Fuel Milage for your 2nd Gen Taco..

Your 85% city stop and go is what's killing you.

If I start the weekend on a fresh tank and do shopping with my wife, I'll leave for work Monday morning looking at 15-18 on the Ultragauge, and that's on my 5-lug 2.7.

 

For what its worth, I checked my mileage on my 13 DC 4x4 Tundra 4.6 for the third time. I got 17.8, mostly highway. I only have 1600 miles on it so I'm thinking I might see at least 18.

 

Can I ask why you put 91 octane in your truck? I really don't think you will see any performance increase over 87. A mechanic friend of mine who races a '79 Malibu says there's no reason to put high-octane gas in a daily driver. He runs a 50/50 mix of 94 and aviation gas and he says he makes less than 10 hp more out of his tuned and tweaked race car engine.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, save your $ and put it towards your next mod!

 

The Tacoma V6 was designed to use premium.
The knock sensor will compensate and it will run properly on 87, but there is a slight performance improvement on 91.

But for the most part, that is correct. Using any octane above what the engine was designed to use is a waste of money and provides zero gains. The engine must be tuned (or the ECU must be able to retune) to take advantage of the higher octane.

 

REALLY? higher octane means nothing?? well i dunno about that? its definitely cleaner burn though!!

 

Nope.

It does not burn cleaner unless the octane booster is ethanol (not uncommon).

The ONLY thing that octane makes a difference in is the difficulty of igniting the fuel. Low octane is easier to ignite, so it is more prone to knocking due to elevated cylinder temperatures.
The spark, and the ensuing flame front, exceed the flash point of any octane fuel, so one combustion begins, octane makes no difference.
There is no difference in the speed of the flame front.

As long as the fuel that you are using meets the design requirements of your engine, there is no advantage to running higher octane fuel.
If the only available premium is boosted with ethanol, and ethanol-free regular is available, the ethanol-free will burn with more power and better fuel economy.
Outside of the ethanol issue, if your engine is designed for 87, the only thing 91 will "clean" is your wallet.

 

My Corolla and Tacoma both call for regular and if I use the next higher grade I get better MPG in both. The Corolla is rated at 41 HWY and I am getting a little over 49. The Tacoma is rated at 19 HWY and I am getting over 24. If I use regular in the Corolla I get around 44-46 HWY. If in the Tacoma I get around 21-22.
Now that being said I cannot say it works for every vehicle, but it certainly does for mine.
Many years ago, over 40, when I was much more young and dumb I rented a new Ford Torino to drive from Florida to Ohio. I drove it peddle to the metal most the way. If I used regular it would run 110 MPH and if I filled up with premium it would do 115 MPH. It can make a difference.

 

Like I said... The Tacoma's V6 is designed for premium, but the ECU will detune for regular and the manual calls for regular.

On that engine, and some others (perhaps the Corolla?), that can result in an improvement in power and mileage.

Now, on the old Torino, I'm sorry but there were other factors involved such as temperature, wind, grade, etc... On a non-computer controlled engine, the engine is not capable of making more power or MPG from higher octane without an adjustment in timing or mixture.

 

Before lift and tires-21.2mpg

After lift and tires-18.4mpg

Guess it could be worse, I could be walking.

 

I think the fair questions are:

1. what is your mpg with a stock setup
2. What is your mpg with performance mods?
3. What is your mpg with big tires (17" +)?

It seems that mpg is all over the place and it also seems that the taco off road mods really matter and count against mpg.

I am coming off a Tundra and I will be pissed if I get the same mpg.

 

Obviously I don't post much. But I felt a need to do so today. I bought my 2008 DCLB used in Apr of 2012. At that time I was getting 15mpg. To improve my gas milage I added a camper shell right off the bat and gained at least 2mpg. Then I switched from low grade to medium grade gas, and that added about another mpg. Then lastly I started driving like an old fart, 55mph on the freeway. Now I get 20-21+ mpg!!

 

I was getting 17-18 in my 2012 V6 DCSB 4wd. I drive very mildly too. I added my Leer camper shell and dropped to 16-17mpg. I ran high octane this past tank and got high 17's again. 17.7something something to be specific. I drive like I'm trying to get good mpg but its still lower than many out there. Yes, it's tuned up and tires are good. Is what it is though.

 

I have 17 inch 265/65-17 tires & wheels on my sport, you off-road guys have 16s but with larger tires 265/70-16. Who gets better MPG. Im thinking the 16s do.

 

2012 DCSB 4.0 v6 all stock 100% highway for 428 miles, 19.44 with 87 octane fuel.

 

2009 4.0 Off-Road with 255-85-16 Cooper ST at 50psi 65-70mph mostly highway 20.2mpg. At 45 psi 18.7 mpg.

 

50 PSI ? Holy shit

 

Load Range E, not a problem.
Rides like a covered wagon, but they were designed to go up to as high as 80.

 

I have E , I know you CAN go to 80 but why travel at 50 on a Tacoma ?

 

Because Rich is all about...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzZNP4tTfV0

 

I run mine at 40 for that very reason , going higher seems overkill