MPG-what am I doing wrong?

[Wark]

Basically in order of contribution to mpg:
1. Driver style (heavy foot or light) (biggest impact)
2. City or highway (stop/ go, do you allow the engine to shut off?)
3. Tire diameter (up to 33") (>33">35") (>35") (rolling resistance, unsprung weight)
4. Accessories -- light bars etc. (towing) (Aerodynamics)
5. Speed (<55), (<65), (<75)( > 75). (Affecting Aerodynamics)
5. Maintenance (change your engine air filter)
6. GOAT Mode (Sport / not sport)
7. Vehicle weight.

2.3L Base 3.73 gear. 36k miles.
21 city, 24 highway.

I try to take back roads that are 55 mph as opposed to freeway when I can. 55 mph seems like the sweet spot for fuel economy.
Oh and if I find a large vehicle to block the wind for me I do a lot better on MPG, but windshield suffers.

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[SeptuagenarianSasquatch]

For those of you who are getting Ford's mileage, fantastic! I'm happy for you. But I think most of us are getting that only occasionally. I also notice that my hard-data computations (as measured and computed by my Fuelio app, with which I am meticulous) never match the dashboard read-out. Never.

I believe that Ford --and all manufacturers-- (and even "objective" sites like Consumer Reports) enhance (I'm being polite here) their data to meet or approach EPA requirements. They're probably measured under very optimal conditions. This is done by everybody. Even EV data is suspect, as we are learning about range shortcomings.

An "optimal mpg" ad from days gone by:

 

[bravely]

2024 OBX non SAS. 3.73 ratio.

Swapped tires to 285/70R17 Falken Rubitrek on OEM 17” steel.
629 rev 18 OEM off and 632 rev 17’s on.
As close as I could get to 629 trying to keep speedo within 1 mph.

550 miles ..15.8mpg max via
highway with cruise set.
15.4 around town.
Tires dropping mpg down?

Was hoping for 17mpg minimum if
not 19-20. Specific break in period?

Some of mpg has to do with driving habits. I've always driven easy on the gas. 2.7 averaged 17. Just took a 2000 mile trip in eco mode & got 20.5.

 

[Tricky Mike]

You have insufficient miles to see any MPG improvement.

I never got my bump, started modifying too soon.

Tires are at 37pds. Raise pressure beyond rating on door…..less rolling resistance…raise mpg?

It might help but it will also wear out the centers of your tires.

Guess it's the extra weight of the steel wheels,

Heavy wheels hurt a lot, and heavy tires even more so.

 

[TrailRax]

Hoping in here for some fun!

We got a badlands 2.7L, mid travel RPG kit (6" wider track), 8" fiberglass, Alucab 3R tent, about 6000lbs so almost full payload, 37" Falken RT tires. Ford performance tune (probably the biggest mpg saver) Picture for reference as well.

We average about 13.5 on the dash. On long hauls to camp or to shows we see upwards of 17-18mpg and average calculator on dash has seen 14.5mpg average.

Location: Salt Lake city, Utah so we are at 4400 ft in elevation as well. Some hilly sections but not all hills

 

[BadlandsA51]

23 Badlands, 4 door, 2.7, Squatch, no major modifications. At 7500 miles the trip computer, which has never been reset, shows 19.6. We took one 2,000 mile trip to Colorado and did 2 solid days of off-roading. The rest of the miles are back and forth to work and short weekend trips. The worst mileage I have gotten was the Colorado trip, going 75 on speed control across I-70. It did low 17s to high 16s. Broncos don’t like anything above 55 to 60, and any kind of head/crosswind makes it much worse. Driving like an old man helps, easy acceleration and coasting up to stops. It’s not great mileage, but better than I anticipated when I bought it.

 

[lapazleo]

2.3 man non sas Badlands 19.6 to 20.4 mixed conditions freeway state highways county roads and town. 80% of fuel mileage is the nut behind the wheel. Stop light racing, 10+ mph over the speed limit, being in a hurry even when there's no need, excessive idling all kill fuel economy. Nearly all bad fuel mileage threads on this forum boiled down to bad driving habits not mechanical factors.

 

[Owl]

Well, I"ve got a 2022 Base 2Dr with OBX tires -- V6 / auto / 3.73. I get a computed 22-24 on the highway at about 70.

Did you use Forscan to change your odometer for the tires (32.7 vs 32.1) or did this computation (32.7/32.1* MPG(15.8)) to give real MPG (16).

Still... I would think you'd get better MPG unless you're going about 80 or so, or got tires under-inflated.

 

[Dunning Kruger]

95% of “what mileage you’re attaining” is self inflected!! You can’t drive it like a drag racer, you can’t push it 75+ (it’s a brick), don’t drive to within 20 yds of stop lights and lay on brakes, etc.

No magic formula to mpg EXCEPT YOU…. Peoples posts about poor mpg reflect no common sense at work!
Sorry but it’s the truth.

Yep. It takes a little discipline, but I have found if I accelerate smoothly after stops, semi-coast downhill to maintain my speed (a lot of people speed up going downhill then slow down), and don't floor it to pass, I can easily get over 21, sometimes pushing 22+ MPG.

On the other hand, when I'm driving in the mid-80's down HWY 16, I'm getting about 18 (but using the adaptive cruise control, so I'm not constantly flooring it and then slowing down).

Non-SAS, 2.7L, 3.73

But I didn't buy this red brick for the gas mileage...

 

[Fmuguira]

Dunning Kruger, +1

back roads, side streets 21.5 and occasionally 22. Freeway at 70 mph +/- so I don’t get run over, 19-19.5 mpg. (All this is without winds; those can hurt the mpg pretty good as it’s already a brick!)

 

[Fmuguira]

2 Door 2.7 L Sas so I m very content.
4.0 L 2 door Jeep is 16-19 so pretty solid +3 mpg when I m using Bronco

 

[Big Boss]

21 big bend, 4 door 2.3 auto. I am normally in the 22-23 MPG range. If I really try I can squeeze out 24 maybe 25. But normal driving for me, its usually in the 22-23 range.

 

[PlayTime]

Is there any data on whether the Aeroskin bug deflector on the hood has a positive effect on mileage?

 

[zombie]

Is there any data on whether the Aeroskin bug deflector on the hood has a positive effect on mileage?

I doubt it, and I doubt it

 

[brkdncr]

I get 19 pretty reliably. On a 3 hour trip I had my SO driving and watched mpg drop to 18.1 before I took over again about half through. Was back to 19 after a few days.

they were pulsing the pedal and going from 65-75.

driving style plays a significant factor.

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