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Improving Ford Freestyle Gas Mileage

34 messages,  Last post on Jul 01, 2008 at 7:49 AM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Freestyle, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), SUV

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#15 of 34 Re: Thanx for your input! [barnstormer64] by bobw3 May 18, 2008 (7:01 pm)
Replying to: barnstormer64 (May 18, 2008 10:26 am) set the cruise to 65mph on the same hilly road and see what MPG you get.
#16 of 34 Re: Thanx for your input! [manyqx] by bruneau1 May 19, 2008 (9:08 am)
Replying to: manyqx (May 17, 2008 5:46 am) There is nothing wrong with your vehicle. What you describe is normal and the way it was designed. When you get to a hill or even a mild slope, the cvt will adjust to provide the necessary rpms. The cvt also provides slowing action when descending hills- this will increase the noise from the engine. The 3.0 engine is not the quietest on the market, but it is sturdy and reliable. I like the way the Freestyle climbs hills- it always does the right thing. Watch your tachometer and you will observe this constant changing- unless you are on flat ground at a steady speed. Of course, driving smoothly and decreasing speed will always give better mileage. When i want some energetic passing, i take it to 4500 rpms, the torque peak, and away we go. A cvt is not to everyone's liking, but I love it, despite the roars from the engine. The new 6-spd in the Taurus X is always busy shifting and detracts from the good feeling.
#17 of 34 Re: Thanx for your input! [carstenb] by stevedebi May 19, 2008 (11:51 am)
Replying to: carstenb (May 17, 2008 8:27 pm) "But i agree, in most cases there's someone ahead who isn't capable of using the potential of his or her V8 and thus i can still keep the Freestyle at 2000-2500rpm to safely merge in. "   On all my vehicles (my current is a Ford Hybrid Escape), I disregard all "MPG" driving techniques when merging onto a freeway. Hit the gas hard and enjoy the rare feeling of maximum acceleration - until you get up to speed, then resume MPG driving.   The only time I (probably) annoy drivers in the city is when I don't barge on ahead at full speed when the light is red ahead of me. I begin slowing early. I can't help it if people want to use up their gas, and then use up their brakes! Replies to this message: bobw3 (May 20, 2008 6:13 am)
#18 of 34 Re: Thanx for your input! [stevedebi] by bobw3 May 20, 2008 (6:13 am)
Replying to: stevedebi (May 19, 2008 11:51 am) I agree..safety over MPG.
#19 of 34 3 easiest ways to improve MPG by coldcranker Jun 19, 2008 (6:47 pm)
One easy way to increase MPG about 1/2 MPG or more: Air up your tires right to whatever it says the maximum is on the sidewalls. I wouldn't do this on ice/snow, but other times its fine. On many tires that is up to 44 psi, others only go up to 35 psi.   Another easy MPG booster (around 1/2 to 1 MPG boost): Make sure you use a 20 oil instead of a 30 or 40 oil like some of you out there are doing. Thats a 5w-20 or 0w-20 weight.   Another way: remove any unnecessary roof rack cross bars when you're not using them. I've seen a few Freestyles lately with those just "permanently" up there.   OK, and there is really a 4th way, although I'm not sure if we have any control over it: Make sure your CVT steel belt has optimal tension via hydraulic clamping force on the internal cones. I'm working on finding out whether that is a maintenance task or if it is really optimally set by software commands to a solenoid valve, although that force is not directly sensed. Later on that one. Don't know the answer yet. Replies to this message: bruneau1 (Jun 20, 2008 8:09 am) bobw3 (Jun 20, 2008 10:39 am) stevedebi (Jun 20, 2008 11:12 am) coldcranker (Jun 20, 2008 2:33 pm)
#20 of 34 Re: 3 easiest ways to improve MPG [coldcranker] by bruneau1 Jun 20, 2008 (8:09 am)
Replying to: coldcranker (Jun 19, 2008 6:47 pm) Boosting air pressure to the maximum on the tire is a silly and counter-productive measure. Your handling may become overly responsive, your tires will wear out faster, your ride will be awful, there will be more road noise. Maximum pressure will subject the tires to impact damage or worse, and your suspension will take a beating. Does all of this sound like a wise trade-off? Replies to this message: bobw3 (Jun 20, 2008 10:39 am) stevedebi (Jun 20, 2008 11:12 am) coldcranker (Jun 20, 2008 2:33 pm)
#21 of 34 Re: 3 easiest ways to improve MPG [bruneau1] by bobw3 Jun 20, 2008 (10:39 am)
Replying to: bruneau1 (Jun 20, 2008 8:09 am) I think that the means to improve MPG is often at the expense of something else.   For example, some advocate turning off the engine at stoplights, but look at all the addional wear on the engine, starter, etc that will cost more to repair than the savings in MPG. Similarly with using oil that is not recommended by the manufacturer. As far as tires, while I would put them to the max, I generally keep them higher than the 32psi, usually in the mid 30sPSI. Replies to this message: stevedebi (Jun 20, 2008 11:12 am)
#22 of 34 Re: 3 easiest ways to improve MPG [bobw3] by stevedebi Jun 20, 2008 (11:12 am)
Replying to: bobw3 (Jun 20, 2008 10:39 am) "For example, some advocate turning off the engine at stoplights, but look at all the addional wear on the engine, starter, etc that will cost more to repair than the savings in MPG."   Ford Motor Company recommended turning off the engine at stop lights to save fuel, in my 2006 FS owner's manual.
#23 of 34 Re: 3 easiest ways to improve MPG [bruneau1] by coldcranker Jun 20, 2008 (2:33 pm)
Replying to: bruneau1 (Jun 20, 2008 8:09 am) Going to the max sidewall tire pressure is a favorite of the hard-core hypermilers out there. I agree there are consequences. I think the struts would wear out a little sooner if you were at 44 psi, but not that much sooner. The drawbacks are really not that bad. I usually keep pressure at 35 - 38 psi, just a bit above the recommended 32 psi, (summer only) and haven't noticed any problems. In the winter I keep it at 30-31 psi since ice/snow isn't something to mess around with. I would agree that 44 psi, in a tire whose sidewall says that, is probably a bit too extreme in this vehicle. The hypermiler crowd out there is growing fast at $4 gas, so expect more people going to 44 psi. As for the 0w-20 or 5w-20, this is exactly the oil Ford specs, so its the people putting 30 or 40 weight in there that are getting worse MPG and are also out-of-spec. One engineering paper I picked up a while back says that a 20 will give you less ring wear, although the valve train might wear a little more compared to using a thicker oil. If you take into account lower start-up wear with the 20, the overall wear is probably less in a 20 than in a 30 or a 40, so using 20 is best.
#24 of 34 MPG drops off after about 60 mph, box-shaped cars by coldcranker Jun 20, 2008 (6:28 pm)
This graph from www.fueleconomy.gov shows what is basically correct for the Freestyle as well as most vehicles. Note the dropoff in MPG as you go above 60. Air drag begins to really take a toll the faster you go. For the Freestyle, once I had a long trip (Jackson Hole area highways) where my speed was around 55-60 for many miles, and my MPG was indeed 31, just about like the graph shows. Freestyle MPG drops off because of its abrupt box-shaped rear end as you exceed 55-ish.   Replies to this message: stevedebi (Jun 23, 2008 10:06 am) coldcranker (Jun 25, 2008 4:58 pm) stevedebi (Jun 26, 2008 10:50 am) and 5 more...

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