I've got a '05 SuperCrew Lariat 4X4, 5.4 with 3.73 gearing and a shell topper installed. I run my tires at 45 psi. Under a no wind, flat, straight road and 60 degree temperatures with no A/C on it'll do 18-23 mpg verified with a Scan Gauge installed. Typically it'll average 14.67 mpg overall in our cool summers. Throw in cold weather and all bets are off. Take it into a city and it'll go down to 12 mpg as it will do when I'm pulling my boat. I keep a log on all fills and know exactly what this pickup is doing.

At any rate, I'm wondering if it would pay me to install a Flex-a-lite dual fan system for $550.00 or so. Assuming 15,000 miles per year, it looks to me that I'd break even in about a year and a half, at $2.89 per gallon. Have any of you installed a Flex-a-lite system on a similar rig and if so what have you found to be the results on your mileage?

Also, if you have a 99 or later unit with a standard OBD plug installed from the factory, adding the Scan Gauge for $170.00 is a good way to see exactly what's going on with your rig. I move mine between three vehicles and sure find it enlightening to say the least.

 

Yes, adding electric fans would help mpg and recovered HP and TQ even further, and yes, $550 would be hard to get pay back over time. If you are a DIYer, many here have made their own kits for much less. It doesnt matter what route you take with efans, taking the clutch fan off will be your gains, not the efans themselves as they are simply to keep the coolant in your radiator to a safe temp.

Summitt Racing has the Perma-cool setup that I am running for $470.00 but it should only fit on the 97-03 and the 04 Heritage. Which Flex-a-lite kit are you looking at for your 05? I do believe there are other brand name kits that late model owners have used.

I would suggest that you approach it by having the fans mounted to a frame that fits to the rigid frame of your radiator as opposed using straps to go thru the radiator. Some on here have reported coolant leaks due to the straps rubbing thru the fins. Probably most likely if you offroad.

I have the Scanguage II myself, it should work as far as back as the 1996 models as they were to be OBD II. If you ever need a 2nd one, I know a gent on eBay that sells them for $160 with free S/H.

As for mpg gains, I got about 1.5 to 2, but since getting the Scanguage II, my gains overall have gone up, as long as I am moving that is!

 

Thanks for the heads up. I'm looking at the Flex-a-lite #270 for my '05. I'll see how it goes. 1.5-2 mpg is worth working on, I think since I'll keep the pickup for at least 2 more years.

 

After looking at FAL and Perma-cool's website, I dont think they have a product to sell that supports the 2004(new body) and up. However, they are not the only two players in that market. Those two may be developing something, and I hope that they would, but nothing listed as ready to sell yet.

Oh ya, the Scanguage II is also suppose to work with just about all CAN vehicles, all Fords included so it covers OBD II and OBD CAN.

 

I called Flex-a-lite today and they said that #270 will indeed fit my '05 super Crew Lariat 4X4, 5.4. I ordered one from Car Shop Inc. for $460.00 delivered. I'll see how it goes when it shows up. They also verified that it would work on the '05. I'm anxious to see how this works. Maybe I'll photograph the installation and will try to cover it in here after it's done. Thanks to all. Sure enjoy the Scan Gauge II too.

 

Flex-a-lite advertises that one to fit up to the 2004 and I am sure they mean the Heritage, however, if Ford kept the same radiator for the new body in 2004 and up, then they need to adverstise their 270 model fan and maybe pick up some more business. Good luck, I hope it is a simple drop in replacement job.

 

I installed my new #270 Flex-a-lite system yesterday. Job took about 4 hours, possibly slightly more. Only things I learned in addition to the good instructions: You can keep the stock fan pulley from turning by using a large screwdriver in concert with a wrench, to loosen the fan stud. Use a power light probe to find a key-controlled hot spot in the fuse box. The easiest way to get through the firewall is to carefully punch a small hole in the rubber plug on the left side (sitting in the pickup) of the firewall. Run the wire through the hole you punched and it'll find its way into the cab nicely. On my 2005 Lariat, the A/C wire that goes hot (engine running only) is grey with a white strip running its length. I carefully opened the wiring harness in front of the right engine head and installed the tap as per the instructions. Everything went well and I'm impressed with the kit, quality, and instructions. The only real question here is why didn't Ford use a similar system right off the bat. Even if it only saves a mile to the gallon, this amounts to huge savings when you look at the Ford fleet on the road. The engine indeed feels like it picked up a bit of power and it's quieter to boot. If any of you are looking at this switch, holler if I can be of help. I'll carefully monitor my mileage for the next month and see what the gains are. I'll report here. Good Fording.

 

Do you have pics of your set up

 

make your own kit for 150 bucks or less

 

It's tough to get a camera in there but I took a few shots anyhow. That's the good news. The bad news is that I'm new here and can't for the life of me figure out how to attach a few photos here. HELP!

 

I can't believe it but the figures check out. Looks to me that on the same 260 mile drive, my mileage went from 15.6 mpg average to 18.68 mpg! Speed varied from 60 mph to 75 mph. I think I'd call it changing from 16 mpg to 18 mpg. At that rate it'll pay for itself in about 18 months and it'll start saving the USA gas immediately. Sounds great to me. Anything we can do to cut our use of fuel will help save the USA.

 

I run 17.5 to 18 MPG with my FAL270, MaganaFlow Exhaust, S&B Intake and Edge (level 2).

 

I got + 1.5 to 2MPG with ez driving heres a pic