3.5 vs 4.0 Engines MPG.

You are doing good. I drive a 370 mile trip every two weeks too or from work. This includes about 135 miles of two lane which I’d 60-65 with some 75. The main part of the drive is 235 miles of hole in the tank 80mph speed limit interstate 10 in western Texas between San Antonio and fort Stockton. I usually average 18-19 mpg for the entire trip thanks to thenslower roads. So I usually stop for gas once since goi g west I run out of gas stations for a 90 mile stretch. If I have a tailwind going east I can make it to within 45 miles of the house and the gas light goes on..I just plan a stop for fuel each way. I need a reason to stop anyway.

You are

 

The clue to good MPGs in any Tacoma is hidden in my post (can you spot it??). Especially with the 3.5L, the overdrive gears, and a good dose of patience, your can post some strong efficiency numbers, but may fall asleep doing it.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1pqttl9aWm0

 

I can break 20’s on a trip average but not a tank average. Usually my tank average is around 16-18.

 

Aha! We have a winner!

 

The real key is down a mountain with a tail wind

 

An aspect you might be missing in the new 3G Tacos produce less emissions, and, more importantly, are over 400lbs heavier, due in a large part to being slightly larger and having a tonne more safety systems and tech. You gotta haul all that shit around.

It’s testament to what a great job Toyota did with the 3.5L that it can significantly best the efficiency of the 4.0L while hauling around 400lbs of extra weight in a pickup that is wider, longer, and taller, with a much better safety rating.

Put 400lbs of weight in a 2nd Gen bed and report back the efficiency after a year.

Bravo Toyota.

 

With less than 500 miles on it, my first Two tanks got 21 miles per gallon

 

Press X to doubt fellow TW members...

 

Don’t go over 55 mph and you’ll get excellent MPG. My 16 auto would average 23 or so if i cruised at 45-55 MPH

 

Tires, change them to suv tires and get +2 mpg. But who want suv tires on a truck anyway. Cant wait til my sport stock tire run out.

 

I averaged 14-15 in my stock 11’ 4Runner with the 4.0 and I get 16.5-18 in my 3rd gen, which is lifted and has 32” E rated tires.

 

Not if your on a freeway and everyone does 80mph. You'll get killed for sure.

 

I don’t disagree. Drive 80 and get 15 mpg. That’s how this truck is lol

 

Exactly. If you have the time the truck thrives on backroads anyway. Interstate driving is turning into the thunder dome with aggressiveness and no joy in the journey anyway.

 

I don’t think so. I’ve been keeping track of my MPG with an app and the highest i’ve ever gotten is 18mpg (mostly suburban only driving)...and that was only once. My usual mix of highway and city gets me about 13mpg consistently. Stock truck. I’ve tried driving like a granny, i’ve tried different gas stations, removing my charcoal filter, changing air pressures, adding injector cleaner, etc. I just can’t get anywhere near the numbers some people are posting. I think some trucks are cursed.

**Transmission and diff fluid level checks are all I have left to hope for.....[/QUOTE]


Well I hate to burst your bubble but your description of your driving habits is simply not the case. If you're averaging only 13 mpg there is something going on and it's not the truck. What mods besides the roof rack have you done? At freeway speeds, that roof rack will cause a lot of drag and kill your mpgs.

 

I get about 15mpg on average, but I drive 'spiritedly' in ECT mode most of the time. Stock suspension but my tires are Continental's which should be similar or better MPG than the Kevlars.

My truck seems to use a lot more gas going 120kph (~74mph) than 100kph (~68mph). If I slow down by that much most of the time (on highways or course) I get closer to 17 or 18 MPG. I'd have to drive like a grandma to hit 20mpg I think.

 

What everyone is discovering is why the national speed limit was set to 55 mph when there was a national fuel crisis and we needed a strategic reserve for military operations.

I grew up in this era and when I first started driving the speed limit in Texas was raided to 65. Which was faster than what anyone normally drove while I was a child/passenger. Imagine white knuckle grip because you are going 65.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Maximum_Speed_Law#1973—55_mph_National_Speed_Limit

 

Well I hate to burst your bubble but your description of your driving habits is simply not the case. If you're averaging only 13 mpg there is something going on and it's not the truck. What mods besides the roof rack have you done? At freeway speeds, that roof rack will cause a lot of drag and kill your mpgs.[/QUOTE]

I have the roof rack (the crossover bars are never crossed though), Pro grille, tonneau cover and mud flaps. I don’t carry any weight in the back and i’m not a heavy-on-the-gas type driver to begin with so that’s what bugs me about my poor mileage.
Like I said, i’m gonna check drive train fluids and get a buddy to help me jack it up and spin both wheels on each axle in the same direction and see if there’s anymore drag than there should be. That’s all I got until Toyota comes out with a TSB about poor mileage and some trucks misprogrammed to run rich?? Maybe??? I’m gonna go buy a lottery ticket too.....

 

I have the roof rack (the crossover bars are never crossed though), Pro grille, tonneau cover and mud flaps. I don’t carry any weight in the back and i’m not a heavy-on-the-gas type driver to begin with so that’s what bugs me about my poor mileage.
Like I said, i’m gonna check drive train fluids and get a buddy to help me jack it up and spin both wheels on each axle in the same direction and see if there’s anymore drag than there should be. That’s all I got until Toyota comes out with a TSB about poor mileage and some trucks misprogrammed to run rich?? Maybe??? I’m gonna go buy a lottery ticket too.....[/QUOTE]

The auto i had was very inconsistent with fuel economy. I had tanks from 13 mpg to 23, it was all over the place. If I ran 65 mph or less it was definitely the best but even a light breeze would wreck it to mid teens.

I’d make sure you have the latest ecu TSB, that will help for sure if you don’t have it.

Also transmission fluid makes a HUGE difference in these trucks. Mine was a half quart low. After it was filled to spec, it was a night and day difference. I couldn’t believe it.

 

If you are running rich, you'd most likely see smoke coming out of your tailpipe.