Fuel economy terrible at 110km/h+

G

Gouranga

New member
had the 4runnner for a year now (canadian venture)
have 9000km on it

does anyone else have this issue that when driving at 90km/h flat road i get
9-10L/100km

but going 100km/ i get 15L/100km and 110-120km i get 17L/100km

just seems going 90km on a highway is WAY cheaper than going 100km
from 10L to 15L per 100km is a big jump

usually with my other cars highway driving is 2x cheaper than city driving
but in my case highway gives me the worst fuel economy compare to light city driving i live in a small town if im driving 60-80km/H through the town without too many red lights i get 8-9L/100km and can get about 600km to the tank

on highway however i get 450km max.

i was thinking is it my stock venture roofrack causing such bad higher speed Fuel economy because more resistance from the wind vs lower speeds

or is this normal ?

for RPM on highway its exactly at 2.1rpm when driving 110km/h
 
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Anything over 55 freedom units/hour (88 km/h) and your fuel economy is going to plummet quick. Air drag is speed squared so the faster you go your drag increases exponentially. D = Cd * A * .5 * r * V^2.
You're driving a brick aerodynamically.
 
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I find the sweet spot for best fuel economy is around 90-100km/h, especially down a slight decline, its stellar! But yes anything over 110 or 120 and gas savings is literally out the window. Roof rack doesn't help, so if you rarely ever use it, might be a good idea to take it off and see the difference you might find if you often travel on highways.
For me the gas mileage doesn't bother me too much, I know what I got myself into, but then again I don't use it daily either. Something about the 4Runne that makes me not want to drive fast in it, even on highways, and I do love my speed!
 
Gouranga said:
had the 4runnner for a year now (canadian venture)
have 9000km on it

does anyone else have this issue that when driving at 90km/h flat road i get
9-10L/100km

but going 100km/ i get 15L/100km and 110-120km i get 17L/100km

just seems going 90km on a highway is WAY cheaper than going 100km
from 10L to 15L per 100km is a big jump

usually with my other cars highway driving is 2x cheaper than city driving
but in my case highway gives me the worst fuel economy compare to light city driving i live in a small town if im driving 60-80km/H through the town without too many red lights i get 8-9L/100km and can get about 600km to the tank

on highway however i get 450km max.

i was thinking is it my stock venture roofrack causing such bad higher speed Fuel economy because more resistance from the wind vs lower speeds

or is this normal ?

for RPM on highway its exactly at 2.1rpm when driving 110km/h
Click to expand...

if you jump bigger curbs, you will get better gas mileage.
 
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Buba1 said:
I find the sweet spot for best fuel economy is around 90-100km/h, especially down a slight decline, its stellar! But yes anything over 110 or 120 and gas savings is literally out the window. Roof rack doesn't help, so if you rarely ever use it, might be a good idea to take it off and see the difference you might find if you often travel on highways.
For me the gas mileage doesn't bother me too much, I know what I got myself into, but then again I don't use it daily either. Something about the 4Runne that makes me not want to drive fast in it, even on highways, and I do love my speed!
Click to expand...

im gonna be driving from Ottawa to Vancouver so ya prolly take the roofrack down
 
Buba1 said:
I find the sweet spot for best fuel economy is around 90-100km/h, especially down a slight decline, its stellar! But yes anything over 110 or 120 and gas savings is literally out the window. Roof rack doesn't help, so if you rarely ever use it, might be a good idea to take it off and see the difference you might find if you often travel on highways.
For me the gas mileage doesn't bother me too much, I know what I got myself into, but then again I don't use it daily either. Something about the 4Runne that makes me not want to drive fast in it, even on highways, and I do love my speed!
Click to expand...

"Especially down slight decline" -- engages the Gravity Drive.
 
I always get better mileage when I switch units over to mpg, even going uphill over curbs in 2 wheel Hi.
 
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Usually not going over 110. Habit of mine to go places early as heck because I hate feeling rushed. I drive like a 90 year old ever since I switched from my old charger to a 4runner. Didn't buy it for speed
 
you guys are all peasants!!!!......

When i want MPG's...i call myself a flatbed.
 
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Addressed in 2nd post. You are driving a rolling toaster and and air resistance related to speed is a cruelly steep curve.
 
Gouranga said:
had the 4runnner for a year now (canadian venture)
have 9000km on it

does anyone else have this issue that when driving at 90km/h flat road i get
9-10L/100km

but going 100km/ i get 15L/100km and 110-120km i get 17L/100km

just seems going 90km on a highway is WAY cheaper than going 100km
from 10L to 15L per 100km is a big jump

usually with my other cars highway driving is 2x cheaper than city driving
but in my case highway gives me the worst fuel economy compare to light city driving i live in a small town if im driving 60-80km/H through the town without too many red lights i get 8-9L/100km and can get about 600km to the tank

on highway however i get 450km max.

i was thinking is it my stock venture roofrack causing such bad higher speed Fuel economy because more resistance from the wind vs lower speeds

or is this normal ?

for RPM on highway its exactly at 2.1rpm when driving 110km/h
Click to expand...


I think there's something off here. Last summer I drove regularly camping 250km one way with about 200km o highway at 110-120 km/h. My 2010 SR5 was loaded with gear and had canoe on the roof but it had around 13.5L, i.e. for 500km round trip I put under 70 L of gas when I got back.
I had 15L/10km in winter when I drove 9 km to work - truck is barely warmed up when I arriver to the office.
 
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ANoob said:
The lack of a 6th gear hurts too.
Click to expand...

That depends on numerous factors. Are we talking about another gear between the existing 1st gear and 5th gear? and if so what ratio?

Are you talking about an even taller overdrive gear ratio? Then it also depends on if the gearing in the axle diff(s) stays the same.

If it's just an ever taller overdrive gear beyond the existing overdrive 5th gear, then it depends on if the power curve of the engine can pull even taller gearing without lugging excessively, and potentially hurting MPG.

In short, another gear may or may not help, depending on what other changes are made.
 
02SE said:
That depends on numerous factors. Are we talking about another gear between the existing 1st gear and 5th gear? and if so what ratio?

Are you talking about an even taller overdrive gear ratio? Then it also depends on if the gearing in the axle diff(s) stays the same.

If it's just an ever taller overdrive gear beyond the existing overdrive 5th gear, then it depends on if the power curve of the engine can pull even taller gearing without lugging excessively, and potentially hurting MPG.

In short, another gear may or may not help, depending on what other changes are made.
Click to expand...

I meant an over-drive gear. I'm no expert, but you'd think a 4 liter engine could use that.
 
ANoob said:
I meant an over-drive gear. I'm no expert, but you'd think a 4 liter engine could use that.
Click to expand...

The 5th gen 4Runner is already geared tall enough in the current overdrive ratio, that the slightest grade will have it downshifting at highway speeds.

There are a bunch of things that could be done to improve MPG. But most of them also would effect what the 4Runner is, and can do, reliably.

Make it a lowriding CUV, lose a bunch of weight by making everything lighter duty, Direct Injection, small engine with a turbo (likely what the 6th gen 4Runner will be) etc.

The 5th gen is an un-aerodynamic, 5k lb (give or take depending on model and how it's outfitted) brick. The fact that it gets similar MPG to every prior generation of 4Runner, is a testament to Toyota improving efficiency, despite the larger, more powerful vehicle.
 
Hey.

Scrolling through page 55 of 5gen, and ran into this thread.

FWIW - I bought a 2010 LTD with 180,000km on it last October.

After resetting the mpg computer after purchase(was at 13.1L/100km) , after about 5000km , I was now at 15.5L/100km. OOF.

I just changed the spark plugs(OEM Denso SK16HR11 , and gave it a new engine air filter (old one looked ok), I am now avg. 12.5L/100km .

I am very thankful for this forum.
Through the tutorials of others, I have so far done my own:
-oil change
-front+rear+tcase fluids
-spark plugs
-engine and cabin filter

And I’m going to do a tranny fluid And coolant drain and fill in the coming weeks! (have the fluids/pump, etc- just need some idle time)

This forum is a blessing for T4R owners!

Hope this helps.
 
^^^ just to clarify, I forgot to mention:

I did not buy the 4Runner for fuel economy.
I bought it because it’s off-road capable and reliable.

Assuming the highway is open, I am doing 130kmh +/- 5 ….. never slower (traffic permitting)

And after new plugs and engine filter (and fuel system ECU reset, by removing fuse for 30min) I was able to reach 12.3L/100KM on a Toronto to Montreal Trip, there and back, including some MTL city driving.
 
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