How to Improve the Mileage on a Ford 4.6

The Ford Motor Co. makes several cars and trucks with a 4.6 liter engine including the Crown Victoria, Ford Explorer, Ford F150 and Ford Mustang. Gas mileages for these larger engine vehicles start about 14 miles per gallon (mpg) for city driving and about 19 miles per gallon for highway driving, but this varies among vehicles. To improve the mileage on your Ford 4.6 engine vehicle, incorporate gas saving techniques into your every day driving.

Slow down and drive the speed limit. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, going faster than 60 mph usually marks the point when gas mileage begins to decrease. Utilize the cruise control on highways to help you maintain speed limits and improve gas mileage.

Reduce the weight. Your 4.6 L Ford may have a large trunk or truck bed, but by reducing the weight you can improve gas mileage.

Keep your car in good repair and keep up with Ford‘s maintenance schedule. For example, Ford recommends that owners of a 2009, 4.6 L, 6 cylinder Crown Victoria replace the fuel filter and air filter every 30,000 miles and spark plugs every 90,000 miles. Also, keep your tires properly inflated (as marked on the tire) and fix any issues you car may be experiencing such as leaking oil as soon as possible.

Turn off your engine rather than idling for long periods of time. For example, turn off the engine while waiting for a passenger who is inside a store shopping or while you load your car for a trip. Larger engines like the 4.6 L Fords use more gas this way than smaller cars.

Drive moderately, not aggressively. Lift up on the gas pedal when you see a red light or stop sign rather than speeding up to come to a quick stop. Speed up gently rather than flooring it. Speed up to 60 mph in 15 seconds instead of in 10 seconds, for example. Avoid following cars too closely. You’ll have to slow and stop at their pace rather than setting your own. Also, if you leave distance between you and the next car, you’ll step on the brakes less and therefore accelerate less.