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MPG improvements?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by Devo4x4, Nov 28, 2022.

  1. Nov 30, 2022 at 9:04 AM
    #41
    nd4spdbh

    nd4spdbh Well-Known Member

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    This. I went from 265/75R16 LT load range C AT tires (Cooper Discover AT3) at 47 Lbs a tire with most of its weight in tread depth (outer edge of the tire), to the same size 265/75R16 SL rated Michelin LTX M/S tires at 40lbs and noticed an INSTANT difference in how much easier the truck accelerated and decelerated... and thats only 7 lbs a tire and a tire that rolls easier.

    And those "road" Michelin LTX M/S tires have gotten me everywhere I have wanted, and are WAAAAYYY better on icy / snowy roads than any AT tire.
     
    Woofer2609[QUOTED] likes this.
  2. Nov 30, 2022 at 9:06 AM
    #42
    My4thTacoma

    My4thTacoma Pain Don't Hurt

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    wow, i didnt realize the larger tires would make THAT much of a difference!
     
  3. Nov 30, 2022 at 9:16 AM
    #43
    My4thTacoma

    My4thTacoma Pain Don't Hurt

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    oh great. i plan on doing a 2/1 lift with the same size tires. im currently averaging 20-21 mpg so i guess once i get the lift and slightly larger than stock tires i will be around the same as you
     
  4. Nov 30, 2022 at 1:34 PM
    #44
    TacoFergie

    TacoFergie Well-Known Member

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    I don't get too hung up on MPG's unless they are really low and potentially indicating there is an issue. My 2015 DCLB has never gotten 20mpg, but I am lucky to have other cars so it's not my daily. It is used when I need to load something in the bed, go off road, when I need to tow, recover a stuck vehicle or if I just feel like driving it. I have an 01 Outback beater car thats worth more totaled out than I paid for it (the snow rig), 91 MR2 NA when it's nice out (24-27mpg 70/30 city highway with plenty of spirited driving) and my Victory motorcycle that gets 34-40mpg even though I twist throttle quite a bit. So the Taco has 60k and I bought it in mid 2016 with 21k. Yup, 39k in 6 yrs.

    My driving consists of roughly 60/40 city/interstate. I have tracked my fuel since day 1 on Fuelly. No commutes on 55mph county highways. City driving is mostly light footed acceleration and keeping pace with surrounding traffic (usually 5 over). Interstate is usually 65, 70 or 75 mph depending on the interstate I am on. One driving habit that I know hurts my fuel economy is merging on the interstate because I make sure I am up to speed by the time I am merging, or at least the speed of traffic. That is probably my BIGGEST pet peeve when people merge at 40-45mph on an interstate that has 65mph+ speed limits, causes so many issues. UGGH! lol

    Keep in mind when seeing my MPG ratings that I mostly use the Taco for truck thinks like stated above.
    - 16-18mpg - Stock 17" TRD Sport wheels and tires.
    - 14-17mpg - Installed 3rd gen TRD Off Road suspension which adds a little bit of lift, 17" FN Six Shooters (20.5lbs) and 265/70R17 SL Duratracs (42lbs). Even though they are slightly taller, they weren't much heavier overall with the FN's being lighter than stock and the SL Duratracs are reasonably light too. There wasn't a noticeable difference in acceleration either.
    -Then I got HPTuners done by JustDSM and I think it improved by about .5mpg, but that's negligible and many factors could change that.
    - 12.5-16mpg - Now I have 6112's and its about 2-2.5" taller than stock and 33x10.50R17 Kenda Klever RT's (62lbs). I drive with a lighter foot than before too. At almost 85lbs per corner and more agressive tread, it absolutely takes a lot more effort to move those 33's!! Even maintaining speed on the interstate takes noticeably more effort when going up inclines compared to the Duratracs. I fully expected and understood this when I got them, but it's still surprising how much of an affect they have.

    Winter is a different story depending on how cold it is. In IA it's usually 25F or below and we often see cold streaks where highs barely get above 0F. I have also found that I get about 1mpg or slightly better using 91 vs 87 or 89. Since I don't drive it much, I use premium in it and usually top tier to help keep things clean.

    I don't personally believe in those pedal commander do-hickies since all they do is take your pedals output voltage, run it through a pre-determined amplifier or attenuator and spit out a voltage for the ECM to open or close the throttle based on that. At $300, I'd rather spend the extra $250 or so and get a proper tune (HPTuners) that also vastly improves the transmission characteristics.
     
  5. Nov 30, 2022 at 1:41 PM
    #45
    tarbal255

    tarbal255 Well-Known Member

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    I've always been curious how much help a full belly skid plate would help with mpg. I recall reading about some ecomodders who played with belly pans and found the best for mpg was a full center tray. Of course that was on a sedan and not a truck that's 2 feet in the air.
     
    nd4spdbh likes this.
  6. Nov 30, 2022 at 1:54 PM
    #46
    Woofer2609

    Woofer2609 Getting better all the time.

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    I've often wondered the same thing. From what I've read, air going underneath a vehicle is as responsible for drag as air going over the top of said vehicle.
     
  7. Nov 30, 2022 at 4:00 PM
    #47
    nd4spdbh

    nd4spdbh Well-Known Member

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    Honey - I got these skid plates to improve MPG's in the name of the environment babe.
     
    wi_taco, Boco10, NCCarlsbad and 2 others like this.
  8. Nov 30, 2022 at 6:16 PM
    #48
    YF_Ryan

    YF_Ryan Well-Known Member

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    Icon Coil Overs. Deaver U402 Stage 3 Leafs w/ Bilstein 5160s. ARB Deluxe Bull Bar. Fuel Boost wheels w/ Wrangler Duratracs. Brute Force Fab Sliders & HC Rear Bumper w/swingout
    I can improve my mileage by 7mpg ... by simply unloading all this stuff :)

    upload_2022-11-30_18-14-26.jpg

    6 mpg at 80-ish made that tank of gas disappear REALLY fast... dropping to 65 got me back to 8 mpg. Usually around 12.5-13.5 if i'm unloaded and have some freeway miles.
     
    PascoTaco69 and MarX like this.
  9. Nov 30, 2022 at 6:27 PM
    #49
    TacoTuesday1

    TacoTuesday1 Well-Known Member

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    OP here’s your options.

    Got wildpeak tall skinny 33”? Good luck they only come in Load E.

    Lift, tires, armor, cold engine temp reduces MPG. The 1GRFE is a basic caveman engine not designed for efficiency. That’s why it has few moving parts and doesn’t get a check engine light once in 10+ years 160k mi

    get a Ford Ranger with a turbo that actually has heated mirrors to not be blind during winter.

    Or move to where gas is $2-3
    invent a product. Go on shark tank. Start company.
    get raise at job. Find better job.
    your challenge is not unique. We all face the same thing

    off roading? Got skids? Sliders? 200lb shell?
    goodbye MPG
    Or revert to stock so next time you want to enjoy scenic trails in nature you bang the hell up out of the underside. It’s one or the other can’t have both.
    Even dream trucks like Raptors and TRX; it’s not 30MPG

    there is no magic product magnet gimmick to put in your oil filter to add 3mpg. If there was companies would install it.


    this makes me want one now.

    I actually know how to drive. Can opposite lock drift in the rain 3rd gear steering with the gas no traction control.
    (Something they literally require children to be able to do in Finland)
    So a gas pedal that actually does what you tell it to, sounds useful. Especially for off road applications.

    even though my truck is manual the way you describe it still sounds useful. Or even maybe an ECU tune as well. I already have cam gear upgrade
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2022
    YF_Ryan likes this.
  10. Dec 2, 2022 at 3:37 PM
    #50
    TacoTyusday

    TacoTyusday Well-Known Member

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    LOl i've got winch, steel bumpers, underarmor, side steps, GFC platform camper....

    terrified to go with 35's because I don't want to see MPG dip below 10 lmao. I also daily ride a motorcycle which costs about 1/4 the gas for the same distance.
     
    fatfurious2 likes this.
  11. Dec 3, 2022 at 6:39 AM
    #51
    ace96

    ace96 Well-Known Member

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    AVS bug deflector, Weathertech digital fit floor mats, TRD skid plate w/ Sockmonkey decal, SOS Cocept sliders w/ Line-x, Pioneer 3500, Hybrid Audio Technology Mirus 6X9s & 6.5s, back up cam mod, Wet Okoles-front & rear, TRD exhaust, 17X9 XD Spy w/ Falken Wildpeaks, Avid light bar

     
  12. Dec 3, 2022 at 7:01 AM
    #52
    GorgeRunner

    GorgeRunner Out There

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    Drive slower
     
  13. Dec 3, 2022 at 8:49 AM
    #53
    winkel

    winkel Well-Known Member

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    Lol, this dude is spot on.
    I just went up to a 265/75-16 Falken Wildpeak from a Michelin 245/75-16. I've been running Micelins for years but wanted a 'boob job' for my truck. Damned if she don't look prettier.

    BUT, I did lose 1 or 2 mpg, but also have to consider the fact that the odometer is off a little from what it was before, when checking mpg. I have a 4.0L, six speed manual and just got back from Michigan yesterday, travelling for business. I was bucking a decent head wind and running about 75, and got about 17 MPG.

    I really wanted to go with the 235/85-16, but I'll be damned if I'm going to buy E-rated tires again. I had E-rated Michelin Defenders on my old T-100 and they made that little truck ride like shit. The hell of it is, with an E-rated Michelin, on a small truck, you're going to live with them for a while! I think I could get 70,000 miles out of a set of Michelins on that truck.

    My new Falkens are P-rated and are a little heavier than my previous tire simply because they are bigger, but they do ride nice.
     
    2015WhiteOR likes this.
  14. Dec 3, 2022 at 3:25 PM
    #54
    No Shoes Nation

    No Shoes Nation Well-Known Member

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    Hmm . . . none as yet, that's why i'm here . . .
    less weight . . . you could probably drop 130 pounds or so real quick, let the wife out.
     
  15. Dec 3, 2022 at 3:58 PM
    #55
    Woofer2609

    Woofer2609 Getting better all the time.

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    Unless your wife is attached to one of your wheels, you won't notice much of a performance gain as passengers are non rotating, sprung weight.
    In addition, your wife's probably not going to be very happy.
     
    IslandBoyTaco likes this.
  16. Dec 3, 2022 at 6:10 PM
    #56
    Boco10

    Boco10 Well-Known Member

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    Lighten up by removing spare tire and tools. Pick up can of fix a flat. Keep minimum amount of gas in tank.
     
  17. Dec 3, 2022 at 6:41 PM
    #57
    b_r_o

    b_r_o Gnar doggy

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    Remove oil cap, park Prius underneath oil cap, re-install oil cap
     
  18. Dec 3, 2022 at 7:05 PM
    #58
    Trouble_The_Tacoma

    Trouble_The_Tacoma Well-Known Member

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    Are you doing your math right?

    Are you calculating for the larger tire size because 33s are 8.5% bigger in diameter. 245/75-16 stock tires are 30.47" diameter. And you're on 33s. 33 divided by 30.47 = 1.08. So if you drove 250mi on one tank of gas, you'd have to multiply the 250 by 1.08 first then divide by gallons used. So 250 * 1.08 = 270 miles actually driven. Then you'd do your dividing by gallons. So if you used 15 gallons that's 18mpg instead of 16.667mpg. OR You could take 16.667mpg and multiply it by 1.08 (16.667 X 1.08 = 18mpg)

    You could also take your current mpg 13.5 and multiple it by 1.08 which would give you 14.58mpg actually. And that's pretty decent for lift and big tires.
     
    awylie0321 likes this.
  19. Dec 3, 2022 at 7:15 PM
    #59
    TacoFergie

    TacoFergie Well-Known Member

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    Weight in the bed or with people isn't going to make a significant difference in fuel economy. That's within reason of course. A few hundred pounds isn't going to change mileage a whole lot. Drag will affect it much more. I've put 500-600lbs of stuff in the bed under the tonneau cover and noticed little to no difference. Put my 250lb dirt bike in the bed and BAM, 1-2 mpg loss at 70mph. Pulling my dads V-Nose 6x10 Stealth Mustang trailer (1100lbs empty) that's almost 8' tall I get 9-10mpg filled or empty. Truck struggles to do 70mph, so I stick to 60-65mph with that.

    Moral of the story, lift and taller tires make it thirsty. But it looks sooo much better! For better mpg, stick with stock size or 1 size up since stock is an oddball and as SL load rating. On top of that, use a highway or all season tread that has less rolling resistance. I haven't looked into more narrow tread, but I'm sure that would help too. Tire weight and rolling resistance will make the biggest difference though.
     
    Woofer2609 likes this.
  20. Dec 4, 2022 at 10:47 AM
    #60
    replica9000

    replica9000 Das ist no bueno

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    You need a Fuel Shark in combination with the Vortex Fuel Maximizer Performance Saver and make your Prius friends jealous...
    This effectively reduces the weight of your wallet and your vehicle will be lighter, saving fuel. Please allow 100% margin of error.

    61MFmdPwj0L._AC_SL1500_.jpg crw-1600h-1000a-cc-6-2.jpg
     
    essjay likes this.

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