othompson824
New member
I'm currently getting around 15-16mpg on stock street tires. I don't know how you're getting that with bigger, all terrain tires, let alone getting 22-25 before.
anything I can do or buy to improve gas mileage!
- Thread starter othompson824
- Start date
I'm currently getting around 15-16mpg on stock street tires. I don't know how you're getting that with bigger, all terrain tires, let alone getting 22-25 before.
AuSeeker
Elite Member
You 2 comparing MPG just might be a apples to oranges comparison, how are ya'll determining the MPG, by the computer readout or by manually calculating the MPG?
If you both are using the computer readout then it's apples to apples, but if one is doing it manually and the other by the readout, then it's apples to oranges, the computer readout on 4TH Gens is always over by 1.5 to 2.5 MPG, so if that 18.4 MPG is what the readout says then in reality it's 15.9 to 16.9 MPG, etc., etc., etc.
othompson824
New member
That's true. When I last calculated the real mpg's it was actually around 14.5 whereas the gauge in the car said 16 :/
Bluesky 07
Senior Member
I've used an app to calculate mileage by the miles traveled divided by gallons method at every fillup for several years now. In the 24K miles tracked since I switched to Fuelly, my mileage ranges from 14.6 (a day of offroading) to 19.6 (highway trip) with an average of 17.2. The dash display tells me it's an overall 19.7. Yeah, no.
I'm on stock size Michelin LTX AT2 tires, which are not an aggressive offroad tire. I was running 32 PSI but recently went to 35. I drive pretty gently, having started during the mid-'70s oil crunch when prices spiked. All this leaves me highly skeptical when I see claims averaging 19-20 MPG and more. I get wanting to maximize mileage, but a 4th Gen pretty much is what it is and anyone buying one might as well accept the MPG reality when they're handed the keys.
I'm on stock size Michelin LTX AT2 tires, which are not an aggressive offroad tire. I was running 32 PSI but recently went to 35. I drive pretty gently, having started during the mid-'70s oil crunch when prices spiked. All this leaves me highly skeptical when I see claims averaging 19-20 MPG and more. I get wanting to maximize mileage, but a 4th Gen pretty much is what it is and anyone buying one might as well accept the MPG reality when they're handed the keys.
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The best thing to buy to better mpg on these things is a fuel efficient daily.
Everything else you will spend money on may yield some slight improvements and efficiencies, but the money you spend will be hard to make back with the said improvements.. If you want to drive an early 2000's SUV you'll have to pay the early SUV prices unfortunately..
Everything else you will spend money on may yield some slight improvements and efficiencies, but the money you spend will be hard to make back with the said improvements.. If you want to drive an early 2000's SUV you'll have to pay the early SUV prices unfortunately..
AuSeeker
Elite Member
It's not just a early 2000 SUV thing on the MPG, the 2022 T4Rs get the same mileage!!
I think the point he was making is the current 4Runner is a 20 year-old design that is 400 lbs heavier than it was when introduced in 2003.
I know, 4th Gen / 5th gen, updates and all. It is still fundamentally the same vehicle as the 2003 model from a mechanical standpoint.
Driving habits & tires have the biggest impact on gas mileage assuming no mechanical issues are present but a few months ago I figured that it might be a good idea to use something that was made for cleaning the catalytic converters on my '04 T4R-they are 18 years old by now. I dumped a bottle of Cataclean in the gas tank and one side effect of doing it was that my gas mileage went from about 16.4 mpg to 19.0 mpg. according to the onboard computer.
AuSeeker
Elite Member
I'm seeing different size bottles of Cataclean , a 16 oz and a 4 oz, what size did you use?
Bluesky 07
Senior Member
I'm sure you will but read some professional reviews of this product. They're mixed to say the least.
Montego Murph
Member
Is Cataclean pretty much the same in this respect as Sea-Foam?
othompson824
New member
I totally forgot about fuel additives. What others are there besides Cataclean that you recommend? And did you only have to use it once?
Bluesky 07
Senior Member
I suspect so, where some people say they went from 17 to 44 MPG and their stereos sound much better while others said their engines fell out as soon as they uncapped the bottle. Exaggerating of course but you get the drift.
I'm simply skeptical of any product that says a bottle (or few) will clean out cats that have 15+ years and 200K worth of whatever gunk cats accumulate inside them. Plus someone pointed out that if this goes in the gas tank, nothing but the burned residue of what's in the bottle even gets to the cats. Went to their site and this is the explanation: "Cataclean creates an acidic vapour of carboxylic acids which will clean the exhaust system including oxygen sensors, EGR valve, catalytic converter and exhaust." Hmmm...
Open to hearing other POVs, that's just my take. Anyone else here have experience with it?
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never used it , or even heard of it, however... I am leaning heavily towards this just being a gimmick. Is there some build-up that occurs in the exhaust system? Sure.. however, I find it hard to believe that most cat failures are a result of a bit of build-up that can magically be broken down by some acidic vapor.
From what I understand, most of the abuse that a converter sees in normal operating conditions (ie: no direct impacts while offroading, bad fuel, excessive oil burning, etc) is thermal shock.. in particular in rigs that don't get to stretch their legs frequently and only see quick trips to the local store and back. That causes thermal stress/cracking and eventual falling apart of the catalyst inside.. I have personally heard old converters filled with broken off bits rattling inside when you pull them off. I highly doubt that some acidic vapor would clean that out
I just don't see any magical potion to be put into the gas tank and clean the system and increase any noticeable MPG unfortunately... best case scenario... you spend the money and it literally does nothing... worst case, you "clean" your fuel injection system by dislodging some build-up and clogging your fuel filter which for sure hasn't been change.
The numbers I gave are confirmed by calculation. Ever since the computers got reset by a very, very dead battery the in dash computer has been surprisingly accurate. I don't understand how it got 25mpg myself which is why I attribute it to the absolutely rock hard tires. I do run my tires at 40-44 psi on road during the summer. Also I kinda drive like a grandma.
It is theoretically possible that "cleaning" the cats could change the downstream emissions in such a way that the computer could run a more efficient fuel table but it could also poison the catalytic converted and destroy it. It's also possible that tricking the ecu with a sudden change in O2 readings could put it in a weird part of the fuel map causing a significant change in fuel economy 1 way or the other but it will probably be short lived as the ecu adjusts to it's new parameters.
Another theory I have about the 25mpg was that it had just arrived to Denver from Florida and the fuel maps might have been operating in weird regions, due to the altitude change, that the ecu has since adjusted for.
It is theoretically possible that "cleaning" the cats could change the downstream emissions in such a way that the computer could run a more efficient fuel table but it could also poison the catalytic converted and destroy it. It's also possible that tricking the ecu with a sudden change in O2 readings could put it in a weird part of the fuel map causing a significant change in fuel economy 1 way or the other but it will probably be short lived as the ecu adjusts to it's new parameters.
Another theory I have about the 25mpg was that it had just arrived to Denver from Florida and the fuel maps might have been operating in weird regions, due to the altitude change, that the ecu has since adjusted for.
This is what I used. Kind of pricy even for 2 bottles but I decided to roll the dice on it and it appears that for once I found an additive that actually works.
Amazon.com: Cataclean (120007-2PK) Fuel and Exhaust System Cleaner - 16 fl. oz., (Pack of 2) : Automotive
No, other than fuel injector cleaners I'm a believer that most additives are pretty much worthless. I think they recommend using it something like 4 times a year.
bob3dsf
New member
Yes, slow down.
ads2539
New member
What he said. Drive like a granny, and never accelerate hard.
A friend of mine started driving slower and not accelerating so hard, and his MPGs went way up (not a 4Runner). I forget the exact numbers, but his MPGs went up at least 50%.
