Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them

How to get better MPG.. I know we drive a truck engined brick BUT!

Alrightchief

Active Member
Joined
May 5, 2018
Messages
98
Hi All

Im wanting advice on things todo to get better MPG!

EG road tyres not All terrains, roof rack etc..

I know the standard things, But want Im wanting to get at is there anything like EGR replacement, Boring and polishing, Getting rid of the air heater, K&N, thinner oil etc

Im getting about 15mpg, some report higher mpg results is there anything I can do?
 
Some details of the cruiser may help.

Driving style is the best thing to improve mpg.

Or if you that worried buy a small car for running around in
 
Some details of the cruiser may help.

Driving style is the best thing to improve mpg.

Or if you that worried buy a small car for running around in

Not worried at all, Just interested... Its a 100 series with BFG's
 
yes, road tyres and no roof rack will make a noticeable difference.
remove the rear prop and put a ford galaxy badge on the back and you'll be sorted..:)
 
15 mph does seem poor. I have a standard 80 manual with BFG AT’s and get mid 20’s general running round and have had over 30 on rural runs driving for max economy (really boring) and get around 20 towing a 1 1/2 ton caravan to Scotland at motorway speeds. The 100 series is slightly bigger and heavier of course but has more refined electronic fuelling so 20+ should be easily achievable IMO, even with an auto box.
EGR removal certainly cleans up the inlet tract but not sure if economy is affected either way.
Thinner oil theoretically gives better mpg but probably not so you would notice.
Check for dragging brakes. I run the BFG’s at 36 psi.
A good clean OEM filter should not adversly affect economy or performance unless the engine has been performance tuned. I had a bad experience with a K&N filter years ago so, personally, I wouldn’t use one to filter my coffee but others really rate them.
 
I normally get 22mpg but can stretch it to 27mpg on a run. My 100 is a 5 speed auto, 285/75/16 BFG AT, small body lift, small AHC lift, egr bypassed and a light bar on the roof. Unless you have a heavy right foot or regularly do journeys that have unfavorable fuel consumption characteristics then I would suggest you have a mechanical problem. As suggested above, dragging brakes are worth checking for.
 
Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them
Make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure. Under inflated tyres are going to effect your fuel economy negatively.

15 mpg does seem low. As above I tend to get mid 20's in a 105 with BFG AT's / roof rack etc....
 
15 mph does seem poor. I have a standard 80 manual with BFG AT’s and get mid 20’s general running round and have had over 30 on rural runs driving for max economy (really boring) and get around 20 towing a 1 1/2 ton caravan to Scotland at motorway speeds. The 100 series is slightly bigger and heavier of course but has more refined electronic fuelling so 20+ should be easily achievable IMO, even with an auto box.
EGR removal certainly cleans up the inlet tract but not sure if economy is affected either way.
Thinner oil theoretically gives better mpg but probably not so you would notice.
Check for dragging brakes. I run the BFG’s at 36 psi.
A good clean OEM filter should not adversly affect economy or performance unless the engine has been performance tuned. I had a bad experience with a K&N filter years ago so, personally, I wouldn’t use one to filter my coffee but others really rate them.

This is what I thought about the 15mpg, I do have a heavy right foot but I know how to drive an auto for economy.... Id be interested in hearing your points on the K&N when you've got chance? I do have a feeling that the from callipers pistons are sticking slightly..

I normally get 22mpg but can stretch it to 27mpg on a run. My 100 is a 5 speed auto, 285/75/16 BFG AT, small body lift, small AHC lift, egr bypassed and a light bar on the roof. Unless you have a heavy right foot or regularly do journeys that have unfavorable fuel consumption characteristics then I would suggest you have a mechanical problem. As suggested above, dragging brakes are worth checking for.

Id be allot happier with those figures Ian! but Im afraid I do have a heavy right foot! I need to have a look at the brakes but tbh the truck is Mechanically perfect apart from the suspected brake pistons which I believe is common?
 
Make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure. Under inflated tyres are going to effect your fuel economy negatively.

15 mpg does seem low. As above I tend to get mid 20's in a 105 with BFG AT's / roof rack etc....

Everything standard to think of I have checked, all tyres aligned and proper pressures! Iv got three sets of tyres BFG's- Coopers and Bridgestones.. I hate the bridgestones "going to sell them" makes very little difference in economy! maybe 1mpg? and no difference between the BFG's - Coopers..
 
Os this a petrol?

Diesel I would check the dragging brakes
 
One easy test for dragging brakes is to get an infra red thermometer (about a tenner) and do a quick check round after a run. Driving in the max torque band usually gives best mpg on a diesel.
 
One easy test for dragging brakes is to get an infra red thermometer (about a tenner) and do a quick check round after a run. Driving in the max torque band usually gives best mpg on a diesel.

Iv just gone and fetched it out of the garage! Great minds and all that....
 
Whip your calipers off and send them to these guys for a very reasonably priced overhaul http://www.biggred.co.uk/

Have all the trailing arm etc bushes checked because i'm inclined to think when bushes go bad wheel alignment can look good even when she's not running straight and true .

And deleting the EGR is rather pointless unless you remove the crap that's built up because of it already .

Fuel additives are often called snake oil but i've seen it work on a 20 odd year old diesel that had been run on cheap and nasty bio , Wynns diesel gold fuel system and injector cleaner is what i use , sounds counter intuitive that improving fuel flow might reduce mpg but a clean burn is more efficient than a poor burn .

Clean all the engine sensors - a computer works out how much fuel to add so if its getting the wrong messages ......
 
Whip your calipers off and send them to these guys for a very reasonably priced overhaul http://www.biggred.co.uk/

Have all the trailing arm etc bushes checked because i'm inclined to think when bushes go bad wheel alignment can look good even when she's not running straight and true .

And deleting the EGR is rather pointless unless you remove the crap that's built up because of it already .

Fuel additives are often called snake oil but i've seen it work on a 20 odd year old diesel that had been run on cheap and nasty bio , Wynns diesel gold fuel system and injector cleaner is what i use , sounds counter intuitive that improving fuel flow might reduce mpg but a clean burn is more efficient than a poor burn .

Clean all the engine sensors - a computer works out how much fuel to add so if its getting the wrong messages ......
Yes never thought about cleaning the sensors ....

I have thought about having the injectors pattern checked!

I’ll refurb the callipers myself I think! But thanks for that!
 
Yes never thought about cleaning the sensors ....

I have thought about having the injectors pattern checked!

I’ll refurb the callipers myself I think! But thanks for that!

It’s not necessarily advice from me, but when I acquired my 4.2 diesel in the HZJ80 it was more sluggish than the most sluggish slug on slug go sluggish day!

A heavy right foot helped to clear it out, but for a while I ran on diesel with a dose of 2-stroke oil in the tank. It seemed to work wonders with regular use over a period of about a year.

I’ve stopped using it now, but I’m convinced it “did the engine good”. There may be other side effects, which is why this isn’t a specific recommendation for your particular engine.
 
Clive is bang on the money , if its been previously owned by someone who is timid about high revs a good old Italian tune up might work wonders . 3400rpm is roughly where my 3 trucks hit max power output so i try to hit it sometimes just to keep things healthy .
 
It’s not necessarily advice from me, but when I acquired my 4.2 diesel in the HZJ80 it was more sluggish than the most sluggish slug on slug go sluggish day!

A heavy right foot helped to clear it out, but for a while I ran on diesel with a dose of 2-stroke oil in the tank. It seemed to work wonders with regular use over a period of about a year.

I’ve stopped using it now, but I’m convinced it “did the engine good”. There may be other side effects, which is why this isn’t a specific recommendation for your particular engine.

I have done that trick before when running on kerosene to keep the pump happy! God those were the days free kerosene & oil!
Clive is bang on the money , if its been previously owned by someone who is timid about high revs a good old Italian tune up might work wonders . 3400rpm is roughly where my 3 trucks hit max power output so i try to hit it sometimes just to keep things healthy .

I don't have that issue LOL
 
Clive is bang on the money , if its been previously owned by someone who is timid about high revs a good old Italian tune up might work wonders . 3400rpm is roughly where my 3 trucks hit max power output so i try to hit it sometimes just to keep things healthy .

It was a bit odd really, because using the 2-stroke oil had an instant effect, quieter, smoother, and it “felt” like a cleaner burn (somehow) and more power.

But after a year, I stopped using it and felt another improvement, so I don’t really know why this was.
 
Mid 20s in my 60 with BFG ATs and a roofrack. The lack of power also means a lot of full throttle time.
 
Back
Top