Explorer Mileage

[stimmie78]

What kind of fuel economy can you expect out of a first generation Explorer? In my '89 BII I'm getting 21-24 mpg hwy and 15-18 when I take it fishing and hunting in the mountains of Utah.

I've got the 3.45 gears, a stick shift, and only have 215/75R15s on my bronco. Any chances a 2 door 5sp Explorer will get that good?

 

[4x4junkie]

I would expect somewhere around 23-24 MPG in a stock Explorer with a stickshift and the right gears (3.55 or 3.73 w/235/75R15 tires) at 60 MPH.

 

[CraigK]

Real Mileage / My Experience

I have an 87 BII which, running well but with a weak auto tranny and 3.73 gears, is currently getting about 16.5 mpg average for a mix of town, country road and highway driving, mostly fall and winter, and includes a limited amount of 4x4/snow driving. My "new" 1994 Explorer Sport, in excellent running condition, with a good auto tranny and 3.55 gearing, gets 15.5 mpg for the same driving.

I have also tried running the Explorer without using the Overdrive, as I have seen this reported as being a method which increases mileage (and the engine seems to lug when in OD even on the highway). Unfortunately, two ~1500 mile back-to-back mileage tests yielded the exact same 15.5 mpg performance.

Note that these mileages are ACCURATE, and have been generated by recording every single drop of fuel that goes into the tanks over thousands of miles of driving. I record mileages about every ~1500 miles or so by filling the tank tippy-top full, recording all gas purchases, and then doing another tippy-top fill-up at the end of a test period. Odometer accuracy is checked against highway mile-markers, and error is very low. This is my experience only, and I realize others will not have the same mileage, but this is real world, ACCURATE data, not "I usually put 16 gallons in for a fill and get 325 miles" type data.

There is a reason Explorers were the #1 vehicle turned in during the Cash for Clunkers program. If you are thinking you will get better mileage with an Explorer, based on my experience, I doubt you will get it. You will get a bigger vehicle with a much more powerful engine.

CraigK

 

[exbass94]

My 2 door Explorer with 3.27 gears, 235/75R15s and automatic always gets right around 17 mpg, mostly highway.

 

[country0001]

My B2 with a 4.0/M5OD with 3.73's gets about 16 city and 20 highway. I'm very pleased with this considering with the auto I was gettin 10-12 mpg. I have 225/70/15's on it currently.I was also runnin 70-80 mph while getting this data.

 

[84bluebronco2]

My 94 Explorer XLT with the M5OD and 3.27's regularly gets 15.5-17 mixed city/highway, and 21-22 solid 60mph extended highway driving.

 

[dhinch279]

My 94 explorer gets 18 highway and 16 city. I mostly drive in the city or around town, but I just took 2 trips to Chicago and Kansas City. I filled up my tank and documented miles. I drove til it was empty and averaged 18hwy with AC all highway. On the way back, 18 hwy with AC off, it didn't make a difference. I also think its about time for a tune up, so I should get around 30mpg city (please note sarcasm, I'm sure I'll drop $60 on a good tune up and still only get 18 hwy). Oh well, I drive it cuz I like it.

 

[stimmie78]

My brother is wanting a BII because of the mileage mine gets. I was just thinking I can handle a slight drop in mileage for a larger vehicle and he'd buy mine..... just a thought at this point since it's getting hard to find a bronco he wants..

 

[mhughes165]

My brother is wanting a BII because of the mileage mine gets. I was just thinking I can handle a slight drop in mileage for a larger vehicle and he'd buy mine..... just a thought at this point since it's getting hard to find a bronco he wants..

if your b2 truly gets the mileage u claim hold onto it and never let it go, thats unheard of for mileage of a b2 that does not have a smallblock in it

 

[ThatGuy]

My 91 w/ auto trans, 5.13 gears and 36" TSL/SXs gets 16-17mpg around town. Been pretty consistent since I done the axle swap. Check every tank.

 

[4x4junkie]

if your b2 truly gets the mileage u claim hold onto it and never let it go, thats unheard of for mileage of a b2 that does not have a smallblock in it

Mine got upwards of 25 before I lifted it and put the big tires on...
Even still, it touches on 23 on occasion (usually ranges around 21-22 though).

I don't understand the "does not have a smallblock in it" qualifier though... If you're referring to one having a V8, I don't see how you'd ever get much more than 21 or so out of it even under the best of circumstances. :icon_confused:

 

[F150hybred]

Good timing on this post... just did a mileage reading on mine after my gear swap.

Test 1: with 35's, A4LD and 3.73 gears best possible on a long hiway run was 13.9mpg

Test 2: same setup except with 4.88 gears.. best possible was 17.4 on a long hiway run.

Sure wish I get by the 20mpg wall.

 

[4x4junkie]

How fast were you going?

 

[mhughes165]

Mine got upwards of 25 before I lifted it and put the big tires on...
Even still, it touches on 23 on occasion (usually ranges around 21-22 though).

I don't understand the "does not have a smallblock in it" qualifier though... If you're referring to one having a V8, I don't see how you'd ever get much more than 21 or so out of it even under the best of circumstances. :icon_confused:

remember, power to weight, a small block powered RBV on most days will get considerably better mileage then a geared stock motor truck, and most people on here with v8 trucks get well over 20mpg, personally i was getting 23 mpg on average with mixed driving in town and around here, top speed usually about 55. thats with 33's and 3.73's and a c4 with stock case, all of my v8 trucks i have had never got below 20mpg unless i went wheeling. just stay outta the skinny pedal is all, most people with v8's that get shit for mileage like to get jiggy with the throttle alot

ive never seen any stock bronco2 or ranger get that high of a gas mileage average though, could just be my area who knows, but the best ive ever gotten from a stock truck was about 21, and ive owned more RBV's then i care to recollect

 

[4x4junkie]

I've never seen 23 from a V8 with an auto behind it in anything but passenger cars.

You sure your speedo was accurate or were correcting for however much it was off? (I've checked mine via GPS, it's 3MPH fast at 60, so I know to correct by about 5%).

 

[F150hybred]

How fast were you going?

100kph (62mph) on my GPS both times with the cruise set as much as possible. RPM was 2250 +-.
Is that good?

 

[4x4junkie]

I think the 4.0L might do a bit better if it was running around 2400 at that speed, though that's still a pretty good difference in MPG, even with the auto, as your TC should've been locked up for most of the duration I would think. (your tires aired up good & hard?)

I dunno, maybe like mhughes said, it could be something about the area (I have seen my mileage change somewhat traveling through the high-altitude deserts on a 102° day vs driving along the coast in the middle of winter which I suspect is due to changing air densities, though it's still a pretty big gap between what some people report, so you got me).

 

[mhughes165]

I've never seen 23 from a V8 with an auto behind it in anything but passenger cars.

You sure your speedo was accurate or were correcting for however much it was off? (I've checked mine via GPS, it's 3MPH fast at 60, so I know to correct by about 5%).

my speedo was off by about 10%, but it was exactly 10% at 50 mph, so if my speedo said 50 i was truly doing 55.

most guys on the board here get well above 20 out of there v8 rangers, its a motor designed to push say a FSB pushing a considerably lighter b2, a FSB on its best day will only see about 17mpg, now, that being said its only logical that dropping almost half the weight would allow u to get that much better mileage.

my truck is undergoing alot of changes right now though, im still going to be running 3.73's for the time being, but its gettin a SAS through a shortened hp44 (which is DIRT simple btw) and a t-18/np205 setup, should be pretty decent, going to be running 35-36's for daily use but have a set of 39.6 swampers (measure more about 37) for wheeling, and im eager to see what kind of mileage i get then, id like to think i would be about 20 still, but we will see