15mpg HWY?!?

I hope that's miles.... hahah Brain fart on my part.

 

On the 4.0, yes.
Copper plugs every 30k.
2.7 gets Iridium plugs every 120k.

Cost works out the same.

 

That's exactly right on the 6 speed. That short overdrive spins that big engine just about as fast as the 5 speed on the four cylinder. 75 mph is what, 2700 rpm?

Mine would get 21-23 mpg as long as I stayed on rural roads. Once I hit the freeway, it was guaranteed to be under 17 mpg, and sometimes as low as 14 mpg.

 

I took mine once on a new toll road here in Texas with 85mph speed limit. Set the cruise at about 89 and just watched the gas gauge go down. I think I got less than 14mpg on that tank. That was when the truck was stock too. I had to slow down a little, it kept downshifting trying to maintain that speed on any little incline.

Also have taken a road trip where I was driving in to a pretty strong headwind almost the whole way. Got less than 15mpg out of that tank too.

Lots of factors can easily hurt MPGs on these trucks.

 

I got 21.6 on last tank commuting @ 65 mph. Going to Florida @ 80 mph on IH it was 18 to 19. I was loaded with 3 people and gear. Dirty air filter might hurt power but not MPGs unless extremely dirty. I would pull a plug. Bad plugs will definitely hurt mileage.

 

Yeah ive found pretty much the same as these guys are telling you OP. Make sure its tuned up, but the best way to get mileage out of a Tacoma is to be EASY on the skinny pedal!

 

I get 20.5 on my relatively stock v6 6spd 4x4 access cab going 65 mph with a slight or no head wind. Somewhere in the 18's at 75mph.

Works for me.

 

Should have bought a prius

 

No mods will help MPG.

 

This is probably dumb to say, but there is one thing that really effects MPG on these trucks that I have discovered. I used to run the cheapest gas available, but this truck really benefits from at least 89 octane. It made a big difference in my MPG, at least 2mpg.

 

Yeah im going to mid grade next fill up and see how it does. Ive always been a cheapy at the pump, but i gotta give it a try.

 

X2

 

Meh, I get 15 with a headwind and 17 with no wind. I'm used to it. Besides I only drive mine on the weekends since company wants me to drive theirs and pay for the gas lol

 

My 6 speed double cab got 16mpg last fill up. I would say it was 80-90% highway.

6 speed drinks fuel.

This is on mid grade. I see 1-2 mpg increase with mid grade.

 

Not dumb at all and 100% correct. If you look at the FJ's that were sold with the same exact engine Toyota recommended mid grade.

Ive been told by people way smarter than I that with a compression ratio that these engines have you should not run regular.

 

I have been getting 22 consisitently and 23 latley with the change over from winter to summer gas with a 50 miles commute every day at 55- 60 mph. this is with a 2011 double cab v6 auto 6' box an a tannou cover.

 

These people aren't way smarter than you. With the advent of fuel injection, onboard computers that control spark advance and timing, and variable valve timing (among other tricks), there are many things that determine what fuel your engine requires other than compression ratio. I'd use non-ethanol fuel if I could find it, but I'm not going to pay a hefty premium for it that negates any mileage gains I realize from it.

 

that's just the only thing from the conversation I can remember.

 

The V6 can benefit slightly from premium, but the main thing is to buy fuel that contains less (or no!) ethanol.

Ethanol belongs in my glass, not the fuel tank.

+1

Modern EFI engines' computer control system compensates for a dirty air filter. Old carb'd engines, when the filter got dirty, the engine would suck more fuel from the bowl because of the higher vacuum. Not so now. The ECU measures the airflow and supplies the proper amount of fuel.
Power may drop off, but the mixture will remain correct.

 

The 4.0 is designed and optimized for premium.
The system will compensate for "regular" but at the expense of MPG and power.

But yes... ethanol-free trumps ANY octane increase.