Increased fuel economy

[boatfixer]

I just tried a suggestion from the Ford dealer I bought my truck from. It's an '06 F-150 5.4.

Inside the grill on both sides of the radiator you will find 2 rubber "flaps". One on each side. Unscrew and roll down the one on the driver's side, secure with a zip tie. It forces more air into the intake.

The best all high way mileage I ever got before was 15.1

The last 2 tanks from Grand Rapids to Mpls and back:

Tank 1: 16.55

Tank 2: 16.48

Try it if you have one. They told me the results have varied. I'm now on a regular combined driving tank that I normaly get about 13.5-14 mpg.

[Shack]

boatfixer,

That is a great tip. It is not often the dealer will give you tip like this, that requires you to modify something from factory, while under warranty. Maybe you are not under warr.? Being a 2006 I just assume.

Did they say there was a technical service bulletin for this, then so if you are under warranty, the dealer should do this for you, for anyone who is still under warr.

Anyways, sounds like a great tip and thanks for sharing.

I know what I will be telling a couple buddies to try on their trucks tomorrow.

.

[boatfixer]

Just turned 15,000. I bought it new in sept. 06

No mention of service bulletins.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Great tip boatfixer! Thanks for sharing!!!

[Scott K]

I know on them the gas milage normally increases at the 15,000 mark. This is typical for the 04-08 f150's. It must be something programmed into the software for the truck. Every customer that I know, that has one of them has seen an increase at that milage. Although, I wont argue with them about increasing airflow to increase milage.

[boatfixer]

I hadn't hit 15,000 until I was at Garrison on my way back to GR. Maybe coincidence I don't know. All I know, for whatever reason, my mileage increased.

[Shack]

I know Ford will not even address a fuel econ issue under 12months or 12,000 miles (will not pay diag. time to tech).

What we where told to inform customers who had issues with fuel economy and owned new vehicles was the eng. is still breaking in. Also the computer is still learning how to address shifting points for the habits of the driver (adaptive learning strategies, even though that is learned in a shorter time, but if you have two different people driving the vehicle or more, it takes longer). We would say give it until 15,000 miles and then come back in if you had issues. 9 times out of 10, they never came back for a fuel econ concern (unless they owned a 6.0L ).

Also you will get better fuel econ on longer road trips, than intown short trips.

But this tip is something to look into and I know I have three guys at work, that will be doing this, this weekend.

Thanks again for sharing this tip.