Better MPG for a 03 V8 4runner

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Oilfield Trash

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I've recently purchased a used 03 V8 4runner. Pretty decent shape, 162k miles. I drive to / from work 900 miles one way. Needed a more fuel friendly vehicle than my Ford F-350 at 14 mpg on a good day.

I knew going in that things would need to be done to the 4runner. Just had the timing belt / water pump done. Fresh hoses etc. next will be plugs, filters etc.

Currently I'm upset that my ford gets better mileage than the 4runner. I've taken the 4runner to work once and it got 11-13mpg. Not happy about that. I'm not expecting 19-20mpg on an 03, but over 16 mpg would be nice.

So: what are some maintenance issues I can do, any mods to increase mpg. I observe good driving habits, and not expecting miracles. But if I can't get better mileage than a 1 ton ford, I'll need to get rid and get something else that gets the mileage and has decent off road 4wd.
 
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Oilfield Trash said:
I've recently purchased a used 03 V8 4runner. Pretty decent shape, 162k miles. I drive to / from work 900 miles one way. Needed a more fuel friendly vehicle than my Ford F-350 at 14 mpg on a good day.

I knew going in that things would need to be done to the 4runner. Just had the timing belt / water pump done. Fresh hoses etc. next will be plugs, filters etc.

Currently I'm upset that my ford gets better mileage than the 4runner. I've taken the 4runner to work once and it got 11-13mpg. Not happy about that. I'm not expecting 19-20mpg on an 03, but over 16 mpg would be nice.

So: what are some maintenance issues I can do, any mods to increase mpg. I observe good driving habits, and not expecting miracles. But if I can't get better mileage than a 1 ton ford, I'll need to get rid and get something else that gets the mileage and has decent off road 4wd.
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Unless you have over sized tires, you should be getting at least 14 to 16 MPG in city driving and on the freeway if you keep it under 65 MPH you should be getting at least 19 to 20 MPG, any faster you will drop 1 to 2 MPG, does it still have the stock exhaust(?), I know some who have changed the exhaust to a free flowing muffler, etc. have experience a drastic drop in MPG because it seems to a lost of back pressure, something is not quite right with your 4Runner IMHO!
 
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AuSeeker said:
Unless you have over sized tires, you should be getting at least 14 to 16 MPG in city driving and on the freeway if you keep it under 65 MPH you should be getting at least 19 to 20 MPG, any faster you will drop 1 to 2 MPG, does it still have the stock exhaust(?), I know some who have changed the exhaust to a free flowing muffler, etc. have experience a drastic drop in MPG because it seems to a lost of back pressure, something is not quite right with your 4Runner IMHO!
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I'll check on the exhaust. It has oversized pirelli scorpion mtr tires, those will be changed out next month with a set of ATs
 
DMX512 said:
Frozen calipers?
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I agree, check that you don't have any of the calipers sticking/frozen, easy way to check is with a IR thermometer, check each rim/rotor after a decent drive, if you find any that are way higher in temperature than the other/s it most likely has a frozen caliper and will affect the MPGs.
 
my bone stock 05 v8 is right around 15 in city and it gets around 19 at steady 50mph, 65 highway 17-18
this is by the on board display not sure how accurate it is....definitely not a vehicle that had mpgs high on the engineering list.
love the power and throttle response and drive 7 miles to work gas mileage doesn't matter to me.
 
CXS said:
Sorry you didn't check the mpg's before buying. These trucks aren't economical.
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In general, are trucks even suppose to be economical ???? Thats why its hard to find a hybrid truck, they aren't suppose to be economical for MPG in the first place.
 
I have a completely stock 2004 V8 with right at 145,000 miles on it and get at least the mileage I stated in my first reply in this topic but usually it even better, the best highway MPG I have gotten was 23 MPG at an average of 60 MPH, and that's not going with what the display says, I figure my mileage by how many miles I go and how much fuel was used when I fill up, the display shows I would be getting around 2 more MPG than what I posted above.
 
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Oilfield Trash said:
I did check. I needed more economical than a 1 ton ford. And from what I researched, a 4runner should be.
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What size are your tires, what wheels are you running, does it have a lift, and how are you calculating your fuel mileage?

11~13mpg sounds a bit low... I'm pulling about 11~12mpg on mine with 35's and mods.

Stock should be getting around 14~16 around town depending, probably about 16~18 freeway.

Post Note-

How much of that corn crap are you guys using in Arkansas? The ethanol stuff is crap fuel for mileage.
 
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If you've got aftermarket exhaust that could definitely be cutting you back. My 03 v8 4wd dropped from about 16 around town to 12 after putting a Flowmaster on.
 
kevinRR said:
A tune up would probably help out a lot. And it also depend on the way you drive. I try not to floor it all the time like my DSM.
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I agree on both notes, I try to stay under 2500 RPMs at maximum, and usually 1600/2100 RPM maximum at gear shift points to get the mileage I get, I do on occasion stomp on it because I love how the V8 feels under power and I do it also to keep from to much buildup within the engine but the MPGs suffer badly just doing it one or twice a week so for the most part I drive easy but by no means the slowest driver on the road not many drivers past me on the road, I do like to get where I'm going in a timely manner!!
 
900 miles one way? You need to move first of all. And if you wanted fuel efficiency the 4runner is not it. Although, if you consider its typically less than 15k to get into one, its actually quite an efficient vehicle. You'll need to put close to nothing in it except for consumables and it will go well past 300k with basic good care. You need to think and look big picture - the 4th gen 4runner is great value for money. That, plus gas is not that expensive these days.

These posts crack me up, you figure the 4runner would be a more fuel efficient vehicle, knowing up front the mpg that it gets. Maybe 1 or 2 mpg better than your Ford, but don't expect miracles from a body on frame SUV. Don't EVER buy or sell a car for fuel efficiency, there's much more to a car purchase than that.

Sounds like you should have bought a civic :cheer2:
 
Dexter Morgan said:
900 miles one way? You need to move first of all. And if you wanted fuel efficiency the 4runner is not it. Although, if you consider its typically less than 15k to get into one, its actually quite an efficient vehicle. You'll need to put close to nothing in it except for consumables and it will go well past 300k with basic good care. You need to think and look big picture - the 4th gen 4runner is great value for money. That, plus gas is not that expensive these days.

These posts crack me up, you figure the 4runner would be a more fuel efficient vehicle, knowing up front the mpg that it gets. Maybe 1 or 2 mpg better than your Ford, but don't expect miracles from a body on frame SUV. Don't EVER buy or sell a car for fuel efficiency, there's much more to a car purchase than that.

Sounds like you should have bought a civic :cheer2:
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Responses like yours are the reason people do not join forums and / or leave after they do. I thins if you had read my post, you would have understood that I was not wanting miracles. Was wanting better than the vehicle I drove previously. I guess either reading or comprehension is an issue here. Now, working in the oilfield as a consultant, I work all over. So moving is not going to happen. Back to my OP: I was only asking how to get better mileage out of my used 4 runner than I am currently getting, and better than my ford. Which a 4 runner new or used should eaaily do. No miracles. No pixie dust. No unreal expectations. Just a novice asking experts what to check and do. Not asking smart ass' to opine jackass remarks.
 
Oilfield Trash said:
Responses like yours are the reason people do not join forums and / or leave after they do. I thins if you had read my post, you would have understood that I was not wanting miracles. Was wanting better than the vehicle I drove previously. I guess either reading or comprehension is an issue here. Now, working in the oilfield as a consultant, I work all over. So moving is not going to happen. Back to my OP: I was only asking how to get better mileage out of my used 4 runner than I am currently getting, and better than my ford. Which a 4 runner new or used should eaaily do. No miracles. No pixie dust. No unreal expectations. Just a novice asking experts what to check and do. Not asking smart ass' to opine jackass remarks.
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You need thicker skin.
 
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