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Bad gas milage?

1K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Sand1 
#1 ·
So, I bought a used 03 Ranger from my local Ford Dealership, and this is my first vehicle, so its my first truck. The window sticker said i get 17 city miles. I looked in my manual, and I have a 16.5 Gallon tank. I filled it up full yesturday, and now I have 3/4 of a tank left, and I only drove 40 miles.

So 3/4 of 16.5 is 4.1 gallons (how much I have used) and so devide 4.1 gallons by 40 miles and that is only 9.8 gallons per mile (tell me if i did my calculations wrong)

So what is wrong? Is this how trucks normally are? Or is there a problem with my engine?

Thanks a bunch!
 
#2 ·
the mileage on the sticker is for perfect conditions and i bet you never see that good of mileage around town, the highway number is a little more realistic but still thats recorded doing a steady 60 mph(i think), flat surface, no wind, etc. i heard they were trying to revise the way those numbers are attained so they are more true to everyday life. 9.8 does kind of suck for a ranger but it depends on your driving habits and how long you sit at lights etc.
 
#4 ·
Sure the guage is that accurate?
I have NEVER seen one that accurate. My falcon holds 65 litres. if you fill it when it shows half it will only take 15 litres.

Only way to ever now, is carry a small jerry of fuel, fill the tank and drive until it stops!...after two or three of these, you get to know exactly what your getting

Jas
 
#5 ·
Fill it up and write down your mileage. Drive it until it gets low. Fill it up again and write down your ending mileage. Use the last fill up for numbers of gallons used for the total miles drove. I think you will notice it gets better mileage than you think. Fuel tanks are not perfectly square. They are odd shaped with sumps in the bottom and cannot be divided into squares for fuel mileage readings. Only the actual amount of fuel used will give you an accurate mileage.
 
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