2010 4 cyl 4x4 AC taco, 16mpg and sluggish uphill. whats wrong?

bullshat and bullshat that you get 19mpg with 35's per previous post. unless you're downhill downwind both ways..

 

i've also ran fuel system cleaners and up to 94 octane fuel, mpg still sucks, runs like it is more alive with the better gas.

the thing i've learned over time with trucks is that the smaller engine is cheaper up front and that's about the only positive over the long term sadly. i wish the asshats at toyota would offer v6 in my reg cab..

 

x 999999999999999999999

reg cab + 4.0 + 5 sp =

 

...suuuuure he does.

Have him take you for a ride in his truck up the same grade.

But if he's got an regular cab, empty bed, and stock 245/75R16 dunlops, his truck *is* going to be more zippy than an access cab with shell and MT tires.

 

well thats exactly what i got and i can tell you that ur not goin up any hill worth calling a hill at 75 mph in 5th

edit: and I'm damn near sea level

 

I have the same truck, and run a tank through it every other day, and also check the mileage religiously to try and prevent any issues. Mine has an ARE cap on it, contractor style, with two ladders, and all equipment inside, I would guess six to seven hundred pounds of additional weight. It also has BFG AT's 285-70-17's on it. I also drive like the proverbial little old man, and don't think my motor has ever seen 3000 rpm's on the tach. yet. I always run 93 octane in it, anything else and you can feel it get sluggish. The best it gets on a regular basis with summer gas is a little over 19 mpg. The last couple tanks of winter gas has gotten in the 16.5 + mpg. range. The more snow on the road, the lower the mileage, but it has never gotten under 16 yet. One thing I notice with it in the hills is don't wait till you are into the hill to downshift to 4th. gear. If I can keep the rpm's in the 22-2500 range going into a hill in 4th. , it takes a pretty good hill with a dedicated slow lane to make it go down to 3rd. It also gets the same or better mileage in town than doing 70 on the highway , too much tire and rolling resistance for the truck to be economical..

 

When I put the 265 75s on by 2.7 I couldnt hold at 75 mph on flat ground..period...and I aint joking. Now they were heavy 10 ply tires but that truck hated them compared to the 10 ply 245s that I took off. Tires make a huge diff. on those hampster wheels.

 

hahaha well since ive got so many reasons to lie about it, you may be right ive documented my mpg in many threads throughout the 3+ years ive been here. Ive never understood how some of yall are getting such bad mpg. Some folks are here are getting 26-28 mpg. Check this out ........ http://www.fuelly.com/driver/Pick/tacoma

Hes a member on here. Ask him amoung others how they get good gas mileage. Id love to take you for a ride and let you read my scan gauge mpg as i drive. Hangout long enough to go through a tank of gas and ill even let you fill her up and use your calculator to see what gas mileage im getting

 

I can't help on the power end of it but I had the same configuration as you and it got the same shitty mileage. I traded my standard cab 4x4 5 speed for a 4cyl AC 5 speed 4x4, swapped the topper, tires and rims to the new truck so everything was the same. My standard cab averaged 21 easy, the same work route with the AC I was lucky to get 17 after tracking it for a year. The dealer was useless and said nothing was wrong. So I traded it for a used 4Runner and now I average 20mpg's with a V6 4x4 driving the same route. I loved the standard cab and still regret getting rid of it but I'll never get rid of the 4Runner now...

 

Tires do make a huge difference on the 2.7 motor. I ran some 255-75-17 BFG M/T's on stock wheels for a couple years, even did a few long road trips with them. They were the ones put on Jeep Rubicons, they were a great tire and the truck did well with them. These 285's are too big and have to go, anyone looking for a nice setup they are listed in the classifieds ........

 

Sorry OP, the 4cyl isnt always better for everyone.

I know Its not the same vehicle, but I had a 99 4runner that I absolutely loved ! was my dream truck as sad as that sounds.

But it was a 4cyl, thing couldnt get out of its own way.

Fuel mileage was terrible aswell. The 4 cyl just couldnt keep it up with weight.



On the tacos, I notice the reg cab 2wds get good mileage and I bet they still suck in the city.

 

It would make a little more sense if you had the automatic, but I have the same engine and the 5 speed and have zero issues with power OR MPGs.

Gotta say the huge meats and elevation + winter gas explain SOME of it. I'd alsi check that your plugs are getting enough / any fire, and check also your airflow into and out of the engine.

That's too big a suction of power to explain away as 'lol4banger'. I have the same motor and tranny and put 1400 lbs in the back, went on an uphill onramp to I95 and was at 50 when I got the the merge....from a stop at the bottom.

Something else is amiss.

Check yer fire, the airflow in, the exhaust out....SOMEthing ain't flowing right somewhere. Fuck, check the fuel pump output pressure.

I mean, I'm pulling ideas out of my ass here but somethin' ain't adding up. Put the stock meats back on it for starters and drive it for a tank or two, then start ticking things off the list that it isn't.

 

yep i agree. just doesnt seem right. Grease all your u joints as well.

 

That guys truck is a 5 lug, basically a little car with a bed imo. Would love to see how i could get good mileage out of mine, probably driving slower would help but im only barely keeping up with traffic.

 

I recommend you take a look at the air filter just to make sure it's not plugged up; but your performance and mileage, considering all the factors, doesn't sound wrong.

 

Have no idea how the hills are where you live in CA but my 2010 4 cyl, 5 speed access cab has made it twice on trips through the mountains of WV and VA on I77. Once mine is running at 2.5k it will make it up the grades I've encountered without downshifting.

My second trip I had 700 lbs in the bed, 2 passengers and a small trailer. Still no problems.

 

I believe the best suggestion was to ride with his buddy, it one thing for someone to tell you what they get, it is another when you actually see what is...

 

i just changed the shoes about 2 weeks ago and before i put the MT's on i was getting 17 mpg and that was only with the shell. no bed platform no big tires. so i know something is wrong. i expected to loose 1-2 MPG because of the wheels but its still not explaining my 17 MPG with stock size wheels and no significant weight gain.

this past monday when i went to the dealership to get it checked they said they checked the air filter and it was ok.

 

I have basically the same truck but a 2011. Its a little engine in a truck. I have to downshift going up hills as well. Completely normal and should be expected with the 4 bangers. Still love it!

Your gas mileage is was to low. I get about 21-22 mix and I don't baby the gas pedal.