Need to increase Fuel Efficiency!

[gutharius]

Need to increase the fuel efficiency of my truck. I currently average 16-17 MPG. Would like to increase this. I have read K&N filter kits can help with this. Tho' I have not been able to find any info on the intarweb to substantiate this. Is there anything else I can do besides the Air intake, and trade in (financial reasons prevent this), that will help boost fuel efficiency?

TIA

Update: I don't drive my car like a sports car. I generally drive 55 even though the speed limit is 60 on the highways. There are no un necesarry items in my truck that do not belong. (Sort of a clean freak here.) As far as AC goes it's texas in the summer. Need I say more?

Update: The truck is an Automatic Transmission.

 

[Heisenberg]

Check the air pressure in the tires, get a general tune-up (check plugs, wires, fluid levels, etc.), try to use only light to moderate throttle.

 

[hevnsnt]

buy a motorcycle

 

[scorpmatt]

dont use AC if possible. try and keep the same speed, speeding up and slowing down lowers your gas mileage. take longer trips at constant speeds.

 

[Drakkon]

intake + k&n will get you a whole .1-.3 miles per gallon better...
just keep your foot off the gas, launch like your driving a geo, and drive under the speed limit...great ways to onserve gas

 

[Rallispec]

get a cover for the bed of your truck

 

[LuckyTaxi]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
buy a motorcycle

exactly what I did!

 

[echo4747]

Many tire stores are offering to fill your tires with nitrogen rather than compressed air. They are claiming its possible to save up to $100/yr on gasoline. I don't know if its true.. but maybe other forum members can elaborate on this

 

[scorpmatt]

Originally posted by: echo4747
Many tire stores are offering to fill your tires with nitrogen rather than compressed air. They are claiming its possible to save up to $100/yr on gasoline. I don't know if its true.. but maybe other forum members can elaborate on this

lighter tires? its the amount of tire hitting the road causing you to lose gas mileage via friction. i wonder if they put less pressure in there but still not be able to over/under wear the tire.

 

[londonandlawson]

iget 12mpg

 

[Scarpozzi]

If there's anything in your truck that's heavy that you can get rid of, take it out....keep your spare tire, but never haul stuff around that you don't need.

 

[gutharius]

See update

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
get a cover for the bed of your truck

Does this really Help? I know it would help with the aero dynamics but is it really noticable?

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: londonandlawson
iget 12mpg

My sympathies man. My sympathies...

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: lilcam

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
buy a motorcycle

exactly what I did!

Have to many friends and acquantences with metal plates in their heads because of motorcylce accidents. As well as the people that can barely walk and are permanently dsfigured for life because of them. So no...

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: gutharius

Originally posted by: Rallispec
get a cover for the bed of your truck

Does this really Help? I know it would help with the aero dynamics but is it really noticable?

Removing the tailgate might be a more financially helpful idea, since adding a cap will cost money and weighs more.

 

[Vic]

That's roughly the EPA-rated mileage. Asides from a good tune, moderate driving, and keeping the tire pressures right, you're not going to get any better.

In '99, the Mazda B4000 4x4 was btw the clone of the Ford Ranger 4x4 with the 4.0L V6. Vehicles are virtually identical.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: gutharius
Need to increase the fuel efficiency of my truck. I currently average 16-17 MPG. Would like to increase this. I have read K&N filter kits can help with this. Tho' I have not been able to find any info on the intarweb to substantiate this. Is there anything else I can do besides the Air intake, and trade in (financial reasons prevent this), that will help boost fuel efficiency?

TIA

Update: I don't drive my car like a sports car. I generally drive 55 even though the speed limit is 60 on the highways. There are no un necesarry items in my truck that do not belong. (Sort of a clean freak here.) As far as AC goes it's texas in the summer. Need I say more?

I've never seen any increase in fuel economy from those kits. They make big claims but generally they don't deliver. What do those kits cost? $200-300?

Even if you got 1 mpg more you would save what...$100/yr on gas? It would take you 2-3 years just to recoup the cost of the kit alone, forget about realizing any decent savings in your wallet.

If you really want better mileage get rid of the truck and buy a car.

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: echo4747
Many tire stores are offering to fill your tires with nitrogen rather than compressed air. They are claiming its possible to save up to $100/yr on gasoline. I don't know if its true.. but maybe other forum members can elaborate on this

Wouldn't this also cause the tires not to be able to keep a good grip on the road? There are obvious safety concerns to this question...

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: gutharius

Originally posted by: Rallispec
get a cover for the bed of your truck

Does this really Help? I know it would help with the aero dynamics but is it really noticable?

No.

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: gutharius

Originally posted by: Rallispec
get a cover for the bed of your truck

Does this really Help? I know it would help with the aero dynamics but is it really noticable?

Removing the tailgate might be a more financially helpful idea, since adding a cap will cost money and weighs more.

Do you have a link on how to do this. I have tried looking at my truck and I cannot tell how it would come off...

 

[iamwiz82]

You best bet will be to reduce the rotational weight of the wheels/tires. Get smaller tires and lighter wheels. You'll look goofy cruising with 165/65R14s, but it'll save gas.

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: Vic
That's roughly the EPA-rated mileage. Asides from a good tune, moderate driving, and keeping the tire pressures right, you're not going to get any better.

In '99, the Mazda B4000 4x4 was btw the clone of the Ford Ranger 4x4 with the 4.0L V6. Vehicles are virtually identical.

Yeah so I have seen and found out. Mazda = Ford with different name.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: gutharius

Originally posted by: echo4747
Many tire stores are offering to fill your tires with nitrogen rather than compressed air. They are claiming its possible to save up to $100/yr on gasoline. I don't know if its true.. but maybe other forum members can elaborate on this

Wouldn't this also cause the tires not to be able to keep a good grip on the road? There are obvious safety concerns to this question...

No, it wouldn't make any difference to traction. Nor would it make any difference in fuel economy.

 

[imported_Phil]

Try this: researchers in Amsterdam apparently found that if you accelerate hard to about 2,500rpm (petrol) and then shift, it increased the fuel efficiency of the test vehicles.

Also, try to not maintain a constant speed up hills; with a realtime MPG monitor in my car, I get really poor efficiency when tanking it uphill to maintain speed.