2004 f-150 mpg

[fishinben351]

i have an 04 f-150 my last tank i only got 11mpgs out of it driving it normal not hauling anyting. i bought it with a big brush guard on the front, would that cause a huge decline in mpgs? thanks how much are you guys getting with your f150? thanks...

[jeffreyd]

it might lower it a tad but i would look at more obvious things. is the air filter clean, how many miles are on the plugs, any other normal wear items. i get nearly 19 with my hemi o4 91k on it. i use cheap plugs and run a cold air filter which is washable. change my own fluids and just drive.

[fishinben351]

everything is clean , but maybe i should change my plugs not sure how many miles are on them. yeah i used to get around 19 with my 99 f150 2v 5.4, this one is a 3 valve 5.4l,i would think this would be just as good.

[jeffreyd]

might pull an easy one and check it, if they need it then change them out. i see a great increase and more kick when i change them. if you look at the manual see what ford recommends for changing them. dodge is every 30k. i ran the fancy plugs in the first time cost me nearly 150 bucks for plugs as the hemi uses 16. got a harsh miss at idle pulled one after 40k on them and they were junk. figured i can put oem back in do the 30k change and save money.

[Macgyver55]

i get nearly 19 with my hemi o4 91k on it.

Maybe in Arizona you could, not a chance of it in Minnesota during the winter!

[Scott K]

A few things, are you letting it idle to warm up in the mornings? 30 minutes of ideling can burn a gallon of gas, do that for a week, you just wasted 7 gallons of gas. Check the mass airflow sensor, and clean it, check fuel pressure, these are known to have Fuel pressure sensors that fail.

Also becarefull removing spark plugs on this truck, the plugs like to break off in the head.

[jltimm]

Yes sir, all vehicles take a hit in the mpg dept. in the cold winter months!

[eyehead]

i get nearly 19 with my hemi o4 91k on it.

I find that hard to believe....I got an 07 Hemi with 20k on it and I average around 11 in the winter....12 tops....

[CaptainBly]

I'd have to agree with you. Letting the truck idle to warm up can make a big difference in mpg.

[fishinben351]

i let it warm up, so you guys dont think 11mpg on a 3v 5.4l isnt unusual?

[CaptainBly]

Another thing have you been using the 4WD on the last tank. That doesn't help either.

[CJH]

Ton of factors that could be involved. Check all of the maintenance stuff (plugs, filters, fluids, etc....) keep your tire pressure at the correct level.

This cold will definitely take a toll on the MPG's. How you drive it makes a big difference as well.

[fishinben351]

i used it some..

[jeffreyd]

i live in arizona where it never gets below 40 degrees and then i wont take it out cause i dont want it to get cold. well not totally but after putting the airfilter in i increased a couple miles per gallon and also i run full synthetic oil. it is a 2500 4x4 with stock tires no other assos. it does drop a tad when the ac is on (most days). cant explain it but my buddy who has a 2008 with the same motor etc gets over 20 with his in colorado.

[CJH]

I put Full Synth in my 06 Durango with the Hemi and I get 19 right after an oil change, but it sure as heck doesn't stay there!!!! (I am due for new plugs soon though!! )

[jeffreyd]

cjh, i put bosch platinum in one time, ran great, for a while then when the plugs started to break down lost lots of mph. took it to dodge first thing they asked was if it had oem or bosch in it. after telling them, they suggested going back to the cheapy champions. i did and have not had an issue since. i hate changing plugs on my ram could only imagine on the durango. try an air raid air filter it will help too

[HNTNBUX]

I think it is just the cold weather. The change in seasonal gas, warming the engine and of course everytime you start from cold all of your fluids are cold and need more power to turn the wheels. I know mine will run higher rpm's down the highway for several miles until everything is warmed up especially when below zero.

Rough estimates for my 2002 F150 4x4 Super Crew

Summer 17mpg

Towing 17 ft boat 12mpg

Towing one wheeler or duck boat 15mpg

Towing two wheelers 12mpg

Enclosed trailer loaded w/overdrive off 10mpg

Winter 12mpg

[fishinben351]

K THANKS GUYS!

[fishing tech]

Huntbux nailed it. That what I get with my 01. I did get 19 with it 1 time on a trip but that was running the speed limit or a little slower. I prefer to sht and git.

[BlueLundFishrman]

I had a surprise this past fall when I went up to Ripley. I have a '07 Silverado Crew with 5.3 in it. I think the best I had gotten on it before was 18 something. Anyhow, going upto Ripley I got 23.5 for the trip up, I thought something was messed up. At first it was up around 25 mpg, then gradually dropped, and was down to 22 something. I figured it was just something messed up and it was gonna keep dropping. But to my surprise it started to pick up again, and when I got out at Ripley it was 23.5!!! Must have hit the magic air temperature or something that day.

[backlash 1]

In order to figure mileage you have to do it the old fashioned way. You cannot trust the computer generated read out. One dodge dakota I had it read 2 mpg more than actual. My wifes 300 crysler it reads 2 mpg less than actual.