Only getting 240 miles until fuel light?

After reading multiple threads on here, it seems like most people get around 320 to the tank(even with lift and tires) I have a 07 dcsb with 5100's@1.75 and 265/75's. I am only getting around 240 when my light comes on? I set cruise control to and from work at 75mph. I have tried Seafoam to clean out injectors, I dont carry anything in the bed or even a spare. Is there something I am missing? I know its a truck and the lift and tires hurt the mpg's, but 240 is terrible!! I might as well get a 5.7 Tundra and have a lot more torque and room. But I love my Taco.....

 

The light comes on with 4 gallons left. Its a 21 gallon tank. So If you get 240 miles on 17 gallons thats 14mpg and 296 miles per tank. Its not far off but you might want to check you tire pressure and 75 miles per hour will hurt your milage. Slow it down if you want to see decent MPGs. Goodluck.

 

My comment may be off cause of my fueling habits, but I usually get 250miles/tank. I fill up at the 1/4 mark. I can usually squeeze 50miles/quarter tank and I feel that's great. I don't expect to get "good" mileage. I CC at 65mph though. My pressure 30/32.

 

Try cruising around 70MPH, keep shifts/ crusing revs around 2100 rpms, your MPG's should improve with that.

 

Won't make a huge difference, but did you account for the percentage difference with tire size?

With everything accounted for on my truck I get 21.7mpg all highway. 265/75-16 on duratracs with 1.75" lift in fron and 1" in rear. I've never calculated non highway mileage.

 

I get about 250-260 at 1/4 tank level

 

I would say stay at about 68 mpg and don't use cruise control. I just averaged 245 miles per tank towing a 14 ft trailer loaded with a golf cart and full job box. That is an average of 4 tanks from ri to nc. With 33's.
Like this.


Obvously I do much better without. About 330 a tank only highway and 300 around town.

 

anything over 65mph in these trucks (5th lockup just a smidge under 2000 rpms) I have found EATS gas.

I can set cruise at 65 and have gotten 22+mpg .. typically averaging 20-21 on a long stretch. If i bump it up to 70-72 im down around 17-18


FYI i have P265/75R16 hankook dynapro atm rf10's on my truck, just did a tank of 17.8mpg mostly city / back country roads.

 

A Tundra is not the answer. You will get even worse MPG with a Tundra doing what you are doing. Slow down! You cannot expect reasonable MPG and drive like your going to a fire. At 60, all highway, I have gotten 24 plus and I have a 3 inch lift, stock tires, and a 6 speed manual. That pushes me around the 500 mile per tank mark. I also run between 38 and 40 pounds of air in my tires. Mixed driving, highway and around town, I usually average 22.

 

your still getting better than I get & now that winter blend is here

 

I get around 380 miles before the light comes on and I fill up after 400 miles. I also rarely drive above 65. These trucks are as aerodynamic as bricks.

 

This!! I missed the 75 mph part. That will definitely kill the gas mileage.

 

Mine was even worse and got worse over the past couple years and then I got a CEL with code 420. I noticed you have an 07' so you could easily have a cat going bad or a sensor going bad like I did and when either is going wrong your MPG suffers greatly because the ECU starts doing stupid shit to compensate. Even if you don't have a CEL you can still have a prob but be just above the threshold for the CEL to hit.

 

i see a big difference in my MPGs from 75mph to 65mph. like around 16 at 75, and closer to 20 at 65. that will be a big diff. also, you may have "winter gas" already in your area which will hurt the MPGs. like mademan said, check your tire pressure. also are you up to date on other maintenance? oil changes, spark plugs, etc...

 

I drive at 60 MPH if the highway permits. If there are a lot of vehicles and you are getting passed frequently, then you obviously should go the speed limit. But driving at 60 MPH and shifting at ~1700RPM (2000 if people are behind me) I can get 24 easily, but then again I have H/Ts that account for about 1-2 MPG.

Also, try to lose at least 1/4 of your speed by coasting and the rest by brake. You don't have to gas it anywhere near a stoplight or turn.

 

When's the last time you did a real tune-up? Plugs and all?

I beat up my '06 and I have a lift, mud tires, roof rack and RTT and I get 280 before my light comes on, so something is amiss with your truck. New plugs always gets it back up to par.

If you're not mechanically inclined to start troubleshooting it yourself, take it in and have a diagnostic run to make sure your sensors are reading at right tolerances, no vacuum leaks, etc etc etc things that a scanner might pick up. You have a 7 year old truck now, so it's going to be less efficient than a new one now.

 

Wow thanks for the rapid responses guys! I will try to slow her down a bit and see how much better I can get. I want to go to 255's(33) here soon too lol. But it might not make much of a difference since its a skinny tire. Does anybody have a side by side of a Taco sitting on 265/75 and 255's?

 

Winter blend for the win!

 

God I hope its not a cat!! Arent they like a grand to replace?? As far as tune up, I do my plugs every 30k, and Im really anal when it comes to maintenance.

 

You have a v6, get used to it is all I can say, these trucks aren't mileage queens, my first gen 3.4 v6 averages 15mpg, I blame the shitty winter gas and the fact that I need to be in 4wd a lot more often lately. I get just shy under 200 miles per tank on that currently, but my truck only has an 18 gallon tank as well.

Anything above 65mph starts to kill the mileage on these trucks, I run 75 down the highway too just cause I like to get there faster, but my wallet doesn't appriciate it much.