Lousy gas mileage on my 80, looking for some possible reasons why! (1 Viewer)

[jchouston]

Time to admit that I'm not the most mechanical minded so I'm turning to the brain trust.

My 94 80 has about 205k miles on it and returns maybe 150 miles to the tank in city driving.

What would be the likely culprits for such bad mileage (short of a flat-out leak in the fuel lines)?!

I've had some work done to it recently, but mostly power steering and brake issues. I did have new head gaskets put in not too long ago.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Cruzerman]

150 miles for how much fuel?

 

[JeepinPete]

Any mods?

 

[Airborne493]

Time to admit that I'm not the most mechanical minded so I'm turning to the brain trust.

My 94 80 has about 205k miles on it and returns maybe 150 miles to the tank in city driving.

What would be the likely culprits for such bad mileage (short of a flat-out leak in the fuel lines)?!

I've had some work done to it recently, but mostly power steering and brake issues. I did have new head gaskets put in not too long ago.

Thanks in advance.

You must have a leak in your rusty tank. Land Cruisers get 14 MPG but with modifications maybe less. That still gives

Time to admit that I'm not the most mechanical minded so I'm turning to the brain trust.

My 94 80 has about 205k miles on it and returns maybe 150 miles to the tank in city driving.

What would be the likely culprits for such bad mileage (short of a flat-out leak in the fuel lines)?!

I've had some work done to it recently, but mostly power steering and brake issues. I did have new head gaskets put in not too long ago.

Thanks in advance.

LC get 14 MPG and maybe a little worse w mods for tires. That gives you 350 miles on 25 gallons. You have a leak in your tank or fuel line. Check for rust.

 

[Airborne493]

Time to admit that I'm not the most mechanical minded so I'm turning to the brain trust.

My 94 80 has about 205k miles on it and returns maybe 150 miles to the tank in city driving.

What would be the likely culprits for such bad mileage (short of a flat-out leak in the fuel lines)?!

I've had some work done to it recently, but mostly power steering and brake issues. I did have new head gaskets put in not too long ago.

Thanks in advance.

Maybe your towing a house behind your car. No way you could such bad gas miles without a leak

 

[zapatius]

Since they have a 25 gallon tank, are you going based on actual number of gallons or until your fuel light comes on? Some have had faulty floats that cause the fuel light to come on with as much as 10 gallons left instead of the usual 5. I usually get 200-240 miles before the fuel light comes on.

 

[BILT4ME]

Time to admit that I'm not the most mechanical minded so I'm turning to the brain trust.

My 94 80 has about 205k miles on it and returns maybe 150 miles to the tank in city driving.

What would be the likely culprits for such bad mileage (short of a flat-out leak in the fuel lines)?!

I've had some work done to it recently, but mostly power steering and brake issues. I did have new head gaskets put in not too long ago.

Thanks in advance.

As already stated, how much fuel does that mean?

There is another here that posted he only got 150 miles per tank, but he never took the tank low enough to turn on the light or to empty the tank. He was just estimating by the gauge, which in his case was horribly inaccurate.

The tanks on these hold 25 gallons.
Typically, the low fuel light comes on when there is about 5 gallons left (mine used to be 5, but after a tank change, it's now 3 gallons left.)

I average 11.6 MPG and mine is a DD and I put on about 15-20K per year. I am loaded with tools and crap so I am about 6100 LB total. I have 33" tires and stock gearing with a 2.5" lift. All of that makes a difference. I also run 32 PSI in the tires for DD service, but if I'm going to do a trip of 1hr +, I will bump to 40 PSI for a little less rolling resistance.

Getting in the 8 MPG range, I would start looking for codes. Since it's a 94 you need to see if the CEL is on and what codes are thrown by using a paperclip. A leaking exhaust can show too high of O2 to the sensors, so they add fuel to get the ratio right and it drops mileage.
Vacuum leaks on the engine. Intake hose, vacuum hoses, EGR, Tune-up, SOOOO MAANY things that can bring this one.

Start with the simple and advise exactly what 150 miles/tank MEANS.

 

[Kernal]

Any engine codes?
Have you done any routine maintenance (plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, rotor, air filter, O2 sensors, check the timing)??
What size tires and what pressure are you running them?

Edit: Bilt4me beat me to it

 

[jchouston]

Thanks everyone. I suspect it's a leak, as well. Every now and then I can detect a whiff of fuel - more than one should - I'll guess I'll get a mechanic to track it down.

I'm basing this mileage on when the light comes and adding a few days (ala Kramer).

No mods except for 33's. Other than that, stock, as far as I know.

 

[jchouston]

I haven't run any codes, but yes the CEL light is on...I thought that was normal on these (like the lack of D light)!

 

[BILT4ME]

I haven't run any codes, but yes the CEL light is on...I thought that was normal on these (like the lack of D light)!

No. The CEL is a Check Engine Light and indicates the engine is experiencing a problem that needs attention. I'm guessing O2 and/or EGR issues.

 

[zapatius]

When you fill it up, do you look to see how many gallons it takes? Maybe find a receipt from last time and see?

 

[Rifleman]

LC get 14 MPG and maybe a little worse w mods for tires. That gives you 350 miles on 25 gallons. You have a leak in your tank or fuel line. Check for rust.

Please don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way because I'm not trying to flame you. But there are more then a few Land cruiser owners who have few mod's done to their trucks and get nowhere close to 14MPG while DD in town.

Case in point, my own 94 that does NOT have a leaking gas tank, no CEL codes, has stock sized tires, no lift, and has had all the base line maintenance done, (new factory cap, rotor, plugs. plug wires, new factory O2 sensor, complete rebuild of both Biffs with all new factory bearings) and i still only get anywhere from 10 to 11 MPG in town.

Out on the open highway I'll get 12.5 MPG, and maybe even 13 MPG if i have a strong tail wind, or if i happen to be falling down a mine shaft.

Maybe my reduced fuel mileage has something to do with some states (mine) requiring the year around use of an ethanol blended fuels, verses other states who do not require the use of ethanol blended fuels.

In the 5 plus years I've owned my truck I've never even once came close to getting 350 miles out of a tank of gas in town. Once my mileage hits 230 miles on my trip meter, my gas gauge is now solidly sitting on the empty, and the low fuel light is just starting to light up.

Just as an FYI, I've checked the amount of gas left in my tank when the low fuel light turns on, in my case I've got 3.5 gallons left to make it to the closes gas station.

 

[Dork]

I think ignore everything else for now, if the truck seems to be driving ok and you're not finding the thing covered in fuel when you park it.

Fill the truck up, reset your odometer. Drive it. Fill up again, check how much fuel you actually put in there and compare that with your odometer. That will tell you actual mileage.

 

[brettk]

I have a 94 as well, and my gas mileage was similar. My fuel injectors needed serviced and produced the same smell you described. Not sure if it’ll help, but there’s one more thing to look at.

 

[White Sheep]

I used to have horrible gas mileage. Something like 9 miles per gallon (I'm in the military, and this is worst than an actual tank SMH). It drove me crazy. Part of the reason was the fuel. I purchased my PC overseas (3rd world country) and the fuel was s***. When I go back to the states, I changed the fuel pump, and fuel filter. Then I was getting roughly 11 miles per gallon. Then I re-geared the LC (I think to 4.88) and I'm getting about 15/16 miles per gallon (city). My LC is a bit heavy with front/rear bumper, winch, sliders, a wooden drawer system, and 32" tires.

 

[sogafarm]

Check for dragging brakes or e-brake. Tighten caliper bolts****** they will come loose. Check air filter. Post up when you pull the code from the CEL, It's easy enough to do with a paper clip. Takes all of 5 minutes to check. I've got a '94 as well with the Cel light on, showing code 24, air temp sensor. Runs great though so I haven't bothered to fix it.

 

[LC4LIFE]

How hard are you pushing on the gas pedal? There is a direct relation between that and gas mileage.

 

[Rifleman]

Then I re-geared the LC (I think to 4.88) and I'm getting about 15/16 miles per gallon (city).

After you changed from the stock 4:10 gear ratio that the Land Cruiser came from the factory with, to a 4:88 ratio, did you also happen to remember to have your speedometer re calibrated. If you didn't, that 15 to 16 MPG you think you're getting would be incorrect.

 

[White Sheep]

After you changed from the stock 4:10 gear ratio that the Land Cruiser came from the factory with, to a 4:88 ratio, did you also happen to remember to have your speedometer re calibrated. If you didn't, that 15 to 16 MPG you think you're getting would be incorrect.

Yeah I'm using the scan gauge and I calibrated it