I am getting on average 12 mpg in my 98 5.9 4x4. All I have done to it thus far is an oil change and cleaned out the stock air box and replaced the air filter with a 30,000 mile filter. The improvement was drastic.

My advice:

1. Slow down and accelerate slowly. I watch my RPMS I never let my truck go over 2100 if possible. I also drive 5 mph slower than the posted speed limit.

2. sometimes replacing a your fuel filter can improve gas milage. I am about to do this ill let you know how it goes.
3. check your injectors. They could be overspraying or under spraying.
4. I run injector/fuel cleaners through my truck every oil change. dunno if it helps but it gives me a piece of mind.

Thats about all I know other than everything already mentioned. hope this helps

 

We get people here sometimes that claim they drive like a dingbat and get 17+ MPG. Without you explaining yourself, we have no idea whether you are a dingbat or a legitimate contributor.

What you meant to do and actually happened were two different things. I never said you intentionally tried to mislead anyone, but you definitely could have mislead some.

This was never about winning, this was about you fessing up to your mistake.

Don't get your panties in a bunch over one thread. I am not going to ban you, nor is Hammer, and we haven't even locked the thread or deleted any of your posts. Lets move on.

To the OP: sorry for the partial hijack, just making sure you (and future others) don't get mislead by incomplete information. The others' positive comments about how you drive being the #1 thing that can help your gas mileage is the best advice anyone can give, IMO.

 

Cruise is not the best mileage maker unless you are one that can not be easy on the go peddle, then it might be better..

As for keeping it clean and waxed, I would guess that the nascar guys would know what is what in aero drag. Less drag equals more MPG.

As for the tonnuae cover I personally get about 1 mpg or better with it than without it.

Last lower the truck it DOES get better mileage, this is from experience. Try it before you argue. Lower equals less to catch wind (axles, cross members ect.)

Light foot on the peddle goes a LONG LONG ways towards MPG.

Tune up (plugs clean IAT )

free flowing exhaust has always helped on mileage on the highway

Cold air intake is still up for debate. power seems better so would guess driving it right (light foot) would probably equal better MPG.

Best way to get better mileage, buy a really cheap 4 cyl car and drive it save the truck for weekends.

 

That's the ticket right there.

 

Is JasonW gonna hafta smackabich?

 

The nascar guys keep a nice wax job on their cars because they are searching for every .001 second lap time. On a daily driver, waxing, or not, will make zero difference. Maybe over the course of 1000 miles, you may save one gallon of gas.

A/C vs Windows down...... Every test I have seen done on this was 'inconclusive'.... to wit, their results varied just enough so as to not be able to make a determination one way or the other. Running the A/C creates more drag on the engine, running with the windows down creates more aerodynamic drag. Pick your poison. Certainly, running with the windows up, and A/C off is certainly 'the best', but, when it is 90+ degrees outside, that just ain't gonna happen.

No one mentioned tailgate up or down? I am surprised.... but, that's another one that falls firmly into the 'inconclusive' category.

I am not sure the toneau (however you spell that.....) cover is going to make much of a difference either way either. Cruising down the road, their will be a 'bubble' of flow circulating in the bed, and the bulk of airflow will be over that..... so, according to popular theory, tailgate UP should be best.....

Driving style is indeed THE BEST way to get better fuel economy. (short of buying something with a tiny motor, and very little weight.... mopeds get incredible fuel economy......)

 

More like 20,000 miles.
Mythbusters tested this, for the best fuel economy with drag vs load on the engine you should run with the windows down under 45mph and A/C on over 45mph.
Mythbusters proved that tailgate up is the best.
100mpg booyah.
Then again, you could get a Honda Shadow that gets about 80mpg (if you don't gun it all the time) and you won't look like a DUI collector that can't get a drivers license.

 

Hey, easy there! I had a Moped! Back in the day, my county in NY let you register one and drive it on the road at 15 with like a $10 permit. Of course you had to be 16 to get a license and drive a motorcycle or a car/truck on the road. If I remember right, the thing was all of $475 brand new off the showroom floor!
I had a blast on the thing, a Yamaha 50cc. Did 35 mph when the governor kicked in and got about 110 mpg. I can remember filling the tank for about .85 cents and riding for a week! Only rode it a year though, then I was able to take my Jeep J10 pickup on the road and bought a 650cc motorcycle. Gave the moped to my mom and she rode it for prolly 6-7 years before she sold it to a neighbor kid for her paper route deliveries.

 

Around here the only people that ride mopeds are drunks that got their licenses taken away (I know a few).
You don't need any type of permit or anything here as long as it is under 50cc and the governor is set at 40mph.

 

I think here, you need a 'real' license even to drive a moped on the road......

Coming out of a gas station one day..... I saw a man in a full face helmet, neck leathers, leather jacket, leather pants, and boots up to his knees..... riding a Honda Spree....... It was 90 degrees out....... I almost choked on my coke.