I just bought a 1992 land cruiser that has the 4.0 straight 6... I was wondering if i could change out any gears or anything to improve the gas mileage?? Also if i could upgrade the torque converter to get more horsepower??

 

You might be able to put slightly taller gears in but they will make it more sluggish. That engine isn't a great performer for the size of that truck. You can't do much to make any significant changes.

 

welcome to YT!
what is "low" for your cruiser? you should be getting somewhere between 12-16 mpg depending on setup/driving style and terrain. all land cruisers are heavy pigs and they like to drink! but what you get in return is a rock solid, reliable vehicle. not a whole lot you can do for your rig but there are a few things some people do. for some very good info on an active Land Cruiser board, check out IH8MUD.

 

Tow it.

 

the easiest things to do are the obvious ones first
plugs, wires, cap, o2 sensors, etc.

then change the oil to something that will give you less friction in the motor and throughout the drivetrain with an oil like Amsoil. I run that in mine.

This amount of "tune up" will give you great piece of mind as well as should increase efficiency...

 

THEN you can start hunting down areas to improve power..how many miles are on it?

and changing gears = expensive!!!

 

x2.

Tow it.

 

alcohol injection.... I know, I know, that's always my first response but it really does work! don't know why more people don't run meth kits. It's not a big inconvenience and you get more power and much better MPG's. Even my 3vze gets better mileage with alcohol, not much noticeable power but it's a 3vze... Lots of good kits out there or build your own, it's pretty easy to install and maintain.

The cost of methanol is MORE than paid for with the increase in fuel economy... and it cleans your engine too!

There's a dude near where I work with a beautiful '94 cruiser, I keep offering blue book perfect condition plus $1k... no dice!

 

actually the 2uz motor is a pretty reputable swap in these... nice power and Ok MPGs.

 

is it possible to swap to manual hubs on these cruisers? would the sfa hubs from 85 or earlier fit? just curious.. im currently looking for a cruiser so im doing my research and i know that switching to manual hubs will improve gas mileage.

 

No, solid axle truck hubs will not fit a Cruiser front axle.

 

1HD-T 25mpg

 

Lol...

You're wrong.

FJ80s and FZJ80s have a fulltime 4WD setup. you can crack into the center differential, pull the viscous coupling out and put solid axle manual hubs on the front from a mini truck and have a part time kit. There's a few companies that make a kit for this, but its rather expensive and not really worth the amount of MPGs it'll save you.

 

Damn, I been schooled. We tried it many moons ago and something didnt work. I'll have to think on what happened exactly. Is it completely bolt on?

Maybe it was hub/shaft diameter? Heck, I don't remember....

 

FZJ80 front axles need to have a groove cut for the snap ring to fit into, FJ80 axles work stock.

Some have reported that a snorkel gave them a small bump in fuel economy. Anything that costs that much will take a while to reach the break even point though. If it's a problem maybe look into a cheap beater for a DD instead and keep the cruiser for weekends.

 

You can have you fuel injectors flow balanced to ensure that each cylinder is getting the correct amount of fuel. This service also checks spray pattern to ensure your engine is running as efficient as it can. This is one of the most overlooked parts of the fuel system.

 

Bad gas mileage comes with the territory when it comes to cruisers. You won't ever break 20 mpg lets put it that way. You could do a basic tuneup but most people just live with it or do a motor swap, I would not gear down I don't know how the 3fe feels about high rpm's.