Gas Mileage Stump

A

aidanyota

New member
Hey! As of recently, I am a new owner of a 1997 Anthracite Metallic, 2wd 4Runner with about 127,000 miles.

After driving around and having fun with her, and recording gas mileage, I've found that I'm getting an average of 16.1 mpg, bone stock. As of right now I am a little stumped as to why this is. I know there a ton of experts on this kind of stuff in the forums.

Before you say anything, I have done a lot of research into this. I've lurked the forums for about a year now, because a 3rd gen was my destined first car/truck :)

If anyone could help me out as to why my gas mileage is lower that would be great! I see lots of T4R's getting 16mpg with 33's and a 3" lift etc... Im feeling like I should be at around 18.

Thank you for your time!
 
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These things were sold when gas was $0.75 per gallon, heh. I have noticed some quirks, like little to no idle fuel cut (if driving at speed and I put it in neutral, just to test, it takes a good 10-15 seconds before the engine truly settles back to idle, which uses more gas).

My wife's 2016 TRDP initially came with dealer-installed 33" MTs on heavy-as-hell 20x10 wheels. Doing my best to maximize efficiency, in the same cobditions, I was getting 23mpg in the 2016 (with those wheels and tires), vs about 17-18 with my 2002. FWIW, going to light weight 17s and modest 32s only made it go up to 24 under the same conditions.
 
aidanyota said:
Hey! As of recently, I am a new owner of a 1997 Anthracite Metallic, 2wd 4Runner with about 127,000 miles.

After driving around and having fun with her, and recording gas mileage, I've found that I'm getting an average of 16.1 mpg, bone stock. As of right now I am a little stumped as to why this is. I know there a ton of experts on this kind of stuff in the forums.
Click to expand...
Gonna need a lot more info here...

Engine? Transmission? Driving conditions? Modifications (wheels, tires, suspension)?

EDIT:
Here's the factory specs: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=13918

15 city / 19 highway

-Charlie
 
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phattyduck said:
Gonna need a lot more info here...

Engine? Transmission? Driving conditions? Modifications (wheels, tires, suspension)?

EDIT:
Here's the factory specs: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=13918

15 city / 19 highway

-Charlie
Click to expand...


The specs for my truck are here:
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=13916

I live in Florida so mainly flat, city driving!
My truck is pretty much bone stock. 28" -ish tires with no suspension modifications, (yet (;)

EDIT: I know, my truck is lame compared to all the 3.4L V6 4WD's out there, don't roast me too hard!
 
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Lindenwood said:
These things were sold when gas was $0.75 per gallon, heh. I have noticed some quirks, like little to no idle fuel cut (if driving at speed and I put it in neutral, just to test, it takes a good 10-15 seconds before the engine truly settles back to idle, which uses more gas).

My wife's 2016 TRDP initially came with dealer-installed 33" MTs on heavy-as-hell 20x10 wheels. Doing my best to maximize efficiency, in the same cobditions, I was getting 23mpg in the 2016 (with those wheels and tires), vs about 17-18 with my 2002. FWIW, going to light weight 17s and modest 32s only made it go up to 24 under the same conditions.
Click to expand...


Ugh, if only we could teleport back to those times... :pray:

Interesting little test you've done there, thank you or the info! 17-18 with your build would be holy!

Love your build by the way :thumb3:
 
My 98 was getting approximately 13mpg with strictly around town driving and approximately 15mpg with a mix of highway and city driving. After I replaced the upstream and downstream 02 sensors, I'm getting much better mileage. With a mix of highway and city, I got around 17mpg. With strictly highway, I got 19mpg.

[MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I will be having a video coming out soon for the O2 Sensor Swap.
 
I was getting my Toyota serviced yesterday and noticed they were claiming the new Tacoma's get 18-22 and wanted to laugh. I'm sure they are close to that but I've always been one who purchases the vehicle because I'm happy with what I have (okay happy is to...I FREAKING LOVE IT!~!!!). I just pay them and drive away don't even watch the MPG except the DTE on my Scanguage. But O2 Sensors, check air pressure in the tires, check (or when was the last tune-up?) and see what you get. I think you'll squeeze a few more out of it and these are item's that may needed to be done anyways :)

Welcome to the 3rd Gen Family :)
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I forgot to say that in my post I get 11-13 if i'm lucky in the city. Highway is kinda a weird anomaly for me. On my Ouray Trip last year I got 23 fully loaded cruising at 68-70mph. I strongly believe my MPG was because I was drafting my dad's toy hauler during the drive, yet I was easily 6-10 car length behind him. Normally I get 15-17 on highway. My 4Runner is a unique and one of the 3 ever I've seen with-in 1,000 miles from my house. The other two I've seen is a 4th Gen and the last one to my knowledge got stolen/totaled supposedly according to the facebook group my dad belongs to.

Now I'm a weirdo as a ton of people say because I don't care if I get 8 mpg or 50 mpg. We have a car that gets 30+ mpg, yet we continuously will choose the 4Runner for grocery trips, drives to the beach (that don't involve 'slightly deviations off the paved road') and general outings.
 
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16.1 mpg isn't great, but it's nothing to be stumped about.
That being said, its is definitely a great idea to replace as many "maintenance" things as you can afford to.
Let me clarify a little. When I say "maintenance things", I mean parts like spark plugs, spark plug wires(if they're in your budget, the coils too), engine air filter, fuel filter, and PCV valve and gasket. Now, be careful when shopping for replacements. 9 times out of 10, aftermarket parts are going to be inferior to OEM, and may end up causing MORE issues. I would rather have 240k mile OEM coils that work than brand new aftermarket coils. Just so we're clear, I'm talking about ignition coils here.
The O2 sensors are an excellent suggestion. I haven't thought much about replacing those, but I think I will be doing that now.
The catalytic converter can also affect fuel economy. This far from cheap to replace with OEM, and most guys would replace with aftermarket when it comes to cats.
I get 17-18 mpg mixed city/hwy in my '01 4WD 5 speed with 315/70R17 KO2 tires and 17x9" Level 8 MK6 wheels. My buddy gets the same in his '99 auto with factory 5 star 17x7" wheels and 265/75R16 Duratracs- with nearly-identical driving patterns. We both kiss 19 mpg from time to time.
Do you drive with your ECT on?
 
aidanyota said:
Ugh, if only we could teleport back to those times... :pray:

Interesting little test you've done there, thank you or the info! 17-18 with your build would be holy!

Love your build by the way :thumb3:
Click to expand...
Thank you!

To be clear, I have lost about 1 MPG or so with the armor. But, the point still certainly stands that the 5th gen is several hundred pounds heavier (stock) and has an engine 20% larger. Yet, it still gets 35% better mileage, mostly, I believe due to aggressive fuel mapping and not so much a more efficient drivetrain or anything like that (for example, my 2002 will coast just as far in neutral as the 2016).

I have honestly pondered on some kind of piggyback fuel controller to try to play with the fuel maps a bit. If one could spend $500 (hypothetically) to add 3MPG, it would pay for itself in like 2 years. And, just as importantly, it would help supplement that annoying 275-mile fuel range for those of us who like to travel, heh.
 
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something isn't right for sure. I have owned a 96 3.4 manual trans. and a 99 3.4 automatic. both got 20mpg city/hwy/backcountry roads. my current 99 has 275k miles on it and I have on occasion seen 23 and occasionaly maybe 18 but almost all tanks are 20mpg
 
Johnnie said:
I have owned a 96 3.4 manual trans. and a 99 3.4 automatic. both got 20mpg city/hwy/backcountry roads. my current 99 has 275k miles on it and I have on occasion seen 23 and occasionaly maybe 18 but almost all tanks are 20mpg
Click to expand...

something isn't right for sure, lol.

You are lucky, sir. 20MPG is NOT the norm.

16MPG combined seems normal to me from everything I've read.

Don't try and make me feel worse about my own gas mileage by claiming 20MPG, lol. I average 14MPG combined (mostly city).
 
Lindenwood said:
Thank you!

To be clear, I have lost about 1 MPG or so with the armor. But, the point still certainly stands that the 5th gen is several hundred pounds heavier (stock) and has an engine 20% larger. Yet, it still gets 35% better mileage, mostly, I believe due to aggressive fuel mapping and not so much a more efficient drivetrain or anything like that (for example, my 2002 will coast just as far in neutral as the 2016).

I have honestly pondered on some kind of piggyback fuel controller to try to play with the fuel maps a bit. If one could spend $500 (hypothetically) to add 3MPG, it would pay for itself in like 2 years. And, just as importantly, it would help supplement that annoying 275-mile fuel range for those of us who like to travel, heh.
Click to expand...
There is no way you will get 3mpg from fuel mapping. Stock, the motor runs 14.7:1 AFR basically the whole time other than idle and full throttle. The 5th gen motor is a much more advanced design - having VVTi allows much higher average VE for the motor and a more advanced transmission will have lower pumping losses. The ~10% better mileage comes from those two things, most likely - and you can't fix either of those without a drivetrain swap.

-Charlie
 
Lindenwood said:
And, just as importantly, it would help supplement that annoying 275-mile fuel range for those of us who like to travel, heh.
Click to expand...

You mean 275 kilometers, right? RIGHT!??


giphy.gif
 
Yes, something isn't right. I'm Lifted, with 33" AND supercharged and I get around 15.8 mpg while driving generally between 70-80.

However, try driving it on the freeway under 70mph for a little road trip and see what mileage you're getting then, I think you'd be surprised, you'll probably be closer to 20. I noticed a HUGE difference between keeping it under 70 vs. over 70, fwiw.
 
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