? improve mpg? cai?

OBJMS33 · 11-02-2009, 06:13 AM

Can a cai improve my gas mileage? I have an 05 4x4 manual. I have not been tracking my mpg well since I purchased truck in March. But my last tank I think I got 16mpg. All going to work. Which is mixed freeway,and street 14 miles round
trip. The dealer put some BFG 265's on the truck. I'm bummed if these are killing my mpg that bad. I had an 89 mini for 15yrs that kills the mpg on this one.
Going to track mpg carefully for a couple months now.
Thanks!

GT_Taco · 11-02-2009, 06:49 AM

I track my mileage religiously. . . I have a V6 4x4 DC Lb automatic.. and I get 19 mpg city/highway combined. I noticed about a .3-.5 mpg increase when I added a CAI. I felt more of a horsepower boost than that.. so all in all not a bad addition, but don't expect massive economy gains..

EDIT:
honestly, on a 4-banger, you prob wouldn't notice a difference at all. I would think negligible horsepower gain even...

NraFan · 11-02-2009, 06:50 AM

Sometimes a CAI can work against you. You may get a little heavy footed trying to feel or hear that new CAI. In theory a CAI will improve the mileage, but it often backfires. Good luck.

OBJMS33 · 11-02-2009, 08:12 AM

I will be tracking this much closer now. First truck I ever bought myself. I love the look of the tires and I mostly have it to go to the snow this season. But really pisses me and everyone off that manufacturers went backwards in fuel economy. Could not wait several tanks of gas before posting on this.
The threads I read sounds like most 4cyl. are getting much better.
Makes me wonder if this is why it was traded in? Thought I actually felt engine break in a little over the last few months. Pretty sure it was driven by a woman and makes me wonder if engine break in had any effect. I have put 5k on now and it came with 39. Engine felt like it had not ever been rev'd high enough. The extra cab and 4x4 are a dream though. And most likely will be worth the loss to me. I can remember seeing one of the first one of these back in the early eighties when I was a teen. Its a dream come true to have my own now.

DanGer · 11-02-2009, 02:03 PM

No the stock airbox is a CAI. Even with a "high flow filter" and removing my secondary air filter I noticed .5-1 mpg increase maximum. The only advantage of upgrading filters is that you never have to replace it.

I am also trying to get the best mpg possible. I added headers and noticed no gain or loss in mpg. The only thing I have found to work is driving habbits and ethanol free gas

OBJMS33 · 11-02-2009, 04:32 PM

dgerm, Your getting 24.3 mpg average? How do you calculate your average?
We seem to have same model truck. I think the damm Ca gas is killing me. You cant get anything anymore that does not have some additive advertised all over the pump.

DanGer · 11-02-2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OBJMS33

dgerm, Your getting 24.3 mpg average? How do you calculate your average?
We seem to have same model truck. I think the damm Ca gas is killing me. You cant get anything anymore that does not have some additive advertised all over the pump.

I just fill up at the same pump at the same station as often as I can. Then divide the amount traveled since last fill up by the amount I just filled.

These are the only thing I really noticed making a difference.

Synthetic in engine
Synthetic in diffs, t case and tranny (did them all at once so not sure which one actually helped the most)
My stock tires are at 40 psi
And driving intelligently

06dak · 11-02-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OBJMS33

The dealer put some BFG 265's on the truck.
Thanks!

What ratio (265/70 or 265/75)? Could be your odometer is off, which makes your F/E better than you calculate. Also, which BFGs are on it? The more off-road the tire, usually the heavier and greater rolling resistance they come with. I remember on a truck I had in the past I put on meaty tires and lost 2mpg with no other changes!

OBJMS33 · 11-02-2009, 11:03 PM

265 75 BFG ALL TERAIN T/A. I'm 3-5 off manufactures spec. I would prefer 1-3. I expected to make the sacrifice when buying the truck. Passed on a Subaru wrx to have the utility of a truck. Suits my lifestyle more. Camping,motorcyles and such. It will work out to about 50 dollars more per trip to mountains. I'm losing around 90 miles a tank. My numbers are inline with you guys, but some of us are on the low end of the range. Just couldn't really wait to check through some more fill ups. I only commute about 170 miles per month. Was a little freaked out and decided to waste peoples time with another gas thread

Obviously overall, I am a lucky dude. Got a bike and a truck and a good job. Don't want to bitch too much.

ttylerr · 11-02-2009, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 06dak

What ratio (265/70 or 265/75)? Could be your odometer is off, which makes your F/E better than you calculate. Also, which BFGs are on it? The more off-road the tire, usually the heavier and greater rolling resistance they come with. I remember on a truck I had in the past I put on meaty tires and lost 2mpg with no other changes!

i saw around 3-4mpg drop when i went up from stock to 265's, about an inch and a half difference in diameter. i'm pretty sure these new tires weigh a lot more as well, which has a major effect on mpg.

OBJMS33 · 11-02-2009, 11:43 PM

Thats good info, thanks. I saw in another thread I think the weigh was 50lbs per 30 for a stock tire. But now fifty seems kind of high. And I worked a couple of years as a tire mounter. If you lost that much sounds like mine then.

Yota1 · 11-04-2009, 05:19 PM

does anyone notice a snappier throttle response with a cai, headers or even removing the resonator from the intake?

DanGer · 11-04-2009, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yota1

does anyone notice a snappier throttle response with a cai, headers or even removing the resonator from the intake?

My doug thorely long tube headers lost me some throttle response and torque in the low RPMs but gained some in the higher range

11-02-2009, 06:13 AM	#1
OBJMS33 Member Joined: Feb 2009, #13621 Location: san diego Gender: Male Posts: 63 05-4cyl-4x4 2005 Access Cab Manual none	? improve mpg? cai? Can a cai improve my gas mileage? I have an 05 4x4 manual. I have not been tracking my mpg well since I purchased truck in March. But my last tank I think I got 16mpg. All going to work. Which is mixed freeway,and street 14 miles round trip. The dealer put some BFG 265's on the truck. I'm bummed if these are killing my mpg that bad. I had an 89 mini for 15yrs that kills the mpg on this one. Going to track mpg carefully for a couple months now. Thanks!

11-02-2009, 06:49 AM	#2
GT_Taco Newbie here Joined: Jan 2009, #12982 Location: Marietta, GA Age: 31 Gender: Male Posts: 83 09 4x4 LB Sport w/JBL 2009 Double Cab Automatic 4.0L V6 JBL package, bluetooth, interior lighting package, factory step tubes, scangauge ii, redline EZ Lift, redline EZ Down, LED Dome light + LED Map Lights, Plasmaglow Firestorm LED bar, HID Headlights + HID Foglights 6000K, 'always on' foglight mod, maglite addition, glovebox gun vault, ValentineOne BlendMount, K&N CAI	I track my mileage religiously. . . I have a V6 4x4 DC Lb automatic.. and I get 19 mpg city/highway combined. I noticed about a .3-.5 mpg increase when I added a CAI. I felt more of a horsepower boost than that.. so all in all not a bad addition, but don't expect massive economy gains.. EDIT: honestly, on a 4-banger, you prob wouldn't notice a difference at all. I would think negligible horsepower gain even... __________________ 2009 Tacoma DC LB 4x4 TRD Sport w/ JBL package Magnetic Gray (and sexy) 2005 Suzuki SV1000S 1985 Cadillac Fleetwood (for sale) 1984 Pontiac Firebird

11-02-2009, 06:50 AM	#3
NraFan Join the NRA! Protect your freedom! Name: JT Joined: Sep 2009, #22703 Location: SoCal Age: 27 Gender: Male Posts: 816 05 PreRunner SR5 2005 Double Cab Automatic 4.0 V6 Window tint, CB radio and antenna, Lame I know	Sometimes a CAI can work against you. You may get a little heavy footed trying to feel or hear that new CAI. In theory a CAI will improve the mileage, but it often backfires. Good luck. __________________ To disarm the people is the best and most effective way to enslave them" --George Mason

11-02-2009, 02:03 PM	#5
DanGer Avatar approved by 98tacomav6 Joined: Jun 2008, #7155 Location: Northern Virginia & Blacksburg Age: 20 Gender: Male Posts: 5,850 07 Base 4Cyl 4x4 Manual 2007 Access Cab Manual 2.7 5 speed White Head Light mod, White shorty antennae, Doug Thorley Long Tube headers, AFE Drop in air filter, Secondary Air Filter Removed,	No the stock airbox is a CAI. Even with a "high flow filter" and removing my secondary air filter I noticed .5-1 mpg increase maximum. The only advantage of upgrading filters is that you never have to replace it. I am also trying to get the best mpg possible. I added headers and noticed no gain or loss in mpg. The only thing I have found to work is driving habbits and ethanol free gas __________________ 30K Maintenance Write up My build

11-04-2009, 05:19 PM	#12
Yota1 Member Joined: May 2009, #17777 Location: auburn, ma Gender: Male Posts: 44	does anyone notice a snappier throttle response with a cai, headers or even removing the resonator from the intake? __________________ 2010 Access cab 4x4 Base 2.7 5 speed

11-02-2009, 08:12 AM	#4
OBJMS33 Member Joined: Feb 2009, #13621 Location: san diego Gender: Male Posts: 63 05-4cyl-4x4 2005 Access Cab Manual none	I will be tracking this much closer now. First truck I ever bought myself. I love the look of the tires and I mostly have it to go to the snow this season. But really pisses me and everyone off that manufacturers went backwards in fuel economy. Could not wait several tanks of gas before posting on this. The threads I read sounds like most 4cyl. are getting much better. Makes me wonder if this is why it was traded in? Thought I actually felt engine break in a little over the last few months. Pretty sure it was driven by a woman and makes me wonder if engine break in had any effect. I have put 5k on now and it came with 39. Engine felt like it had not ever been rev'd high enough. The extra cab and 4x4 are a dream though. And most likely will be worth the loss to me. I can remember seeing one of the first one of these back in the early eighties when I was a teen. Its a dream come true to have my own now.

11-02-2009, 04:32 PM	#6
OBJMS33 Member Joined: Feb 2009, #13621 Location: san diego Gender: Male Posts: 63 05-4cyl-4x4 2005 Access Cab Manual none	dgerm, Your getting 24.3 mpg average? How do you calculate your average? We seem to have same model truck. I think the damm Ca gas is killing me. You cant get anything anymore that does not have some additive advertised all over the pump.

11-02-2009, 11:03 PM	#9
OBJMS33 Member Joined: Feb 2009, #13621 Location: san diego Gender: Male Posts: 63 05-4cyl-4x4 2005 Access Cab Manual none	265 75 BFG ALL TERAIN T/A. I'm 3-5 off manufactures spec. I would prefer 1-3. I expected to make the sacrifice when buying the truck. Passed on a Subaru wrx to have the utility of a truck. Suits my lifestyle more. Camping,motorcyles and such. It will work out to about 50 dollars more per trip to mountains. I'm losing around 90 miles a tank. My numbers are inline with you guys, but some of us are on the low end of the range. Just couldn't really wait to check through some more fill ups. I only commute about 170 miles per month. Was a little freaked out and decided to waste peoples time with another gas thread Obviously overall, I am a lucky dude. Got a bike and a truck and a good job. Don't want to bitch too much.

11-02-2009, 11:43 PM	#11
OBJMS33 Member Joined: Feb 2009, #13621 Location: san diego Gender: Male Posts: 63 05-4cyl-4x4 2005 Access Cab Manual none	Thats good info, thanks. I saw in another thread I think the weigh was 50lbs per 30 for a stock tire. But now fifty seems kind of high. And I worked a couple of years as a tire mounter. If you lost that much sounds like mine then.

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