need LC expert in WI / terrible mpg (1 Viewer)

[dropframe]

I am looking for a Land Cruiser Mechanic who can help sort out my MPG issues.

I recently moved from sheboygan to plymouth and now commute about 35 miles a day. The problem is I am getting about 7mpg. Granted mine is a big pile of junk, 33" tires and a 3.5' lift, but 7mpg doesn't seem right. Especially since most of the commute is non traffic jammed highway.

My mechanic doesn't really want to diagnose / figure it out. He is the first and pretty much only honest mechanic I have ever worked with, the problem is he just doesn't have the time / knowhow to really deal with this thing as he specializes in domestics.

If I could get my LC to go 10-12mpg I would save over $100/mo. As it stands now I am going to have to sell it and buy another car. A vehicle payment + gas is cheaper then the $500 + maintenance I am spending on my LC right now.

anyone have any suggestions?

 

[woody]

Step 1, what model Land Cruiser? 60-62-80-100-200-75-55-45-40-25-??

 

[dropframe]

sorry. It's a '93 land cruiser. I have spent the last 1.5 half getting a lot of work done on it. All the vacuum hoses redone, just had new cap, wire, plugs, batteries, and the fuel injector wires were just re wired as well.

as far as known issues - it is leaking a bit out the front seal, there is a messed up knock sensor, and the transfer case sometimes makes a strange rubbing noise.

Anything else that can be helpful?

 

[Hank]

Previous spark plug condition, color, wear level?
Timing checked?
Lot of new vac hoses, absolutely vacuum leak free?
How many RPM does it idle?
Intake air tube from MAF sealed perfectly? MAF reading perfectly?
Status of factory emissions i.e. cat/exhaust?
Status of connection between operators cranium and right foot?
Tire pressure?
Miles on engine?
Compression in cylinders?
have you had a leak down test done?
Any misfires?
Valves adjusted properly?

My 97 gets a solid 12.xx. I commute 25 miles each way to work and drive an extra 50 usually two nights a week to go to appleton to work on the 413. I can grab 13.xx if I run hwy 45 and slow down to 55.

 

[woody]

I got 13.67 in my 1996 yesterday...4.88's, 315 MTR's, 60-65mph from Denver SW towards Pagosa Springs CO.

With a bad knock sensor, you've obviously got the CEL light on...fix the first one and start chasing from there...bad O2's may be next on the CEL list, or the EGR. All will effect mileage to a certain degree, and fixing mileage is impossible with codes

 

[dropframe]

all righty - I guess I will take this one step at a time.

 

[dropframe]

Well I had the knock sensor fixed - after i bought a new one. The wire had fallen off the sensor. I am back up to 14-16mpg.

The check engine light came on for a week again. It was throwing a lot of codes - air temp, maf, knock sensor, etc. About 8 codes in total showed up. The gas mileage dropped down to 7mpg. A week later I shifted down to 4 lo to exercise the lockers and the CEL went off. And it stayed off. Probably a short somewhere?

It's been a few weeks so I am leaving it alone.

I am getting a compression test done soon. Providing it passes that, I will get an oil analysis done as well. If the engine is clean I am going to drop some $ and clean the truck up. Is there a specialist in Wi/northern IL I could use to do the work?

My mechanic is a champ, but I would love to not pay someone to figure out how it all works on my dime.