MPG And MPH

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Johnny O

Johnny O

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Had to make an evening run up to my other office tonight to put checks in the bank since my lead person/sorta office manager is in the hospital. We like to put money in the bank.

The route is mostly up a spur of the PA Turnpike, 12.5 miles between toll booths so I reset the mpg thingy on the dash at the toll booths going each way and pulled away pretty easy.

Going north is more uphill and with the cruise on 75 I got 14.7 mpg. Coming back I got 16.9 at 75 mph, for an average of 15.8 mpg.

However, a few days ago I kept it at 65 mph and got a two-way average of 21 mpg. Now I don't LIKE going that slow, but bottom line if you want better mpg then slow down since a Trac is as aerodynamic as a barn door...to a point. Once just for kicks I did the trip at 60 mph and the gas mileage was worse because it wouldn't stay in OD. :driving:
 
"Trac is as aerodynamic as a barn door"



don't feel bad. my 4run gets 15 avg.

just have to realize it is what it is. these type of vehicles are very thirsty in the fuel dept.



although, this makes a prius look pretty :grin:
 
I consistently get about 21mpg on the highway @ 70mph. Drive about 80 miles round trip to work. I have the V-8. Have some stop and go especially in the afternoon traffic
 
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That's pretty bad when fullsize trucks get better mpg's than midsizes. My neighbor has a '07 Explorer Limited and he says he can't get any better then 14-15 mpg even babying it, it's a V6 too.
 
350 mile road trip with stock exhaust, 16 mpg at 75 mph but the same stretch of road the day after a cat back and magna flow - 20.7 - wonder what the blower will do with a lower center of gravity working in my behalf.
 
I just checked my MPG yesterday. I got 19.1 mpg, mixed city/hwy, driving like I always do. Not bad for this things...



The main advantage of my truck over a Prius is that it is paid off...:grin:
 
We got 20.11 MPG average on our Explorer XLT V6 4X4 going to and from Florida last Christmad break.



Not too bad with a vehicle with over 200,000 miles.





Tom
 
I did a little study of my own, I have about a 7 mile stretch of 4 lane on my way to and from work, on the way to work it has one long slight up hill grade with 2 hollars like to go down then up. I set my cruise at 58mph and did not touch the gas pedal and then touched the gas pedal to help it keep from kicking out of OD in both directions. If I help the Trac a little on the hills it will not kick out of OD. I got 2.1 more mpg in both directions when I helped than when I did when I let the cruise have it all the way.
 
The OD issue is one reason why I'm thinking of getting a tuner. It kicks out of OD too easy.

Three years ago in Florida, where it's all flat, I got 23 mpg at a steady 65 mph over a 30 mile trip.

At home it's not nearly as good because there are a lot of hills.
 
You did not explain how you calculated your mileage on these 12.5 mile trips, so perhaps its just a small cumulative error. 12.5 miles in not a very long distance to get an accurate fuel mileage reading.



I used to get 21+ MPG in both of my Sport Tracs (2001 & 2003) going 70-75 MPH. I think your mileage figures have a lot has to do with the traffic, especially on the PA Turnpike !!



I found I could get my best mileage going just a bit slower than the speed limit. So if the speed limit is 70 MPH I will drive at 69-70 mph depending upon the traffic.



If you try to go 75 MPH when the rest of the traffic is going 65-70 MPH, you will constantly get stuck behind slower moving traffic and have to slow down, and then speed up when you get clear of the traffic. The constant slow-down/speed-up cycles really kill gas mileage in any vehicle, especially heavy vehicles like the Sport Trac.



If you have a computer in your car that measures instantaneous gas mileage you will see how those slow-down/speed-up cycles can eat your gas mileage. Actually, any acceleration will reduce gas mileage, even accelerating slowly will drop mileage significantly on my computer...Fast acceleration drops gas mileage very significantly.



I have always said that the best thing you can get to improve your gas mileage is a trip computer or ScanGauge type of instrument that will provide instantaneous gas mileage readings...That will quickly show you what driving habits will eat gas and what driving habits will improve mileage.



...Rich



 
You did not explain how you calculated your mileage on these 12.5 mile trips, so perhaps its just a small cumulative error.
Click to expand...

I said I used the mpg thingy on the dash. Gen 2's have one.



12.5 miles in not a very long distance to get an accurate fuel mileage reading.
Click to expand...

I realize that but I figure it's reasonably accurate for comparing speed v. mpg over the same road and distance. I've driven this Trac to from PA to FL twice and averaged 17 or 18 mpg when it was loaded down with people and stuff, keeping it between 70 and 75. The last time was with golf clubs on the roof which didn't help wind resistance any, and on the route I take there are some insane hills in WV and VA. It'll drop to 14 there and pick up gradually after I get to the Carolinas.
 
I have a '07 V6 AT. I get upwards of 24mpg @ 60 mph, 19mpg @ 65-70. 16mpg through the city. I am slowly getting better at driving the speed limit. It was effortless to speed in my last car, so I got used to passing everybody. Now I'm the guy getting passed.
 
chris said:
what kind of fuel are u guys running e-85 or non ethnol 87? 89? 92?
Click to expand...

At the moment where I live in PA we have 10% ethanol and I run 87 octane. We get the crappy oxygenated gas in the summer from June 15 to Sept 15 and the mpg drops a bit. If you run 89 then it's not quite as bad but you're spending more for the gas too.
 

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