How to increase fuel mileage

Hi, I have a 2009 Tacoma 4.0L, v6. I put a 3" lift with 285's and obviously my mpg went down from 19 to 16.9. I was wondering if anyone had any luck with adding a cold air intake with the throttle body spacer, and getting a mpg increase. I also have the exhaust straight piped. Thanks.

 

throttle body spacers dont work. here is a link for what you can do to get better mileage. But, in all honesty if u want good gas mileage lose the lift and tires.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/4-cylinder/34594-mpg-mods.html#post547096

 

Welcome to Tacoma World. Best of luck with the MPG.

Frank

 

Howdy... 16.9 MPG... not too bad considering the lift and bigger tread. I'd be cool with that... just sayin

 

straight pipe really? yuck haha.... and pretty sure with the straight pipe you are losing power and mpg...

all you can do is buy an ultragauge and watch your instantaneous mpg, and try to lighten your foot accordingly..

 

i wish i could get 16.9

 

Hate to say it but you've done everything you can to ensure that you get crappy mileage... you've lifted it and put on wide, heavy tires (I'd imagine with fairly aggressive tread also).

The best you can do is change your driving habits and keep a light foot but if you're still getting 17 MPG, it sounds like you're already doing that. Skinnier tires, even if they're the same height, will help somewhat.

 

Get rid of lift and any fat or stubby offroad or mud tires. Going back to stock will increase your mpg significantly. Lifts and large tires eat into mpg worse than roseanne barr at a Vegas pastry buffet. Lifts just slow down your truck and make it handle like shit. Unless you really need it for offroading, its a hefty price to pay for looks.

 

More (denser) Air=More Fuel=Worse MPGs

Ways to improve MPGs:

-Quicker acceleration using lower RPMs (SC will help to a point, CAI will not) This is why mods that increase toque over the entire RPM range are important....Performance intake & exhaust usually just increase power from the midrange to top end. If you spend most for you time at 4000RPM then you will see a benefit....

-Decrease rolling resistance
-Reduce form drag from wind resistance

-Don't buy a pickup truck... You might as well be driving a brick wall.



Think of all the things you do to your truck that reduces MPGs:

-Bigger tires with aggressive tread. Sure A taller tire will eventually reduce highway RPMs if the gearing doesn't change. But it takes more power to get them to speed & keep them there. It like riding a road bike vs a mtn bike on pavement....

-A lift: Although roughly the same amount to wetted surface is still exposed to the relative wind. You gain quite a bit of drag from the undercarriage when it gets farther from the ground.

-Extra Weight: A trailer, Crap in the bed, bigger tires, hardware for a lift or suspension mods, steel bumpers... More weight, same amount of power available...

-Gearing down: You may be able to accelerate quicker and maintain highway speeds better with bigger tires but if you used to cruise at 2000 RPM @ 70mph and now you cruise at 2000 RPM at 55mph you are burning the same amount of fuel but traveling slower. Reducing MPGs.

 

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