How can i get better mileage in my truck?

315

Asked by Rick Feb 28, 2009 at 01:41 PM about the Ford F-150

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a F-150 (5.4L triton) and i currently get less then 13 mpg.
Are there any parts or anything to get me better mpg?

30 Answers

2,125

Not much on a truck that is heavy and with that engine other than adjusting your driving habits. Don't mash the loud pedal everytime you getthe green light, coast to red lights and anticipate when a light will turn red or green to increase coasting and unnecessary stops an starts. Choose routes to your destination that use highways or roads with less lights and less traffic congestion. Make sure your tires are inflated properly or even a little over inflated in the summer for less rolling resistance. Make sure your spark plugs are all in good shape (minor to no corrosion and proper gaps maintained), ensure you have clean fuel injectors and a clean air filter. Synthetic oil helps a bit too. You could get the engine breathing a little better with an aftermarket inake kit and maybe exhaust mods as well but these can also lead to stepping on the throttle too much to hear the music ; >. Cheers.

49 people found this helpful.
205

actually there is more you can do, what mods have you done? a programmer might help if you dont already have one. they can be a little pricey but worth it. i think the guys at F150online.com would be more of a help than i am though. you may want to check in there so they can point you in the right direction on that.

17 people found this helpful.
315

my truck is completely stock. i don't know what mods to put on, or which companies r better then others. which intake/exhaust systems and other mods make my mileage better without being too expensive?

28 people found this helpful.
205

drive slower.... turn air off role windows down a hydrogen boost will gt u better gas millage but i personally think its a pain in the butt ..they have a web site just type hydrogen boost in google im surprised u get less than 13 i have a 02 f-150 5.4 liter that gets that on a bad day

19 people found this helpful.
73,320

Driving habits is the answer. My 2010 F-150 is rated at 17/21 mpg. On a rather long road trip a while back I hit the interstate, plugged in the cruise control, and nailed in at 60 for the entire trip. When I stopped to get gas (started with a full tank) the old pencil and paper indicated a little over 25 mpg. Of course I was the only thing in the truck.

12 people found this helpful.
4,975

just replace the spark plugs and oil more freequent, put an after market acold air intake, an after markat exhaust , and add a bully dog system to your car . That will add beter gas milage to your ride.Dont forget the lucas oil liquid you put in the gas tnk when you fill it up.

14 people found this helpful.
73,320

If the truck runs ok, before spending a bundle of money remember this. I have a 2010 F-150, My bro. purchased a 2011 outfitted the same way with engine and tranny. On our road trips to the casino (100) miles each way I average well over 20 miles per gallon. He gets about 12 or thirteen. The difference - I drive at 60 and he drives somewhere around 85. Try taking your time for a week. See what happens.

35 people found this helpful.
845

Depending on the speeds you're driving, AC off and windows down can potentially hurt your mileage. At higher speeds, it is said that using A/C with the windows up is better becasue of the added wind resistance caused by a windows down condidtion.

29 people found this helpful.
73,320

Dave is correct, expecially at highway speed. If your a/c is cycling normally it should not decrease your mpg to a point where it is noticeable. Also, if you removed the talegate from the truck because it looks cool, put it back on. Having it down or off kills gas mileage.

19 people found this helpful.
130

i've owned several 150's. the air flow is severely restricted, and you can get a few extra miles from fixing that. the best way i had it done was through a k&n intake and a magnaflow exhaust. the first thing i do, whenever i buy one, is pull the restrictor out of the airbox. the computer will learn how to cope with the added oxygen. i increased my jeep's economy by about 5 mpg by swapping out injectors. not sure if they have a good swap for 150's or not

13 people found this helpful.
130

My 2001 5.4 was running to cold believe it r not .put new thermostat getting 23 again on hwy mebe more.but it was throwing a code

13 people found this helpful.
205

Drain The Oil From Every Orifice you have & Replace it with Amsoil! I have a 2002 F150 SuperCrew 4x4 with the 4.6 and currently get 17-18 City & 21-22 Highway. It currently only has 71000 miles on her.

20 people found this helpful.
220

Up grade your exhaust, keep plugs fresh, clean injectors with oil change, cold air intake. Drive with a lighter foot, Windows closed and a/c on. Last, get a TV cover for your bed, best thing to cut drag and drag is your worst enemy. I have a 2010 F150 Supercrew with a 5.4L. I get 16 city and 22 highway and 24 highway when it's flat and low traffic. Can't ask for better.

22 people found this helpful.
90

My 02 F150 Lariat 5.4 gets me ~18mpg on average. Most of my trips are straight shot highway 55mph 10-30 miles (i live and work on a narrow peninsula). When I go to Houston I average closer to 20mpg. Stock with 248673 miles

9 people found this helpful.
140

I have a 2010 f150 5.4. New exhaust system and K & N air kit. I have been getting around 13 for city and 17/18 for highway. Any suggestions to improve mileage

11 people found this helpful.
440

Click your heels 3 times and say, "Be a Corolla Be a Corolla Be a Corolla"

44 people found this helpful.
60

If you follow behind a big rig (not too close) on interstates You can get better mileage.

6 people found this helpful.
75

You need to be carefull with what you install if you have warnity check with your service it could void the warnity if not a cold air unit will help your tires wider tires look good but will hurt your MPG more drag

5 people found this helpful.
40

Yes. However, over the years, I have found that most top mechanics do not recommend fuel additives or treatments because 95 – 98% of them contain strong solvent – detergent based chemicals. These solutions are not recommended for continued use because mechanics really cannot determine their effect on seals, gaskets or nylon guides etc. Not to mention your fuel pump or a catalytic converter for instance. In addition, most all fuel additives on the market have five basic ingredients – Sulfur, Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen – the same constituents as the fuel itself along with the solvents and/or detergents. If you carefully read the instructions on these products, the makers of these concoctions clearly state not to use them more than every 10 or 12 thousand miles. Once a year, or whichever comes first. Why is that? Answer. Because they know very well, that what is in that bottle, whatever it is, could guff up an automotive system if you over use it. And that’s not good. So, beware. The best choice that I have recently found modifies the fuel itself for much better combustion efficiently. It works much better than anything I have used in the past. You can find it at www.xgglobal.com/goxg.

4 people found this helpful.
30

Maybe just change the gear ratio I'm the rear end, not requiring high torque to keep the desired speed to turn the tires. Seems that and change the programming chip would be enough to make a noticeable difference and a decent diy'er could handle it in a day most likely

3 people found this helpful.
100

My answer is, if you want a full sized truck, with a V8 Engine, automatic then don't get your expectations to high on gas mileage, city between 15-18, highway 20- 22. If that is something that makes you uncomfortable, buy a Hybrid Toyota Toy Car. Nuf Said.

10 people found this helpful.
45

would all of these recommendations work on a 1993 5.0 v8 f150 with a 5 speed?

4 people found this helpful.
240

I have an '03 extended cab F-150 4x4 with the 5.4L. It has 227k miles, doesn't use a drop of oil, has excellent oil pressure, and runs fine. However, I am getting 8.6mpg on the highway running 75mph. I have a bed topper. Any suggestions?

24 people found this helpful.
100

I have a 2010 F150 Platinum (5.4L). I'm getting 11 mpg. Desperately seeking assistance to get better mileage. Any suggestions?

10 people found this helpful.
40

I would suggest going to : www.xgglobal.com/goxg. Order 1 FuelMax Plus and 1 Engine Life Treatment. Then Use as directed. Then track your mileage as close as possible. You should see an increase in fuel economy and also in the engine performance. Happy Motoring.

90

For an F-150 here's a good guide as to what you should be getting: https://www.fordf150blog.com/ford-f-150-real-world-mpg-chart-1980-2019/

9 people found this helpful.
10

My 2000 4.6 v8 f150 can hit as high as 25 mpg if I keep my rpms down around 1250 in its highest gear and I regularly get 19+ on longer trips my suggestion is to try reducing your highway speed and make use of cruise whenever you can Note my truck has a topper and is completely stock currently has 70k miles on it and I run regular gas through it The other option is if it’s an older truck you could put an efan kit in it to reduce your engine load which will help a little bit honestly a turbo might give you much better gains if you don’t mind spending some serious cash

1 people found this helpful.
210

Your vehicle year makes a difference. if you have a 2007 up can you have a six- speed transmission and the tighter shifts will net you better mileage then earlier models. Currently my 2000 Ford Expedition gets 8 MPG around town and 18 MPG on the highway running 3:55 gears. If I change to 3:73 gears I will only gain 200 RPMs at 70 MPH so that shouldn't change my hwy much. However my takeoff will be much easier on the engine and may net me as much as two MPG around town.

1 people found this helpful.

Try cleaning your Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor. Follow the directions on the spray can and don't touch the sensor.

310

We just bought a 2006 F150 4dr 4x4 5.4L with a 4" suspension lift. It does have 33/12.5r20 tires on it. I know that will decrease mileage, but on a good day highway driving at 60mph I can get as high as 11.4 mpg. This thing is ridiculous. I hate it. I'm thinking about just selling it, but thought I would ask for some advice. I'm easy on the pedal on all my cars. I almost always have gotten better mph in my vehicles than advertised rate. Only in this thing has it been so bad. It has a K&N air filter. New plugs and coil pack. Newer exhaust. No engine code light on. New transmission 2 years ago. New battery and alternator. I'm going to go clean the MAP sensor and see if that helps. It seems to run okay. We just bought it from him as he needed a diesel to start pulling a dump trailer and kubota tractor. He said it was getting better gas mileage before the new exhaust was put on, but 11.4 mpg just seems ridiculous. I think my sons Semi truck got that hauling his stuff. lol

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