17 mpg on my FJ40

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AnthroCruiser

Joined
Oct 7, 2003
Threads
14
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Location
Fort Collins, CO
I just had to post this... I took my first long drive to calculate gas mileage with my new TBI setup, and got 17 mpg! :D This was mostly on a country road, going about 55 mph, about a quarter of the trip was in traffic in town.

Bullsh*t, you're saying... and I would be too. A year before I removed my carb, I was getting about 10 mpg (not running well). I expected a jump in mileage, but I really didn't expect it to be so significant.

Anyway, I'm running 31's on my cruiser at the moment, BFG at/tas. I think that if I ran 33's, I could get that up to about 19-20 mpg.

- Matt
 
Yeah, the power is a LOT better all around. Take that with a grain of salt, though... before I did the TBI conversion, my carb was jetted and tuned for about 400 feet above sea level, and I live at 5000 ft. Never could get it running smoothly here in CO. However, John at Coyote Cruiser here in Fort Collins took it for a drive and was impressed with the power all around, so it's probably not just me.

The conversion was easy to do, with good instructions. I'm pretty much a newbie at mechanics, and it took me a couple of months to complete... working on the weekends and scrounging at the junk yard when I felt like it. Could have been done in just a few weekends if you knew what you were doing... probably less. I had a manual from Downey, the two tech write ups on this forum, and that was about it. When I started the conversion, I didn't even really know what a throttle body looked like... just went to the junk yard and started removing things that looked right :)

Anyway, my junk yard parts only cost a couple hundred bucks, and that was most of it... from the throttle body and injectors to sensors and fuel pump and computer.... I did buy a few new parts and the throttle body adapter, though... so it could have been cheaper.

I think what really made the difference was getting the cruiser on the Dyno (took it to Lundstedt Automotive in Fort Collins) and having the chip tuned professionally. It ran before I did that, but not well. That was a bit pricey, but well worth it.

Suppose that I ought to mention that I was driving the landcruiser in Parachute mode; front doors off, hard top on, ambi-doors on (and closed). Don't know what kind of difference it made, but I doubt that it helped :)

- Matt
 
Hi Matt,

That throttle body set up sounds real nice and I don't want to rain on you parade. But, a properly tuned 2F with the factory carb can get 18-19 mpg. I know this for a fact. A friend of mine, Jim, asked if I would like to go to the TLCA Rubithon in `94. I didn't hesitate in saying, yes. We drove from his place in Colorado to the event and averaged 19 mpg. That was in a loaded FJ40. In fact we got 20 mpg on 2 tanks of gas going there. On the return trip, we were getting 18 mpg. Now I must be totally honest, Jim is a full-time 4x4 mechanic and keeps his truck in perfect tune.

Fuel injection does have one major advantage, it'll run upside down.

Kevin
 
Kevin,

I'm sure you're right... I could certainly believe that there are some awesome running 40s out there that get mileage like this. My point wasn't really to say "Hey, look how much better my TBI cruiser is than your carbed cruiser", it was more to say... "Hey, look how much better my cruiser is than it used to be!". And lets be honest here... I'm no expert mechanic and expect that I never will be, and aside from the throttle body, this is the same engine that was getting 10 mpg a few years ago.

That said, I've looked around at the threads on this forum where people list their mileage, and 12-13 seems to be pretty typical, and that is sometimes with bigger tires than I have.

Man, I hope it's not about to blow up.

Anyway, Pablo... I live near Taft and Prospect, on the west side of town. If thats your cruiser in your avatar, I think I bumped into you at the Post Office in near old town a few years ago. I did convert the for tire size, but next time I'll use my GPS to track my mileage and be more accurate.

For those of you who want to check out the conversion, I'm going to try to make it to some of the Horsetooth meetings this spring :)

- Matt
 
Not that unusual, I got 14.5mpg on my way to moab last year in my SOA cruiser on 37s with 4.11 gearing with a tired F. Up and over vail pass doing 75 on the flat stuff...
 
Pics of the process would be nice!
 
bustanutley said:
Not that unusual, I got 14.5mpg on my way to moab last year in my SOA cruiser on 37s with 4.11 gearing with a tired F. Up and over vail pass doing 75 on the flat stuff...
Click to expand...

yeah, I made it at 16-17mpg on that same stretch two years ago
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bustanutley View Post
Not that unusual, I got 14.5mpg on my way to moab last year in my SOA cruiser on 37s with 4.11 gearing with a tired F. Up and over vail pass doing 75 on the flat stuff...
Click to expand...


yeah, I made it at 16-17mpg on that same stretch two years ago
Click to expand...

Perhaps I should repeat myself; I'm not claiming that my rig is better than anyone elses.... just saying that it's a lot better than it was. :rolleyes:

- Matt
 
i under stand thanks for the post wife wants a small block in her cruiser and we have an 80 something camaro out back so maybey its time nice job and good luck
 
LOL

OK, fair enough... I was surpised at how high it was. Still, I really was intending that to be in the context of the comparison to my earlier mileage.

- Matt


BTW- Shelfboy, in case there was confusion... this is with TBI on my 2F engine, not a SBC.
 
AnthroCruiser said:
LOL

OK, fair enough... I was surpised at how high it was. Still, I really was intending that to be in the context of the comparison to my earlier mileage.

- Matt


BTW- Shelfboy, in case there was confusion... this is with TBI on my 2F engine, not a SBC.
Click to expand...

thats awsome to hear! i knew it was possible.
 
I swithched to TBI 4 years ago I think, when ever petersons did that article on the turbo city kit. The power increase was incredable and i also am getting 19 mpg.
I have 35 MTR, 4.56 gears.
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I get an honest 17mpg most tanks, with a Jim C. rebuilt carb and electronic ignition, 35's and 4.11's

The 35s really help bring the rpms down on the highway... not so good on the trail. :D

It is great when a mod actually does a good job of doing what it claims. I think lots of people could get more miles/tank with good PM and tunning techniques.

Thanks for sharing!

Drew
 
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