Not ANOTHER!?! 6sp fuel mileage thread.

Damn, I dont feel so bad about my mileage now.

Mines a V6 6 speed OR access cab on 265/75 AT3s. Pretty stock save for the 5100s up front and AAL out back.

I was getting around 18.5 MPG mixed in the summer. Im currently getting 16.5 MPG mixed now that its cold out. Im sure letting the truck warm up each morning and winter blend gas has is the reason for the drop.

 

General driving i do not shift it high, every now and then the skinny pedal gets the best of me, but i cruise pretty low rpm's and generally 55-65 unless im late.

Im sure that some people will be getting better just based off the fact they have less spirited driving habbits than myself but still, With identical habbits my 2012 was v6 auto 4x4 was getting much better, not just a little better mpg.

also even towing is worse.

for math i use fuelly now, by odometer and fill ups.. But for instant refference i have a scangauge II in the truck.

I was getting 15-16 city and 19-20 hwy ish before this last few tanks.. which is what i expected for normal driving from this truck.

I run range D 265/75r16 gaurd dogs, so that is a hit on the fuel.. But i ran the same tires on my 2008, and i drove the dog shit out of that poor truck.

 

I let the truck get some oil going and hit about 70-100 degrees before i drive it but i dont let it sit and warm up.. Just drive extra nice untill it does of course.

I would not complain with your mileage. Thats close to what i got in the 2012 auto.

Not that im really complaining too much, i planned on it sucking so

 

Your story sounds like mine i appreciate the tire comments.

I run range D now, i would guess they are close to wieght of the 235/85r16 range E tires..

My last set was also range E but in 265/75r16.. i know they wiegh more and ride rough but they are much tougher. I would preffer to not blow any tires or bust the cords on this truck in the future

 

I have a scan gauge II i could pretty easilly get 40mpg in my supercharged rolla on road trips (42 was the highest average i got from chicago to davenport iowa) but very easily could get 18-19 mpg from the same car on the boost.

and i have fun from time to time but generally this is the slowest i have driven any vehicle so far.

I even drove 500 miles straight on the way home at 55mph and only did 1mpg better than the return trip going 75-85 mph. This is on my fuelly page, i was towing both ways and im sure it comes down to the happiest power band on that difference with the wieght..

 

Oh and i live in the Flint Hills region, its not flat.. No mountains but its not flat.

 

I think you just had the golden statement.

My truck was just in for the 10k service. I bet toyota dropped my tire pressure to "spec"... idiots.. i will check that tonight, that would deffinately have an effect on the last 1700 miles.

 

Nice, ill have to start adding more notes to mine like you did that is pretty sweet.

I do a lot of hauling and a good amount of towing, so my fuelly (lifetime) average now is 12.8 but obviously my drive to work is a little better than that.

I went to figure out the tire size correction and for whatever reason the new set of 265/75r16 tires put my odometer correct. I drove a few hundred mile with the odometer and used my gps trip meter and it was less than 1 mile off so i called it good.

 

how bigs your gas tank?

Prolly going to be buying a 6cyl 6speed soon to replaced my 4 banger once the insurance co (hopefully) totals it. Want the extra power for the amount of times a year i tow. Hopwfully my non towing mpg is better than this. High teens and im happy. Hopefully you find some improvement

 

hahah sorry, 500 miles in one trip. it was 3 tanks worth of gas.

 

Towing will kill your mileage. Winter tires and fuel does not help but I still get 18 in the winter (no towing).

 

I let mine warm up for a good 20 minutes in the mornings before work.

After seeing what other people are getting, I cant complain.

 

That sounds right. I also get a 2 mpg drop in winter.


Is your wheel diameter stock? When I had off road tires on my truck, I had to correct for the 13% larger diameter over the OEM wheels when computing my gas mileage.


Greg

 

No stock was 265/70r16 I have been running 265/75r16 gaurd dogs. They are allowed a percentage for a margin of error on the odometer and mine was wrong before the tires.. but someone else's truck may be different on that amount.

When I ran 285/70r17 it was off. Didn't really affect my mpg much on the highway at least.. but the tires were terrible nitto's and it did hurt the power for towing.

For the other poster.. I towed my older trailer @1900 lbs plus the play truck and gear etc and at 55 in 5th gear and 60 in 6th with downshifting on the bigger hills I would average about 11.5-12.5 for the trip. That was best case..

Now nit worried about fuel economy the 6spd is great for towing.. I usually plan for 10mpg and thats close to between 9-12 I tend to get. If you drive the hills it will not hold 6th gear on bigger ones but does not require near as much shifting as my auto did. Also my 4cyl truck regularly pulled the wieght this one does but with the 6 its soo much happier.

If you use the cruise control while towing it will cut out after you lose 10 mph so it can catch you off gaurd on a big hill or long grade if your cruising slow in 6th.

 

Warming your truck gets you exactly zero miles to the gallon. It is better to get in it and go if your using 5W30 the oil is ready to go at -47* 10-30 just slightly higher minimum temp.

 

Oil is not the only concern, but i don't like to let it sit and reach full operating temperature like some people. I just start it and let it reach around 70 degrees on the water temp. Which is done by the time i clean the frost etc off the windows far enough to drive it

 

Ill deal with the drop in mileage to be comfortable on my ride to work

 

Have you checked your air pressure in your tires? I usually run about 3 pounds over what's spec'd in the door jamb. My commute is about 10 miles one way with 3 or 4 lights. If the ground is level I drop it in 6th around 35 - 40 mph. I average around 18 - I haven't towed yet.

 

I normally run 45/40 in the tires, which are range D max pressure @ 60 and i used sidewalk chalk to find the wear pattern for those pressures.

BUT Toyota dropped the tires to the door jamb spec at the 10k service, its been too cold the last 2 days since i figured it out to mess with it. big dummies.