Poor Mileage

Bf Goodrich all terrain 285. The tires that were on it before were the big Sky mud tires. 285 as well. I would like to put a cold air intake on soon to help a little. And ito probably help if I didn't drive it like I'm in a Baja race.

 

Yeah, if it was going down before the tires, then something else. Tune up on these trucks is pretty easy. No cap, rotors, spark plug wires, or fuel filters to deal with. Just plugs and engine air filter.

 

A cold air intake won't do anything for the gas mileage. If the truck is running well a plug change will be marginal. Stop driving like your in a Baja race will have the biggest effect.

 

Melissa

Are you compensating for tire size in your mpg calculations? 32.5/ 30.5 X miles driven/ gallons pumped?

 

Yes. Just figured these toyota trucks got shitty mileage

 

I bought this truck when I lived in Billings. I purchased it from Denny Menholt on the west end

 

Not all get terrible mileage. I currently average 20 mpgs. When I first got it with the factory tire size I was getting 22 mpg.

 

Yes. Stop driving it hard and change out those plugs. You should be on your 3rd set by now - every 30k.

 

If you're running the stock copper plugs and haven't changed them yet at 66k miles, then I bet that's a big part of your problem.

 

Yes I have to get a tune up because they haven't been changed yet in the life of the truck...

 

I am averaging 19.5-19.7mpg it the last 5 tanks of fuel. Mine is an 4.0l automatic. Mine has been leveled. I would definitely check the air filter, plugs, etc.

 

The air filter was a little while ago, but I'm gonna change it when the tune up is done.

 

The best mileage I've ever got was 15 in town, whether I drive like a granny or not.

 

Welcome to the forum Melissa.

Which brand stations do you use to fill up, if you don't mind?

I might have over looked it, since so many asked, but what is you current tire pressure, with the tires cold?

Most everyone else covered the basics of what is needed to cover a good tune up, so no need to go there.

 

I use Murphy USA, Shell, 7 Eleven and Wawa. I'm not sure what the current tire pressure is. I just got my tires rotated and balanced. They over filled the tires so my husband let some out.
The mileage has been going downhill for at least the last 6 months. It's just terrible now so I gotta get it in.

 

A 30 mile commute into town and back burns almost a quarter tank. ( round trip)

 

The only way to accurately calculate MPG is to fill up until the nozzle automatically shuts off. When its time to fill up again calculate the gallons filled with the miles driven. An example would be 298 miles divided by 17.63 gallons filled. Once you arrive at that number if you have 33 inch tires you multiply that number by 1.05. 298 divided by 17.63 equals 16.90 then multiply by 1.05 equals 17.74. The extra calculation is to compensate for the difference in the odometer with a larger tire. In my case that is 5%.

The changing of the plugs will not make a noticeable difference in MPG unless the plugs are extremely worn. That effects emissions. The air filter loading will not effect MPG unless extremely loaded up as the computer will compensate for loading of the filter.

Fuel can cause some degrading of MPG since some fuel contains less additives or quality of additives. The freshness of the fuel is also a factor. Top Tier fuels will normally contain better additives which will deliver slightly better MPG. I get better MPG with Mobil or BP.

The best fuel economy is retained by reduction of throttle response from stopping. If you do a lot of stop and go and your RPM's go above 2000 each time you will consume a greater amount of fuel. Another way to save some fuel is to use full synthetics in differential, motor, etc..

 

Around town I only get between 15-17, I dont drive like a grandpa like the guys that get 20+mpg plus.

It's your all terrains and larger tires guaranteed. You can change the sparks but Im willing to bet that wont due squat to improve your mpg

 

@sgtnewundies , you knew exactly where I was headed with the brand of fuel.

@Msmith89 , I highly recommend against any grocery store gas station. They do not have the same high standards or additives as sgt mentioned. Gas mileage dropping as a result of potentially to much water in their gas, higher ethanol content, and to much debris/sediment in their storage tanks which will clog filters.