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Best mileage on a tank to date

Discussion in '4 Cylinder' started by JoeBama, Jul 16, 2013.

  1. Jul 16, 2013 at 12:59 PM
    #1
    JoeBama

    JoeBama [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Arab, Alabama
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    Just returned on a trip out West to Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Rocky Mtn. National Parks-- 4,400 miles on the Tacoma. I have a 2010 Access cab 2.7L 5spd PreRunner with 35,000 miles. We pulled a trailer with a motorcycle, and bed under the Undercover was totally packed with camping gear, food, generator, extra cans of gas, etc. -- probably pushing 2,000 lbs of total cargo with my wife and I. On the Interstate we probably only averaged about 19 mpg. However, one day we left the bike and trailer and most of the gear at the motel in Colorado Springs and ventured west to Crested Butte to do some trail riding (I've never had my truck off the pavement!) We drove 4 hrs to Crested Butte (mostly ascending and descending long mountains), drove trails for 4 hours (mostly 1st and 2nd gear), and drove back to Colorado Springs on the original tank of cheap gas (which was 85 octane!) The trip meter was 437 miles, the gas gauge was at > 1/8 , had a ways to go before the light would come on. The ultra gauge showed 27.5 mpg, and when I topped it back full like before it came out to 26.5 mpg. I couldn't believe it! The most I have ever gotten on a trip unloaded was 24 mpg on pretty flat topography. Then, on the way back home loaded it was back to 19 mpg. BTW the trail riding was awesome, although my wife got pretty scared along those narrow rocky mountain trails with no guard rails. It was mostly jeeps and ATVs, but the 2 wheel drive never faltered.
     
  2. Jul 16, 2013 at 1:08 PM
    #2
    adriancast

    adriancast Well-Known Member

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    Ontario, Ca
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    240 miles on a 16 gallon tank.
     
  3. Jul 16, 2013 at 4:10 PM
    #3
    Fletch

    Fletch Well-Known Member

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    John 14:6
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    on my '13 dc i go to 400 miles every time before i fill up, the scanguage keeps me honest tho..it says i have about 40-ish miles to go before i run out completely. i drive 70 on the freeway always and live in a semi hilled area, good ups and downs. i love my 4cyl!!!
     
  4. Jul 16, 2013 at 4:44 PM
    #4
    JoeBama

    JoeBama [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I always thought you would get better mileage on flat land, but that's not what happened. I may be wrong, but my theory is that on long mountains climbing say 5 miles I may only get 10 mpg pulling in 3rd gear. However, the 5 miles down the other side I don't touch the accelerator. Coasting or even using the engine to control braking, the ultra gauge may show 100 to 200 mpg on that 5 miles descending. The avg. of 10 mpg and say 100 mpg is 55 mpg, much better than a steady 24 mpg on flat. I don't know, what do you think?
     
  5. Jul 16, 2013 at 5:32 PM
    #5
    Wingboy

    Wingboy Member

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    My 2013 has 600 miles on it.Just got a combined city/hwy 26mpg out of it.Very happy with that!
     
  6. Jul 16, 2013 at 5:46 PM
    #6
    Fletch

    Fletch Well-Known Member

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    John 14:6
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    i agree. i even throw it in neutral on some long down hills. the scangauge shows better mpg when i do that..so that's how i roll. :eek:
     
  7. Jul 16, 2013 at 6:10 PM
    #7
    worthywads

    worthywads Well-Known Member

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    My secrets out. ;)

    I agree, I don't know how more mountain states drivers don't see the same thing. I can't seem to get lower than 31 mpg around here in the summer. Drive up to Rocky Mt National and round trip is 37s.

    Several reasons

    Thinner air means lower wind resistance, less gas at same speed.

    Thinner air means less power, but that means less gas.

    Twisty roads mean you drive slower, can't run 75.

    My best tank was 751 miles. :eek:

    Actually your math is wrong.

    In your example your first 5 miles uses .5 gallons @ 10 mpg.
    Your second 5 miles uses either .05 gallons @ 100 mpg or .025 gallons @ 200 mpg.

    Combined is 10 miles on .55 gallons or 18.2 mpg or .525 gallons or 19 mpg.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2013
  8. Jul 16, 2013 at 6:20 PM
    #8
    worthywads

    worthywads Well-Known Member

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    One of the faults of the scangauge is it doesn't correctly register deceleration fuel cutoff while engine braking.

    If it is a significant downhill where you have to brake anyway you are better in gear using essentially zero fuel. If engine braking is too much and it slows you down then you are probably better in neutral.
     
  9. Jul 16, 2013 at 8:35 PM
    #9
    JoeBama

    JoeBama [OP] Well-Known Member

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    OK, I stand corrected. Yeah I use a combination of engine braking and clutch in coasting, just try to keep my foot off the accelerator and brake as much as possible. I understand the fuel injectors are off while decel in gear and ultra gauge is really like infinity mpg!
     
  10. Jul 16, 2013 at 9:35 PM
    #10
    Rich91710

    Rich91710 Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't do that with an automatic.
    The front pump may not (I don't know for a fact) provide sufficient flow for the output section at highway speeds with the engine at idle.
    There's a reason the trans remains engaged and holds RPM up on a downhill... the electronics are smart enough to where the TC could unlock and "go limp" until the brake light switch closes.
     
  11. Jul 17, 2013 at 6:12 AM
    #11
    Fletch

    Fletch Well-Known Member

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    well i can't argue that :D
     
  12. Jul 17, 2013 at 9:45 AM
    #12
    tooter

    tooter play every day

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    The best tank so far on my work truck fully loaded with tools and materials is 26.5 mpg. :)
     
  13. Jul 18, 2013 at 5:58 PM
    #13
    2007 tacoma

    2007 tacoma Well-Known Member

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    LEEEEEEROOOYYY JENKINS!
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    I think my best so far was a little over 26 mpg, even having an auto. I was on the interstate for a long trip taking it easy.

    My fuel light comes on at about 17.7 gallons down so I figured up the MPG and kept going to a 500 mile tank. I didn't want to push it past that.
     
  14. Jul 19, 2013 at 11:25 PM
    #14
    Rich91710

    Rich91710 Well-Known Member

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    Here ya go.

    My normal mileage is mid-23 to mid-25

    I've often commented about short hops and city driving being a killer.

    I filled up after I got home from work last night.
    This is the result of ONE DAY out shopping with the wife....

    0719131921.jpg
     
  15. Jul 19, 2013 at 11:37 PM
    #15
    David K

    David K Well-Known Member

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    Scan gauge???

    1) Top your tank
    2) Zero one of your trip odometers (or both)
    3) Drive until you are below the 1/4 mark (at the 1/4 tank line you will have burned 13 gallons of the 21 gallon tank)
    4) Fill your tank again and record the gallons put in.
    5) Divide the miles on your trip odometer by the gallons. That is the actual MPG.

    Obviously, if you have oversized tires (or undersized) you should correct the for the actual miles driven.

    My 4.0 liter, automatic, double cab, 4WD, with 265/75-16 tires (nearly spot on with the speedometer over the stock tires that cause the speedometer to read too fast) gets 15-19 MPG (City-Hwy) on California altered gasoline (up to 10% ethanol + whatever other crap the liberals add to fuel here to dilute it and make you spend more, to get less!
     
  16. Jul 19, 2013 at 11:44 PM
    #16
    Rich91710

    Rich91710 Well-Known Member

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    Ultragauge, and it is reasonably accurate.
    I know how to calculate manually, but I posted that for the benefit of those who complain about the terrible mileage they get, but then they talk about all of their driving being a 5 mile trip to work and home.

    Like I said, my normal mileage is between 23.5 and 25.5.
     

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