Tips for achieving high MPG in 3rd Gen OR?

If you really want to monitor your driving style to maximize MPG, install a real vacuum gauge. Not a vacuum/boost gauge, only vacuum. (this is so the visual scale of the gauge is easier to read)

0 vacuum is WOT, so the more vacuum you maintain, the better the MPG will be.

The gauge will instantly reflect your dinking with the the throttle.

 

I see that and I’ll raise you one from my daily commute (2019 TRD 4x4 6MT). Just about perfect for economy conditions- not higher than 65 and mostly flat.

My tank average over the same usually hovers around 23-24.

 

i was in the 25's before i hit the Virginia hills from what i remember.

 

That is just your average for that 44miles. I have hit 25.3 on that before. I look at average for the tank and ultimately the miles driven divided by gallons used. The fancy mileage gauges get you close but the only way is doing the math at fill up and do an average over 5 or more fill ups. And no this isn’t a down hill run. It’s from Seattle north on I-5 to Everett WA then a few miles of stop and go lights to home.

 

Just drive it

 

If you leave it parked, then your MPG is technically zero. That just a very slight improvement.

 

Here's a picture from earlier this week.. all highway driving around 62mph and babying the throttle on Interstate 81 in Virginia. I'm lifted ~2" and sitting on 265/75/16 ATs at 31 psi. The pictures people post of their 20 mile downhill run aren't helpful. OP, slow acceleration and smart energy management can only get you so far in a Tacoma (and hills absolutely kill MPGs for us.)

 

Yeah, okay. A moment in time MPG and rather early on with the tank of fuel that you have. Let's see the tank average (calculated) at the next fill-up.

 

Road trip tanks

I hardly ever do a full tank at 55-60 MPH all in one day, so it will be getting 25-26 MPG while on the trip, then the inevitable few short trips until the tank is finished will drop the average. But 23-24-25 is easy for me if I pay attention. If I don't, it goes to 20 -- quickly.

It's usually around 21-22 mixed (my lifetime average is 22) with a lot of city driving and short trips (I live 1.x miles from work so it has a lot of trips where it doesn't warm up all the way).

 

My first tank was 21.1 mpg calculated at the pump. I will have another fill up next week. I would assume I will get 21 again.

 

I get about 22-23 usually with a 3/4 or higher tank. In the mountains.

 

My next tank was 21.44 mpg
I can live with these numbers. Hoping just maybe with a tune I can get another 1-1.5 mpg out of it. It’s fun trying though. One thing I found is to be in S mode and down shift to 5th before an incline to keep speed up better and not have to press as hard on the gas pedal. It’s seems to be working and gives me something to shift since I miss driving a manual.

 

Took a road trip yesterday, did about 300 miles of freeway on first tank and another 154 miles after refilling. Averaged between 76-82 mph. I use 87 octane E-0 gas. Also, use ECT button going up hills/mountains but turn off after summit (don't leave on all time). I run a bottle of Techron every couple of thousand miles. Man, I gotta clean the screen - pictures really show dust but doesn't seem dirty to the naked eye.

 

I only get 10mpg driving 55-60. Tires are 285/17s

 

?

You got it down path! It is similar to what haul truck drivers do: accelerate steadily and gently, allowing the transmission and engine to gain speed-gradually, and to coast down to the stop (sign or light). The engine, regardless of vehicle, burns more fuel during a cold start, and also when driving in the city or other areas that require lots of "stops" and "goes." While it burns more fuel past 55 MPH, it does not burn as much as city driving, specially if you can keep the speed nice and steady as she goes. You will notice that when driving on a flat road the MPG indicator shows greater or better fuel mileage when you keep the speed steady, and then decreases whenever you accelerate to gain more speed, then it settles down once you keep the now greater speed steady.

Other things one can do as follows:

a. Anticipate the distance or time it will take to arrive to a turn on the road ahead, and decrease speed gradually using the gas pedal. If you have no option but to use the brakes to reduce speed, do so before you arrive to the turn, not during the turn, then maintain the speed through the turn using the accelerator. In other words, you can save fuel by learning to both accelerate and decrease speed with the gas pedal. The brakes are for emergency slow down, or to stop.

b. Keep an eye on the fuel you pump into the tank. Changes in ambient temperatures (cold versus hot) can increase condensation in the tank. It is better to avoid letting the fuel level below the one-half mark on the gage. The reason for this is that the more fresh air from outside getting inside the tank brings-in more moisture. Where I live at, most drivers use fuel additives that control moisture from building up in the tank. Over here (Alaska), fuel does not contain alcohol (methanol, ethanol, and such), but even so SeaFoam and the red color cans of Heet are widely used during the winter.

c. As others have mentioned, tire air pressure, and also the type of tyre thread makes difference. For example, off-road tires can increase fuel consumption on paved road compared to smooth on-road tires. The same can be said for two different off-road tires, one that is more aggressive than the other. The factory on/off road tire on the vehicle we buy, are a compromise or medium chosen by the vehicle manufacturer relating to safety, better fuel mileage, cost, and so on.

d. The engine burns more fuel when using the AC during city driving (lost off stops and goes), than in the open road. You can save some fuel by opening the windows during city driving, and then closing the windows and using the AC once you are driven on the highway. But...you may not want to drive with the doors unblocked and windows down in some cities, right?

 

TRD lift kit and a smartcap installed. Driving 55mph-60mph following a big rig.

 

Set your dash gauge to show the MPG slider which tracks your throttle pedal angle and you will soon start seeing better mileage as you watch that meter drop to near zero with every stomp of your foot...

 

1: Put smaller tires ( tires really affect the MPG most, if you live in the city, you dont need those OR tires at all , put 245s )
2: Change air filter
3: Use good quality oil & filter
4: Drive consistently, no sudden accelerations/stops.
5: Top Tier Gasoline
6: Less weight in the truck


I have SR5, I am getting 19 ish in winter harsh weather, cold temperature

In summer i am sitting above 21 all the time, 22 & 23s in heavy traffics.

The engine hates idling & traffic and inconsistency. The smoother you maintain same speed, the better the MPG will get.

Other than this, I dont know why people expect good MPG from Trucks. I wish Toyota kept the old 4.0L V6 instead of 3.5 V6 we have now, they improved what 2 MPG? Stupid emission laws. They should go bother rich fatties flying jets everyday, not car manufacturers for regular people like us.

 

Lots of mild long uphill driving..3000-3300 rpms. 28/70/17s. Got 20mpg from Vegas to Prescott AZ which is rather hilly.