my 1997 f150
 

I have a 1997 f150 with a 4.6L auto single cab xlt. I'm get around 14 city and 20 highway. the truck runs perfect, all of the maintenance has been preformed. I've been to the ford f150 forums and the best advice they have for better FE; is dive slower or get a small car. not really the best advice in the world. I've always been a slow driver but I need a truck for my line of work. Since i found this web site i've done two mods, concerning FE, one i aired up my tires up to 50psi two i blocked off the front grill with duck tape. i have noticed a difference on how the truck feels and drives. its only been two days since the mods so I'm still waiting for the FE results. I'm planing to make some rear tire skirts out of some cardboard. would the skirts work on the truck at all considering how the rear of the truck is mostly open? also, I'm running AT tires I'm planing on buying some new tire in a month or two does anyone know of a lower resistance tire for a 16 inch tire. if anyone has any ideas post them let me know.

Welcome to the site yzfdallas

An underbody tray will do wonders as will a boat tail.

i dunno you gotta consider it is a full size automatic truck. trucks are geared towards torque and towing. so at highway speeds they are running much higher rpm's than a car. and its boxy and high up (even higher if its 4X4)

and an underbody tray would work but its a huge surface area to cover sicne trucks have an acual frame which equals alot of open spaces.

what do you do that you need a truck?

^^^^^hes got a point ive tried on our f 150 and its so hard

lol i took one look under my s-10 and said nuuh no way in hell i could save money by covering up all this. by the time and money i spent on all the materials to cover this up it would take years for that cost to add up to what tiny ammount i would save. and by that time it would mostlikely fallen off, melted to the exhaust, or rusted off.

lets not scare him tho i do have the bigger engine and some mods done ++ its hard for me when i get to drive it to take it "to" easy

Pumping up the tires is good ; blocking off part of the grill is OK...but at your slower speeds there is not much benefit here. Feel like you're caught between a rock and a hard place? Not really.... Chemistry will save you! It's the gasoline, chief...it ain't worth much. I'm going to check around, since it's been a while since I've logged on to this site...but I wanted to hollar at you and tell you..."I'll be back!" -Ted Hart

Hi, "clencher"!
Moi? Vacation? Naw...no rest for the weary! I've been pursueing another idea....Check with Matt T. about this...I just sent him an E-query about this....Let me send you a Webpage address via PM (if I can find one on this site!).-Ted

OK...I'm back. Go to the "For Sale" section on this website...look for the "Another gas additive?" in the list...it's about three pages deep by now. I'll tell you how it is possible to really "wake up" the torque in that gasoline engine of yours! More torque from a gallon gives more MPG (it's a no-brainer)... and you're not making as much torque from pump gas as you could. All it will cost you is a couple of stamps and a LEGAL - sized envelope! I'll provide the extra postage. -Ted Hart