Help with gas mileage

[Kijutsu]

Originally Posted by Rattlehead

I have a '95 Ford Explorer that gets bullshitty gas mileage, and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on how to make the mileage suck less. Oh, it's a V6 engine. If any more details are needed, feel free to ask.

Unfortunately, you're driving a slightly aerodynamic brick. Most explorers get horrendous gas mileage. Here's what you *CAN* do to help. Drive up to 55 mph on said 50 mph road, this will get you into 4th gear and idle down quite nicely, then just back off on the accelerator and it should stay in 4th gear and lock the TC (Torque Convertor), You can also look up a TCC Manual lock switch. This can be slightly difficult to install and use properly. It will help quite a bit. If you have a stand alone coil and distributor, you can try to install a hotter sparking coil. It may help. One more thought before I head out, check your fuel filter and replace as necessary. See if one of your local area oil change shops do whats called a Fuel System Cleaner. That helps a ton, and often gains 10 to 15% gas mileage.

I go as high as 55 mph on the highway and 75 on the interstate when I go to and from work. I do use cruise control to take the guesswork out of accelerating. I don't use the A/C unless I defrost the windshield or if I need it. After a few miles, I conserved a little bit of fuel. I wish my car (2000 Dodge Stratus) would support MMT/octane boosters! But obviously, it doesn't seem to.

[Cornellius]

Originally Posted by symbolic X

... my car (2000 Dodge Stratus)...

My last car was a Dodge Stratus '95. Hated the car and it was too thirsty, so I found a nice Dodge Colt "94. Sure, it's not a car of the year, but it's really an economic car.

The Stratus is my second car. The one I had before, a '99 Isuzu Amigo - I lost control and flipped that vehicle twice. I wasn't hurt/killed despite that it was totaled out, and that I was able to get out through the sunroof, but I was shocked.

Over the years, (Daimler/)Chrysler optimized the MPG for almost every sedan including the Stratus that rolled off their factory belts. Mine's probably at least 30 on the highway. The reason I placed Daimler in parenthesis was that I heard it recently separated with Chrysler and decided to take business somewhere else.

[Cornellius]

I'm saving money for a Corolla, an Echo, Yaris or a Versa. I'd like a Prius if I had the money, but you have to change the batteries after 8-10 years, and this isn't cheap.
Always loved Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda.

[Rattlehead]

Originally Posted by Kijutsu

Unfortunately, you're driving a slightly aerodynamic brick. Most explorers get horrendous gas mileage. Here's what you *CAN* do to help. Drive up to 55 mph on said 50 mph road, this will get you into 4th gear and idle down quite nicely, then just back off on the accelerator and it should stay in 4th gear and lock the TC (Torque Convertor), You can also look up a TCC Manual lock switch. This can be slightly difficult to install and use properly. It will help quite a bit. If you have a stand alone coil and distributor, you can try to install a hotter sparking coil. It may help. One more thought before I head out, check your fuel filter and replace as necessary. See if one of your local area oil change shops do whats called a Fuel System Cleaner. That helps a ton, and often gains 10 to 15% gas mileage.

Thanks. Yeah, I agree about it being ass-tastic aerodynamically. Not too sure about the coil and distributor...I'll maybe have my grandpa (mechanically gifted, unlike me) to have a look into it and the TCC manual lock switch. I need to get an oil change anyway, seeing as how I'm 1000 miles over, so I'll have them look at the fuel filter as well. Luckily, said grandpa is friends with the guys at one of the local mechanic shops, so they'll probably be cool with it.

Originally Posted by symbolic X

I go as high as 55 mph on the highway and 75 on the interstate when I go to and from work. I do use cruise control to take the guesswork out of accelerating. I don't use the A/C unless I defrost the windshield or if I need it. After a few miles, I conserved a little bit of fuel. I wish my car (2000 Dodge Stratus) would support MMT/octane boosters! But obviously, it doesn't seem to.

Same here, with the A/C. The only times that I ever use it are in the mornings recently, as it's been unusually cool, thus fogging up my windshield, and after school, because it feels like it's 150 degrees inside...and I like to listen to my music loud, so I keep the windows rolled up to keep people from bitching about it, and pissing me off.

And another way I would use the A/C is by testing the heat and cool elements periodically to make sure they work. There could be times when freon could be gone, times when the blower (sending air through the vents) could act odd or be done for or even blow its ATC-30 fuse (like the way mine sometimes does), or even times when it blows without heat. For that, I get a few mechanics to survey this component and find out how much they could charge me for maintenance. 2 more cents worth.