How to Get Better Fuel Mileage for Ford V-10?
Getting better fuel mileage is a huge issue for most drivers, especially those who have powerful V-10 engines. The Ford V-10 engine is commonly available on F-series trucks, although not the F-150, and is popular with work users and those who regularly tow boats and trailers. Owners report around 10 to 11 MPG (combined) without a load; however, variables include whether you're pulling a trailer, the grade of fuel you use and the road conditions. Officially, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the MPG on a Ford Expedition is 9 to 13 MPG for city driving and 13 to 18 on the highway.
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Instructions
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Drive in the highest possible gear. Accelerating hard through low gears will have a huge effect on MPG and prevent you from improving it. Keep the revs low, drive smoothly and don't accelerate too quickly.
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Check your tire pressure. Under-inflated tires cause extra drag between the tire surface and the road, thus having an adverse effect on fuel mileage. However, don't be tempted to over-inflate as this can be dangerous. Check the manual for the correct pressure for the conditions.
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Observe the speed limit. Research shows that fuel economy rapidly decreases at speeds over 60 MPH. This can save up to 23 percent on fuel costs, according to FuelEconomy.gov.
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Remove excess weight from your vehicle. Keeping your golf clubs in the trunk, not removing your roof-rack when you're not using it or keeping un-used tools in your work vehicle will weigh you down and ultimately lower your fuel economy.
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Keep your vehicle maintained. Change your oil and filters every 15,000 miles for optimal performance and economy.
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Use your air conditioning conservatively. Leaving your air conditioner permanently on over the summer months will impact drastically on fuel mileage.
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Do not coast. Contrary to popular belief, coasting in neutral uses more fuel than taking your foot off the gas and leaving the vehicle in gear. If you coast downhill in neutral, the engine still needs fuel to keep it ticking over, as there is no drive through the gears. If you leave the gear engaged and take your foot off the gas, the engine uses almost no fuel. Coasting is also dangerous and borderline illegal.
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Don't fill your fuel tank to capacity unless you have to. Fuel is heavy, and as previously mentioned, extra weight equals extra fuel required to move the vehicle. This might only give you a 1 percent improvement, but in conjunction with the other steps it's well worth doing, according to MoneySavingExpert.com.
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Tips & Warnings
While most of these tips offer small savings, add them all together and make sure you use the cheapest gas station in your area to get better fuel mileage and the best running costs.
References
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