New economy record - 24mpg

[Thebeastlives]

So you guys can even tow in the mountains? See that really makes me feel like the engine is missing some ponies.

The best we could do was like 2nd gear , 3500-4000 Rpm just struggling to keep around 30-40 mph. This is with no trailer, and probably under 200 lbs of gear. Is this normal? Even my gf, who has driven in Colorado in her 2015 Corolla, said it just didn't feel right when she drove. Said her Corolla never struggled this much.

I did think about the supercharger, but then it's like....do I do that and lose fuel economy, or get a 4runner with the 4.0 V6 to gain power and efficiency? Then I have to think about the Costs, I can't afford to drop $2000-3000 for the SC, but I can easily finance a vehicle without skipping a beat.

Ugh, I hate it because I love my 3rd gen...feels like betrayal.

Unfortunately nothing is wrong with your 3rd gen. These older 4 runners just don't have the torque to pull our 5k lbs over mtn ranges especially ones that have very long and steep climbs. Your gf 2015 Corolla is far better suited to climb mtns and keep up with traffic. Getting a new 4.0 4th or 5th gen 4 runner will definitely solve your issue. My 5th gen runs very well in the mtns and has no issues running 75+ mph on the longest and steepest climbs.

 

[jross20]

Unfortunately nothing is wrong with your 3rd gen. These older 4 runners just don't have the torque to pull our 5k lbs over mtn ranges especially ones that have very long and steep climbs. Your gf 2015 Corolla is far better suited to climb mtns and keep up with traffic. Getting a new 4.0 4th or 5th gen 4 runner will definitely solve your issue. My 5th gen runs very well in the mtns and has no issues running 75+ mph on the longest and steepest climbs.

Man, I hate it. I look the 3rd gen body style. The only other one I like is the late 4th gen and early 5th gen.

Hmmmmmm

 

[snydmax]

The ‘14 we “borrowed” did awesome in the Rockies... had 35’s and a roof top tent... loaded up with gear. Those paved mountain passes (in sport mode) were no sweat and it was totally BA off pavement


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[Thebeastlives]

The ‘14 we “borrowed” did awesome in the Rockies... had 35’s and a roof top tent... loaded up with gear. Those paved mountain passes (in sport mode) were no sweat and it was totally BA of pavement


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That is a beautiful 5th gen and the suspension trans and motor works very well on and off the road.

 

[snydmax]

That is a beautiful 5th gen and the suspension trans and motor works very well on and off the road.

Hit up Adventure Travel Sports Rental in Denver if you wanna try before you buy. They were awesome, helped us plan a route to Durango and back, the rig is well built and well equipped. All we had to do was buy food/beers/gas


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[Boognish_Forever]

Unfortunately nothing is wrong with your 3rd gen. These older 4 runners just don't have the torque to pull our 5k lbs over mtn ranges especially ones that have very long and steep climbs. Your gf 2015 Corolla is far better suited to climb mtns and keep up with traffic. Getting a new 4.0 4th or 5th gen 4 runner will definitely solve your issue. My 5th gen runs very well in the mtns and has no issues running 75+ mph on the longest and steepest climbs.

When you say pull our 5k lbs are you talking about the weight of the 4runner or pulling? I haul around my 320lbs dirtbike on the hitche through the mt passes of Oregon and Washington and can easily cruise at 65mph with the overdrive off and once that torque converter locks, it’s smooth sailing. It drives me nuts when my buddy drives his 03 Tacoma 3.4 auto and doesn’t turn off his OD. it keeps shifting and not having the converter locked just decreases power and gas mileage.


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[jmc215]

Mad jealous, can only dream of 24mpg with a 2" lift and 33s lol. Thing has the aerodynamics of a cow

 

[jross20]

Mad jealous, can only dream of 24mpg with a 2" lift and 33s lol. Thing has the aerodynamics of a cow

Honestly I don't think it's that bad. I got 28 mpg in a 2nd gen tacoma once. There is a thread about it on Tacoma world.

I think the 5vz-fe is just missing newer improvements that the 1GR-FE has. Well, not missing, you know what I mean.

I bet a 3rd gen with a 4.0 swap would get better economy

 

[brillo_76]

I get 15 to 16mpg just driving around.. I will never see over 20s mpg out of any of my 4 runners. You can get better mpg on trips and highways for sure. All PA Gas is 10% ethanol unless you buy ethonal free for a extreme premium cost of the blend. In the winter I goto 12 to 14mpg.. As they change the gasoline blend plus some defrosting time.

Great job to those getting over 20+mpg. Anything that and above is excellent.

 

[spartacus]

I love my 3rd gen but traveling thru the mtns in it is like being in 1800 wagon wheels and everyone else is riding stallions . These things just don't have the torque to pull 5000 lbs pounds over mtn passes like modern vehicles do. On a recent 250 mile trip to the local mtns I realize that would be the last mtn trip in the 3rd gen.

I drive the i70 west regularly and you can tell the truck has to work going up hill but with OD off ect button pushed have no trouble keeping up with traffic and doing 65+. The key is using downhill momentum to go up and not get stuck behind slow pokes. I vé driven a friends 3rd Gen with a supercharger on I70 west and what a difference even with altitude the amount of power available at the pedal when going up steep inclines over passes was absolutely enjoyable.

 

[phattyduck]

Mad jealous, can only dream of 24mpg with a 2" lift and 33s lol. Thing has the aerodynamics of a cow

My 4Runner when it was new(ish) and still 2WD auto w/ 15" wheels had many tanks of ~26mpg. That's cruise control at 65-67mph on long trips. Now with 32's, 4WD, armor, and a few hunderd thousand more miles under its belts, I still average 18.5-19mpg daily driving and 20-21mpg highway (still cruising at 67mph... old habits die hard).

-Charlie

 

[Thebeastlives]

I drive the i70 west regularly and you can tell the truck has to work going up hill but with OD off ect button pushed have no trouble keeping up with traffic and doing 65+. The key is using downhill momentum to go up and not get stuck behind slow pokes. I vé driven a friends 3rd Gen with a supercharger on I70 west and what a difference even with altitude the amount of power available at the pedal when going up steep inclines over passes was absolutely enjoyable.

Driving up the 8 from Tucson into SD clearly the 3rd gen isnt capable of keeping up with modern SUVs. The combination of older transmission and torque under 200 just does not give it the power to run with flow of traffic when a significant incline is involved. I for the most part was able to run the speed limit of 75 most of time except when the incline became steep and long. As I left El Centro and started the long climb through the mtns I shifted to 2nd and kept it up to 50 to 55 mphs which was ok for me. I was passed by another 3rd gen with 33" and a lift. I'm sure he was super charged because he was keeping up with some jeeps and 5th gens in his caravan doing at least 75 to 80.


My 3rd gen is strictly my dog car now so I don't mind being slower because it still has a 100% never broke down on a road trip record. Even though on the way back the alternator went out 300 miles from home. It still made it home even though I had to pull off the hwy the last .5 mile and turn the lights off to make it in my driveway...lol The beast didn't not break down and leave me stranded on the hwy. Slow and reliable is ok in a 26 year old vehicle.

 

[APhelps]

One could always v8 swap their 4runner. A 2uz-fe gets pretty good fuel economy. Sourcing one from a junkyard wouldn't be too expensive especially out on the east coast.

 

[pavelvoivoda]

not to brag but since I intercooled my 4Runner(and did some other notorious little mods here and there), i can get 100mph when empty or about 90 when rigged to the roof with gear like in the last pic on straight road! it seems not too bad for a stock mech diesel which does pretty good uphill! I dont get the average 24mpg tho, when I go 100! :becky: and also only in stock tires and the quality of fuel vary badly over here. my last trip was 220 miles and I only got 15mpg!

Unlike the more modern D4D toyota engines, the mech diesels are very capricious to the quality of diesel and tend to perform badly when fuel is bad, but not sensitive, meaning it wont be damaged by the poor grade fuel.

So my advice is if you know your 4Runner is running smooth and nothing is wrong with it, hp and torque would only be degraded from the quality of fuel...but I think gasoline is pretty good quality in the US compared to here! and a lot lot cheaper! long live second amendment!

 

[jross20]

Always though the 2uz-fe would be cool, but would it comes with compatibility issues?

 

[BorotHex]

This has quite a bit of city. Up and down mountains. You can see avg speed is only 34. You can also see I have 50 miles left, maybe, and got over 400 on the tank so far.

Pretty typical unless I do all city and it drops to 21 or so.

I’m perfectly happy with the combination of MPG and engine indestructibility. It’s a good mix. I’ll take this all day long over a small turbo for 2-3 mpg.

 

[Skulking]

This has quite a bit of city. Up and down mountains. You can see avg speed is only 34. You can also see I have 50 miles left, maybe, and got over 400 on the tank so far.

Pretty typical unless I do all city and it drops to 21 or so.

I’m perfectly happy with the combination of MPG and engine indestructibility. It’s a good mix. I’ll take this all day long over a small turbo for 2-3 mpg.

How did you get that 5th gen gauge cluster to fit and work properly in a 3rd gen?

 

[BorotHex]

How did you get that 5th gen gauge cluster to fit and work properly in a 3rd gen?

Yeah you’re hilarious. Tapatalk stuck this thread I don’t care about in my feed.

 

[Bad Luck]

Yeah you’re hilarious. Tapatalk stuck this thread I don’t care about in my feed.

If you didn't care about it, then why comment?

 

[2000se]

not to brag but since I intercooled my 4Runner(and did some other notorious little mods here and there), i can get 100mph when empty or about 90 when rigged to the roof with gear like in the last pic on straight road! it seems not too bad for a stock mech diesel which does pretty good uphill! I dont get the average 24mpg tho, when I go 100! :becky: and also only in stock tires and the quality of fuel vary badly over here. my last trip was 220 miles and I only got 15mpg!

Unlike the more modern D4D toyota engines, the mech diesels are very capricious to the quality of diesel and tend to perform badly when fuel is bad, but not sensitive, meaning it wont be damaged by the poor grade fuel.

So my advice is if you know your 4Runner is running smooth and nothing is wrong with it, hp and torque would only be degraded from the quality of fuel...but I think gasoline is pretty good quality in the US compared to here! and a lot lot cheaper! long live second amendment!

HAHAAH !! That picture of you hitting 100mph all shaking and blurry looks like ....:Ok fellas// here we go!! we hitting 100 baby!!" Exactly what I would have expected hitting 100 in mine!

95mph.. smooth...100, hold on!!!