I have a 98 Ranger 4.0 /w 33" tires and my mileage sucks (12-15mpg)... I want to improve it without voiding the warranty.

What are my options? exhaust? chip? air?

Im thinking a chip will probably void the warranty and so will messing with the airbox and intake so exhaust is what im probably gonna do.

Any recomendations? Dont care if its dual or single, whatever gets better performance and mileage. I dont care about tips or sound or anything, right now the pipes is kinda bent up from getting banged up against rocks so I dont want the exhaust going any farther back than the rear axle.

Im thinking probably headers and a highflow cat into a single muffler.. how much should I expect to pay for that out the door?

Can anyone recommened a good exhaust shop in the sacramento area?

You can't replace a cat unless it's more then 5 yrs old, from what I know. By law, at least. :D

A 40 series Flowmaster, with a side dump before the rear wheel would probably be good. Also, I a K&N filter in the air box would help. I doubt Ford would void your warrenty for an open-element K&N. Far as I know, no headers are made for the 98+ 4.0's.

Only other suggestion: Drive slower. :flipoff2:

Leave it in the driveway and don't ever drive it will get you the BEST milage ever:smokin:

hmmmmmm thats not very helpfull johncm

I know, just some humor.

K/N kit 20% better fuel economy, and improved power :)

Did you re-gear after going to the bigger tires?

better gas mileage? sell your 4x4 and get a kia.

12-15 I WISH!

I am just trying to get 10 if i am lucky, it is just one of the draw backs of big ass tires!

No rice rockets here.:nuke:

Is your overdrive on or off:D

WT:

12-13 around town
14-15 hwy

90 Bronco/302/M5OD/4.10/35's.

Did you regear for those tires? 35/4.56 w/auto trans should get 15mpg hwy IME. :smokin:

And contrary to legend, the 351 usually gets better mileage than the 302. All depends on the skinny pedal, really.

To get better mileage you need a piece of rope about the length of your inseam. Tie one end of the rope around your right toe, tie the other end around your dick. That will make you push the gas a little more slowly and gently and your fuel economy will improve. :D

Speaking from experience i immagine... :flipoff2:

What the hell kind of response is that bro?
U must be bored with your life:rolleyes:

Kut the Krap or get smaked by a :trooper: :flipoff:

;) :D :rasta:



:usa:

Originally posted by Paul Gagnon
To get better mileage you need a piece of rope about the length of your inseam. tie one end of the rope around your right toe. tie the other end around your dick. That will make you push the gas a little more slowly and gently and your fuel economy will improve. :D

Originally posted by SMART ASS
Speaking from experience i immagine... :flipoff2:

What the hell kind of response is that bro?
U must be bored with your life:rolleyes:

Kut the Krap or get smaked by a :trooper: :flipoff:

;) :D :rasta:



:usa:




some fucking people :rolleyes:

Originally posted by sclemons
WT:

12-13 around town
14-15 hwy

90 Bronco/302/M5OD/4.10/35's.

Did you regear for those tires? 35/4.56 w/auto trans should get 15mpg hwy IME. :smokin:

And contrary to legend, the 351 usually gets better mileage than the 302. All depends on the skinny pedal, really.

first of all no i am still at the 3:55 gears, i hate myself for that one, also i drive it like a race car, so i really cant complain about my mileage.

sell it and buy a honda???

Originally posted by broncorob
sell it and buy a honda???

Shut up, newbie :flipoff2:

:D :D :D

Originally posted by wtfourwheeler


first of all no i am still at the 3:55 gears, i hate myself for that one, also i drive it like a race car, so i really cant complain about my mileage.

LOL... so you tore the diffs apart to install lockers, but no gear change?

Save up and swap. It'll accelerate more like a race car then, too. :D

Shut up, newbie

You've just been waiting to be able to say that havent you:flipoff2:

Originally posted by sclemons


LOL... so you tore the diffs apart to install lockers, but no gear change?

Save up and swap. It'll accelerate more like a race car then, too. :D

thats what i am going to do. After i put the solid axle in i am going to save up and get soem 4:56's and get new lockers since mine have a limit to 4:09 gears i believe.

:confused:

The carrier break for D44 is around 3.73. So you'll probably need a new ARB. The detroit should be fine until you split the 8.8 in half. :D :D

Originally posted by sclemons
:confused:

The carrier break for D44 is around 3.73. So you'll probably need a new ARB. The detroit should be fine until you split the 8.8 in half. :D :D

I know i will need a new arb and i believe i will need a new detroit also, but we will see. I just never planned on getting any bigger, but now i wish i did gear it.

The milage you stated seems on the low side. Make sure your speedometer/odometer is cal'd for the big tires. If it isn't then you are going faster than the needle says, and going more miles than the odometer indicates. The speed will hurt economy, and the odometer error will make it look even worse. Also, if you have an automatic transmission, then speedometer error may screw up the shift stratigy, and cause poor milage.


If the speedometer is correctly cal'd, then next step is to make sure everything is working like it is supposed to:

Make sure ignition system is in good shape. Plugs are pretty cheap, and simple to change. Make sure your timing is set correctly, or at most 2-3 degrees ahead of spec.

Make sure your knock sensor is working, if you have one. If not, computer may pull timing to avoid possible knock.

Look for anything like a leak in the intake tract downstream from the MAF....leaking brake booster for example.

O2 sensors are easy to replace (At least some of the exploders have one for each bank) so you might replace if you haven't lately.
A bad, or just slow one will really cost you at the pump.

If the engine has EGR, make sure it is all working. Correctly operating EGR saves a fair amount of gas. EGR is turned off at full throttle, so the benifit does not come at the expense of top-end power....one of the few emission gimmicks that doesn't hurt.


Now if there is nothing broken, worn out, mis -adjusted or loose, you can try for some "improvement".

Run synthetics in transmission, Xfer case, and rear end. (front diff too, if off-road economy is of concern)

In order to improve economy, you must make the engine work like a smaller displacement engine, without increasing exhaust pressure or intake vacuum. A larger engine pumps more air, but everyone knows it will get worse milage. Likewise, making a small engine pump more air doesn't do anything for economy either.

This means that most of what you can do will probably hurt top end power.

In cooler climates, you can rig up some sort of warm air intake...this could just be an open element breathing engine compartment air. Not good for power, but reduced air density will reduce pumping losses, and warmer air will vaporize fuel more efficiently. (EGR does these same things, plus allows for more timing advance)

If the engine does not have EGR, you can add it. Make sure exhaust gas is introduced downstream from MAF. Make sure it is off at both idle and at full throttle.

Notice I didn't suggest air filter or exhaust fixes/changes. Airflow improvement increases power but not fuel economy. Airflow improvement makes the engine pump more air, and excess air pumping capacity, which is then throttled is exactly the reason big engines burn more fuel than smaller ones.

Because you compensate for power increase by using less throttle, such modifications do nothing at "cruise" throttle, so unless you spend a lot of time with your right foot on the floor, you won't see much change. If you DO spend most of your time with your right foot buried, then that is the problem right there.