5.4 Gas Economy

[TUF250]

What fuel economy would I expect from a 5.4 supercab 4x2 Auto running 4.11 rear end ??

[wendit]

16-17 highway 12-13 town 9-11 towing

[TUF250]

Thanks for the reply Wendit,in the figures you quoted,what sort of towing were you doing at the time.I want to tow a boat that weighs about 4000lbs and have a truck camper on the back that weighs about 3500lbs, what do ya reckon [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[OMCUSNR]

W/ a 2wd, problems getting out of the boat ramp w/ that boat on the back.

[mboane]

15-16 hwy, 12-13 city, 8-12 towing various trailers.

[Pappy19]

If you add at least an aftermarket intake, and maybe an exhaust, then expect another 2 mpg. After that, add a Superchip and put it on econo setting, expect another 1-2 mpg. Then you're at 20 mpg, not bad and great power and shifting. So for around $1,000, you have it all, power and mileage.

[kevinj1]

I have A '05 F 150 4x4 auto 3.73 gears. I drive 20 mi. each way to work,mostly highway @ 65-70 mph I get usually 14-15 mpg Towing the trailer in my sig. 7 mpg.

[Smokewagun]

[ QUOTE ]
If you add at least an aftermarket intake, and maybe an exhaust, then expect another 2 mpg. After that, add a Superchip and put it on econo setting, expect another 1-2 mpg. Then you're at 20 mpg, not bad and great power and shifting. So for around $1,000, you have it all, power and mileage.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pappy, no disrespect, but I don't think you'll pull 20mpg out of any Ford 5.4L - period. I have a new 2007 F-150 Supercrew, and all the research shows about 18mpg tops. That's with intake, exhaust, and tuner on a truck weighing much less than a Superduty. Stock, I pull about 16, and headed toward 17mpg. I'm trying to find the magic for 20mpg, but nobody I have found can substantiate it's possible. The exhaust verdict is still mixed, and the link between power and mileage is still inverse. Just what I have found. If you know otherwise, please share, as I'd like to join the 20,pg 5.4L forum. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Pappy19]

You might be right about the 20 mpg club and I probably went a little overboard. I can say that on my wife's 5.4 Expedition with a 3.73, that she was getting 13 mpg around town. I added a slip-in air filter and Superchip on the econo mode and it's been getting a consistant 15 around town. We haven't taken it on any long trips(we take my truck), but I think that a 1-2 mpg increase on the highway should be reasonable. If I add a good exhaust system, it should also add 1-2 mpg, so at a stretch, I could see 19, if I kept my foot out of it. Maybe not, and I agree that what I'm saying is all hypothetical. Her Expedition is coming off the lease next month and it has run so well that we were going to buy it. But the residual is $23k (it's an '04 EB loaded) and we can get a really nice low mileage '06 for that, so will probably just turn it in. Too bad as it has been the best running 5.4 we've ever had.

[kalcium]

Pappy/Smokewagon

I was considering getting a K&N intake and programmer for my 5.4 F250 in an attempt to increase fuel mileage but another poster in the 6.0L forum stated that:

1. Larger intakes won't make a difference unless the injectors are changed to accomodate more volume.
2. Programmers can give you a little more power but at the cost of fuel economy.

Just looking for your thoughts on this and if you personally have seen the improvements that these options bring.

Thanks

[lightninmike]

NOt true on #1 and Not true on #2
An intake youare talking about does not need bigger injectors, it doesnt need anything but for you to put it on. Now if you were putting on a bigger MAF you would need to have your truck tuned for it because the ECU cant compansate for that and has to be told that the sensor is bigger (i.e. going from 80mm to a 90mm mas air meater)
As for #2 yes you can get a tune built for eco

[OMCUSNR]

[ QUOTE ]
NOt true on #1 and Not true on #2
An intake youare talking about does not need bigger injectors, it doesnt need anything but for you to put it on. Now if you were putting on a bigger MAF you would need to have your truck tuned for it because the ECU cant compansate for that and has to be told that the sensor is bigger (i.e. going from 80mm to a 90mm mas air meater)
As for #2 yes you can get a tune built for eco

[/ QUOTE ]

What's true for a gasser is not necessarily true for a diesel & vice versa. In its stock configuration, the 6.0 will not benifit from an aftermarket air box/filter. Even with a modest tuner, & stock injectors, the OEM air system by Donaldson provides as much air as the engine can use - adding more flow doen't do anything, until you add more fuel. Diesels are fuel metered, not air metered. Until you can get more fuel in, more air isn't going to help much.

For a diesel, the reason for a larger exhaust is to lower EGTs by allowing more air to flow over hot components. The use of an aftermarket tune is to change the factory settings (which in te 6.0 are more than adquite in HP & Torque). Using a tuner is generally for more power. However, a tuner can be set to more efficently burn the fuel supplied, thus slightly enhancing economy.

With the use of a tuner, you might pick up abouut 2 mpg, if you keep your foot out of it. The best way to increase economy (in any vehicle) is driving habits. I can't tell you how to optimze a 5.4 gasser, other than to keep you mind ahead of the vehicle & traffic, try not to use your brakes, and keep it rolling.

[Smokewagun]

Well, Pappy, I just returned from a trip to Northern Wisconsin and averaged 18.4 with my new 2007 F-150 Supercrew. That's hand calculated with 75% interstate, and 25% rural highway. I'll say interstate was cruised, and rural was manual pedal... easy. Now, I am anxious to see if if I can better it with a tuner. I have a K&N filter already, and am hoping that a better exhaust will help, but not kill the low end. Time will tell. Do you then recommend the Superchip tuner?

On a side note, the fuel cap on my truck is stamped with a note from Ford that say they prefer BP brand fuel. The best tank I just got (at 18.4mpg) was BP fuel. It's funny that I run alot of Marathon, Mobil, and Citgo, which usually average about 16 to 17mpg per tank. Does Ford know something we don't? I track every fill-up, so I'll be watching the numbers. I have thought about dumping Citgo all together just because of the Venezuela crap. We'll see.

Smoke.

[Pappy19]

Interesting. In gasers, I always got better mileage with either Chevron or Exxon gasoline, maybe 1-2 mpg, depending. Yes, I would definately recommend the Superchip tuner, as the one for my 7.3 worked great and the one I bought from ITP for the wifer's 5.4 has been super, just follow the directions. On her Expedition, one needs to dis-connect the harness to the injectors. The manual shows you how and it's very easy, 2 seconds. After that, it's all about how you want your rig to run and follow the "yellow brick road" to satisfaction. Even with the "econo" setting, the difference in the shifting pattern is unbelievable and seems to run circles around a stocker. I never have run the wife's Expedition on the race or performance mode, but I can imagine it's pretty impressive. So, if you are getting close to the "20 mpg club", what will the nay-sayers say now?

[VIKING82]

I am not very good at calculating what milege i get in town, but on my last trip to Maine, all highway i squeezed 376 miles on a gas tank. My truck is a 2002 F250 CC 4x4 snowplow package