21.2 mpg - my best yet!

[mws]

Calculated over about 600 miles, 98+% freeway miles, cruising around 70 mph. Drove to Portland and around town a few days. Miles based on GPS tracking, not odometer.

 

'87 V6, 5 speed, 200K original miles.

255/70-16 A/T tires (same size as 31x10.5-15's) aired up to 40 psi.

New O2 sensor, plugs, wires, cap, rotor this past spring.

Roof rack OFF, but the rear cross bar still attached.

T-Bars cranked just enough to level truck and clear tires (maybe 1"?)

Antenna down (listened to XM radio)

 

This is more than 2 mpg better than our last trip. The only significant changes were:

- No usage of A/C. Last time we ran it about 1/2 the time.

- Removed mechanical radiator fan. Installed electric fan but never used it.

 

Still nowhere near our BMW at 34+mpg, but not the 12-14 it got when I bought it. She ran fine, but the terrible mileage said it needed some tuning...

 

Moral: A good tune up makes a world of difference, and minimizing aerodynamic drag and parasitic power drags can help a bunch as well.

[MaritimeMan]

Thats pretty dang good. I amazed myself this summer when I made it from 88's place in Salem all the way to Redding, CA on one tank. It was about 420 miles total, and she only took 19.5 gallons, so I still had a bit left. I agree, amazing what a bit of tune up can do.

[wheel366]

420 miles? I was never able to get more than 320.

 

:o

[DSM_guy]

jeez, the best i ever got was 350, i probably get 320 or so now to a tank. some of the stuff like keeping the antenna down and taking off the bars might have helped, but i can tell you what was most responsible was your tune up...esp the o2 sensor. too many times people change the cap/rotor and some plugs/wire but neglect the single BIGGEST factor of fuel milage of all. i need to swap out my o2 on the pathy. i swaped the one out in my dsm and now i get nearly 40mpg. i can get 500+ miles outta about 13 gallons of gas with no fuel light on. i used to only get 420 WITH the fuel light on. probably improved my MPG by 8 or so.

[Filthy Luker]

Hopefully I'll be installing electric fans this winter. From what I hear they free up a fair bit of engine power.

 

The rest is so true... good tuneup and high tire pressures are the key.

[94extreme]

420 miles? I was never able to get more than 320.

 

:o

that's about what i get now regularly.. i haven't figured out the numbers from my latest trip but on the highway i probably got close to 350-360 per tank.. on the mountains rds the truck was getting a drunk on though..

[Harbinger]

Calculated over about 600 miles, 98+% freeway miles, cruising around 70 mph. Drove to Portland and around town a few days. Miles based on GPS tracking, not odometer.

:cool2:

 

Good god, just goes to show I'm overdue for a tune up and fan swap!