Fuel economy

[2020LCHeritage]

Fellow LC Drivers,
I purchased a 2020 LC Heritage edition 2 years ago. Love the LC save one feature - M1 Abrams tank fuel “economy.” Does anyone know of any mods that can be done that actually work, e.g. cold air intakes, Performance chips, etc.?? My 2015 Z51 Corvette Stingray with 465 and 470 ft-lbs could muster 28 mpg while cruising on the highway!! ( vette can shift to 4 cylinders when in highway mode). Appreciate any good ideas. Thanks. JD

 

[bloc]

No engine mods necessarily needed if ECU can be programmed appropriately. Yes, pipedream, but will try to give it a go.

Yeah, pipe dream. You are incorrect, engine mods are absolutely necessary to emulate GM’s AFM strategy. Specifically, you need a way to stop the intake and exhaust valves opening for half of the engine… it isn’t simply a matter of shutting down the injectors or tweaking cam timing, which is the limit of what our ECU can do with the given hardware.

By the way GM AFM is known for having lots of reliability problems as miles accrue and there not being a practical way to implement such a scheme while maintaining Toyota’s durability standards was probably a major reason they didn’t do displacement on demand. They just optimized aero to the extent they could, and gave us an engine that makes the power we want. The simple fact that our mileage is so much better than a 100-series despite having 130 more hp and having a significantly heavier and tougher chassis and drivetrain suggests toyota did attempt to improve mileage at the time.

 

[paulunm]

Replace your PCV valve and air filter, in addition to the suggestions here to air up your tires.

Might help a little...

 

[bloc]

Replace your PCV valve and air filter, in addition to the suggestions here to air up your tires.

Might help a little...

For a higher mileage rig yes but I doubt many 2020s have enough hours on them to need a PCV valve.

 

[paulunm]

For a higher mileage rig yes but I doubt many 2020s have enough hours on them to need a PCV valve.

For sure. Just throwing out there the only things that actually help MPG on these pigs.

 

[highfructose]

Wind resistance isn’t linear…so going 100 mph adds more than double the wind resistance as 50 mph…which means fuel economy, all things being equal, goes down the faster you go.

I drive 55 wherever I can go 55, 65 wherever I can’t go 55. And 75 at max if I must.

My fuel economy, even with an arb bullbar and 33’s, was 15.7-15.9 mpg towing a 17 ft relatively lightweight boat a couple weekends ago (55-65 mph).

Be easy on the throttle and go slower…you’ll get markedly better fuel economy and also give yourself more room for applying brakes/maneuvering should you need to avoid an accident.

 

[777Gage]

Filled my 200 up the other day - $116 - not my daily driver - lifted on 34's
My 2011 Prius - filled up yesterday - $48 - try hard to keep it as my daily driver - but I'd rather drive my 200!!!

Can't stand how loud and cheap the Prius feels but at 45MPG it's hard to justify driving the 200 for work with at best 15MPG.

My employer pays me an extra $50 a week for the Prius which up till now more than covered the weekly fuel. Over the years of driving the Prius, I notice how I drive it has a lot to do with the overall mileage. If I drive it hard, it'll drop to 34ish MPG, drive it easy, 45+ Same goes for my 200 but it's more like a 2+MPG difference

 

[Docwyte]

I do wish we could've bought the 200 with the V8 turbo diesel motor the rest of the world got.

 

[bloc]

I do wish we could've bought the 200 with the V8 turbo diesel motor the rest of the world got.

You and a lot of people.

However at only 286 I don’t think it would have enough horsepower in stock form to keep us satisfied, especially given the extra cost for the engine and emissions equipment.

 

[Docwyte]

You and a lot of people.

However at only 286 I don’t think it would have enough horsepower in stock form to keep us satisfied, especially given the extra cost for the engine and emissions equipment.

Yes, BUT I live at altitude, where the turbo diesel won't lose power like the NA V8 does. At that point I bet the two motors are making closer to the same HP. Plus it makes ~100ft lbs more torque than the NA V8 and I suspect you can flash tune it to make even more HP and torque.

 

[bloc]

Yes, BUT I live at altitude, where the turbo diesel won't lose power like the NA V8 does. At that point I bet the two motors are making closer to the same HP. Plus it makes ~100ft lbs more torque than the NA V8 and I suspect you can flash tune it to make even more HP and torque.

I'm not saying it couldn't be great, just that I understand what I assume are some of Toyota's reasons for not making the huge investment to bring it here.

Plus, the 300 has a powertrain specifically designed to save significant amounts of fuel over our 5.7.. so in a way they addressed it, we just won't get it unless you can and want to spring for a LX600.

 

[Docwyte]

I'm not saying it couldn't be great, just that I understand what I assume are some of Toyota's reasons for not making the huge investment to bring it here.

Plus, the 300 has a powertrain specifically designed to save significant amounts of fuel over our 5.7.. so in a way they addressed it, we just won't get it unless you can and want to spring for a LX600.

I think the reason they didn't bring it is they didn't sell enough 200's a year to warrant the cost of federalizing the motor. Unless they also were going to put it in the Tundra, there was no way they'd recover the costs of federalizing it...

 

[bloc]

I think the reason they didn't bring it is they didn't sell enough 200's a year to warrant the cost of federalizing the motor. Unless they also were going to put it in the Tundra, there was no way they'd recover the costs of federalizing it...

Ultimately, you are correct. It came down to return on investment. IMO the significantly lower horsepower and increased powertrain cost were big factors when predicting sales numbers, especially considering the cheap fuel available here when those decisions would have been made. Add on the common american market perception of diesels being dirty and slow..

For less money we got a very reliable engine with plenty of power that people actually buying the cars new could afford to put fuel into and would make it from pump to pump on a single tank.

Personally.. as someone that has owned a number of diesel vehicles, even doing a diesel swap into an older 4runner.. I'm moving on. The rube goldberg machines they have to wrap around these things to make them clean drastically increase initial cost and impact reliability further cutting into the economic case. Still, they had some driving dynamics advantages in truck applications, but that argument is losing sway with me as I and my friends have dealt with emissions problem after emissions problem. I work in emergency services and have heard of ambulances shutting down on the way to the hospital with a critical patient inside.. not from an engine failure, but from some sensor going bad. And the no-brainer idea of exempting fire or EMS apparatus from the rules doesn't go anywhere even if there were the political will because the engine builders have focused all of their development on building engines ground-up that can meet the regs.

I recently traded in what will likely be my last diesel vehicle, right before all this fuel price craziness. And I don't regret it at all.

 

[Sandroad]

Here is a graph of data from my 100 (4.7L) that shows the dramatic, non-linear effect of mph on mpg. This was collected under reasonably controlled conditions and I consider it both valid and reliable for a well-maintained 2004 LC with 59K miles at 60F on a windless, flat stretch of deserted Interstate with stock size Michelin AT/2 tires and 2 people, no cargo. Each 10 mph increment was held steady for a minute to read mpg off the computer. Repeated runs for reliability.

So, as I noted above, slow down if you want better range and mpg.

 

[scott johnson]

Anyone tried one of these?

2008-2020 Toyota Land Cruiser 5.7L V8

volant.com

 

[ElJayBird]

I’ve just accepted it to the point that I don’t watch the $$$ readout on the pump and don’t ask for a receipt when I fill up. Out of sight, out of mind. LOL

 

[scott johnson]

Me to! Sucks that I'll spend so much on gas on several wheeling trips I'm doing that I'll be towing my 40 with the 200 ( Relic Run, GSMTR, Logan's Run and possibly one other). Filled a couple of my 5 gallon jerry cans at Costco so at least I've got that at the current price. I don't know how People in Kalifornia handle it $4 a gallon seems bad enough for me. Cant Imagine having to shell out what they are paying. At least I have a take home work car I can drive to save some money.

 

[Redbull]

Ive found it easier to take the money I’ve spent fueling it (that too pre-Biden) and compare it to repairs and depreciation endured by its competitors. Transfer cases, air suspension, and cylinder head to name a few. The driving experience is sublime and for that the has mileage is a small price to pay.

 

[highfructose]

Ultimately, you are correct. It came down to return on investment. IMO the significantly lower horsepower and increased powertrain cost were big factors when predicting sales numbers, especially considering the cheap fuel available here when those decisions would have been made. Add on the common american market perception of diesels being dirty and slow..

For less money we got a very reliable engine with plenty of power that people actually buying the cars new could afford to put fuel into and would make it from pump to pump on a single tank.

Personally.. as someone that has owned a number of diesel vehicles, even doing a diesel swap into an older 4runner.. I'm moving on. The rube goldberg machines they have to wrap around these things to make them clean drastically increase initial cost and impact reliability further cutting into the economic case. Still, they had some driving dynamics advantages in truck applications, but that argument is losing sway with me as I and my friends have dealt with emissions problem after emissions problem. I work in emergency services and have heard of ambulances shutting down on the way to the hospital with a critical patient inside.. not from an engine failure, but from some sensor going bad. And the no-brainer idea of exempting fire or EMS apparatus from the rules doesn't go anywhere even if there were the political will because the engine builders have focused all of their development on building engines ground-up that can meet the regs.

I recently traded in what will likely be my last diesel vehicle, right before all this fuel price craziness. And I don't regret it at all.

I am of the same mind.

I’d like a simple reliable diesel that gets good fuel economy due to tall gears and lots of torque…but in order to get one I have to sacrifice all the modern safety equipment.

If you get a modern diesel with modern safety features, you get a nightmare for reliability…and as soon as you start having to replace all the random odds and ends, the money you saved on fuel dissipates.

 

[Docwyte]

I am of the same mind.

I’d like a simple reliable diesel that gets good fuel economy due to tall gears and lots of torque…but in order to get one I have to sacrifice all the modern safety equipment.

If you get a modern diesel with modern safety features, you get a nightmare for reliability…and as soon as you start having to replace all the random odds and ends, the money you saved on fuel dissipates.

My wife drives a 2015 Porsche Cayenne diesel. As I knock on wood, that thing has been totally reliable, not a single issue with the motor. A few hiccups with the DEF heater that were fixed under warranty and that's it

 

[TeCKis300]

Ultimately, you are correct. It came down to return on investment. IMO the significantly lower horsepower and increased powertrain cost were big factors when predicting sales numbers, especially considering the cheap fuel available here when those decisions would have been made. Add on the common american market perception of diesels being dirty and slow..

For less money we got a very reliable engine with plenty of power that people actually buying the cars new could afford to put fuel into and would make it from pump to pump on a single tank.

Personally.. as someone that has owned a number of diesel vehicles, even doing a diesel swap into an older 4runner.. I'm moving on. The rube goldberg machines they have to wrap around these things to make them clean drastically increase initial cost and impact reliability further cutting into the economic case. Still, they had some driving dynamics advantages in truck applications, but that argument is losing sway with me as I and my friends have dealt with emissions problem after emissions problem. I work in emergency services and have heard of ambulances shutting down on the way to the hospital with a critical patient inside.. not from an engine failure, but from some sensor going bad. And the no-brainer idea of exempting fire or EMS apparatus from the rules doesn't go anywhere even if there were the political will because the engine builders have focused all of their development on building engines ground-up that can meet the regs.

I recently traded in what will likely be my last diesel vehicle, right before all this fuel price craziness. And I don't regret it at all.

I agree. So much of it has to be considered as a system as diesels have compromises in themselves, that the idea of them is really rosier than reality. Diesel emissions and DEF, yuk! 286HP for a heavier than stock gasser would never deliver the performance American's demand on the open highways of the US.

None of this is going to fix the 200-series as built. The 5.7L was the right motor, and great motor still, save for efficiency.

Toyota went the right direction with their future products (except for the elimination of the LC). The new hybrid V6 drivetrain in the current products is the architecture that delivers on the diesel dream. Stump pulling torque. High power output. Efficiency that rivals anything before it. With unmatched refinement.

I'm still a Cruiser junkie and the Sequoia will never supplant it, but for the typical Toyota SUV buyer, it's the right rig with the right drivetrain.