Fuel consumption of 5.0 ltr

1989 LX hatchback automatic, about 26mpg city/hwy when new, 18mpg after changing to 3.73 gears and 175,000 miles

My 87 and 89 LX's got around 25 on the highway and about 19 in the city. They were both 5 speeds. On the highway to me is 80 MPH.

Al

My 89 LX notchback w/5speed and bone stock 3.08 gears got about 18-19mpg around town and 25mpg on the highway. It also ran a 13.9 in the 1/4 the one time I took it to the strip. 8-)

Cheers,

5 speed 89 LX's have 2.73 gears, right?

Al

Hiya...

Great question for me... Years ago when I had a 1990 LX, I wanted to know the best mileage I could get with it, and more importantly, how the gas mileage would change if I went from driving as conservatively as I could to driving hard with a lot of strong but not irresponsible accelerations. Before I started keeping a book, I tuned the car up, always used the same gas, and I kept the tire pressure identical. My 1990 LX was COMPLETELY stock with two exceptions. I had a MAC cat back system and I had a set of Headmen headers. I don't even remember what the exact type of headers they were. I also had the stock gears.

The first study was driving the LX 5.0 around town and on the highway as conservatively as possible. I kept a book for two months. I drove on average 250 miles per week.

Around town, my 90 LX 5.0 got an average of 21 mpg driving conservatively. On the highway, I got an average of 30 mpg on the highway. Average steady cruising speed of 60 mph with very moderate acceleration up to that speed and no efforts made to pass traffic. I got to 60 and kept it there in the right lane.

The second study was with driving the 1990 LX hard. I would accelerate hard around town from light to light and stop light to stop sign. Responsibly, of course. Lots of that good Mustang 5.0 torque with the pedal being used often and generously. My gas mileage driving like this around town went down to and average of 16 mpg.

On the highway... I accelerated hard to the cruising speed of 60 mpg. I also dropped down into 4th gear and accelerated 5 to 10 mph regularly to pass traffic. The average gas mileage was 25 mpg.

Going on other studies that I have read for stock 5.0's with my gears, as I figured, driving style has a lot to do with gas mileage. Also... In comparing my numbers to other stock 5.0's I'm fairly sure that the aftermarket headers and exhaust I had slightly improved my gas mileage.

Hope that helps....

Michael

My 88GT 'vert averages about 22 miles to the gallon with about a 50/50 mix of in-town & highway driving.

3.73 gears AOD driven moderately hard 89 octane california emmissions 89 5.0 vert 18 mpg mixed driving.

I get about 20 mpg here in Ct. Fred

89 LX 5.0

3.08s were a factory option.

Cheers,

Thanks heaps guys, this info will help me greatly in my negotiations with my wife. Looking to switch to a 5.0ltr from a 2.5 litre turbo.

I've kept track of the milage on my '90 LX 5.0 5 speed which now has about

106,000 miles. In the early days town driving was around 17-18 mpg but that had some LA freeway in the commute. Never got over 25 on the highway. Over the years it has declined to 13-14 mpg town. Now its just little short stop and go trips. I did notice about a 2 mpg drop when California went to "seasonal" gasoline.

Dave

94 GT - 244 RWHP. 3.55 15 City/26-30 Highway. Depends I'm going up hill or downhill.