I just picked up a 99 Lightning, is there any way to improve the gas mileage?

I filled it up today and will see what my exact MPG is on a full tank.

Thanks!

 

reduce weight. get an electric fan and pump. keep good tire pressure. get a chip. underdrive pulley's. don't run the a/c. remove the a/c if you don't use it . keep your foot out of the boost .

 

Not to be rude or anything, but don't even pay attention to your gas mileage. You shouldn't worry about your gas, if you paid the amount the truck costs. An electric fan is about the only mod you'll notice a increase of gas mileage with. Also get a chip burned for gas mileage, and stay out of the PEDAL!

-Mike

 

yeah, thats what I'm saying. The word Lightning and gas mileage does not go together.

 

Trade it on a Focus if you want to get gas mileage. I just filled up at a whopping $44.00. I think its worth it!!!! I mean *ss truck!

 

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1

 

Hello Kenco1, I noticed that you are from Charlotte. I am too
and I also purchased a red '99 last September. I am running
an experiment with a K & N filter. They claim 1 - 2 mpg
improvement but unfortunately I have not seen it yet. As
soon as I am ready for my next oil change I plan to switch to
Mobil 1. If you plan to keep the truck and want to maintain it
the best you can I highly recommend it. It will produce far
fewer deposits in your engine than regular oil. Anyway, I
am not sure if it improves gas mileage, they claim it does.
A test is worth the few extra dollars.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I thought my Mustang was bad until I went through a tankfull in this thing.

As for the oil, I have some friends who work for the 10 and 1 Winston Cup cars, and I'm trying to get some free oil from them, so I will probably go with Valvoline or Pennzoil this time around.

I'm going to try to change the fuel filter too but the dipsticks at AutoZone couldn't help me out on this special tool that I need.

Read the other post on NC Lightning Owners, I'd like to get together sometime somewhere and compare notes.

 

My observation is that any of the new fuel injected cars are
tuned purely for lowest emissions and not economy. The
comparison vehicle that I use is my '82 S-10 with a 2.8 liter
engine. I work with several fellows that have late '90s
small pickups with smaller or comparable size engines and
they all get poorer mileage. At 190,000 miles my truck still
gets 22 mpg intown. Surprizingly, all of the trucks I am
aware of, whether it is a 4 cylinder or a V8 or a Tacoma or
a Dakota, all get between 15 and 19 mpg! In my opinion,
this is terrible. I took an engine design class when I was
in college 20 years ago so I am pretty sure the manufacturers
can do better than this. I believe that the EPA has dictated
lowest emission tuning with little or no regard for vehicle
efficency or cost.
Whew! how's that for gettting on a soap box. It just bugs
me that I have 21 year old technology in my driveway and
it is better than anything I could buy new.
So relatively speaking our Lightnings are not that bad.
Yeh, right!

 

Electric fan
Meziere electric water pump
Custom tuned chip
MSD, Plasma Booster, etc. for multiple spark
higher flowing air cleaner
Headers
Catbacks
Synthetic oils in engine, transmission, and rearend

These items increase the engines efficiency, or reduce parasitic losses.

 

bed cover will make a big difference on the hwy.
with a K&N, 2lb, bedcover (no chip) I get 17ish with the cruse set to 80

Now around town I only get 12ish

I have gotten a worst (that I checked) of 9 in the mountians of VA.

My bed cover picked me up over 2mpg on the hwy! The filter only picked up about 1 and that could have been motor breakin since it was fairly new (~1k miles) when I did the filter.

 

I just paid $48.60 for 21.3 gals in the L. Anybody beat that?

 

Just filled up 93 octane for 1.599 I had just under 1/4 tank and it cost 29 and change.

 

well, i've been trying to find ways to get better gas milage too, but guess what you cant do it!

the people that tell you to stay out of boost are full of it, it doesn't matter if you barely press the pedal during acceleration, or stomp on it.

2 weeks in a row i drove it like a baby around town/freeway, just giving enough gas to go.... results - 12.49 mpg.

then 2 weeks in a row i drove it like it should be drove, stomping on it here and there, putting the pedal half throttle or more for take offs, going real fast on freeway.... results - 12.36mpg

so im thinking if it's a .13 difference, than why not have fun??

 

My big fat expedtion got better miles than my bolt. I always get a kick when people ask what mileage I get. I've never checked it. just know it cost me $2 benies a month at least! Keep your foot out of it whats that?
smkstk:o