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Mileage down

1K views 9 replies 0 participants last post by  The Wolf 
G
#1 ·
I used to get high 18s in my 2001 Explorer Sport. I am down to low
16mpg?

4.0 V6

84,000 miles

Any ideas what to look at?

Thanks
 
G
#2 ·
Spark plugs/wires-MAYBE/
Air cleaner/ Air pressure in tires/
Alignment/off by just a fraction could mean the difference of tires straight
on the road or dragging sideways 1/8 of every mile.

Just a few but these are th emain culprits of lowered gas mileage.
You didn't say if you have a check engine light on or not.

Searcher1
 
G
#3 ·
No check engine light. Tires brand new and pressure religiously checked.
New air filter.........

Searcher1 <ACBRN@CS.ver.aol.com> wrote:

> Spark plugs/wires-MAYBE/
> Air cleaner/ Air pressure in tires/
> Alignment/off by just a fraction could mean the difference of tires straight
> on the road or dragging sideways 1/8 of every mile.
>
> Just a few but these are th emain culprits of lowered gas mileage.
> You didn't say if you have a check engine light on or not.
>
> Searcher1
 
G
#4 ·
Plugs and or wires would be my best guess then. THey are Platinum plugs and
they should last 100 000, but I changed mine at 50000/
You may not like hearing this but I have a 97 Explorer 4.0 sohc with 97000.
I get 19/21 city and almost 23/24 highway. "Brother, it ain't no joke". I
always did get pretty good gas mileage and I have always used 87 octane, but
the "secret" is the oil and filter (as far as I'm concerned that is) I use
Mobile One oil and a K&N oil filter.LIke I said I changed my plugs at 50
and I have cleaned them since. Every month I will put in one bottle of 104
octane ( I feel ) It does a good job of keeping the system cleaner. I also
(like you) am religious about maintenance, tires/pressure/align, ETC.

A sensor could be going up (I think, don't hold me to this) and that might
cause a drop in mileage, But chasing it down is like finding hens teeth,
until it goes completely or enough to trigger a DTC.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Searcher1
 
G
#5 ·
Don't forget to check the thermostat. If the engine isn't heating up
properly, you'll run rich all the time.

"The Wolf" <elvisp@compuserve.com> wrote in message
news:1gypyv9.1rm70enor0uimN%elvisp@compuserve.com...
> I used to get high 18s in my 2001 Explorer Sport. I am down to low
> 16mpg?
>
> 4.0 V6
>
> 84,000 miles
>
> Any ideas what to look at?
>
> Thanks
 
G
#6 ·
Any tips for getting the rear plug on the passenger side? It looks like
a bear. I have a hight quality torque wrench.

So plugs and wires will be next.

I did a cross counry trip couple of years ago and the best I got was
20mph.

V-6 4.0 SOHC


Searcher1 <ACBRN@CS.ver.aol.com> wrote:

> Plugs and or wires would be my best guess then. THey are Platinum plugs and
> they should last 100 000, but I changed mine at 50000/
> You may not like hearing this but I have a 97 Explorer 4.0 sohc with 97000.
> I get 19/21 city and almost 23/24 highway. "Brother, it ain't no joke". I
> always did get pretty good gas mileage and I have always used 87 octane, but
> the "secret" is the oil and filter (as far as I'm concerned that is) I use
> Mobile One oil and a K&N oil filter.LIke I said I changed my plugs at 50
> and I have cleaned them since. Every month I will put in one bottle of 104
> octane ( I feel ) It does a good job of keeping the system cleaner. I also
> (like you) am religious about maintenance, tires/pressure/align, ETC.
>
> A sensor could be going up (I think, don't hold me to this) and that might
> cause a drop in mileage, But chasing it down is like finding hens teeth,
> until it goes completely or enough to trigger a DTC.
>
> Good luck and let us know how it goes.
>
> Searcher1
 
G
#7 ·
I've read that you can take off the passenger front wheel and the inside
wheel-well cover and get it from there. Haven't tried it yet but it is due
on my 98 so post back if you figured it out.

--
Allan Williams



"The Wolf" <elvisp@compuserve.com> wrote in message
news:1gysrzg.i6z5l21oio0a0N%elvisp@compuserve.com...
> Any tips for getting the rear plug on the passenger side? It looks like
> a bear. I have a hight quality torque wrench.
>
> So plugs and wires will be next.
>
> I did a cross counry trip couple of years ago and the best I got was
> 20mph.
>
> V-6 4.0 SOHC
>
>
> Searcher1 <ACBRN@CS.ver.aol.com> wrote:
>
>> Plugs and or wires would be my best guess then. THey are Platinum plugs
>> and
>> they should last 100 000, but I changed mine at 50000/
>> You may not like hearing this but I have a 97 Explorer 4.0 sohc with
>> 97000.
>> I get 19/21 city and almost 23/24 highway. "Brother, it ain't no joke". I
>> always did get pretty good gas mileage and I have always used 87 octane,
>> but
>> the "secret" is the oil and filter (as far as I'm concerned that is) I
>> use
>> Mobile One oil and a K&N oil filter.LIke I said I changed my plugs at 50
>> and I have cleaned them since. Every month I will put in one bottle of
>> 104
>> octane ( I feel ) It does a good job of keeping the system cleaner. I
>> also
>> (like you) am religious about maintenance, tires/pressure/align, ETC.
>>
>> A sensor could be going up (I think, don't hold me to this) and that
>> might
>> cause a drop in mileage, But chasing it down is like finding hens teeth,
>> until it goes completely or enough to trigger a DTC.
>>
>> Good luck and let us know how it goes.
>>
>> Searcher1
 
G
#8 ·
Just did this job.
A long extension through the passenger wheel well can get it done for you.
(I did not remove the wheel just a hard left turn before I shut it off..) I
did use a swivel next to the socket however. Hope this helps.

Al
"Al Williams" <donotreplydirect@usenewsgroup.com> wrote in message
news:uqVve.108803$on1.6844@clgrps13...
> I've read that you can take off the passenger front wheel and the inside
> wheel-well cover and get it from there. Haven't tried it yet but it is
> due on my 98 so post back if you figured it out.
>
> --
> Allan Williams
>
>
>
> "The Wolf" <elvisp@compuserve.com> wrote in message
> news:1gysrzg.i6z5l21oio0a0N%elvisp@compuserve.com...
>> Any tips for getting the rear plug on the passenger side? It looks like
>> a bear. I have a hight quality torque wrench.
>>
>> So plugs and wires will be next.
>>
>> I did a cross counry trip couple of years ago and the best I got was
>> 20mph.
>>
>> V-6 4.0 SOHC
>>
>>
>> Searcher1 <ACBRN@CS.ver.aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Plugs and or wires would be my best guess then. THey are Platinum plugs
>>> and
>>> they should last 100 000, but I changed mine at 50000/
>>> You may not like hearing this but I have a 97 Explorer 4.0 sohc with
>>> 97000.
>>> I get 19/21 city and almost 23/24 highway. "Brother, it ain't no joke".
>>> I
>>> always did get pretty good gas mileage and I have always used 87 octane,
>>> but
>>> the "secret" is the oil and filter (as far as I'm concerned that is) I
>>> use
>>> Mobile One oil and a K&N oil filter.LIke I said I changed my plugs at
>>> 50
>>> and I have cleaned them since. Every month I will put in one bottle of
>>> 104
>>> octane ( I feel ) It does a good job of keeping the system cleaner. I
>>> also
>>> (like you) am religious about maintenance, tires/pressure/align, ETC.
>>>
>>> A sensor could be going up (I think, don't hold me to this) and that
>>> might
>>> cause a drop in mileage, But chasing it down is like finding hens teeth,
>>> until it goes completely or enough to trigger a DTC.
>>>
>>> Good luck and let us know how it goes.
>>>
>>> Searcher1

>
>
 
G
#9 ·
Did you go from regular unleaded to a 90/10 blend ethanol? You will get
better mileage with plain unleaded, but around here it's 10 cents/gal more.
wth

"The Wolf" <elvisp@compuserve.com> wrote in message
news:1gypyv9.1rm70enor0uimN%elvisp@compuserve.com...
>I used to get high 18s in my 2001 Explorer Sport. I am down to low
> 16mpg?
>
> 4.0 V6
>
> 84,000 miles
>
> Any ideas what to look at?
>
> Thanks
 
G
#10 ·
No

wth <HATESSPAM@mchsi.com> wrote:

> Did you go from regular unleaded to a 90/10 blend ethanol? You will get
> better mileage with plain unleaded, but around here it's 10 cents/gal more.
> wth
>
> "The Wolf" <elvisp@compuserve.com> wrote in message
> news:1gypyv9.1rm70enor0uimN%elvisp@compuserve.com...
> >I used to get high 18s in my 2001 Explorer Sport. I am down to low
> > 16mpg?
> >
> > 4.0 V6
> >
> > 84,000 miles
> >
> > Any ideas what to look at?
> >
> > Thanks
 
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