Terrible Gas Mileage

[Scalded_Dawg]

Definitely narrowing it down now.

Probably need to start over with a timing and idle reset. All those small cracked vacuum lines add up to a big leak to skew the engine performance.
Mine also needs a little gas for a warm start, suspect my timing is a touch too high at 13*BTDC.

Keep up the updates! Good stuff!

 

[Blueaussie]

:frusty:

Definitely narrowing it down now.

Probably need to start over with a timing and idle reset. All those small cracked vacuum lines add up to a big leak to skew the engine performance.
Mine also needs a little gas for a warm start, suspect my timing is a touch too high at 13*BTDC.

Keep up the updates! Good stuff!

Scalled wished I had my Dad's old timing light. My brother threw it out when he passed away, I will get with some old high school buddies see if they have one.

I will keep this thread updated for help forward for future 1'st generation owners.

 

[lastlaugh]

Im really glad you started this thread! I just went thru my first full tank in my truck. (Bought it a few weeks ago). I got 173 miles to a TANK of shell premium!! Damn! At this rate it would have been cheaper to keep my duramax! Im gonna follow all the steps listed here to see what i can work out. Good luck with your search!

 

[Blueaussie]

lastlaugh,Glad you are following, I now it is not the MAF Meter I ohmed and checked out good. Next to try Timing , spar plugs and see what happens.

 

[Blueaussie]

Ok timing and all above good. I am taking off the plenum tomorrow found two vacuum lines not connected. The mechanic that installed the ATK remf engine left them off. you can see where hose's were on at one time. There also sounds like a sucking sound under plenum.:AK47:

 

[Scalded_Dawg]

Ok timing and all above good. I am taking off the plenum tomorrow found two vacuum lines not connected. The mechanic that installed the ATK remf engine left them off. you can see where hose's were on at one time. There also sounds like a sucking sound under plenum.:AK47:

hmmm…… good find!

 

[Blueaussie]

:help::help:
Well I took the plenum off to see where those vacuum lines hook up to and they go to switches. but there is nothing to connect them too. IDK what else to do. I Timed it and found it was actually 30 degrees advanced. Set Idle speed for park and in drive.

I am getting better gas mileage but my transmission linkage is not adjusted correctly. I have the A304 on this 1985 6 cyl and the FSM refers to a boot that obviously deteriorated and fell off.

Would anybody be so kind as to take a picture of the transmission shifting cable at the throttle body and post it here I certainly would appreciate.

This is a 1995 4runner 3FZ-E 6 cyl with a A304 Automatic Transmission.
Thanks everybody.

 

[fo' runnin']

...in for updates. I'm getting around 12mpg and would love to get that up to around 15 or better.

 

[Blueaussie]

...in for updates. I'm getting around 12mpg and would love to get that up to around 15 or better.

Fo 'Runnin' what year and engine and tranny have you got I think the sticker on this one was supposed to get 17mpg:doh:

 

[fo' runnin']

Fo 'Runnin' what year and engine and tranny have you got I think the sticker on this one was supposed to get 17mpg:doh:

1993 3.0 automatic with 4.88s

 

[2ndGen4runner4x4]

12 -14mpg seems to be what I am getting with my 3.slow, auto, 4:88's and 33"s.

 

[Scalded_Dawg]

That what you need?

 

[Blueaussie]

That what you need?

Scalded Dawg Just what I needed Thanks. Going to try adjusting the trans throttle line to see what it does. Thanks.

 

[Blueaussie]

:usa:

Scalded Dawg Just what I needed Thanks. Going to try adjusting the trans throttle line to see what it does. Thanks.

Scalded Dog, Man that made a big difference with the shifting. Thanks Bro! The auto shop that put the engine in just advanced timing hoping that would solve all my problems. Thanks again, I appreciate it.

I will also go with copper NGKs if I can find them, adj idle and retime. I am also going to try to upload a picture of two vacuum lines that IDK where the hell they go

 

[Scalded_Dawg]

:usa:

Scalded Dog, Man that made a big difference with the shifting. Thanks Bro! The auto shop that put the engine in just advanced timing hoping that would solve all my problems. Thanks again, I appreciate it.

I will also go with copper NGKs if I can find them, adj idle and retime. I am also going to try to upload a picture of two vacuum lines that IDK where the hell they go

No problem! Glad to hear it's running better… 30*BTDC is crazy high, surprised it ran at all.

Yeah, post up some pics of your mystery lines and I'll see if I can match them up.

 

[giro]

Looks like this tank is going to be a low one for me too, though we just squeaked by the 200 mile mark. City driving, hills, and lots of cold short runs will do that.

But I forgot about the whole "winter blend" of gas, namely more ethanol. It varies with location, but around here it's something like Nov 1st until Jan 31st.

Here's a list on another site of a few winter specific things that lower the mpg's, but it's namely cold temps (thus potentially idling to warm up, longer time for the engine to come to temp, denser air, potentially lower tire pressure), winter blend of gas (less energy per gallon) and snow/ice/grit/etc causing more rolling resistance. And in our case, maybe running in 4wd more often.

Why Does Gas Mileage Get Worse in the Winter? | MPGomatic | Where Gas Mileage Matters

 

[Blueaussie]

Good and Bad news

Well After changing all that was mentioned above. I got a little over 100 miles on a 1/2 tank of 87 octane gas. This is a big difference from 140 miles for a whole tank of gas I was getting.

Now a slight problem, It takes forever to start which sucks since I got a electronic auto start a month ago. I adjusted the idling screw/nut/diaphragm. but wont help.

Now for the oddity! Notice the two vacuum lines that go no where...lol

 

[Blueaussie]

Looks like this tank is going to be a low one for me too, though we just squeaked by the 200 mile mark. City driving, hills, and lots of cold short runs will do that.

But I forgot about the whole "winter blend" of gas, namely more ethanol. It varies with location, but around here it's something like Nov 1st until Jan 31st.

Here's a list on another site of a few winter specific things that lower the mpg's, but it's namely cold temps (thus potentially idling to warm up, longer time for the engine to come to temp, denser air, potentially lower tire pressure), winter blend of gas (less energy per gallon) and snow/ice/grit/etc causing more rolling resistance. And in our case, maybe running in 4wd more often.

Why Does Gas Mileage Get Worse in the Winter? | MPGomatic | Where Gas Mileage Matters

Giro, Thanks great info!:redbrick:

 

[Footofgod]

Now a slight problem, It takes forever to start which sucks since I got a electronic auto start a month ago. I adjusted the idling screw/nut/diaphragm. but wont help.

The 3.0 does not like to start on VERY cold winter mornings. Replace the cold start injector. Sits on the left of the plenum kind near the EGR and Pair.

 

[Blueaussie]

Footofgod

:noidea::noidea:Thanks for the input. IDK if that is the problem for sure or not. I never had problems with it starting quickly on cold mornings before my adventure started.

I did ohm out the cold start per the FSM and it was within specs.

Hey Scalded Dawg and Footofgod what are your thoughts of the pictures I posted that show 2 vacuum lines on left with two screws in the end.

I put the vacuum hose and screws on there myself. It came back from the garage that installed the engine that just showed two metal line that came up from the plenum. Before hooking up plugged vacuum lines I looked carefully at the metal tubes and there were distinct markings that show there was lines hooked to them before. IDK any help is appreciated.

I love this forum and my 4runner

Thanks for everybody's help and suggestions.

Great bunch of helpful people here!!!!:lookout: