F150 Ecomods(?)

[Diesel_Dave]

Ok folks, everybody knows the advantages of a smaller vehicle. That point has been made. How about answering the guy's question?

First off, welcome Steven.

Secondly, while you certaintly could get better mileage with a smaller vehicle, don't think for a minute that big pickups have to get awful mileage. My own fuel log, as well as several others on this site prove that. Search around and you'll see guys here that are getting in the low 20's mpg even with gassers.

Third, as far as mods go, just take your time researching things (this site and elsewhere). Do your homework. Don't rush out and do something just because one guy on the internet told you so. Know what you're doing, why you're doing it, how to do it, and why & how it works.

My suggestion as a first step would be to get some kind of intrumentation. Without that it's really tough to know whether anything you're doing is making a difference. It's like flying a plane blind with no instruments. Since you're truck is older than '96 you don't have OBD II, so I think you're stuck with the MPGuino option.

After you get that, start keeping a log book of some kind. It can be as simple as a notebook or a full Excel spreadsheet with graphs. The important thing is to keep a record of what you did and what the outcome was. It also allows you to compete with yourself to try to get better and better mileage every day.

Good luck!

[Steven Wrigley]

Thanks Diesel! With my fair winnings this week I think I might have enough for a MPGuino!

[Frank Lee]

Secondly, while you certaintly could get better mileage with a smaller vehicle, don't think for a minute that big pickups have to get awful mileage. My own fuel log, as well as several others on this site prove that. Search around and you'll see guys here that are getting in the low 20's mpg even with gassers.

Is that so? Really? Show them. Not the little trucks either- you said big and that means full-size. Non-diesel. What fe do they get?

My redneck town is filled with schoolboys that drive mudtrucks. It appears they put on 100 miles/day going up and down main street, not leaving city limits. Must be nice to have someone else buy your gas. And they blast country "music". What is it with kids these days? LOL

Riding the bus when your schedule allows it would be be the biggest gas saver of all- driving 4 days/week vs 5 = an instant 20% reduction in gas use. It is highly unlikely that you are going to improve fuel economy by 20% or more. Up the ante- two days of bus/week = 40% reduction.

At any rate, if you truly are stuck with the truck and have activities that cause you to miss the bus and cannot get a scooter, small motorcycle, or small car, then we have many, many threads on how to improve pickups. The big thing will be to put an aerocap on it. As for converting EFI systems and getting a custom tuner job- really? Especially for a student?

[Diesel_Dave]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Is that so? Really? Show them. Not the little trucks either- you said big and that means full-size. Non-diesel. What fe do they get?

Okay, you asked for it:

1) Your own log shows a couple fills over 20 mpg, Frank.

2) Achtung, had a lifetime FE over 21 mpg on his '97 Chevy 1500:
1997 Chevrolet 1500 Pickup W/T Gas Mileage (Charlie) - EcoModder.com

3) Jiggerman ran his '05 Dodge 1500 in the high 20's consistantly:
2005 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Gas Mileage (Powdered Dodge) - EcoModder.com

4) MechEngVT, has quite a few tanks >20 mpg on his '02 Dodge 1500:
2002 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Sport Gas Mileage (The Truck) - EcoModder.com

5) mcguire, ran 20 consecultive >20 mpg tanks with his '05 F-150 last year:
2006 Ford F-150 Gas Mileage (Twuck) - EcoModder.com

6) round.boater has a lifetime FE of ove 22 mpg on his '06 F-150:
2006 Ford F-150 STX Gas Mileage (gear hauler) - EcoModder.com

7) darcane, has an >20 mpg 90-day with his '03 Chevy 1500:
2003 Chevrolet Silverado W/T Gas Mileage (Silverado) - EcoModder.com

8) mosby has quite a few >20 mpg tanks on his '07 Dodge 1500 as well:
2007 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Gas Mileage (BB) - EcoModder.com

9) yager has a limetime over 20 mpg in his '95 Chevy 1500:
1995 Chevrolet C1500 Silverado Gas Mileage (SLowRider) - EcoModder.com

10) Bobzilla's limetime is over 21 mpg with his GMC 1500:
2006 GMC Sierra SLS Gas Mileage (TowRig) - EcoModder.com

11) JD- was over 20 mpg lifetime with his '03 Chevy 1500 as well:
2006 GMC Sierra SLS Gas Mileage (TowRig) - EcoModder.com

[Diesel_Dave]

Plus, you guys are forgetting that this guy probably has one huge advantage that us working stiffs don't have: TIME!

He can build an aerocap or put an a belly pan out of scap materials too. Sounds like he lives on a farm, too--farm's always have lots of scrap stuff you can use! These types of mods (or smooth wheel covers, or fender skirts, etc.) take a bunch of time to fabricate. It's hard for some of us to find time to do that kind of stuff, but imagine if you had all the time when you used to goof off in high school again.

[cleanspeed1]

Doing an ecm tune by dpTuner is about 400.00 and change and since Fords are tuned on the conservative side from the factory, there is some room on the spark and fuelling tables to make improvements.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Steven Wrigley

My family has rental properties so money is real tight.

All the more reason not to waste it by burning excessive amounts of fuel.

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

Secondly, while you certaintly could get better mileage with a smaller vehicle, don't think for a minute that big pickups have to get awful mileage. My own fuel log, as well as several others on this site prove that.

Sure it's possible - with your diesel - but it takes some really serious and conscious effort.
Imagine that effort being put into driving a more fuel efficient vehicle, you'd also get stunning MPG - only it'd be a lot higher than 40mpg.

[Fat Charlie]

Modding the pickup would be great, but modding the commute would be the easiest and biggest improvement. You've got years of commuting ahead, but for the next year someone's willing to drive it for you. Mod the truck and enjoy the better mileage, but enjoy the door to door service, the rest and the big savings while they're there. There isn't a car in the Ecomodder garage that beats 40 miles per day of not having to drive.

When you are in the truck, see what you can do to make the start and stop part more slow and gentle.

[Steven Wrigley]

I could definately take another route. I'm driving my sister to school too. The one Im thinking of has 3 stoplights but no stop signs where as the one I took last year has about 8 So about covering the wheel wells. Since its a 4x4 very little of the tire is actually in the wheel well. My thinking is the more tire in the covered wheel well the more aerodynamic it is.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

Okay, you asked for it:

1) Your own log shows a couple fills over 20 mpg, Frank.

They are very uncommon.

2) Achtung, had a lifetime FE over 21 mpg on his '97 Chevy 1500:
1997 Chevrolet 1500 Pickup W/T Gas Mileage (Charlie) - EcoModder.com

6 cylinder. We need to be comparing V8s- was it 4x4? And the 5.8 is thirstier than the 5.0 I hear.

3) Jiggerman ran his '05 Dodge 1500 in the high 20's consistantly:
2005 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Gas Mileage (Powdered Dodge) - EcoModder.com

Why does the fuel log say it's for a 2.4 Tacoma?

4) MechEngVT, has quite a few tanks >20 mpg on his '02 Dodge 1500:
2002 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Sport Gas Mileage (The Truck) - EcoModder.com

It's a six cylinder. He's got quite a few tanks PERIOD! I wonder if there's a million miles on it yet? And he averages 38 miles per hour??? I thought I was slow!

5) mcguire, ran 20 consecultive >20 mpg tanks with his '05 F-150 last year:
2006 Ford F-150 Gas Mileage (Twuck) - EcoModder.com

Wonder why this one is definitely trending down?

6) round.boater has a lifetime FE of ove 22 mpg on his '06 F-150:
2006 Ford F-150 STX Gas Mileage (gear hauler) - EcoModder.com

Six cylinder.

7) darcane, has an >20 mpg 90-day with his '03 Chevy 1500:
2003 Chevrolet Silverado W/T Gas Mileage (Silverado) - EcoModder.com

But he doesn't have >20 lifetime or 3-tank averages... at about 31 mph no less.

8) mosby has quite a few >20 mpg tanks on his '07 Dodge 1500 as well:
2007 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Gas Mileage (BB) - EcoModder.com

Averages still under 20.

9) yager has a limetime over 20 mpg in his '95 Chevy 1500:
1995 Chevrolet C1500 Silverado Gas Mileage (SLowRider) - EcoModder.com

A 6 cyl stick 2wd in service as a commuter car. Nice.

10) Bobzilla's limetime is over 21 mpg with his GMC 1500:
2006 GMC Sierra SLS Gas Mileage (TowRig) - EcoModder.com

A whole week of data. Wow.

11) JD- was over 20 mpg lifetime with his '03 Chevy 1500 as well:
2006 GMC Sierra SLS Gas Mileage (TowRig) - EcoModder.com

Bobzilla = JD; WTF?

I remember now what I was looking for in the garage one time... it was V8 4x4 pickups, of the sort 99% of the trucks around here are. IIRC NOBODY was averaging even 20 but there may have been a few odd 20 or 20+ tanks here and there, just like mine, and those are either due to fill errors or having that perfect tailwind.

The bottom line is he can mod that thing, pour hundreds of dollars into it with "efi upgrades" and "tunes" and aerocaps and what not, and the reality is it's a large thirsty 4x4 beast and he ain't likely to break 20 mpg at all much less average it, and if by some small miracle he does, it will be juuuuuust barely.