What would you do? Low MPG on new to me Gen 2.

[GordoJay]

Flatlander or mountains? I get 14 or worse all day when Im up at camp.

Out here I get better mileage up in the mountains. Thin dry air doesn't provide much wind resistance. I once got 21 crossing the Rockies when traffic kept me down under 60mph. It's down at sea level with high humidity where my mileage drops.

 

[DFS]

Why has no one asked about driving patterns and habits? Idle time? City or highway? I can pretty easily get 12-13 mpg if I put my foot in it with any regularity.

 

[Old-Raptor-guy]

Back to my dealer days.

Mostly did Diesel repairs so most my memories are of that.

Here in Utah 70mph is speed limit when freeway/interstate goes through a city with 80 being limit in more open areas. But we drive 10 over all the time. Pretty easy to do 95mph from St George to Provo.

We have surface streets that are 55.

Anyway. On the 7.3 and 6.0 diesels. For every 5mph over 65 fuel mileage would drop 2mpg.

Ford also had a chart at the time listing all kinds of vehicle options and modifications and how they affected mpg.

Every inch of lift was .5 mpg, towing mirrors were .25 mpg less than the little paddle mirrors. 4x4 was 4mpg less than 4x2. Running boards were .3 mpg loss. Tires were huge difference also

So take a 2002 7.3 4x2 truck and at 65 it could get 25ish mpg.

Add 4x4 (which I have) now down to 21ish. Now lift 4 inches, add running boards, have factory tow mirrors, drive 80, add 35x12.5 tires and BOOM my psd gets 13 - 11 mpg.

Just examples I know of.

 

[GordoJay]

Why has no one asked about driving patterns and habits? Idle time? City or highway? I can pretty easily get 12-13 mpg if I put my foot in it with any regularity.

He mentioned it in the OP. And @Old-Raptor-guy talked about it. It's the most likely variable. There are a lot of people who never learned to drive well. Some of us were lucky enough to drive rattling pieces of crap when we were young. You had to listen to the engine. You had to match speed, revs, and gear to make a shift while managing a double clutch. You sometimes had to baby your vehicle to avoid a long walk. If your sole experience is skinny one on the right to go, wide one on the left to slow, there's a lot of room for variability. I guess my question is whether the OP gets expected mileage with his other vehicles?

 

[julien194b]

Here is my not prius

View attachment 419324

Why do you take this pic at the zoo, I say that bcs of the elephant big shit just front of the truck
When I drive mine like a granny, I am almost at 22MPG (no wind, no hill, only normal road)
otherwise, when offroad in baja mode (in fact I don't really use baja mode as it should, absolutly don't like this "engine map" toooo much RPM , or how to destroyed your motor after 1000 miles...)
Well, offroading, there is no limit for low MPG... Whaoooo!!!!!!

 

[Hburgrap]

Out here I get better mileage up in the mountains. Thin dry air doesn't provide much wind resistance. I once got 21 crossing the Rockies when traffic kept me down under 60mph. It's down at sea level with high humidity where my mileage drops.

12000 feet vs 2000

The burn from the bottom of the mountain up, my mpg stays at 0 haha

 

[GordoJay]

12000 feet vs 2000

The burn from the bottom of the mountain up, my mpg stays at 0 haha

You can do that here in the winter. Summers, the highways are so clogged with RVs and trailers and flatlanders freaking out about being "in the mountains" that there's nowhere to go. You can either plod along and suffer or bust your ass passing. Passing might save a few minutes on a few hour drive. Waste of time, gas, and energy. Better to just put something on the audio for distraction and chill.

 

[jeanco]

Get 19 on Highway,17.5 city with my Scab ,36-34 tire pressure,92 no ethanol who make big difference!

 

[Sunchild714]

I'd kill for 14! I'm at 12.2

 

[relic217]

Thanks everyone for your input. I really appreciate it.
I'll take a look at the spark plugs and air filter and go from there. I'll need time to put a couple tanks through it if I make any changes and report back.

It seems like comparing others' comments and input on their MPG and comparing to how I've been driving it should be higher than 14. I totally understand nobody buys this truck for the MPGs and I didn't, but I was expecting 16, maybe 15, on average.

Thanks again! I'll report back.