I' very got a 2001 4x4 XLT 4.0 sohc ext cab auto. 3" suspension 3"body lift on 33 12.5x15. Bought this way. Has 124000miles on it. Other than that all stock. I've got a k&n already. Only getting 13 to 15 mpg. Help please!!!!!!!

 

Remove BL, replace 33" with a smaller tire.

Do basic maintenance. Plugs, wires, fuel system. I dunno where you live but you might have winter gas. I'm getting 13.5 and my sig explains my truck. Once the warmer weather comes my city driving bumps up to 17.

 

I found running 33” tires requires more than 4.10 gears.
I tried it for a while and the mpg $ucked, thinking no better 15 mpg.
Had the gears changed to 4.56 and, and… all I can say is, man I had missed the way it now drives and didn’t even know it. Easy on the highway, around town I can get to fourth, never down shift while cruising at 55-60, better throttle response.
Oh ya, I got 17mpg right away but haven’t checked since but now I can actually drive with less pedal so things should get better from here.
I do a lot less driving now so it is hard to get a good reading, I am so happy with the way it now drives I almost don’t care what the mpg is.

No matter what you do for mod, air in or air out, even a chip, the 33’s on 4.10 or higher gears (3.73) will kill the mpg. With 33’s and 4.10s need more gas pedal to move along, the engine will be force at every turn or hill and if auto the trans will shift and up goes the revs costing mpg.

A gear change is pricey, both sets if 4x, new install kits, maybe a locker, axles maybe bad, brakes are always bad or so it seems. But the end results will be a better driving truck, more enjoyable to drive and better mpg.

Once you get re-geared then consider the intake, the exhaust, maybe a rocker arm change or maybe even a new camshaft, things that will bring in more HP and believe it or not sometimes better mpg.

Also, remember three things burn extra fuel, take off, passing and the hills.
Taking Off do it slower and save gas; Passing do it gradually don’t just go for it all out; and Hills get a gradual increased run on the hill don’t wait for the last minute and push the pedal to the metal to keep going.
Do all of these slower and you can save money.

 

On a stock 2001 ranger with 4.0l, automatic and 4x4 MPG was 14mpg in town, 17mph on highway and 15mpg combined.

So with the lift and bigger tires I would say you are better off than most, so computer and engine are operating efficiently and really saving you some money.

Owning a pickup truck is never about the MPG, now a Ranger will get better MPG than an F-150 of the same year and engine/trans, but it is still not why some one buys a P/U truck.
Lifting creates wind resistance so that's also not about the MPG
Bigger tires increase friction and rolling resistance, so not about the MPG either.
Nothing about this truck says "I want better MPG"
So why buy it?

Improving MPG would require lowering the truck, and changing out wheels tires to smaller skinner tires.

And as scrambler82 said re-gearing can help alot with the bigger tires.

 

I disagree with your "ranger getting better mileage than a fiddy" comment. Compare a f-150 with either a 4.6 or a 5.4 to a ranger with a 4.0 and that fiddy would get the same if not better. I've looked it up and is disappointing. It's all about power to weight ratios and the fullsize wins.
Gearing does help. Like Grev mentioned, the driving style also helps.

 

Yes, a more efficient engine will get the same or even better MPG even if curb weight is increased, i.e. from Ranger to F-150

Although the 2001 F-150 with 4.0l, automatic 4x4 was rated at only 1 less MPG in city and got 1 more MPG on highway(not sure how that works, lol), not bad for an extra 800lbs

 

I didn't kno they put the 4.0 in the f150.....

 

Consider getting your speedometer corrected for the larger tires. Or doing the math at every fill up

 

Thanks for the info. Another guy here in central ky get almost 20 mpg same setup at least looking at it. He won't divulge any secrets if he has any. I keep hearing winter to summer mpg but mine stays the same. Does this speak to anyone? Why no puck up on mpg in summer? And I do have a lean reading from the computer, but I got the same before this poped up?????

 

We just took our 99 4.0 up north and achieved a whopping 15-16 mpg lightly loaded. My daily driver is a hybrid so filling up three times in a week caused three heart attacks.

Slightly up sized tires and 3” lift. It was fun on the fire roads, she looks great, but it’s a costly highway truck. Now I know. 600 miles trip no oil loss at 180k!

I can’t imagine OP 10-11 mpg. That’s got to be fixed.