Tofer

as i was driving back to Stockton today from Portland, i noticed a 2 MPG increase and i cant exactly tell why, on the way up i was 15.2 (ish) mpg on the freeway the 3 times i filled up, on the way back i got 15 again between Eugene and Ashland, but between Ashland and Willows CA i was getting 17.3 (and have never seen above 16.5) but because of the Siskiyou’s i would think it would be lower not higher, even though the down hill i could coast but with 4.56 rear end my RPMs stayed about 3000-3300 and my speed was the same the whole time (about 74-78 MPH) one thing i did notice was the gas cap didn’t make it's usually HISSS sound when i open it, so i assume the gas attendent didnt CRANK the cap back on hard like i normally do (until you hear the popping noise) ... would a loosen gas cap, allowing airflow cause this increase in gas mileage? i dont think it would, but i cant think of anything else to explain it...

and on a side note, can anyone confirm for me if the icons (whatever you want to call the little pictures) for the heater/AC light up with the headlights? i had my new stereo installed and now they dont work, but i couldn’t remember if they lit up or not, i want to think they did but cant say for sure.

lee

well, fyi, a loose gas cap will also cause a check engine light, so i wouldnt try that as a mpg solution...

Nathan Buchanan

yeah, those lights are supposed to light up. Mine don't anymore, either. The first time they went out, I pulled all that junk out and messed around with the light and got it working again. Then they went out again, and I can't seem to get them to work. Oh well, it's more trouble than it's worth, anyway.

Tofer

thats what i thought... thanks

Flamedx4

It's not very productive to worry too much about small tankful-to-tankful differences. Things like mountains, altitude, how many times you passed someone, how much time spent at cruising speed, quality of fuel, all factor in, and a big one is how full does each attendant get the tank, etc... If your overall average over time in your normal routine driving begins to drop, then worry.

lee

the attendant?

i refuse to do full service!

ChickenLover

You don't have a choice in Oregon.

Mad Chemist

Yeah, I forget every time I'm in OR, usually I've got my cap off and about to start pumping gas by the time the attendant comes over to help me out...

lee

is that by law?

02SE

Yes, it's the law.

desert whomper

a loose gas cap can give u better gas mileage but i dont know if it is worth it, or if it can cause damage, a few years back when i had a go-ped, the gas cap came stock with this breather system in the cap, it had a little pin hole to let some of the pressure out or something like that, one of the shops where i would get my parts like pipes and bigger carbs, suggested to me that i should drill the hole out a little more, thinking he as full of it i checked all his personal go-peds in the shop and yes they were drilled out so i figure what the heck its a $10 replacement part and billet ones were $15 so i did it and yes it made a diffrence, i had a speedometer meant for go-peds and it was very, very accurate in speed, i could go stock between 110-120 miles on a gallon and after about 121-129, and these were consistant results. That was a 25cc 2 stroke engine however and these are 4 stroke truck engines so it could have nothing in common, my only therory is that since the goped used the carbs vacum to draw gas it was getting more air in the fuel so it got less in the engine, therefore better gas mileage.... maybe we should look into this?

mikedog

Gas station attendants? Geez! I thought I was reading a post written in 1973 or something.

Seriously though. You're NOT allowed by law to pump your own gas in Oregon? Why is that?

avg_dude

I went to school in N.J.; it too was a "full serve" state. I was told they did this to create more jobs.

lee

i can only assume that full service cost is passed on to the consumer.

is gas noticeably more pricey?

Amir904

nj has cheaper gas AND its full service...

Flamedx4

It's a political boondoggle. It comes up occasionally, some claim it will lower gas prices to repeal the law, but adjoining states do not have cheaper gas. Some claim it will reduce jobs, some claim it'd be unsafe - well, some people are pretty stupid I admit, but most people do figure out how to pump their own gas now don't they... Problem is, so many stations have gone to the systems where you have to get out and go inside to pay anyway, so you kind of lose the benefit of the attendant. I avoid those places - screw em! If they can't take my money while they pump the gas they should charge me less money, and mostly they are the same price as the other guys. Buncha crap, the gas companies of course want self service, but it gets voted down every time. I do admit, it's nice not to get gas on you or track it into your car.

Roadtripr

OR often has cheaper gas than us in California. After seeing a bunch of holiday drivers fight over the gas pump on 395 and an idiot who didn't know what side he gas cap was on I thought the full service might not be a bad idea.

KevyWevy

you also have to take into account if there is a head wind or tail wind for the whole gas milage thing. whenever i drive over to eastern washington i get better gas milage on the way there because there is a slight tail wind and worse on the way back because of the head wind.

as for OR, yeah I think its pretty annoying having somebody else pump your gas. i don't like people touching my 4Runner. I always forget down there as well and go to start pumping my own gas and the attendants run over and take the pump from me. meh!

Flamedx4

Anyway, back to the vented gas cap thing - no it cannot give you better mileage on a car (as opposed to a gravity flow or diaphram carb pump on a moped...) EFI vehicles need a high pressure fuel pump - trust me, unless you modify for 500 hp that pump gets the engine all the fuel it needs. The only way loosening the cap could make a difference is if the venting system failed. Newer vehicles caps are not vented, the emissions system captures fumes in the evap cannister. Drilling out your cap would cause pollution, could get caught in an inspection if they do that where you live, and in some vehicles the check engine light even comes on because the system thinks something is malfunctioning (it is!)

ianshoots

Just curious, are 4runners A LOT heavier than tacomas? I know they must weigh a bit more, but it seems like the get considerably worse gas mileage. My best freeway only mileage ever was 22mpg going across nebraska (side wind, it was january). And I almost always get it 18-19. Not bragging, just wondering. Oh, 31.5x10.5 tires too.