Ideas for improving poor gas mileage

[citytravelfotos]

The big problem of the van right now that I bought back in February (a 2000 Ford E-150 conversion van) is it's poor gas mileage, for a van that I would expect to get 13 - 18 mpg (at least according to EPA estimates on a van with a Triton 5.4L engine), I've been getting only 10 mpg average (including some freeway driving.) &nbsp; I'm wondering if the new air conditioner that the previous owner installed is that harsh on gas mileage, or could it be something else?<br><br>I drove this van between L.A. and Tucson, AZ and it got about 18 mpg at 65 mph. &nbsp;However, in regular city streets it has gotten very poor gas mileage. &nbsp;<br><br>Since I plan to do a lot of city driving, for doing my photography, its a significant problem.<br><br>My ideas right now are changing the O2 sensor and changing the air filter. &nbsp;What about if these don't work?<br><br>I've also used lucas upper cylinder lubricant (with injector cleaners), hasn't seemed to help much (at least when I'm not using it, that thing goes fast on a 30 gallon tank.)<br><br>It is disheartening to see the fuel needle to go down quite so fast when just driving for a few miles in the city. &nbsp;I'm not expecting good gas mileage from a van, but it shouldn't have to be this much of a gas guzzler.<br><br>BTW I know some of you may have vans that get 11 mpg city, but poor gas mileage was one of the reasons I didn't go for a van with an older type engine. &nbsp;

 

[ZOFCHAK]

<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; O2 senors will probably help (Just a hint you can get them on Ebay for 1/3 of what the auto parts stores charge). I would also recommend changing the spark plugs if they have not been done recently, inflating the tires to their max, &nbsp; <br><br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Is this a high top van?&nbsp;&nbsp; If it's a high top with roof top mounted AC unit consider yourself very lucky to be getting 18mpg on the freeway.&nbsp; I would guess that setup would be 11-13 city and around 15mpg on the highway.

 

[MrNoodly]

You can make a big impact on mileage by the way you drive. Last week's "MythBusters" was about "hypermileage" driving techniques. Some of them aren't very practical, like never driving over 45 MPH and turning off the engine at stop lights, and some are miserable, like driving without air conditioning and with the windows closed, even in summer. <br><br>But it basically boils down to accelerating slowly (as if there was an egg between your foot and the pedal) and preserving momentum by using the least amount of gas pedal or brake. In city driving, that means figuring out the flow of traffic and finding the speed that will have you hitting as many green lights as possible. (Being stopped means zero miles per gallon.) Approach it like a game. How long can you roll with your foot off the gas? How little gas will get you back up to speed? How many green lights can you hit? Can you roll past all those people rushing to the light and stopping, rushing to the light and stopping?&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 13px;">It's a van, so no one expects you to be speedy or maneuverable. So you can get away with chugging along a little slower than anyone else.<br><br>And another simple thing is to make sure your tires are properly inflated. The numbers are on a sticker on the door jam. You can even exceed the van manufacturer's recommended tire pressure a little as long as you don't exceed the tire manufacturer's recommended maximum pressure. Harder tires create less friction. But don't go crazy with it, because it can also reduce traction. Ten percent is usually a good number. So if the van maker says 50 PSI, try 55 PSI. Of course, this means having a reliable and accurate air pressure gauge.</span>

 

[Guest]

Great suggestions and I can only add that getting a scan gauge to see exact fuel flow at any given time and speed. Your van is getting 4-7 mpg while it is warming up so keeping trips together on a hot motor will boost mpg. My prius made 25 mpg cold and 50+ hot. I thought about a dipstick heater to speed warming? Tire pressure was crucial and I knew when the tires were low when I dipped down in the 40's for mpg. Great car but the battery's dont last in warm climates and I have had to replace a lot of cells in the battery pack. I have never had a problem with over inflating a tire and running hard, just blow outs on lower air pressure tires and friction heating them up. I bet out of a thousand people driving only 1 of them has done all that is required to maintain their tires and that is why a tire warranty is damm near useless. If it were my van and I needed to save on gas, I would over inflate for city driving and bring back to normal when on a trip, that way your tires will wear more evenly. Learning how to drive is huge and having a gauge showing you were your hurting it will help. Waxing the van will add mpg, stay away from alcohol gas as the thermal energy of alcohol is half of gas so 10% alcohol added to the 90 octane gas will now has the energy of 95%. Some cars can use higher octane, but in pretty sure yours cant. You can check by filling up on 87 check milage then 89 check milage then 93 and check milage. I ran my prius at 50-55 psi on 36 psi tires and never had a problem, and I was running in 95 degree heat. You can reck your tires from doing this and its not recommended. Remember the tire will brake less and will turn into a waterski quicker in the rain. I personally had to change the way I drove and it started with learning that I didn't have to rush everywhere I went and to stop and smell the world that I was missing by being in the gotta go mentality.&nbsp;

 

[Zil]

It sounds like your van is getting the gas mileage it was designed to get.<br>Also it is inaccurate to estimate gas mileage from a few fill-ups.

 

[TxGypsy]

18?&nbsp; You actually get 18?....and while driving 65!&nbsp; I am really really jealous!<br><br>I have no advice on how to get better mpg except as previously recommended...change your driving habits.&nbsp; I tend to get better gas mileage than most folks because I am very easy on the gas pedal.&nbsp; I can tell you what not to do.&nbsp; LOL...don't drive it in the west Texas wind while pulling a 4 wheeler and a motorcycle in a cargo trailer!!&nbsp; I didn't even figure my mpg at the last fill up.....watching a grown woman cry isn't pretty.

 

[jillbobill]

Not really an idea to help, but I have a 2005 e-150 and get a similar gas mileage driving around town. So maybe it's not just your van doing something wrong, but the hard fact of the true MPG on that van?

 

[Van-Tramp]

A couple things I have learned driving my van the past 3 years<br>1) A well maintained vehicle will get better MPG. New plugs, wires, filters, and fluids will save you money at the pump<br>2) Keep your speeds at or below 55 MPH. I only o 55 on the Interstates (sorry truckers), every where else I top out at 45.<br>3) Tire pressures! I actually run mine a little over-inflated, but at least crank it up to the max psi and check them regularly. Depending on where you fill your tires, your PSI may change as you gain or drop altitude. Each tire is different, but I have found about 0.5 PSI difference for every 1000 ft in elevation. 32 psi in California will drop to 29 PSI by the time you get up to Colorado. The bigger the tire, the larger the drop/increase.<br>4) Accelerate NORMALLY (not slowly) and get into top gear faster, then lift off to coast. Your engine will get optimal MPG only in top gear. If you accelerate slowly, you stay in those non-optimal gears longer and actually use more fuel (there was a nice study in this, can't remember where sorry).<br>5) Coast to stop lights in DRIVE (do not use Neutral). Your engine uses practically no fuel coasting while in gear (its true!), but it actually does use fuel to keep the motor running while in Neutral<br>6) Do not accelerate up hills. Coast up them, and accelerate down them.<br>7) Use cruise control when on flat ground (I turn it off on hills to avoid it from accelerating up hills)<br>8) Fuel up when it is coldest (early AM) as the fuel is more dense in colder temperatures<br>9) Drive when it is warmest (afternoon) as air is less dense when it is hotter which is a double positive; <br>....a) Less dense air is easier to push through (less drag)<br>....b) Warm air has less oxygen. Less oxygen to your engine and your EFI compensates by delivering less fuel (and less power)<br>10) High altitude driving consumes less fuel (same reason as above). I actually get my best MPGs going over the Rocky Mountains on I70 (either direction). Not only do I get high altitude driving, half of it is always down hill too <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="bbc_img"><br>11) Obviously, turn off the A/C<br>12) And to take it further, turn off all accessories. You radio, lights, sat-nav, etc all take power which must be recharged by the alternator which gets it's power from the engine via belts. The less power you use inside, the less power being taken from your motor and fuel tank.<br>13) You can run thinner oil too as less friction in the motor will result in better MPG<br>14) Roll up your windows. A single open window can reduce your MPGs by 5%. Four open widows = same as having your A/C on.<br><br><br>Using all of these ideas I have increased my MPGs from mid 12's to mid 15's, when not towing, in a pretty old 5.9ltr motor. I gained nearly 3 miles per gallon, which translates out to about $60 saving for every 1000 miles I drive at 2012 fuel prices. That equates to roughly a 20% savings for in MPG me.<br><br>Lastly, I use Gasbuddy.com to plot out exactly which gas stations I will be stopping at to fill up along my route. Not only do I make sure to find a cheap station, I do not waste fuel driving around trying to find a reasonable station. It may only save you $5-7 per fill-up, but this alone has saved me another $20+ for every 1000 miles driving.

 

[Zil]

Good advice from Van-. #8 here gasoline is mostly in underground tanks. always the same temp. causes problem in summer as the cold gasoline expands in the vehicle tank and over flows can happen if not damage to vent canister.

 

[ilovemyvan]

<p>I've been thinking about the weight of a gallon of gas, which I believe is around 6lbs and&nbsp;the gas tank in the van is 33&nbsp;gallons,&nbsp; so if I'm right a full tank is almost 200lbs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Would it improve the MPG if I was to keep it at 1/4 full instead of&nbsp;full tank, specially in the city. What do you think of that strategy?<br><br>Also is it true that ethanol in the gas reduce MPG? I've noticed that gas station around town are now advertising that they sale gas without ethanol. We have a friend that claims he has more MPG without it. I'm tempted to try that too. <br><br>The previous owner strongly recommended that we use Premium gas rather than Mid grade. He said he get&nbsp;better millage that way. Am I wasting money?<br><br>Thanks&nbsp;in advance.<br><br>Nicole&nbsp;<br><br></p>

 

[user 423]

Minus 150lbs. of gas won't make that much difference in a 4000+lb. vehicle. It's usually recommended to drive with at least 1/2 tank to insure the fuel pump runs cool. With the tank only 1/4 full there is more air in the tank which may make for more evaporation so you'd lose some there. Also, you would have to stop more often to get gas and more stops means less MPG.

 

[Lostinspace]

Yes! Non-ethynole gas gives you better mileage. And it's better for your fuel system. My Yamaha XT-225 got 76 mpg on ethynole. When I went to straight gas it jumped to 80 mpg. Your mileage may vary. Another thing if your vehicle has a carborator, straight gas is much better for it.

Shop around for price it can vary quite a bit.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Yea, I would rather have the extra 150lbs of fuel on-board then have to replace a fuel pump. And the weight of a single (small) passenger in our big heavy vans will not make a hug difference. Just get rid of the "excess" weight, of which FUEL is not what I would classify as excess.<br><br>Premium gas is higher *octane* which does not necessarily mean that your engine will run any better. Some people will argue the point, but at 30+ cents per gallon more expensive, your MPG-gains will not make up for the added costs of the fuel. If you are in a low-elevation state (California) and have mountains to climb that day, you might consider a tank of Premium for that leg of the trip to prevent the pre-detonation under heavy load. Higher elevations do not require the higher octane fuels. Lastly, unless your engine is high-compression (greater than 12-to-1... most modern gasoline engines are 8 or even 9 to 1 compression), your engine will not even use higher octane levels. It is like trying to add more water to an already full glass, it just spills over... It doesn't add more water to the glass.<br><br>If you can find fuel without the 10% ethanol, you will see an increase in MPGs, but it is increasingly rare in the country now, and will certainly be more expensive too.

 

[wagoneer]

I was gonna say DON'T DRIVE but that would be silly. where the rubber meets the road it's all about friction and gravity. common sense.

 

[Zil]

Sensors go bad. It will not hurt to change the O2 devices. It may not help as much as you want. Some vehicles get better mileage using premium. Mostly true for V8s.<br><br>I would never use regular. I step down to plus. Most I use premium. Her we can't buy non-ethanol. Gasoline treatment is recomend if you don't use much gasoline. Always keep your tank full.

 

[ilovemyvan]

Thank you every one for your help. I'll look online and see if I can find out what our van really needs and if I don't find the answer there I'll go to the dealer, they should know what's up.<br><br>I really appreciate all of your suggestions on this post and the one from kidiekat.<br><br>Cheers,<br><br>Nicole<br><br>

 

[Guest]

Premium gas is for high compression engines, it has additives to prevent pre-detonation that will slow the burn rate of combustion. Regular grade will make more power in a non high performance/ non modified engine. You are wasting your money with premium gas. A van is not a Corvett, Porsche, or otherwise high performance engine. &nbsp;Duane &nbsp;

 

[Zil]

My chevy 350 v8 runs better sounds better with premium. it still runs with regular. So it costs me more per mile. My van is happier. I'm less stressed.

 

[caseyc]

My gas mileage sucks too for my Ford E150 conversion van. At today's prices of around $4.00 per gallon, it costs me about $100 to fill up the entire tank, and that's on the lowest grade gas too! I'm not exactly sure what my MPG comes out to be, but I've noticed I get around 300 total miles of combined city and freeway driving. Doesn't take a math genius to figure out that my gas mileage is low.&nbsp; But that's also because my van has a lot of weight added to it. The only upside is that I get to use the lowest grade gas for my van, I would hate having to pay for premium grade gas. Fortunately, I have a second vehicle for regular driving with much better gas mileage.

 

[MK7]

You may think it's running better with high octane, but it's not as it's not running at its most efficiency based on its factory tune. My Trans Am with the exact LS1 Corvette motor runs best at premium gas, because it's tuned for it. But it gets the best gas mileage with 89 octane (which is weird). But I've been running it on 87 octane for over 80,000 miles now w/o any problems. It's a daily driver that sees lots of commuting miles, plenty of streetlight races, and A/C on all summer. I lose 40 hp at least b/c the computer kicks it down to the low timing matrix due to the cheap gas.<br><br>Also, turning off the A/C while driving at highway speed with windows open is worse for MPG due to your causing extra drag as the wind is coming in hard and hitting the back of your van.&nbsp; A/C on only wastes about 1 MPG. And not using your A/C often will cause it to fail prematurely due to not circulating the oil that's inside of the system, that's meant to lubricate the seals, o-rings, parts, etc.&nbsp; It's even a good idea to run the A/C for a while, once every 2 weeks during the winter for such lubricating purpose.