A bit of advice please

Hi folks,
I have searched the archives and found hundreds of posts with info on my question, but I simply got more confused. Apologies if this is not an appropriate post in this section.

I have a 2006 Tacoma access cab with the V6. It has been a great truck for the 70K miles. Now I have a new job where I drive 150 miles round trip to work and back every day. I have read many posts on improving mileage, such as removing the secondary filter etc. I have tried running premium vs regular to see the difference, premium did seem to give a bit better mileage after a few tanks. My question is: Are there things that can be done to improve mileage even incrementally? I was curious if a better flowing muffler would improve mileage at all. I looked at some CAI systems and thought they would not be a good fit for my type of driving. I was wondering if with a clean air filter, a better flowing muffler and any suggestions from the forum if I might get a bit of mileage increase. With the miles I put on, the savings would pay for bits and pieces needed. I would appreciate any input. Particularly on mufflers that enhance flow, but sound decent. Actually, any input is appreciated. I love my Tacoma, but sure could use a bit more than 17 mpg. As I drive the same route every day, their is very little variation in my speeds and conditions, so it is a good route to validate improvements on.
Thanks for any input.
Cheers,
Jon

 

Better MPG's? Nothing you can do will make that big of a difference...

 

Biggest MPG influence is how you drive.

 

100% ^

If you take a bone stock tacoma, and mod strictly for better MPG's, you might see a gain of 1-2...

Start drafting the guy in front of you...

 

Surprisingly my snorkel added 1 to 2 mpg. Though with the cost of the snorkel it will take a few years to pay for itself heh heh. When i had a 60 mile commute per day my truck was making 20 mpg as you see it in my sig pic.

You could do things like 235/85/ tires but with all of the money spend on improving efficiency it won't pay off for a long time.

Mostly as others have said, be gentle on the skinny pedal and engine brake when you can.... Not much else besides that.

 

Keep the rpm's under 2k when accelerating and the speedo at/under 65mph and you'll see improvement (19-20mpg). imo the easiest and most cost effective way to increase mpg.

 

Trade it in for a 4 cylinder.

 

That's pretty much it right there. That's all you can really do.

Or you can listen to unintelligent answers like this^^^

 

You must stay off the throttle...cruise it, all the time. It takes real will power to resist the throttle.

I've found that good high pressure gas shocks have made a big difference in drivability.

I don't know what else to tell ya.

 

Thanks folks, I was pretty sure this was the only solution. On my Miata, it is possible to get a decent improvement in mpg with some simple ugrades.

 

I use my truck mostly for work, I have a Pilot car business, and escort over size load around the country. I had to install a light bar over the roof and a large bush guard for escorting(see my photos). Both of these cost me mpg. New the 4.0L got 17-18 on the road. I added the TRD cat-back exhaust, and CAI, and got 18-19 on these same trips. My light bar folds down into the bed, so I added a tonneau cover. I have the 3 fold type from dealer that uses the bed rails. That was worth 1.5 mpg on interstate highway trips.

Gentle on the pedals is the first/best way, plus lots of cruise, to improve mileage. I have 282k+ on my Tacoma, and the mileage has stayed in the same 18 to 21 range, weather dependent, when I'm deadheading to work locations.

 

Check out the driving tips and mods at ecomodders.com.

Also consider investing in a scan gage. I have one that I use in all of my vehicles and it has definatley helped me drive more efficiently when I'm not trying to break my truck The Scangage II is the one best suited for our trucks.

 

^^^THIS^^^

I've got a 1st Gen; but, all this stuff is relevant
With my 3.4L 5-speed...
My record is about 22mpg, mainly going 70mph AKA 3k rpm
My record is about 25mpg, mainly going 40mph AKA 1.5k rpm
And yes, when accelerating, I shift at 2k

That's a 3mpg gain just by keeping it under 2k
Of course, this isn't always feasible:
It takes me almost twice as long to get where I'm going
But, luckily the scenery is nicer, and I'm rarely in a hurry

 

What kind/size tires are you running? Do you have a lift? If you have a lift or all terrain/off-road type tires, that will hurt. 17mpg seems pretty low for a stock pre-runner. Lots of folks getting around 20mpgs.

 

My 4 cylinder doesn't get all that great mpg's

 

If you have a Miata, why wouldn't you just drive that back and forth to work????

 

Get p rated all seasons and alloy wheels if you don't have them already

 

Tires: get good street radials, i.e. Michelins and inflate properly. Best mileage AND quality of ride.....

 

^^^What he said.

Sorry Father, but your truck is not and never will be a good commuter vehicle. There is nothing you can do (within reason and respectable fiscal practice) that will change the fact that the 4.0 is a thirsty beast, and in the best case scenario you may be able to get in the vicinity of 20-21mpgs.

Enjoy the Miata on your way to work, and if the weather is inclement bite the bullet and take the truck.

 

I'd say having a good little car or crossover vehicle would be the better solution for those long drives where gas mileage is important. Many people have a truck and a car to cover everything they need in life. You may need to do the same.