Improving Fuel Economy - Wanting to go from Atrocious to Slightly Abysmal

[ouzo12]

We all know that the gas pump is our beloved hundies natural, and favorite, habitat. No way around that one.

But today I noticed that via predominantly short trips and idling and my trip computer showed around 60 miles driven and almost a half a tank gone. That is just plain crazy!

On highway trips can get maybe 200ish to half tank which I consider good.

So I cleaned out my MAF, spark plugs changed 20k miles ago, new air filter. Any other things you guys and gals change where you noticed a "slight" difference? You know... So the mileage is at least abysmal

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Search "fuel economy" or "mpg", titles only, 100 section only. LOTS of threads. No silver bullet - stay up on maintenance, watch tire pressure, don't drive fast, etc.

 

[ramangain]

See that thing you stuck in the keyed hole to start your rig? Turn in counterclockwise at stoplights.

 

[xhifer]

Don't drive over 65 mph

 

[saucebox]

We all know that the gas pump is our beloved hundies natural, and favorite, habitat. No way around that one.

But today I noticed that via predominantly short trips and idling and my trip computer showed around 60 miles driven and almost a half a tank gone. That is just plain crazy!

On highway trips can get maybe 200ish to half tank which I consider good.

So I cleaned out my MAF, spark plugs changed 20k miles ago, new air filter. Any other things you guys and gals change where you noticed a "slight" difference? You know... So the mileage is at least abysmal

200 miles to a half tank of gas would be phenomenal.

 

[BullElk]

The subjective low mpg of which you speak is only an abstract reflection of your comparison to others.

 

[GTV]

I've only driven my cruiser on a 2k-ish mile road trip so far but compared to the last 15 years with a Tundra and Sequoia (both 2UZ) I am surprised at the mileage I'm getting. I credit it primarily to having relatively new injectors and coils. The drivers foot plays the biggest role in economy though. I had to drive a very long flat stretch at 50-55mph and I returned 21.6mpg. Speed eats fuel in these things.

 

[lehiguy]

Lose the full-time 4WD. That is rather involved, but I would NEVER go back.

 

[spear2]

21.6mpg?!!! Never heard of that number ever getting reached on a 100 series, let alone a 2uz.

 

[hickuptruck]

That's the nature of Toyota engines and the 2uz in general. It's a rich fuel trim so the engine does less work and runs cooler/less stressed. Can't have it all can you, either choose a couple more mpgs or an engine that lasts a very long time before a rebuild

 

[BullElk]

Lose the full-time 4WD. That is rather involved, but I would NEVER go back.

Do you have hard data from your hundy that suggests significantly better mpg with part time 4wd?

 

[GTV]

21.6mpg?!!! Never heard of that number ever getting reached on a 100 series, let alone a 2uz.

It was a personal record by 1.0mpg (returned 20.6 in my Tundra a few years back). I wouldn't believe it myself if I didn't previously record a 18.8 tank and the current tank has 288 miles on it with 3/8 remaining. I was forced to baby it because my brake booster motor went out, I don't expect to see those numbers again.

 

[MJK]

...my trip computer showed around 60 miles driven and almost a half a tank gone. That is just plain crazy!

If you are really getting a consistent 5-6 MPG around town then something seems off to me. If the engine acts ok and has no CELs, I'd start checking for things like a stuck brake caliper or maybe a fuel leak. I don't know how you could manage 200 per half tank highway with either one of these.

So I cleaned out my MAF, spark plugs changed 20k miles ago, new air filter. Any other things you guys and gals change where you noticed a "slight" difference?

Replacing old nasty fluid diff/t-case fluid with new synthetics seemed to help a little.

 

[lehiguy]

Do you have hard data from your hundy that suggests significantly better mpg with part time 4wd?

I don't. I didn't drive it long enough with the full-time to establish a reliable base line. However, the mileage on my last tank, just stop and go around town stuff with the AC on (been 110 lately) no freeway, was 15 mpg. Before the conversion is was 13 to 13.5, but again, it was a short period of time. It drives much better now, lighter feeling, better acceleration, better steering. It feels like I took 1000 pounds of cargo out. I made other mods at the same time, 4:88 gears and 295/70-18 tires, so there are other variables too.

 

[Kabanstva]

I don't. I didn't drive it long enough with the full-time to establish a reliable base line. However, the mileage on my last tank, just stop and go around town stuff with the AC on (been 110 lately) no freeway, was 15 mpg. Before the conversion is was 13 to 13.5, but again, it was a short period of time. It drives much better now, lighter feeling, better acceleration, better steering. It feels like I took 1000 pounds of cargo out. I made other mods at the same time, 4:88 gears and 295/70-18 tires, so there are other variables too.

That’s impressive especially with that big of a tire.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

Search "fuel economy" or "mpg", titles only, 100 section only. LOTS of threads. No silver bullet - stay up on maintenance, watch tire pressure, don't drive fast, etc.

You are my hero.

 

[CLEcruiser]

Accelerate very very slowly, get beeped at // the end

 

[ChiefKeef]

Heck guys I was jumping for joy when i got 16.2 coming back from Hatteras fully loaded with kid, on 275 70's and an ARB RTT on the roof. I agree right foot plays a big role in those mpg's

 

[Travis Bickle]

Don't drive over 65 mph

.

 

[Skidoo]

Has anyone done things to improve aerodynamics? If you look at semi trucks these days they have deep front spoilers, side skirts and tail extensions to smooth airflow.
With a lifted Cruiser seems like it is a similar problem, but mods would need to be quickly removable for off roading.