Your Miles Per Gallon

[WrenchLife]

1998 Ford e 350 7.3 diesel,260,000 miles, automatic, 3.55 gears. Stock ride height and tire size. 70 psi all the way around. Extended with high top. Moderately loaded around town 15 mpg, 18 on highway, best on a roadtrip 19.6.
Mom and dads 1992 e 350 5.8 gas, 275,000 miles, automatic, 3.55 gears. Stock height and tires, 65 psi. No high top. 12 mpg around town, 15 on the road. Gutted catalytic converter at 220,000 saw a 1 mpg increase across the board.

 

[MrNoodly]

Putting the ladder rack about a foot back towards the rear of the van, I didn't notice any drop in MPG.

I have a 2-bar ladder rack. The front bar is about half way back.

 

[Ballenxj]

Time to resurrect this thread.
Latest run that counts for anything was roughly 650 miles where I averaged over 17 mpg. Best was 17.34. This was a moderately loaded trip in my van with the 5.2 liter fuel injected engine with 3:73 gears. Nothing on top, no trailer.

 

[cortttt]

That's really good. The MPG on my 1 ton  4.8L GMC Savana has dropped dramatically I think since I loaded it up and put solar panels near the front.  For the first time I can feel the weight and the van doesn't feel as perky particularly on hills. 

I got about 13-14 MPG heading up to the Sierras and then back down again...Actually my average speed has been in the low to mid 20
s - which says a lot.  Can't hope for much more than that at those speeds. I think I would have appreciated the 5.2L engine though. Chevy is no longer putting them in vans.

 

[Ballenxj]

Keeping this thread alive, I filled up once again on August 17, two days ago.
It took 7.49 gallons, and miles on the odometer showed 118.5. 
My math tells me I got 15.82 mpg this time around. This was mostly city with short runs on the expressways.
These aren't the best figures I've ever heard, but for a 3/4 ton van I guess I should be very happy.    
Disclaimer, I drive very conservatively while trying to get decent mileage. I do not accelerate briskly, and I let the van coast up to an intersection when I see the light will turn Red before I get there anyway.

 

[cargovanconversion]

Disclaimer, I drive very conservatively while trying to get decent mileage. I do not accelerate briskly, and I let the van coast up to an intersection when I see the light will turn Red before I get there anyway.

I always thought that I was the only one doing that. Now I know, that there are at least two of us!

Van Williams

[font="Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,sans-serif]Save[/font]

 

[Ballenxj]

I always thought that I was the only one doing that. Now I know, that there are at least two of us!

Save

A good friend once pointed out to me that a gas vehicle uses a lot more fuel to accelerate from a total stop than the same vehicle would if you timed it by slowing down enough that the light actually turned green just as you arrived. This way you could just ease right on through without a large expenditure of fuel. In my experience it works.
I did not always drive that way. When I was younger I always had a muscle car of some sort. I've had GTO's, Trans Ams, 442's, etc. They were usually built to be much faster than stock. I always drove them like they were meant to be driven, FAST!
That was then, and this is now. Today I'm in it for the mileage.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeppers the most important thing for MPG in your vehicle is your right foot. or for those across the pond or down under your left foot. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

When everyone fills their tank to figure out their Mpg's Do you fill it until the automatic shut off trips or do you fill the tank to the brim each time? I always wondered if different pumps stopped my filling when my tank is at the exact same point of it it varies? And if it varies, is it even enough to make a difference in calculations for mpg? But if you fill it to the top of the filler neck each time, then you know it's always the exact same amount of gas, but then that could be dangerous with out room for expansion.

 

[Ballenxj]

I will usually fill to the brim where I can actually see the tank is full. I think you will get the most consistent results this way. I have seen far too many pump inconsistency's when you just let the pump shut itself off. I have seen some that will actually be full when it shuts itself off, to ones that will take several gallons more after it has shut off. I know some people want you to leave it where it shuts off, but in my experience that can be far from accurate.

 

[Almost There]

When everyone fills their tank to figure out their Mpg's  Do you fill it until the automatic shut off trips or do you fill the tank to the brim each time?  I always wondered if different pumps stopped my filling when my tank is at the exact same point of it it varies?  And if it varies, is it even enough to make a difference in calculations for mpg?  But if you fill it to the top of the filler neck each time, then you know it's always the exact same amount of gas, but then that could be dangerous with out room for expansion.

Mathematically it doesn't matter. You're taking the number of miles/km driven and comparing it to the number of gallons/litres of gas you  used over that distance.

If you fill the tank right to the brim, you're only going to be able to go further on THAT tank of gas, not get better mileage!!

I don't even bother to check mileage over a single tank of gas. IMO, you're better off keeping track of consumption and distance driven over a period of, say, a month and calculating it over that period of time. Yes, you won't know city consumption vs highway consumption but you'll get a good overall indicator. And if you consistently check your gas consumption, you'll know early on when it's time for a tune up!

 

[ArtW]

that's one thing I like about Fuelly, it gives consumption per tank, and average consumption, I just type in the numbers
unfortunately, mt Ranger's odometer doesn't work
My scooter's does, but it's not relevant to this rhread

 

[29chico]

Unless you have a really old gas powered vehicle, filling your tank to the brim will often damage the carbon canister in the  evaporative emission control system by causing liquid fuel to drawn into the EVAP system.  The system was designed to handle gas vapors, not liquid.  In extreme cases it is possible for raw gas to be dumped into the intake tract, this can wash the oil off of the cylinder walls and also dilute the crankcase oil.  Engine damage can result.

Automakers highly discourage the practice of filling gas fuel tanks to the brim, or eve beyond the first click off of the nozzle, for these reasons.

for more info:

http://www.freep.com/story/life/2015/06/28/dont-top-off-gas-tank-environment/29269833/

 

[highdesertranger]

in some states it is illegal to top off your tank, says so right on the pump. I don't know what happens if you do, maybe the gas police come after you. highdesertranger

 

[Ballenxj]

in some states it is illegal to top off your tank,  says so right on the pump.  I don't know what happens if you do,  maybe the gas police come after you.  highdesertranger

They haven't caught me yet. :angel: 
As I said earlier, I have found/used pumps that shut off way too early. I had one pump shut off on me that had me thinking this isn't right. I checked the fuel gauge and sure enough, the tank was barely over half and I had a long way to go. I no longer trust that my tank is full just because the nozzle clicked off. :dodgy:

 

[drysailor]

I'd like to get an idea of the MPG you're are getting with your vans and any insights you've noticed regarding gas mileage.  

Some info would be helpful.

• Year
• Make / Model
• 1500/2500/3500
• Normal Wheelbase / Extended version
• Engine
• Tranny
• Drive (2WD/AWD/4WD)
• Average driving speed on highway
• # of Miles on the Van
• Loaded up / Moderately loaded / Not loaded up - you decide
• Towing something?

Approximate City/Hwy/Combined MPG

• Anything you've done that you believe may have increased your MPG
• Anything you've done that you believe decreased your MPG
  

My van is a 2013 E350 passenger, odometer @ 29K. 5.4 engine; tranny? Basically stripped down right now, all rear seats removed, just a bed (maybe 80 lbs) and a battery/enclosure, maybe 65 more. Loaded for a week at a beach motel with 2 adults, overall mpg 15.1 over 520 miles. Best trip segment was 17.2, speed there 55-60mph. One segment had approx. 100 city miles + 200 hwy miles @ 70, mpg was 14.7. As a daily driver (I'm retired) city mpg usually 10.5-11. Haven't done anything mechanically, except increase front tire pressure from spec (60) to 70 psi. Any more than that & I get wheel hop if braking hard. Rear is at spec, 80 psi. My wife thinks I drive too gently, but I'm careful to avoid being a hindrance to others - just try to accel or brake gradually, & coast if practical. (My wife doesn't feel comfortable unless one pedal is at the floor).

 

[Gerty]

Just a suggestion for your list here.  Would you want to include 'High Top" and "Mid Top" ?  Those will have a big influence on those mileage numbers too.  Tire pressure also. (I carry 50 to 55 in the front and depending on how loaded from 65 to 80 in the rear)

My 90 Ford E 350 351 V8 efi, extended wheel base has a high top,  and the tranny has auto "overdrive".

I don't have mileage figures presently.


I have even considered the cost of driving to a distant location vs the cost of hiring a Tractor Trailer with a "Lo Boy" to deliver it to that destination.  (if I could ride with the driver)

Much like this without the side window over the rear wheel

I just bought a very similar van: 91 Ford 350 v8 Hightop and the previous owner said she got 12 mpg highway tops. 

 

[Whitey]

yeppers the most important thing for MPG in your vehicle is your right foot.  or for those across the pond or down under your left foot.   highdesertranger

Actually the pedals are in the same place, just the shifter is on the left instead of right. Very strange at first but over time we can get used to just about anything.  My troubles came while riding a motorbike and forgetting that I was on the other side of the globe.  I couldn't understand why my friend kept screaming at me, until I saw the headlights of an oncoming truck.  Heady times to be sure.

No van yet but perhaps I'll have one by this time tomorrow. I'm going to look at a 2009 1 ton extended Savana with a 6 liter. Any idea of the mpg? Or is it gpm?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Actually the pedals are in the same place, just the shifter is on the left instead of right. Very strange at first but over time we can get used to just about anything . . .

 . . . Any idea of the mpg? Or is it gpm?

My first race car was a Lotus Formula Ford.  Pedals in the same relative position but shifter on the left.  Just about ended my racing career right there   

If you are talking gallons per minute that's one thirsty truck: 60 miles per hour at 1 gallon per minute = 1 mile per gallon.

 -- Spiff

 

[MikeRuth]

I thought I posted here, then again maybe it was another Millage thread.

2007 E-150 5.4L Gas, 66,000 Miles No High top, solar panels on roof rack.
Typical with about 1/4 of weight capacity used is...
12Mpg City and about 17 and change highway. I have a heavy foot, and Highway is always 70 to 80 unless traffic is running slower.