NickRob96

Ok so I have a 93 pickup xtra cab, and everything(suspension, wheels, tires) is all stock. I do routine maintenance on my truck like oil changes, topping off fluids and I just got it inspected a couple days ago. I know city mileage is never that great but I think it's strange that I'm only getting like 12 miles per gallon and I drive her real easy. Maybe this is normal but I don't see why I'm not getting at least 16-19 like a lot of other yotas. If anybody knows what could possibly be the problem please comment, and if you need pictures or additional information I can provide that too.

Buck87

Unless you have a 4 cylinder you are not going to get milage in the 18mpg range in the city. When my 22re 4runner was stock with a fresh engine it got about 17 mixed and 20 highway.

Yotalover01

My 1992 3.0 V-6 with a small lift and 32 inch mud tires averages around 14.5-15.8 on average meaning to and from work for me, about 2 miles of highway speeds and 2 miles of intown stop n go driving! It's also a 5 speed, if it were me I would replace spark plugs, distributor cap, rotor button and fuel filter! A good tune up will make a couple mpg difference! Also keep the air filter clean!

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Probably the biggest bang for your buck right there. Granted my cap, rotor, wires, plugs, and filter are way over due.. I still got 26 mpg out of my last tank, 95% of which is highway and county roads however.

You didn't mention..
Motor type
Transmission
2wd or 4wd
Gear ratio
Air conditioning
High or low octane fuel
Oil weight
Spark plug grade/type
Wheel bearings ever been serviced
Carrying your tool collection
Flat land or lots of hills
Shift points

Here is what the 1996 4 runner manual says for shift points.. (Too lazy to check with the dealer ship, and too cheap to pay 25+ for one from the toyota subcontrator)
Weight and terrain are probably the next (or) most important issues. If weight 176lbs there goes 10% of your rated hauling weight. Hills and head wind are pretty bad for the mileage too of course.

If your bearings have been serviced they may have the pretension too high, if they've not been serviced they could probably stand to have the grease repacked.

Cheap spark plugs are well cheap and basicly utilitarian. (Autolite rusty @$$! crap)

Oil weights a climate and personal issue we'll not go into other than mention it in passing.

Good gas is worth the extra 4$ a fill up. at an extra 4 mpg over 15 gallons, 60 miles for four bucks..

Remove that AC belt and sweat like the rest of us.

The other four There isn't much you can do about. Make sure the engine light is good and your not running around throw a RICH mix error code. Make sure the intake system is all upto par. eg TPS, VAFM, Idle speed. EGR isn't stuck open.

Once the mechanicals are in tip top shape if your still not happy the cheapest option is probably an minus one undersized tire. Assuming you can keep your foot off the skinny pedal, and ignore the people driving around you.

I forgot to mention tire pressure above. New tires have substantialy higher pressure ratings than when these trucks were manufactured. Add another 10 psi over the door placard, or go all the way up to the tires rating, will bring down your rolling resistance quite abit.

2big4arunner

I agree with what everyone has said but dont forget tire pressure, diff oils and brake dragging might be issues.

They did a study and tire pressure allots to the most lost gas mileage lost in the automotive world. If people kept their tire pressures up it would save thousands upon thousands of gallons of gas around the world.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Sounds about right to me .

That is about what i get on my commute to work 5 miles the long way.

Then I always have at least 400 pounds plus in tools that live in the vehicle of choice.

Winter blend gas if you get it down there could also decrease your mileage.

shaeff

I'm averaging 18.5-19mpg in the winter, and get around 21ish in the summer. 12mpg is way too low for a stock truck. Grab a can of carb cleaner, brake cleaner, whatever- and start giving short blasts around your intake manifold, vacuum hoses, and any intake pipe AFTER the air flow meter. Sounds to me like you've got a vacuum leak.

Huge vacuum leaks will kill your mileage.

(PS- the trick to the above is that if you spray someplace and your idle increases, you have a vacuum leak.)

TNRabbit

The most obvious issue has been completely ignored here. If the O2 sensor has never been change, put in a new Denso. They usually start going around 80-100k miles. It can make up to 3-5 mpg difference in some cases.

Also, I'd check for any vacuum leaks.

10% ethanol gas has us ALL suffering now, because it drops your mpg as well.

93Xtra-Cab

I'm don't want to turn this into another "post your fuel economy" thread.

I'm assuming you have the V6. In the summer, I can get 21 mpg in the city during the summer if I'm lucky. For some reason, I can't match that on the highway. During the winter, I average about 16, which is about 40% city, 60% highway. I have stock 4.30 gears and 32" tires. So you might want to check you O2 sensor

BMcEL

^ This. You can get them online for around $50. Only use Denso.

Obviously check for brake drag and make sure you're current on basic maintenance items, but the O2 is usually the starting point for poor mileage issues.

NickRob96

To answer your questions it is a 4x4, 5 speed, 4 cylinder and I just replaced spark plugs, cap and rotor a few months ago. Checked the tire pressure today and they were all at about 25 psi while my tires are rated for 44 so I think I may have found the problem. I use high octane gas and always shift under 3k rpms not to mention whenever I am driving I am never hauling anything other than myself. Did the official calculations after I filled up today and came up with about 13.5 mpg. I'll keep you guys posted but hopefully the tire pressure will help a lot.

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Made me remeber one of my go to's

A malfunction in the PAIR system will suck exhaust back into the intake. Make sure it's sucking air not blowing air at the AFM.

25psi is abit below even the old placard level, should work wonders.

If I could get past the looks and feel of the newer lowprofile neck breakers, I'd be using em.

Jake_D

something else you can do is switch to synthetic fluids. i switched my engine oil and both diffs to synthetic and i get about 3mpg better. and i would probably get another mpg if i switched the trans fluid.

metalfaced

the fuel guage ground was rusted off the 89 pickup i bought a couple months ago, so no fuel guage. winter was just starting, was getting 475-500 kms to a tank, not great, not horrible, tools, spare tire and random **** in trunk. anyway, had the joy of running the tank to right empty, and coasted in to fuel station on fumes. put in 30-40$, and then forgot to check mileage on the odom before resetting... ran out again 2 days ago. since the first empty, i noticed a slight raw gas smell, but was also working on a snowblower carb next to the truck, so assumed it wasnt the truck. since the second empty, it is painfully obvious there is a leak, i am suspecting fuel filter since i ran the tank empty a couple times. where is the filter located? also, i am smelling fumes while driving and accelerating - also worth noting, the are some holes in the rocker panels that were there before, but seem to be letting the smell in. its been -40C here lately, so trying to wait for nicer weather to start this, but i am hoping that if the filter is an inline filter, and somewhere attached to the frame mid way near transfer case, that this may be filter related, and not injectors, or fuel dampener...any help or pm appreciated. i cannot see or pinpoint the fuel leak, but does not appear to be from tank or engine areas.

jreyes94

when i tune up my truck or cars, i also use seafoam.
you should pour some down your brake booster vacuum line (going into the engine) and rev the engine between 1.5-2.3k rpms. also add some to your tank. can even add some to your oil if you want but since you said you do regular oil changes you most likely dont need to. dont pour too fast either..
your truck being a daily driver i assume has higher miles, and seafoam can help clean the combustion chamber, injectors, intake valves and stems...your cat wont like it though.

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Filter is under the intake above and behind the oil filter on a 22re. My guess would be your fuel return is leaking and pumping gas onto the ground instead of back to the tank.

Jumper the pump at the diag point and inspect the lines, should be pretty easy to spot if it's been leaking for any ammount of time there will be a clean spot. Don't forget your safety glasses..

Could be evaporating too, on a cold day before you run it it'll have a sucking sound when you remove the cap. Or after it's been ran or on a warm day a "whoosh" as the pressure releases.

Pooring is bad For what it's worth the injectors being where they are should take care of keeping the EGR crud off the valves.

Wouldn't say no to seeing some scope images of before during and after seafoam, just for giggles.

TNRabbit

It won't do your O2 sensor any favors, either.....

metalfaced

sorry to not specify, its an 89 pickup with 3.0 v6, 3vze?

cheez

Wow, looks like I'm gonna be changing my 02, airing up m tires and switching to full syn diff and trans fluid when I stop the leaks in those areas...With my 3vze auto i've done 75 miles since my last fill up and I'm just over a 1/4 tank (avg~8mpg). It's frigidly cold and I've been letting the truck warm for about ten minutes up every time I drive but the best I've ever done is 14.5 on the highway. The numbers some of you guys post makes me think I should invest in a manual trans and the above solutions rather than a dd, If I could get 17mpg I'd be pumped... lol

BMcEL

That's part of your problem. It will burn a lot of gas when cold and sitting there not moving deducts from your fuel mileage. You're better off letting it run for about 30 seconds to get the cold oil circulating, then just go easy on it until it warms up.

Definitely get a new Denso O2 sensor in there if you don't know when it was changed last or it's been over 100k miles.