Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Noob starting at 19.6MPG in '00 Ford Explorer

cajunfj40 · 12-28-2016, 05:08 PM

Hello all!

Been driving a '99 Chevy Prizm for the last 125k miles and got so bored with it I've been starting to neglect basic maintenance, so it was time for a new vehicle - and I've wanted back into a truck for a LONG time. Just couldn't justify the expense/fuel usage. Now I have a shorter commute (10 instead of 25 miles one-way) so I can afford to splurge a bit on gas for a while - and start a new game: Try to get better MPG!

I wanted an EV, but I could not justify the cost vs. the limitations - anything I could pay cash for would only meet my basic commute needs in the winter, barely able to stop for groceries on the way home. Anything with enough range would need a loan. Either way, I would need to add charging infrastructure. Plus I wanted a truck again. (Yes, Irrational - call it my mid-life crisis if it makes you feel better.)

Per my previous thread: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ole-34575.html I recently picked up a 2000 Ford Explorer XLS. It has the 4.0 OHV V6 (NOT the SOHC) and a 5-speed manual. About 149,6XX miles on it, remarkably little rust for a MN truck, and very clean inside and out. $1995 cash price - bottom end of the dealer scale for these rigs.

Never thought I'd buy one of the "Original Soccer Mom SUV's" (My Mom had a first gen one - when I was in soccer as a kid!) but it's basically a Ranger mechanically, has slightly better aero stock than a stock Ranger (no bed), and I was just tired of chasing unobtanium, so I settled. 4-star crash ratings, so it is objectively as safe in a frontal 35mph crash into a deformable barrier as my Prizm. Subjectively, it seems to corner almost as well, but I'm not pushing it as hard since it's a lot more top-heavy. I like the higher-up view, too. Feels better than my MIL's '04 Trailblazer - less wallowing.

I need to put a better set of seats in the front and nix or modify the console, but its OK for now. IIRC it has 3.55 gears. I put General Grabber HTS tires on it in the stock 235/75R15 size shortly after purchase (cords showing!), then had some minor things fixed (rear brakes, rotted rear shackle, thermostat leak) on it and had an alignment done/oil change/front end greasing. Total in the vehicle with tires and fixes is ~$3500, so ballpark for a "good" condition vehicle of that era from a dealer around here - and most at that price are total rust-buckets up here!

I just filled up the tank for the second time (first fill was shortly after purchase, so I reset the trip gage): 347.9 miles, 17.78 gallons to second click-off = 19.6mpg indicated! And the dipstick says I didn't need to add any oil! Not bad, not bad at all. EPA "sticker" is 15 city, 19 highway using the "Revised" standards, and the original sticker was 16 city, 20 highway. Could have gone further but the gage moves ~1/8 tank depending on last "stopped" nose up/down angle, and I saw it below the E after my last stop before going on errands. Had been above the E ~1 mile previous. Would rather fill early than get stranded in the cold!

Weather and driving conditions: There was a lot of highway in that tank, including at least 30 miles of 65mph. Winter here in the South-Western suburbs/exurbs of Minneapolis, so ice and snow and rain and whatnot all going on - and temps from 20 below F to 40 above F, plus some really gusty winds. (Two nights ago, gusted to 55mph! Daytime highs of 35mph.)

Driving style: Speed limit generally obeyed, generally smooth acceleration but a number of "Wring it out, see what it does" romps because it is a new (to me) toy. Very little "hypermiling" behavior, vehicle is AFAIK bone stock. Lots of use of cruise control, unless it is icy/snowing.

Definitely needs shocks. First vehicle I've ever owned that does the classic "bouncing up and down going down the road after hitting a bump" thing - and my '99 Chevy has blown struts.

Found another reason I got the truck so cheap: tweaked passenger rear frame just ahead of the rear leaf spring shackle. Definite small kink. I can probably wedge my Hi-Lift Jack in there and make it straighter, if I can get a few steel plates to spread the force out. Not a priority, though.

Parking brake (foot type - argh!) is currently disconnected - needs a driver side cable and the mechanic disconnected the passenger side cable when he replaced the parking brake shoes on that side that were previously burned nearly completely away due to driving with the parking brake on. Bonus: no idling in neutral if I'm not in it! Negative: this means I may have to stop an extra time or two in the morning for a windshield re-scrape. By the time I get around the truck, the windshield needs re-scraping already, so it is the last thing I do before I hop in. Block heater: I want one.

So, plans are to keep driving it to work and get a few tanks through it to see what it does. Shocks and parking brake cable and other "known necessary fixes" come before any mods or gadgets that cost money - I'm cheap. Definitely want a Scangage or similar though - I know it has a "Rear O2 sensor" code (dunno number, just what mechanic told me) that sporadically lights up the CEL and I'd like to be able to easily check other codes. That and it is one of the best ways to keep the nut behind the wheel tight. Does the rear O2 sensor have any effect on MPG, or is it "just" an emissions warning? I know if the cat is plugged and not working right the MPG will suffer, so if the O2 sensor code really means the cat is bad/partially plugged, then I will need to fix that. Runs OK for now (getting rated MPG!) so not worried about it yet.

Anybody else on here have 2nd Gen Ford Explorer experience (or related Ranger experience) on things to look out for/potential issues/cheap things to do to make it ride/drive/etc. better and use less fuel, other than the stickied Ecomods and Hypermiling tips?

I should start a garage entry or similar, but will probably wait until I've got a few more tanks in. I have a notebook I've started to keep track of expenditures and fuel usage over time, but I generally just do a trip-meter/gallons dispensed calculation to see how I'm doing in general. Slooow feedback loop, but it's cheap.

Thanks all.

(NOTE: yes, I am verbose.)

12-28-2016, 05:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
cajunfj40 Lurking Eco-wall-o-texter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: MPLS, MN area Posts: 128 Thanks: 0 Thanked 65 Times in 45 Posts	Noob starting at 19.6MPG in '00 Ford Explorer Hello all! Been driving a '99 Chevy Prizm for the last 125k miles and got so bored with it I've been starting to neglect basic maintenance, so it was time for a new vehicle - and I've wanted back into a truck for a LONG time. Just couldn't justify the expense/fuel usage. Now I have a shorter commute (10 instead of 25 miles one-way) so I can afford to splurge a bit on gas for a while - and start a new game: Try to get better MPG! I wanted an EV, but I could not justify the cost vs. the limitations - anything I could pay cash for would only meet my basic commute needs in the winter, barely able to stop for groceries on the way home. Anything with enough range would need a loan. Either way, I would need to add charging infrastructure. Plus I wanted a truck again. (Yes, Irrational - call it my mid-life crisis if it makes you feel better.) Per my previous thread: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ole-34575.html I recently picked up a 2000 Ford Explorer XLS. It has the 4.0 OHV V6 (NOT the SOHC) and a 5-speed manual. About 149,6XX miles on it, remarkably little rust for a MN truck, and very clean inside and out. $1995 cash price - bottom end of the dealer scale for these rigs. Never thought I'd buy one of the "Original Soccer Mom SUV's" (My Mom had a first gen one - when I was in soccer as a kid!) but it's basically a Ranger mechanically, has slightly better aero stock than a stock Ranger (no bed), and I was just tired of chasing unobtanium, so I settled. 4-star crash ratings, so it is objectively as safe in a frontal 35mph crash into a deformable barrier as my Prizm. Subjectively, it seems to corner almost as well, but I'm not pushing it as hard since it's a lot more top-heavy. I like the higher-up view, too. Feels better than my MIL's '04 Trailblazer - less wallowing. I need to put a better set of seats in the front and nix or modify the console, but its OK for now. IIRC it has 3.55 gears. I put General Grabber HTS tires on it in the stock 235/75R15 size shortly after purchase (cords showing!), then had some minor things fixed (rear brakes, rotted rear shackle, thermostat leak) on it and had an alignment done/oil change/front end greasing. Total in the vehicle with tires and fixes is ~$3500, so ballpark for a "good" condition vehicle of that era from a dealer around here - and most at that price are total rust-buckets up here! I just filled up the tank for the second time (first fill was shortly after purchase, so I reset the trip gage): 347.9 miles, 17.78 gallons to second click-off = 19.6mpg indicated! And the dipstick says I didn't need to add any oil! Not bad, not bad at all. EPA "sticker" is 15 city, 19 highway using the "Revised" standards, and the original sticker was 16 city, 20 highway. Could have gone further but the gage moves ~1/8 tank depending on last "stopped" nose up/down angle, and I saw it below the E after my last stop before going on errands. Had been above the E ~1 mile previous. Would rather fill early than get stranded in the cold! Weather and driving conditions: There was a lot of highway in that tank, including at least 30 miles of 65mph. Winter here in the South-Western suburbs/exurbs of Minneapolis, so ice and snow and rain and whatnot all going on - and temps from 20 below F to 40 above F, plus some really gusty winds. (Two nights ago, gusted to 55mph! Daytime highs of 35mph.) Driving style: Speed limit generally obeyed, generally smooth acceleration but a number of "Wring it out, see what it does" romps because it is a new (to me) toy. Very little "hypermiling" behavior, vehicle is AFAIK bone stock. Lots of use of cruise control, unless it is icy/snowing. Definitely needs shocks. First vehicle I've ever owned that does the classic "bouncing up and down going down the road after hitting a bump" thing - and my '99 Chevy has blown struts. Found another reason I got the truck so cheap: tweaked passenger rear frame just ahead of the rear leaf spring shackle. Definite small kink. I can probably wedge my Hi-Lift Jack in there and make it straighter, if I can get a few steel plates to spread the force out. Not a priority, though. Parking brake (foot type - argh!) is currently disconnected - needs a driver side cable and the mechanic disconnected the passenger side cable when he replaced the parking brake shoes on that side that were previously burned nearly completely away due to driving with the parking brake on. Bonus: no idling in neutral if I'm not in it! Negative: this means I may have to stop an extra time or two in the morning for a windshield re-scrape. By the time I get around the truck, the windshield needs re-scraping already, so it is the last thing I do before I hop in. Block heater: I want one. So, plans are to keep driving it to work and get a few tanks through it to see what it does. Shocks and parking brake cable and other "known necessary fixes" come before any mods or gadgets that cost money - I'm cheap. Definitely want a Scangage or similar though - I know it has a "Rear O2 sensor" code (dunno number, just what mechanic told me) that sporadically lights up the CEL and I'd like to be able to easily check other codes. That and it is one of the best ways to keep the nut behind the wheel tight. Does the rear O2 sensor have any effect on MPG, or is it "just" an emissions warning? I know if the cat is plugged and not working right the MPG will suffer, so if the O2 sensor code really means the cat is bad/partially plugged, then I will need to fix that. Runs OK for now (getting rated MPG!) so not worried about it yet. Anybody else on here have 2nd Gen Ford Explorer experience (or related Ranger experience) on things to look out for/potential issues/cheap things to do to make it ride/drive/etc. better and use less fuel, other than the stickied Ecomods and Hypermiling tips? I should start a garage entry or similar, but will probably wait until I've got a few more tanks in. I have a notebook I've started to keep track of expenditures and fuel usage over time, but I generally just do a trip-meter/gallons dispensed calculation to see how I'm doing in general. Slooow feedback loop, but it's cheap. Thanks all. (NOTE: yes, I am verbose.)