curly_c

so i have a 1990 4runner. 147,000 miles 5 speed. stock. and i just checked and im getting less than 9 miles to the gallon. i just got it a lil over a week ago and the guy i bought it from said he was getting 16 or something like that. i know these things dont get good mileage at all and i was prepaired for that....but 9? i dont know what it is. im going to drive it a lil more and see what i gat again. is there anything specific that can be causing this. this is my first stick so im just getting use to it so i know that might be causing a slight drop in MPG but that just seems really low.....any help would be great

Thanks!!!

regularguy412

Lots of variables to consider. Winter gas. City vs. Highway driving. Learning to drive the manual ( if you're not used to it ). Taller than stock tires and not adjusting for the resulting lower odometer reading. Also, the previous owner may be telling you what the mileage was right after the last complete tune-up. Worn clutch may be causing slippage.

Mike in AR

tc

Check your tire pressure. You can easily be down a couple psi due to the cold weather, and that has made a big difference on my gas mileage. People on here say (and I'm starting to believe) that you will get better mileage if you hold the lower gear longer - don't upshift until at least 3000 RPM.

curly_c

ill see what i get again in a couple days. the tires do seem a lil low so maybe ill add a lil more air and see what i get..... everything seems to run good so i hope its something as simple as me just getting used to the clutch or the tire pressure.

tc

Don't guess at the tire pressure - get a gauge, they're only a couple bucks. Inflate them to what it says on the door jamb sticker to start with, may need to go up or downa little from there.

regularguy412

I run my 31 10.50;s @ 35 lbs

Mike in AR

curly_c

i have a gauge.... just not one at my school. when i get home from work tonight ill check it. would over reving the engine cause a lose in MPG. my dad drove my truck today to see what he got and he got above 17. so i think its the way i was driving. since im not a very experienced driver. ive only had it a lil over a week. i noticed he was shifting at a lower RPM than me. around 3000-3500 like you said tc. i was shifting higher than that. i guess i dont need to shift up that high. he was all freeway driving but im sure that if it was city probably be around 14 or so? so ill start driving different and better. hopefully that helps it out. im still a noob you know.

Tacoclimber

Hey, just to make you feel better, when I got my first stick (82 Toy 4wd), I think I was getting worse mileage than you're getting. Granted, I had 33x12.50 MT's on that thing, but once I got the hang of shifting, I got upwards of 20 mpg around town, and almost 25 on the hwy. Just hang in there...

curly_c

sweet...thanks that does make me feel better. yea i think i am getting the hang of it so hopefully my gas mileage gets better. i didnt get a chance to check the presure. ill do that tomorrow. thanks for the help guys. even though it wasnt that big of deal in the end. everything is a learning experience.

PirateFins

Also wouldn't be a bad idea to do a complete tune-up / filter change, if you haven't done so. Plugs, wires, cap & rotor, air filter, fuel filter etc.. All of those will also help out with milage and you know that you are starting fresh with the truck.

runner126

i get 18 mpg....290 to a tank, runnin 31's.

VA_Yotaman

About what I get. When running down to the beach doing 60 mph, I can push 25 mpg.

GodwinAustin

try replacing your front O2 sensor, I gained about 4 mpg after replacing mine.

V_Runner

try the seafoam way!!!i hear it works great just follow the directions on the can...i'm going to get some soon too because my 3.0L is only getting about 12-13 MPG...but last year it got about 15-18 or so...so i would recomend that i hear it's really worth it on new and old engines of all kinds...

05prerunner

i just ordered one from Ebay for $15 hopefully it works out and the guy offers a 60 day return policy. if you want a link i can send you one

sandcrawler

and the vehicle is?...year, engine, etc.

sandcrawler

note that many have found that the burnoff a seafoam treatment creates can destroy your plugs and possibly your cat...

VA_Yotaman

I probably need to replace mine. It's close to 200k on the original. Could you supply the link?

GodwinAustin

you do NOT want aftermarket 02 sensors. search - people have had bad experiences with them and some have lost mpgs.

Buy OEM. Gadget sells them super cheap on his website.

VA_Yotaman

Probably solid info. Thanks for the heads up..