95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

Tips For Better Gas Mileage

Old Sep 25, 2005 | 04:57 AM
  #21  
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Speaking of driving too fast on an interstate, here in WV the speed limit is 70 and most people push 80. Not good for gas milage at all.
I do agree that the biggest savor of all is to lighten up on the peddle. Slower , smoother take offs. When climbing hills and your doing a steady 50 as you climb that's fine, but if you hit that peddle and shift it again to gain speed the gas gits sucked down the drain in a hurry.
Kind of reminds me of that song that the group "Alabama" had out a few years ago "I'm in a hurry and don't know why" ,Lol. Mike
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Old Sep 25, 2005 | 05:03 AM
  #22  
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From: Upsate SC
Originally Posted by Nick Cuban
i hope you drove the loner car like a bat outta hell, the only time i had a rental car (mazda 626) my friend had one at the same time (chevy cavalier) and we would drag race and go like 40mph and pull the E-Brake and do 180s, powerbrake, slide on gravel roads etc. loner cars are an excuse to break the law and not go to jail
Hijack on. Do you ever think of people that HAVE to work on them?! Last week I had to work on one of our loaner cars that was trashed inside and out with mud. It was a freakin' Lumina! I also had to replace the front pads and rotors, which were both replaced in the last 6 months! And no it ISNT and excuse to break the law, have you read a few posts on here about people drag racing? Not really a good way to start your YT experience when you get flamed for bragging about it. I can't stand it when people brag about trashing loaner cars because the ididots don't realize someone has to fix it and we don't get paid full time only warranty time for it!
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Old Sep 25, 2005 | 10:41 AM
  #23  
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From: USA-PA
Bring your tire pressure up to 34. I know a lot of people keep there at 32, but I'm telling you, 2 pounds more per tire will help A LOT!
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 11:18 AM
  #24  
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From: Southern Indiana
I cant really add anything, but try removing your crossbars on your factory roof rack.
I (still need to do it - dont have the torx bit it takes) bet it'll save 1 mpg or so.

Use the AC when on the highway. Windows down in town.

Or, if you're really serious, take the rear bumper, all the doors off, remove the spare, take out all the interior except the driver's seat, remove the speakers, etc etc etc.
Then, you'll have lost a ton of weight, and it'll be faster too!
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 11:23 AM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by DrummerDaveB
Or, if you're really serious, take the rear bumper, all the doors off, remove the spare, take out all the interior except the driver's seat, remove the speakers, etc etc etc.
Then, you'll have lost a ton of weight, and it'll be faster too!
Dont forget to remove the windsheild and the back window to let the air flow through and reduce drag. Also you can put the tires froma model T on the truck, they are narrower, lighter and therefore less energy to get them to roll.

Matt
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 11:35 AM
  #26  
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From: USA-PA
Originally Posted by celica
Dont forget to remove the windsheild and the back window to let the air flow through and reduce drag. Also you can put the tires froma model T on the truck, they are narrower, lighter and therefore less energy to get them to roll.

Matt
Hehe... Did make me laugh.


Also, if most of you don't know, a bugshield can take away 1mpg, and a bike rack 1mpg or even more.

Yes, I have both, and aren't removing either.
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 12:47 PM
  #27  
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From: DeLand, Fl
not my fault you have to fix the cars, sorry that you do. and i wasnt bragging about drag racing. i didtn say i was so fast and won money or anything of the sort. you seem angry love not hate <3

and the break the law and not go to jail was sarcasim

Last edited by Nick Cuban; Sep 26, 2005 at 12:50 PM.
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 02:25 PM
  #28  
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From: so.cal
drafting
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 02:57 PM
  #29  
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Bump Draft.....saves you gas and you can go faster!
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 05:52 PM
  #30  
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I was thinking... How much of a difference would it be if you were to modify the radio antenna so it does not stay up all the time. Or if you were to get a shark fin antenna instead of an antenna that goes up and down. I'm not sure how much drag is caused by an antenna.
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 05:53 PM
  #31  
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From: Richland, Washington
probably not enough to make a difference that you'll notice
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 06:12 PM
  #32  
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From: IOWA
Originally Posted by EWAYota
Bump Draft.....saves you gas and you can go faster!
EWAYota...Nice choice of a Pic...We all know who will Git-R-Done this year...Even Tony Has Figured Out when To get off the skinny Pedal when not needed
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 06:16 PM
  #33  
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From: Richland, Washington
Actually that was just do to it being the best photo I could find.
I pull for the salty vet, been a fan of his since I could remember, just glad to hear he's coming back for one more full-season, though he's gonna have his hands full with a full time cup ride, some truck series and of course Busch series.


Then once he's done, my Busch favorite and now Nascar star Carl Edwards will be the guy I pull for.
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 06:31 PM
  #34  
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From: IOWA
Originally Posted by EWAYota
Actually that was just do to it being the best photo I could find.
I pull for the salty vet, been a fan of his since I could remember, just glad to hear he's coming back for one more full-season, though he's gonna have his hands full with a full time cup ride, some truck series and of course Busch series.


Then once he's done, my Busch favorite and now Nascar star Carl Edwards will be the guy I pull for.

Dude, I understand...Don't want to Jack this thread...I'm with YA! Send me some Email!
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Old Sep 26, 2005 | 06:57 PM
  #35  
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Jimmy Johnson!!! 48

sorry, had too
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Old Sep 27, 2005 | 08:44 AM
  #36  
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From: 100 miles offshore as much as possible, & Springfield Oregon USA
Originally Posted by peacefrog81
I was thinking... How much of a difference would it be if you were to modify the radio antenna so it does not stay up all the time. Or if you were to get a shark fin antenna instead of an antenna that goes up and down. I'm not sure how much drag is caused by an antenna.
If you like, just buy a Toyota power antenna. (SR5's came with em back in 85.) But here's a simple empirical way to "guesstest" if it will matter to your mileage:
Hold a bug shield out the window at 65mph... okay, that won't work...
Stick your hand out the window at 65mph, flat to the wind. Feel the pressure? A bug shield is roughly 10x bigger, and on SUV/pickups will cost you 1 to 2 mpg. Now take your radio antenna off and hold it in your hand out the window at 65mph. Hardly any resistance there. Isn't gonna matter much.

For SUVS roof racks and bug shields and roof mounted light sets each cost 1 to 2 mpg. Big racks like a Conferr cost 3 or more mpg.
For cars, roof racks, bug shields (on cars?) air dams, rear window louvers (not common these days thankfully) rear spoilers, bike racks, etc each cost about 2 mpg. None of these items aid aerodynamically unless you actually get up to 180 mph, they only add drag at normal speeds.

The spot on the curve where the aerodynamic drag for a car or light truck really begins to use up engine power is roughly 60 mph. As you go above 60 the force of wind pressure on your frontal area and the effect of form drag really begin to add up, and it goes up exponentially (inverse-square IIRC.)

So, keep the engine tuned properly, peel off those add-ons when not in use, maintain proper tire air pressure, and slow down and you can see a big difference in your mileage.

Last edited by Flamedx4; Sep 27, 2005 at 08:45 AM.
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Old Sep 29, 2005 | 12:58 PM
  #37  
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From: Norcal
Cruise control on the highway, that will help with milage. I have gotten 20+ miles per gallon using the cruise control alot
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Old Oct 1, 2005 | 05:15 PM
  #38  
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From: woodinville
accelerate BEFORE you get to a hill, and once on the hill, try to keep your tach at a steady 2.5 to 3. extra shifting means extra gas consumption. not much help; i think every other tip has been covered, but i get about 320 mi. per tank on an 02 sportrunner. i've also heard that constantly keeping your tank above half full relieves some of the stress of your fuel pump thereby saving fuel, but i don't know about the credibility of this one. anyone else heard of that?
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Old Oct 1, 2005 | 05:50 PM
  #39  
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Sounds like B.S. to me. Having the extra weight of extra fuel would eat up more fuel than you would save.
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Old Oct 1, 2005 | 07:36 PM
  #40  
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From: Madison, Alabama
Most of the drag of a larger vehicle, like an SUV, is found at the rear of the vehicle and not the front. That big ole boxy rear of an SUV, creates a negative pressure area back there, as the air flows over and around the vehicle. The larger and boxier the rear is, the worse the negative pressure is. Find you a wind deflector (no silly ricer boy wings!) off of the back of an old station wagon or some other small SUV and set it up to direct air, flowing along the roof, down into this negative pressure area, thereby reducing the size of the negative pressure area.

Run your tire pressure on the high end of what the manufacturer recommends and on the high end of what you can tolerate. This reduces rolling resistance.

Make sure your brakes are properly adjusted and not dragging excessively.
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