Mpgs went from bad to worse

So I’ve changed spark plugs, cleaned my intake air filter, I know my alignment is straight, had the maf/throttle body cleaned and even had it tuned.

Doesn’t matter if I’m a feather foot or a lead foot, I’m consistently gettting 250ish every tank and at this point it’s making me want to just sell my truck. I bought a Tacoma to get better gas mileage than my old v8 4Runner and I’ve never gotten more than 17 even with all highway driving. Any suggestions?

I’m Prbly missing something but I can’t do this much longer

 

I do have 275s and a 1.5in lift but still wtf, I should be getting better than a combined 14mpg especially when most of my driving is freeway

 

Are you correcting for the tire size? Someone else might know the exact number, but you are probably off 10-15% with the larger tire size.

 

My 3rd gen gets like 17 with a level and 32” tires. Your figures are accurate.

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you take the automotive equivalent of a brick, add unsprung rotating mass, and deliberately disconnect airflow under the truck by another 1.5” your mpg will suffer.

I think so often we get comments on this forum where folks claim 19mpg with full armor and 285s and folks think that is normal or expected.

My truck is a 4x4 DCLB with 265/70/16 Michelin LTX defenders and I get 18.5 -19.5 (occasionally 20) mpg Highway. My truck is pretty much as good as it’s going to get for a 4x4 on-road Highway mileage.

I think your expectations are a little out of line with the reality of the 2nd gen MPG reality.

Brand new tech frontiers and rangers are getting 22-24 Highway.

my 2.7ecoboost f150 4x4 gets 22 Highway without breaking a sweat.

you’ll have to look at those options for an mpg increase.

 

In addition to what has already been said, what is your definition of "highway?" What PSI are you running? 250-ish per tank; but when do you refill? Have you tried any fuel system/injector cleaner?

Rotating mass and lifts add drag and load to the engine and don't help either.

 

Lift and tires will do it, I have cases and a tent up top so I had a ton of air resistance but when I was running 265/70/17 I was getting 16-17 mpg, now after 285/70/17 and a tad more weight after correcting for tire size I’m getting 12-14 mpg, I’m lucky if I get 220 miles out of a tank. I also haven’t re-geared yet but that’s later down the road.

 

I've had many (14!!) taco's.......every gen.......and now I'm back to a 2nd gen with a 2012 TRD Sport 2wd with a shell........every Taco I've ever had usually got about 14 mpg on average.....I always read on here guys getting 18 or more but I guess I drive different!...Living in So CA there's lot of stop and go, some hills (In OC) and I usually run the A/C 24/7 cuz I'm older (50+) and like it.......but it's all good because it's a taco and will last forever with proper maintenance and the resale is sky high!......you're gunna sell you taco just to get a couple more MPG's??.....you'll be sorry.....just saying!!.......I HAD a 2019 Taco TRD OR 4x4 stock.......thought it would be "better" then my last 2nd gen......the motor/tranny combo sucked soooooo bad!!......traded it after 6 months for a 2019 Raptor supercab.....that was fun to drive but was a pain to park and the payments were big even after putting $20k down......not to mention 10 mpg.......sold that and went back to the tried and true 2nd gen Taco.......lesson learned for me.....there is nothing perfect out there so I'm sticking with what I know works!!

 

I’d try fuel injector cleaner/fuel treatment, I have a single use bottle in the center console then a large bottle behind the rear seats. I use it every now and then, but use it every fill up on long trips. I have noticed it’ll help a tiny bit, but don’t expect to have it increase by 3-4mpg. I use the Lucas oil stuff, forgot what it’s called.

 

With 265/75/16 P metric, mild all terrains (Hankook/Cooper) on my 2013 with a mild lift I never saw over 17 MPG even on the highway for the entirety of the tank, going 65 MPH or less. Once I added the tires and lift, MPG shit the bed, didn’t matter how I drove.

They’re not fuel efficient for their size or displacement, and IMO.. mild changes makes it even worse, which suggests the economy they do get in stock form is just teetering on the edge of its capability.

 

Another thing that greatly affects mileage is how fast you drive and the type of road, mine is stock and driving back and forth to work 40% flat backroads averaging 45 mph and 60% hilly highway averaging 65 I usually get 16.5-17.8 average. If I drive all flat highway at around 60mph I get 18-20 average, but if I drive interstate at 70+ it drops to 15.5-17. Towing it's usually 15 or less.

 

2008 with the V6 ,2.5” lift with285/70 17s . Just about 225 miles per tank .

 

2020 TRD Sport 4x4. No lift (yet) stock wheels/tires. Basically a stock truck. I do a combination of city/hwy and average between 17-19mpg. Get about 280-300 miles per tank.

 

Miles per tank is useless information.

17 MPG depending on how you drive isn't far off what I'd expect. My 4X4 DCSB 2007 is pretty much stock other than a cap and 265/75/16 tires, same width and 1" taller than the 265/70/16's that came on it. Over the years I've had P rated tires and E rated tires on it with a fairly mild All Terrain tire. My fuel mileage has remained pretty consistent over almost 14 years and 212,000 miles regardless of which tires were on it.

I don't do any true city driving, mostly rural 2 lane, some 4 lane divided hwy and occasional small town traffic. About 17 mpg is what I have gotten for that type of driving. On long trips mostly on interstate I'm usually around 19 mpg +/- .5 mpg. I've had a few tanks at 22-23 mpg, and I've gotten as bad as 16 hwy over some stretches of road. Around 12 mpg towing.

 

4.0 6sp manual. This morning I calculated 11.7, previous fill up 11.2 mpg. I try, but fail to up shift when I should and not lead foot drive.

 

Mines bone stock and get avg of 14mpg

 

I’ve always believed it’s driving style is the main issue. I drive a ton of hwy miles and average 320-360 miles per tank on 285s usual fill up is 17.5-18.5 gallons just depends on whether I’ll feel like driving the speed limit or being a speed demon that day. My combined is about 17mpg. Good luck hope you figure it out.

 

We need a forum rule. If you modify a well engineered and built vehicle you get banned if you complain.

 

I get about 18 mpg on average, the highest I have recorded is 27mpg going all downhill from the mountains. I use the Ultragauge to monitor my mpgs though with it adjusted to my tire size. If you drive more careful and are aware of what gives the best mpgs for what you’re doing then you’ll slowly find your average to go up.

 

My suggestion if you’re gonna worry about your mpgs being worse than your 4Runner is to sell your Tacoma for a 4Runner again. Or a prius if you really are worried about mpgs