then down to 7.8 mpg and stayed there for months, in prior reset.

This time when I reset it did not go to 8.2, it changed as expected & when I was done it sat at 12.5, which like I said is different then what it had done previously. I am trying to be optimistic about the whole situation....I have to be since the dealership isn't helpful what so ever.
 
It's good to hear from you again Bootsy! I think you are right about getting bad gas, although cleaning up your fuel system may have solved the problem, too. 11-13 mph is about what I get for solely in-town driving.



The bone-heads at the dealers usually don't have a clue. The last few times, I've come in with copies of discussions here to point them in the right direction. Have those guys do the latest TSB to get rid of the tranny probs.



I hope you don't get rid of your Trac. Don't be a stranger . . .
 
Now all I have to do is get the dealership to make my transmission stop thrusting me forward when I let off the gas....
Click to expand...



Bootsy, take your Sport Trac to the dealer and tell them what it's doing and print out the TSB in my library and take it with you. They can resolve your trasnmission shifting issues.....
 
Bootsy:



My '07 ST is still getting 14-15 around town in warm weather and 21-22 MPG highway. I drive pretty easy on the accelerator. I drive pretty light footed most of the time.



I got the TSB 07-23-2 done on mine around the end of 2007. Has your had this one perforemed at the dealer? It has eliminated the odd shifting especially the 2 to 1 bump downshift and it shifts better all of the time. Not 100% perfect but a very acceptable improvement. It now runs like it should have when new.



Gary G
 
Oh wow, yeah thank you guys! I will print it out a Lil Red and take it in to them. Hopefully it is uphill from here. I know I had one update on my trans in the fall, but it seems to gotten worse then it was originally. I was starting to sour againt my ST, but I really do like it. Thanks guys, I can deal with 12-14 city, but not 7-8.
 
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Bootsy:



I'd find another dealer for ST work if you're not happy or don't trust them. Lil Red has a good set of TSB files including TSB 07-23-2 which is the latest as far as I know!



If you do a search under TSB for the last 180 days you'll see quite a few postings with more comments ablout this TSB!



Gary G:D
 
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I'm not sure what you expected the dealer to do about your poor gas mileage? The vast majority of gas mileage is based on your driving habits and the rest are based on where you drive, tire pressures, engine tune, etc.



Most Sport Trac owners have experienced poor gas mileage for the first 10K mile or so. I have owned two Sport Tracs and both got poor gas mileage until they turned over 10K miles. Then it was like you flipped a switch and mileage really got better fast. I averaged 16-17 MPG in the City and I have gotten as good as 22.5 on the highway.



Sport Trac's do not get very good mileage in city driving. When you drive from stop light to stop light, you have to get the 4300+ lbs vehicle moving up to speed and then yu have to stop for the next light. You never get any vehicle momentum going for you and you loose all the engery you did build up when you brake.



Also, remember that many areas of the country are still using winter gas which often leads to poor mileage and poor performance. How different brands of gas blend their winter or summer gas can make all the difference in the world.



If you buy gas at a small Mom & Pop gas station that does not sell a lot of gas, the fuel may become contaminated with excessive moisture (water) that has formed by the condensation in their underground tanks, and gas can get stale as well. Always buy gas from a reputable gas station that sells a lot of gas. That way you know the gas in their tanks is probably not much more than a week old



The last part concerns your driving habits and if you took a 45 minute drive and got better mileage, it is not a significant discovery for several reasons. The time you chose to do your 45 minute drive may not be the same rush hour time when traffic is much heavier. Also, you were making a ver conscience effort to get better mileage and you did. Changing brands of gas can make a difference and perhaps in your case it did, but you were driving to save gas as well...So which caused the most improvement in your mileage?



I suspect that after you start driving back and forth to work on your regular schedule and regular route, mileage will drop off and you will see the true effects of city driving, and your driving habits as they relate to gas mileage.



...Rich
 
Richard, I am aware that driving habits change MPG. I do not drive like I have a sports car, which is what the dealership tried to say to me. Very offensive to me what they implied. I did not change the way I drive on purpose because I knew that if I did, it would effect the outcome. Also just for some background, I live in a college town, so there is ALWAYS traffic no matter what time you are out, it is always bad. Another note, I never use "mom & pop" stations they creep me out honestly.

 
Part of the most recent round of TSBs also recalibrates the computer that calculates your gas mileage. :)
 
Bootsy,

I also live in a college town and I can assure you there is a difference in traffic during certain times during the day. Even the traffic lights have different timing intervals to adjusfor traffic flow at different times on different days.



You do not have to drive the Truck like a sports car to get poor gas mileage there are many little things you do that you don't really realize can cost you mileage. Just start up from a light a little slower and building speed gradually like a little old lady will save you gas, but not from fingers you will get from the other drivers behind you. :>)



The amount of weight you carry in your truck is another factor as well as the weather and temperature outside. Even the distance you drive makes a big difference. If you drive back and forth to work and never go over 5 miles, you will get very poor mileage because the vehicle never has time to warm up and a cold engine requires more gas.



Then you go on a 45 minute drive, and the engine is already warmed up, and perhaps it's a little cooler outside, traffic is a little lighter, and you are subconsciencely driving a little more conservatively and suddenly you get a big jump in gas mileage. I agree that some of it can be in the brand of gasoline because some brands use more alcohol to obtain the desired Octane rating. Alcohol gives about 35% less gas mileage then plain gasoline. The more alcohol blended into the fuel the less mileage you will likely get. Some premium grades of gas do not contain alcohol or at least very little alcohol, so you can get better mileage at a higher cost per gallon. You have to figure out which is more cost effective.



...Rich
 
Wow....bug1960 has an even newer TSB. Mine works so well with TSB 07-23-2. Since TSB 07-23-2 did the trick with my ST, wonder why they are coming up with newer TSB's. It just makes you wonder what the new one would do.



Gary G
 
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Bootsy, didnt you put larger tires on your trac? If so the change in gear ratios might have an effecct on mpg. I have always found that these ford trip computers for mpg to be +or- 2or3 mpg off from actuall. Run several tanksfulls when you know you are going to do some mixed driving. Calculate it the old way and compare to the read out.
 
Well I have the stock wheels/tires on her right now. NOw that you mention it, I noticed the gas change get worse AFTER I put the smaller stocks back on. I donno, I thought I was onto something, if I am wrong, I am getting rid of her and Ford all together. Oh well...my bubble is burst. I'll ba back later.
 

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