I call BS (30 MPG Ford Explorer)

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by d0sitmatr

that is no excuse mate, I have several friends who are deaf and their spelling/grammar is impeccable.
matter of fact, they take extra precautions to do so simply due to that very fact.
and again, if you dont have the respect for this community to take the time for proper grammar, then why should we have enough respect for you to believe your claims, especially when you have been asked to provide some form of proof, yet you retort with ambivalence.

You could also take your own advice, as capitalization and punctuation are also part of grammar.

[d0sitmatr]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee

I understand what you mean

My Explorer weight 4,600 lb. That was weight at Ford's scale it their rule when we enter and out.

Problem with my tires they are highway but it supposed to be thin but mine look like FAT dragster tire. Tire shop say that is Factory size. I believe 235/75/15.

Oh by way my hood on explorer weight nearby 75 or more. Explorer from 1995-2003 have light hood so that could explain how he got 30 mpg due less weight.

I have this annoy tailgate so close to me I could notice vacuum gauge raise about 4 psi it show me I have VERY BAD back drag on rear end. I could got 3 mpg improve if I fix rear door to more efficient in air flow.

I need figure out how to improve this one. That isn't mine. It was from Google's search image since I didn't have picture of rear.

my Ranger's dry weight was close to 1k less at around 3800lbs, I had an aluminum drive shaft, and an aluminum hood. both of which drastically reduce the weight of the vehicle over the equivalent steel parts by a good 100lbs.
the funny thing was that I was running tires @ 29" diameter, and then dropped to tires @ 27.5" diameter and it actually increased my FE by a slight margin, or I stayed at the same. due strictly to the fact that my engine had to work much less to gain and maintain speed. with the 29's, going over a simple overpass, would drop my gear into drive, and occasionally into 3rd... once I put the 27's on, it never dropped out of OD.

Originally Posted by Phantom

You could also take your own advice, as capitalization and punctuation are also part of grammar.

I could, but I wont

[Arragonis]

The apostrophe police are on their way too.

[carolina guy]

I have a 2004 Mercury Mountaineer (same as the Explorer) with the 4.6l V8 and all wheel drive. My normal daily commute (70% city / 30% highway) I get 18.5 mpg w/o the AC pretty much by following the posted speed limits and tires at 45 psi. If I get impatient in traffic and jack rabbit all over the place, it drops to 16.5 mpg pretty quickly.

Now...on the highway I can EASILY get 25 mpg. This according to the on-board FE display.

Here is how that is done:

1) stay at or below 65mph
2) no AC
3) look ahead and keep a relatively light touch on the throttle and avoid dramatic changes in speed

If I go 75mph, I get 20 mpg and if I turn on the AC it drops to 19 mpg.

If I draft a semi, I can get 28 mpg at 70 mph easily and it gets closer to 30 mpg if the truck is going slower. This is WAY too dangerous for much driving, so I rarely do it.

There are no other mods on the car, it needs a tuneup (67k miles) and I am sure that if I dropped the running boards, got smaller mirrors, put a good airdam on the front, took the rest of the roof rack off (it never had the cross pieces) and even lowered it a few inches it would do better.

However, by far, the best increases in mpg that I have seen are leaving early and just listen to the radio and relax. :-)

[Swiftbow]

Originally Posted by d0sitmatr

aside from the weight, height, and engine size ?

Id love to know how you reached 30mpg in the ranger ?
I havent been able to get 30 even drafting semi's the entire time

I typically get 30mpg in my 88 broncoii with a 2.9L 5 speed. Granted, when I getting this mileage, it's all hwy.

Doug

[Gone2]

I have a 97 with the 4.0 V6 and at 55 mph dead on I get 23-24 mpg. I blocked off a good portion of the front end and got to 26. I do believe, with some modification (electric fan, intake exhaust, etc.) 30 would be very possible consistently.

[tjts1]

The 2.0 turbo in the explorer runs atkinson cycle at part load hence the great FE.

[mcrews]

there is no way he gets that kinda mileage at 70.
The gearing is too low.
The is a ling on here to a calculator that gives hp needed at certain speeds...given the specific vehicle(you input the info)
at 60 my car uses 30hp. at 70 it needs 50hp. it takes more gas to produce that extra hp.
If that explorer gets 30mpg at 70 then he should (and rightfully so) be proud of the 40mpg he could get at 55mph...........right!
I can tell you the mpg I get at 55, 60, 65, 70, 75.
Anybody who has been at this awhile (like the explorer owner) has a scangaugeII or equivelant item. And they have enough couriosity to see what the variuos limits are.

[FXSTi]

Since this came back up I'll chime in with what we get on my wife's Explorer Sportrax. It has the V-6 and AWD.

Pre-hypermiling, I took it with three other adult males and our luggage (no scuba tanks) from northern Michigan to Atlanta Ga and back. I recorded fills and did the numbers. We were at 23.7 including two days of riding around in Atlanta. Our highway speeds were 70-80.

My wife usually shows 18-19 mpg on the dash guess-o-meter. Her driving is both country roads and small city driving, without a thought for FE. On a highway trip running 60 mph I recently hit 27.2 on the gauge.

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by Sentraguy

I have a 97 with the 4.0 V6 and at 55 mph dead on I get 23-24 mpg. I blocked off a good portion of the front end and got to 26. I do believe, with some modification (electric fan, intake exhaust, etc.) 30 would be very possible consistently.

At 70mph????????????? not.