these are based on my experience, been logging my gas fill-ups on an iphone app.

removal of roof rack = +1 mpg
switched to 30x9.5xr15 tires from 225/75/r15 = -1 mpg
regular tune-ups (plugs, air filter, oil change) = +1 mpg
correct tire pressure = +1-2 mpg

I don't really use my ac much but during summer when its really hot, i crack front windows and rear window open just to keep air flowing, sometimes ill open the sunroof too.

I think the biggest contributor to our bad mpg is the cars wind resistance (elephant in wind tunnel), I bet if you remove the side mirrors (big ears), you'll get at least 2 more mpg, but no, i will not sacrifice my safety.

Just check tire pressure, do your regular tune-ups and you should be good, that's assuming you don't have a lift or tall tires.

 

I'll just say what I tell my customers. I drive an SUV, I have oversized tires, I have a roof basket and lights up top, I have a heavy tool box in the back. I EXPECT crappy gas mileage, yeah it hurts but you have a choice, either drive a bike or buy a more fuel efficient vehicle. I'd opt for the first as buying a newer vehicle then most likely the fuel is cheaper than your payments.

As far as minor improvements I tell my customers, keep the tires properly inflated, keep up with vehicle maintenance, remove excess weight, and be gentle with the accelerator.

 

Probably more like 0.2mpg, if that.

Maintenance items are much easier to do, especially the air filter. From a purely mathematical standpoint, lets say an air filter lasts 15,000 miles, and it progressively decreases overall MPG by 0.5 every 15,000 miles it is used.

So let's take 2 hypothetical vehicles, each one gets 17 mpg overall, one has the filter changed for $15.00, the other one keeps driving for another 15,000 miles with the same old air filter, and gas is $3.50 per gallon.

The vehicle that had the filter changed cost $75.88 less, to drive those 15,000 miles, even factoring in the $15.00 filter cost.

 

Not to mention the wind resistance going under the truck. Anyone with a lift will tell you how the bugs tend to accumulate under the front bumper.

 

While i agree with you on flat ground that those are the "correct" speeds, when it's hilly, i find keeping the speed up (65-75mph) i barely have to hit the gas to get up the hill, where if i'm at 55-60 i have to floor it (wasting more gas)....

 

You might revolutionize the field of physics if you can rationalize your observations there.

 

i tried really hard to do a mild form of hypermiling for a whole tank of gas in my 98 4runner 3.4 auto. i rose my mpg by 1.5 (20 miles in a tank). not much but everything helps. i didn't let truck idle any more then it had too. i just start it up and start heading down the street. when cold i just kept the speed and rpms low for a few blocks to warm up. i pulled forward into as many parking spots as possible so i wouldn't have to back up. thats a big one. i probably saved myself from backing up 20+ times a tank. that also keeps with the no idle time aspect. no hard acceleration. i don't recommend running stop signs or lights but not coming to a complete stop also helps. try to time the stop lights so you keep some momentum. i recently did a tuneup with plugs, filter, fuel filter and cleaned tb and maf. that however didn't make a change, go figure. some people get amazing results doing hypermiling but half the crap they do is dangerous and stupid, so i just try to incorporate the easy, safe things into my driving habits. most importantly i try to drive as little as possible and when weather permits i ride my bike to work once or twice a week (10 miles round trip). good for health, good for wallet, and good for environment so i enjoy doing that. (also trying to make up for my de-smogged 87 22r )

 

LOL, nah it's more about torque ranges... the 3.4 is more efficient with the deep overdrive around 2500rpm, i can drive 55 with my TPS at 17, get 20mpg, or drive 70 with my tps at 18, get 20mpg. (All this off my scangauge and same stretch of highway) where in the manual tranny truck i have to keep the rev's down to 2500 (which is about 10 less mph) to get the same mileage...

I did the whole "slow as a goat" thing for a few months, got 330-340km per tank. Drove normally since then, same mileage per tank (figures).

On a long drive a few weeks ago, i got the same mileage doing 60 as doing 75... 20mpg.. LOL... haven't been able to get any higher in this 99'. Going to try the same trip in the summer to see how my mpg changes....

 

Two tips:

1. When on the highway, draft someone. I don't mean up their tailpipe...just behind them normally. Works especially well with a semi. As long as you can see one of their side mirrors, they should be able to see you. You can get fairly close without pissing them off, or getting too badly sandblasted. I regularly get 23+ mpg on the highway doing this.

2. When in town - stay off the brakes. Whenever you are braking, you are wasting energy (unless you're driving a car with regenerative braking). That means, anticipate stops, use only the gas you'll need to "glide" to the next stop. If you find yourself going from gas to brake without any coasting, you're wasting fuel. Now, I don't mean this in the most extreme sense...you obviously can't just bump the gas, get to 5mph and coast to the next stop, when there are people behind you or when you have to get somewhere quickly. Use coasting to your advantage when possible.

 

in all honesty, buy a motorcycle to drive when its nice, they get like 40-60 mpgs depending on what it is and how you drive it and its fun. i plan on getting something like a kawasaki 600 ninja and ive found a few for about 1500 to 2000 dollars. not to mention i love riding anyways

 

Thats all well and good if you take back roads.... I have a Suzuki DRZ400 and the knuckleheads around here will drive you nuts. People just don't have a clue any more... maybe I'm just getting older....

 

I've always been told reg maintenance is the best way to improve MPGs. Is there anything besides plugs, wires, and air filter that might help?

 

I've always been a fan of friction proof. I use Duralube, alot of people say it clogs the filter but I haven't had any problems. I used Lucas a couple times but didn't care for it. It's good stuff I just didnt like it.... Does anyone know where to find Firefox any more ? That was some good stuff !!

 

maybe wax? smooth body panels no dents,
or will the fractional weight counter the fractional wind resistance gain

 

I hear alot of talk about gas saving habits but nothing on what motors, transmission, or trim you guys have. I can tell you with my 95 3vze auto pickup, if I stay on the highway going atleast 63 to stay in overdrive, I will get about 18-19 mpg. That's over a 14 hour trip with 87 octane. I had a 400 pound bike and a bunch of gear in the back, so maybe add another mpg or two. If I'm going 50-60, I get about 16 MPG. City I'm anywhere from 11-16.

Accelerating for these motors as far as gas efficiency is it's worst enemy. They are so dog slow to get up to speed, the longer you're revving high in a lower gear the more gas it sucks up. I accelerate like a grandma on purpose and maintain a constant speed to save gas (no shifts or too much random throttling). All maintenance has been taken care of... new plugs, wires, k&n air filter, fuel filter, royal purple full synth, regularly changed transmission oil, occasional air intake cleaning and the occasional sea foam of oil and gas. I'd really like to swap out the distributor, but I have a feeling that's not going to do much good. Tire pressures are to spec.

Forgot to add I have a new full pacesetter exhaust and new high flow cat.