[Roushracing1]

Hi Folks, got a 2020 with 3.5 L twin turbo eco boost and only 17,000 miles I bought new. It’s my daily driver and not driving it hard. Never really checked mpg until recently. Digital display showing avg 13.5 mpg around town. When I do actual calculation after full tank fill-up I am getting 10.6-12mpg. I live in Central NY so gas with additives for winter. Using 87 octane. This is way too low for this engine. Should be at least 17-18.
Any ideas why I am getting such poor gas mileage??

My truck is a '20 3.5 also. Granted I am 2WD, and I live in Florida which is warm and flat so that helps. My dash tells me I average 21.7 MPG. Before I drive it I always let it idle for 4 or 5 minutes. I, like most of our friends here love to let the turbos sing so I by no means baby my truck so I do get on it. My last hand calculation was 21.4 MPG. That's a lot of miles and smiles per gallon.

I have 3.55's and do 75% of my driving "in town" I use nothing but Shell 93 gas. The wallet doesn't like it but the truck does.

 

[Scobea63]

You're driving a $50K truck and complaining about $2.20 per day in fuel. Not something I'd lose sleep over or even consider trading trucks over. Even a jump to 16mpg saves you only $.58/day....not something someone in a $50K truck should be fussing about.

I am new to the forum. I joined to learn from other F150 owners who might have more detailed knowledge about F150 ecoboost engines and automobile engines in general. In particular I was trying to see if anybody with some significant knowledge about how these engines work thought my wintertime 12mpg might be out of the range of normal and should I really seek a service call to have the truck evaluated for a problem. While it was the recent surge in gas prices that had me start manually checking my mpg, the cost of fuel was not my concern. I did not bring this issue to the forum to "complain" about gas prices or low MPG. I get I am driving a $50K truck and that is not an issue for me either. I could afford a $100K truck if I wanted to but would never spend that kind of money on a vehicle. I also would not begrudge anyone who would buy an expensive vehicle. It's all personal choice.

If I have offended anyone by my questions I apologize. I did not mean to tick anybody off.

I truly appreciate all the the advice shared.

I have put some of the advice into action. Interesting when "Upshifter" suggested manually shifting truck or run in sport mode, I started running in sport mode yesterday and I also started my car with car starter to warm engine before driving and I saw my dashboard mpg read out move from 13.2-13.5 to 14.2. Not that significant but a bit of a change. I realize starting the car to let it warm up loses mpg for me too but driving a warm engine makes a lot of sense. The Turbo should also perform better in cold weather too since there will be more oxygen in the exhaust gas going through the turbo which will enhance performance compared to summertime when increased heat will decrease oxygen thus lowering turbo performance.

After all your input (and thank you all), I am convinced that I don't have a "broken" truck. It seems to me this is normal for the cold weather performance of the ecoboost in a truck not kept garaged and warm overnight. Will probably put an engine block heater on my next F150 and will be going with another ecoboost.

You all have a good weekend.

 

[gatorblue92]

As already mentioned it's definitely normal. I have a ~10 mile commute to work and my economy is pretty abysmal (12-13) when I first leave the house but is pushing 20 by the time I get to the office.

 

[Boatwaco]

f I have offended anyone by my questions I apologize. I did not mean to tick anybody off.

I truly appreciate all the the advice shared.

Hey @Scobea63 - welcome and great response today. You came to a forum that is chock full of really knowledgeable and passionate guys who all want to help. We are all opinionated and willing to defend our opinions. But importantly even we take the advice given and make our own decisions.
Welcome again. I hope you’ll continue to engage in more and more discussions.
I’m also looking forward to hearing how your MPG changes over time and what caused the changes.

 

[snakebitten]

2 different "First 3 miles" from the same truck.
One was the coldstart I posted earlier.
The other is a warmstart.

World of difference.
That's why internet comparisons without context can be so misleading.

 

[FanaticalKilla]

My average since coming back from the mountains in the middle of the summer is 14.6 mpg. Haven’t reset it, do a lot of highway miles and short trips in town. Idling kills mileage fast. I live in a arctic wasteland in the winter. I can get 18 mpg on highway trips in the winter once I’m warmed up.

If you have a way to monitor boost. Try and keep the truck out of boost. Boost is the enemy for fuel economy. These trucks are happy reving. I run my truck in different drive modes or lockout top gears when the truck is in constant boost. Your just glowing fuel economy out the tail pipe. I think my truck spends more time in 8th or 9th gear on the highway at 70 mph then it does in 10th.

Do you know what rear axle gearing is in your truck?

 

[skrsys]

I have a '20 3.5 as well. I noticed an improvement in MPG's once I got a 93 octane tune. It also made it a lot more fun to drive.

 

[Craig F-150]

I kept a mileage log since I bought the truck used. 2018 F-150 SuperCab 4X4 3.5 EcoBoost w/ Max Tow Package. I know, TMI... (Edited to say USED - I bought it used, not new.)

Date	Mileage	Miles Traveled	Trip Odometer	Miles to Empty	Miles to Empty After Fill	Gallons	MPG	Truck Indicated MPG	Difference	Hours:	Hours/Gal	Engine Hours	Idle Hours	Octane	Price	Cost	Location	Notes
11/22/2019		497.7				32.390	15.37	?						93	$2.879		Sam's	Around Town
11/29/2019		173.1				9.645	17.95	18.7	0.75					93	$3.159		Giant McConnellsburg	Trip
12/3/2020		175.2				8.901	19.68	20.1	0.42					93	$2.939		Sam's	Trip
?		425.3				28.398	14.98	16.4	1.42					93	$2.829		No Receipt	Around Town
12/21/2019		446.2				30.585	14.59	?						93	$2.839		Sam's	Around Town (Had steel plates in bed)
1/18/2020		317.7				18.084	17.57	?						93	$2.839		Fredricksburg, VA	Trip
1/18/2020		521.4				29.600	17.61	?						93	$3.399		Shell Savannah, GA	Trip
1/21/2020		478.3				28.281	16.91	18.4	1.49					93	$3.149		7-11 Ft. Myers	Trip
1/21/2020		430.9				31.959	13.48	14.3	0.82					93	$3.359		Shell Richmond Hill, VA	Towing Car from Florida
1/21/2020		369.5				29.286	12.62	13.5	0.88					93	$3.199		Battleboro, NC	Towing Car
1/22/2020		415.8				29.923	13.90	14.5	0.60					93	$2.819		Sam's	Towing Car
2/7/2020		349.4				23.537	14.86	16.1	1.24					93	$2.749		Sam's	Around Town
2/27/2020		373.7				24.185	15.45	16.7	1.25					93	$2.679		Sam's	Around Town
3/16/2020	28,183.6	316.2				20.900	15.13	?	#VALUE!					93	$2.599		Sam's	Around Town
3/24/2020		158.9				10.550	15.06	16.2	1.14					93	$2.289		Sam's	Around Town
4/14/2020		433.8				27.006	16.06	17.1	1.04					93	$2.199		Sam's	Around Town - A lot of rain.
5/11/2020	29,273.1	496.7		44		31.262	15.89	16.8	0.91					93	$2.199	$68.75	Sam's	Around Town + Trip to Valley Forge
6/12/2020		486.4		30		32.392	15.02	16	0.98	20:11:16				93	$2.289	$74.15	Sam's	Around Town
6/29/2020	30,199.9	440.3		79		29.760	14.80	15.7	0.90	17:08:27				93	$2.299	$68.42	Sam's	Hauled 2 loads dirt, had in bed a while
7/7/2020	30,733.9	534.0		34		28.620	18.66	17.3	-1.36	13:45:38				93	$2.259	$64.65	Sam's	Had dirt in bed part-time, then trip to farm. Pump shut off early?
7/31/2020	31,102.3	368.4		78		29.218	12.61	15.8	3.19	14:18:42				93	$2.349	$68.63	Sam's	Around Town - Pump must have shut off early last time.
8/27/2020	31,501.3	389.9		122		23.893	16.32	16.1	-0.22	16:11:55				93	$3.139	$75.00	Lukoil	Around Town
9/28/2020	32,387.3	510.3		44		32.255	15.82	16.6	0.78	16:51:00				93	$2.369	$76.41	Sam's	Around Town
10/17/2020	32,915.9	528.5		40		32.034	16.50	17.4	-15.71	18:49:03				93	$2.369	$75.89	Sam's	Around Town
11/11/2020	33,372.7	456.8		62		30.218	15.12	16.3	1.18	18:10:03				93	$2.339	$70.68	Sam's	Around Town
11/27/2020	33,677.1	304.4		235		20.426	14.90	16.5	1.60	12:20:13	0:36:14			93	$2.339	$47.78	Sam's	Around Town - Filled up on way to farm for Deer Hunting.
12/1/2020	34,218.9	541.7		65		30.814	17.58	18.7	1.12	14:04:52	0:27:25			93	$2.339	$72.07	Sam's	Trip to farm hunting and back on one tank. Includes driving around on mountaiin and at farm.
12/12/2020	34,703.1	484.2				31.055	15.59	17.1	1.51	12:52:00	0:24:52			93	$3.199	$99.34	Giant McConnellsburg	Trip to farm to pick up meat, some hunting for the day.
12/24/2020	35,145.3	442.1		90		28.519	15.50	17.1	1.60	13:28:33	0:28:21			93	$2.429	$69.27	Sam's	Some 4-wheel - In to plow snow.
1/20/2021	35,549.8	404.4		98		27.686	14.61	16.2	1.59	16:37:40	0:36:02			93	$2.549	$70.57	Sam's	Around Town
2/9/2021	35,928.3	378.4		106		26.802	14.12	16.1	1.98	15:38:11	0:35:00			93	$2.669	$71.53	Sam's	Two Snow Storms, some 4-wheel drive. Plowed twice.
2/19/2021	36,215.3	287		236		19.829	14.47	16.2	1.73	11:23:50	0:34:29			93	$2.679	$53.12	Sam's	Snow Storms, some 4-wheel drive. Plowed.
3/15/2021	36,640.6	425.3		89		28.664	14.84	16.6	1.76	16:23:56	0:34:20			93	$2.949	$84.53	Sam's	Around Town - Cold, used remote start.
4/5/2021	37,061.3	420.7		108		27.272	15.43	16.7	1.27	15:59:42	0:35:11			93	$2.989	$81.52	Sam's	Around Town - Cold, used remote start.
4/29/2021	37,475.9	414.6		111		26.742	15.50	16.4	0.90	16:10:33	0:36:18			93	$2.999	$80.20	Sam's	Around Town
6/1/2021	37,906.1	430.1		106		27.189	15.82	16.6	0.78	13:32:17	0:29:53			93	$3.149	$85.62	Sam's	Around Town - Hauled a load of mulch.
6/14/2021	38,407.4	501.3		37		31.476	15.93	16.6	0.67	20:03:37	0:38:14			93	$3.149	$99.12	Sam's	Around Town - Hauled a load tree branches.
7/14/2021	38,851.2	443.8		77		29.334	15.13	16.3	1.17	17:56:59	0:36:43			93	$3.229	$94.72	Sam's	Around Town, mostly with ECO off. Added 3 cans of Seafoam to full tank.
8/11/2021	39,377.2	526.0		29		32.593	16.14	16.6	0.46	19:54:32	0:36:39			93	$3.269	$106.55	Sam's	Warning light came on at 50 miles to empty.
8/30/2021	39,885.4	508.1		26		32.335	15.71	16.4	0.69	19:08:18	0:35:31			93	$3.279	$106.03	Sam's	Around Town, mostly with ECO off.
10/4/2021	40,292.1	406.7	406.4	151		24.976	16.28	17	0.72	16:10:55	0:38:52			93	$3.349	$83.64	Sam's	To Valley Forge bike trail.
10/21/2021	40,733.7	441.6	441.5	113		27.578	16.01	17.2	1.19	17:50:20	0:38:49			93	$3.749	$103.39	Sam's	Around Town
10/24/2021	41,230.8	497.1	497.1	130		27.311	18.20	18.8	0.60	10:53:22	0:23:55			93	$3.749	$102.39	Sam's	To farm and back on one tank. ( Senior deer season.)
11/11/2021	41,621.5	390.7	390.7	114		26.157	14.94	15.9	0.96	18:04:56	0:41:29			93	$3.779	$99.37	Sam's	Local - Some Turnpike
11/26/2021	42,041.4	419.9	419.9	590 ?		26.518	15.83	16.8	0.97	16:53:55	0:38:14			91	$4.059	$107.64	Wawa Virginia Drive	Starting trip out to farm.
12/2/2021	42,579.8	538.4	538.4	17		33.035	16.30	17.3	1.00	13:34:50	0:24:40			93	$3.759	$124.18	Sam's	Hunting trip to farm and back plus 1 day local.
12/28/2021	43,071.9	492.1	492	20		32.273	15.25	16.5	1.25	18:56:51	0:35:14			93	$3.699	$119.38	Sam's	To I-fly.
1/13/2022	43,470.7	398.8	398.8	61		29.417	13.56	15.3	1.74	17:18:36	0:35:18			93	$3.629	$106.75	Sam's - not sure if it cut off early.	Cold weather - Lots of remote starts.
2/1/2022	43,913.6	442.9	442.8	46		30.841	14.36	16.1	1.74	18:02:30	0:35:06			93	$3.659	$112.85	Sam's	Cold weather - Lots of remote starts.
2/17/2022	44,256.3	342.7	342.6	155		23.722	14.45	16.1	1.65	14:11:19	0:35:53			93	$3.799	$90.12	Sam's	Cold weather - Lots of remote starts.
3/3/2022	44,631.5	375.2	375.2	157		23.994	15.64	16.7	1.06	14:42:23	0:36:47			93	$4.069	$97.63	Sam's
3/29/2022	45,131.2	499.7	499.7	26		31.999	15.62	16.7	1.08	21:14:01	0:39:49	1,501	266	87	$4.159	$133.09	Sam's	Cold weather (Back down to the 20's!)- Lots of remote starts.
5/4/2022	45,564.2	433.0	432.9	82		28.804	15.03	16.1	1.07	19:52:21	0:41:24			87	$4.249	$122.39	Sam's
6/1/2022	46,091.3	527.1	527.1	40		31.756	16.60	17.3	0.70	21:01:37	0:39:44			87	$4.739	$150.49	Sam's
7/9/2022	46,581.2	489.9	490.2	41	574	31.743	15.43	16.3	0.87	19:21:32	0:36:36	1,561	279	87	$4.569	$145.03	Sunoco - St. Rd by Giant	Hauled topsoil
7/25/2022	46,779.4	198.2	197.8	370		13.499	14.68	15.8	1.12	8:34:51	0:38:08			87	$4.299	$58.03	Sam's	Topped off before Conference.
9/8/2022	47,215.7	436.3	436.3	116		27.478	15.88	16.8	0.92	16:57:40	0:37:02	1,587	285	87	$3.689	$101.37	Sam's	First fill-up after new cam phasers installed.
10/30/2022	47,665.2	449.5	449.5	89		27.345	16.44	17	0.56	17:38:01	0:38:41			87	$3.659	$100.06	Sam's	Prior to Hunting Club Trip. Not driven lately due to shoulder surgery.
11/1/2022	48,058.9	393.7	393.6	213		22.344	17.62	18.7	1.08	6:41:40	0:17:59	1,611	289	87	$3.699	$82.65	Sam's	After trip to Hunting Club meeting.
11/21/2022	48,473.4	414.5	414.5	95		27.329	15.17	16.2	1.03	12:17:28	0:26:59	1,629	292	87	$3.839	$104.92	Sam's	Cold weather, some remote starts.
12/17/2022	48,970.9	497.5	497.5	15		32.491	15.31	16.8	1.49	20:27:56	0:37:48	1,649	296	87	$3.289	$106.86	Sam's	Cold weather, lots of remote starts.
12/27/2028	49,423.4	452.5	452.5	49	566	30.068	15.05	16.5	1.45	15:43:12	0:31:22	1,665	299	87	$3.099	$93.18	Sam's	Cold weather, lots of remote starts.
1/17/2023	49,899.9	476.5	476.4	31		31.474	15.14	16.5	1.36	18:15:25	0:34:48	1,683	302	87	$3.249	$102.26	Sam's
1/30/2023	50,312.8	412.9	412.9	97	558	27.146	15.21	16.4	1.19	16:27:35	0:36:23	1,700	305	87	$3.499	$94.98	Sam's
2/22/2023	50,807.9	495.1	495.1	18	582	32.064	15.44	16.7	1.26	20:14:27	0:37:53			87	$3.329	$106.74	Sam's	Cold weather, lots of remote starts.

 

[Boatwaco]

I kept a mileage log since I bought the truck new. 2018 F-150 SuperCab 4X4 3.5 EcoBoost w/ Max Tow Package. I know, TMI...

Pretty cool record keeping. I applaud you!

 

[Craig F-150]

Pretty cool record keeping. I applaud you!

Thank you. I have one for maintenance also. People that know me know I have a spreadsheet for everything!
You can see on the right column where I had the cam phasers replaced. Also, when gas went crazy I stepped down to 87 octane - which is all the manual actually calls for. Except for towing a car to PA from Florida and hauling some dirt and AR500 steel once, I don't tow or haul much. I would use 93 for that.

 

[N4HHE]

I kept a mileage log since I bought the truck used. 2018 F-150 SuperCab 4X4 3.5 EcoBoost w/ Max Tow Package. I know, TMI... (Edited to say USED - I bought it used, not new.)

Quick glance without pasting everything in a spreadsheet suggests 87 octane (sic) didn't hurt MPG vs 93 octane (sic).

 

[EcoXLT]

Higher octane doesn’t improve my MPG either.

 

[LenD]

Hi Folks, got a 2020 with 3.5 L twin turbo eco boost and only 17,000 miles I bought new. It’s my daily driver and not driving it hard. Never really checked mpg until recently. Digital display showing avg 13.5 mpg around town. When I do actual calculation after full tank fill-up I am getting 10.6-12mpg. I live in Central NY so gas with additives for winter. Using 87 octane. This is way too low for this engine. Should be at least 17-18.
Any ideas why I am getting such poor gas mileage??

Been using reg since new.

10.4 L / 100 KM = 22.6 mpg US = 27.2 mpg CDN on a recent 3 hr trip @ 62 mph (and it was still going down ie improving--at that time).

 

[N4HHE]

Higher octane doesn’t improve my MPG either.

To the experimenter's credit unlike most ICE automobiles it is theoretically possible to improve MPG with higher AKI (not "octane", you can not afford to purchase real 87% octane) with the EcoBoost. Ford really retunes correctly (O.A.R.) to accomodate the fuel. But there is a reason 87 AKI is the standard base fuel: that is where the most benefit is found.

 

[EcoXLT]

To the experimenter's credit unlike most ICE automobiles it is theoretically possible to improve MPG with higher AKI (not "octane", you can not afford to purchase real 87% octane) with the EcoBoost. Ford really retunes correctly (O.A.R.) to accomodate the fuel. But there is a reason 87 AKI is the standard base fuel: that is where the most benefit is found.

All I know is ….. for gas mileage, not performance, it doesn’t matter what button I push it’s still the same.

 

[N4HHE]

All I know is ….. for gas mileage, not performance, it doesn’t matter what button I push it’s still the same.

Yes, and I highly respect that you tried, measured, and are willing to admit it didn't work. Too many simply "know" higher AKI must be better in every aspect. Therefore they must be getting better MPG, that it just isn't showing or something.

One could get better MPG, but Engineering teaches us that Murphy is an optimist. Things are never as rosy as Murphy's Law predicts.

The key to discovering the truth is the willingness to see it when it appears, and not see only what we desire to see.

Many years ago I bought 5 tanks of 93 AKI in a row from the same station in a Toyota Avalon. Compared 5 tanks prior to 5 tanks after. Saw 3% better MPG for 20% greater cost. And quite frankly the variations in tank to tank were usually more than 3% so it is really hard to say I had a statistically significant sample.

More recently on a road trip in my F-150 I fear I purchased 9 gallons of E85 (at E10 prices) to top off my 23 gallon tank. Reset Trip B, the first 30 miles at 72 MPH the Fool Computer soared to 30 MPG. Could it be fooled like this with higher AKI but lower energy content? Prior 240 miles that day was indicating 26 or so but miles divided by gallons was 25. "Wow! This gas is great!" Then the Fool Computer started falling, hard. 360 miles later miles divided by gallons was 22. Energy content math says if the 9 gallons was 85% ethanol (rarely is) and 25 MPG was a fair baseline for E10 then 22 was just about right. I didn't have a tool to see O.A.R. at the time so I don't really know what was going on. I have the tool and app now but not curious enough to purchase E85.

After the 22 MPG the next 400 miles returned 27 miles divided by gallons. That is trip odometer divided by gallons purchased to top off the tank.

 

[Craig F-150]

As you can see, I never got mileage that good, but I live in a suburb of Philadelphia, so there is a lot of traffic. Even on a trip I don't get that kind of mileage, but the most important factor regarding mileage is the right foot, and mine is a little heavy! And I just can't stay under 80 mph on the open highway...