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???Squeak in some fuel economy possible???

Discussion in '1st Gen Tundras (2000-2006)' started by jnqpublic, Nov 10, 2021.

  1. Nov 10, 2021 at 11:33 AM
    #1
    jnqpublic

    jnqpublic [OP] New Member

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    New to me, '04 Tundra, access, SR5, 4.7, 4X, auto, canopy.
    Yeah, besides staying off the fuel dumping pedal, is there really anything to be done to squeak in a few more MPG.
    Recently, to the coast and back for razor clams, no attempt whatsoever to go slow or conserve fuel. Ramming speed up and down hills on the highway (truck automatically shifting into most gas sucking speed possible), and pushing sand to and fro on the beach (same fuel sucking sound heard, "sorta").
    Pleased considering no attempt whatsoever on fuel economy, with 15.2 MPG on fill up once back. First tracked gas fill since buying the truck recently.
    Dang thing wants to squeak tires just pulling out from a stop with me not consciously resisting pushing the pedal.
    Any suggestions?

    (ps. Yeah, did OK on clams, but didn't get the recently raised to 20 limit. Did get 15 or so. Dark:30 came and I had no flashlight to spot divots to keep clamming.
    Kinda like fishing, ya never figure the actual cost paid out to get the product. 15 clams for wear and tear on rig + fuel + salt picked up accelerating frame rust + etc, "Oh, never mind, all that cost just doesn't matter!" Tundra fun over-rides all!)

    Now, back to that fuel economy?
     
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  2. Nov 10, 2021 at 11:50 AM
    #2
    Darkness

    Darkness Allergic to white

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    1) be sure all maintenance is done. Air filter, fuel filter, fluids good, tire pressure good, brakes good.

    2) be mindful of your tires. Heavy tires are no good for gas.

    3) you don't have to drive the way most people think- by leaving stop lights at a snails pace. Get up to speed with some moderate throttle, then try to coast to maintain speed. Coming to a red light? Lift the right foot and let momentum carry you. Coming to a turn? Same thing.

    4) be pretty intentional in where you're driving. Plan trips. In other words if I'm at work and know I need groceries, I got direct from work to the store, then home. Less miles uses less gas. Also don't spend time in drive thrus, park and order food inside.

    5) don't listen to the "you got a truck and care about gas mileage?" Responses. If they aren't paying for your gas, they can kick rocks.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2021
  3. Nov 10, 2021 at 12:01 PM
    #3
    frichco228

    frichco228 Valued Member

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    Not much possible-good suggestions above. Keep it stock height and keep stock size tires. Highway tread in standard load rating will give best MPG. Moving up to higher load rating or more aggressive tread (AT) will cost some MPG.

    Another often overlooked MPG killer is tire pressure. If tire pressure is even a few lbs lower than it should be- burning more gas.

    Idling time kills MPG in Tundras, Very quickly. Letting it idle 5-10 min each time you drive is a sure way to reduce the tanks avg MPG by 1-2.
     
  4. Nov 10, 2021 at 12:50 PM
    #4
    Retired...finally

    Retired...finally Utilizing that doctorate of procrastinatory arts

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    Talk to an alignment shop. By making a few changes I got almost 2 more MPG at highway speeds on my 2011 Honda Element. Never noticed and handling faults and tire will last longer.
     
  5. Nov 10, 2021 at 12:56 PM
    #5
    Jack McCarthy

    Jack McCarthy Truck repair enthusiast; Rust Aficionado

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    Is Toby the #HighwayLizard on this forum? I'm sure he'd have some input on how to achieve 0.3 mpg increase.
     
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  6. Nov 10, 2021 at 1:02 PM
    #6
    Jack McCarthy

    Jack McCarthy Truck repair enthusiast; Rust Aficionado

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    My only input would be possibly newer upstream 02 sensors to achieve a more accurate 14.7:1 ratio with less chance of it running more rich than a perfect balance of rich/lean.

    I know over time, the sensors degrade from plots I've made of 5-10 year old sensors vs new.
     
  7. Nov 10, 2021 at 1:13 PM
    #7
    Jack McCarthy

    Jack McCarthy Truck repair enthusiast; Rust Aficionado

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    @Darkness Nevermind, I just remembered you don't recall what happened to him after he became a moderator.
     
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  8. Nov 10, 2021 at 1:45 PM
    #8
    Darkness

    Darkness Allergic to white

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    I have his email somewhere. I'm gonna reach out and see if he responds. He should be here of he still has his truck.
     
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  9. Nov 10, 2021 at 1:57 PM
    #9
    jnqpublic

    jnqpublic [OP] New Member

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    OK folks, thanks for the reminder for tire inflate. Tires are stock M&S 16's. Am supposing the cab height canopy may allow better slip stream. Been focused more on simple operator error dealings with other "problems" of this new to me 17 year old truck. Yet to find any real problems, including the fuel economy, that I actually expected to be 14 MPG or below, on the check that was above 15 MPG. Guess I'll either just drive this thing, or maybe actually, a time or 2 fill ups, attempt a slower, more economical running of the truck, just to see the result.
    Possible karma reminder! Just got an email reminder from Les Schwab to get a tire pressure check on the car's recent new tires. "Yeah Les, thanks for the tire reminder, which reminds me, I need to check my, new to me, truck too. I have my own compressor, so Les, don't hold your breath till I come in for whatever else ya attempt to tag me with while simply checking my tire pressure. Yeah, I even have a tire gauge too! Thanks, but no thanks."
     
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  10. Nov 11, 2021 at 4:23 AM
    #10
    Punk1974

    Punk1974 former 2000 owner looking for a fg tunny project

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    Reading this site mpg threads and remembering back to my precious 2000fgt 11-13mpg city and 15-17hwy is the norm it seems. Hammer it and have fun with the low end torque.
     
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  11. Nov 11, 2021 at 6:34 AM
    #11
    10 blue trucks

    10 blue trucks New Member

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    ^^^^^^^^^ THIS

    It amazes me how many people I ride with (in any car) that are either constantly feathering the gas for no reason, or outright gassing to stop signs/turns/stoplights. The .3 seconds gained at each point are hardly worth the fuel cost. The tundra maintains speed really well if you you aren't lifted or running aggressive tires.

    Maintenance matters, lube your driveline, fresh diff fluids, clean air filter, spark plugs, tire pressure/alignment etc..... all matter, the friction loss is noticeable in mpgs. But these things tend to be generally static and we dont spend $100 a month on maintenace to save $75 on fuel.

    The key is to get into 3rd or 4th (city/Hwy) gear at a deliberate pace, then slowly ease up and use only the throttle needed to maintain the gear, inertia goes a long way. A 2004 when cold, driven conservatively will hold 2nd gear well into the 30 mph range. If you are trying to be easy on the pedal on city streets on the way to work in the morning doin 30 in 2nd its probably getting around 6-8 mpg. If you give it 10-15% more throttle from the jump and get it up to 34-38 (shift point will be lower at operating temp, and also at reduced throttle position) it will shift and rpms drop to the 1200 range.

    Memorize that shift point. Once you know your shift speed, anticipate it, accelerate as safely as reasonable , then reduce throttle slightly, it will shift as it senses the pedal change. The sooner this happens the better. Learn to control that process. Its the only way to get meaningful improvement outside mechanical/maintenace/weight reduction/aero. That steady accel doesn't hurt your mpg, because the engine is a low rev high torque design. As long as you avoid the 75-100% throttle area (which causes open loop fuel dump) lean into the pedal steadily, convert fuel to torque to inertia into the shift point, then feather back to just compensate for aero/friction.

    I get 1.5/2 MPG city better than my dad in the same truck, because he thinks acceleration is fuel dump, and he hovers in the high rev range longer. I rev it into 3rd more quickly and the revs drop sooner and I coast longer. I also take longer routes with less stops, and he prefers straightline routes that save a couple minutes, but he has to stop and go more often than I do. He saves 10 minutes a day, but I save 15-20 bucks a day.
     
  12. Nov 11, 2021 at 6:39 AM
    #12
    14burrito

    14burrito IG @14burrito

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    Inflate tires to max psi
     
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  13. Nov 11, 2021 at 6:50 AM
    #13
    Boerseun

    Boerseun MGM XP-Series

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    ^^ Agreed.

    Also, on the highway I see a huge difference between maintaining 65 MPH, 75 MPH and 85 MPH. It is an exponential increase. Along with tires and lift - At consistent 65 on the highway I used to get just under 20 MPG with the stock tires and suspension setup. Doing 80 MPH with bigger tires and lift I never get more than 12 or 13. On a long road trip that adds up to $$.
     
  14. Nov 11, 2021 at 7:33 AM
    #14
    Sirfive

    Sirfive Master Procrastinator

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    Extra tire pressure. kick it out of OD under 55, and tickle the throttle to keep it in OD over 55. Kill the a/c when you can. My 280 mile trips on i10 @ 70-75 average 17.7.
     
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  15. Nov 11, 2021 at 7:45 AM
    #15
    Punk1974

    Punk1974 former 2000 owner looking for a fg tunny project

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    Does anyone know if adding a sway bar will increase my mpg???
     
  16. Nov 11, 2021 at 7:48 AM
    #16
    Nowhereman

    Nowhereman New Member

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    Rough Country shocks, ReTrax cover, Summo springs, black out badging, bed extender, "some other things I can't mention"
    I have this and it works as stated.. https://www.chipyourcar.com/product...MInfH0yNKQ9AIVIxmtBh1logg7EAAYAyAAEgLAGPD_BwE
    The problem I have with it, is that it puts a constant drain on your battery and if you drive it only once in a while, sometimes the battery will be dead if sitting for two weeks.
    What I do now is when a long haul is coming up, I plug it in and get my mileage boost which is on average around 3 to 4 mpg on the highway.
    I haven't dyno'd it but my son has borrowed the Tundra twice with the last time being needed to tow a 7000 pound trailer to a camp site.
    He commented to me asking if I did anything to the engine because "it pulls a lot harder now".
    I got it for the mileage improvement and I saw that in spades driving to LA and back.
     
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  17. Nov 11, 2021 at 7:48 AM
    #17
    Sirfive

    Sirfive Master Procrastinator

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    @Punk1974
    I guess, if you consider that you could take corners without bleeding off as much speed.
     
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  18. Nov 11, 2021 at 7:52 AM
    #18
    FrenchToasty

    FrenchToasty The Desert rat, 6 lug enthusiast

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    How much did you have to drink last night, who are you and what did you do with the fastest color known to the universe
     
  19. Nov 11, 2021 at 8:08 AM
    #19
    Nowhereman

    Nowhereman New Member

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    Rough Country shocks, ReTrax cover, Summo springs, black out badging, bed extender, "some other things I can't mention"

    [​IMG] Domo rogato mr roboto....:crapstorm:
     
  20. Nov 11, 2021 at 8:15 AM
    #20
    Darkness

    Darkness Allergic to white

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    Black trucks get best mpg because they naturally propell themselves. It's even more efficient than any hybrid. Very hard on brakes though, the black paint on my truck has been trained to use reverse thrust as a brake assist.
     
  21. Nov 11, 2021 at 8:22 AM
    #21
    FrenchToasty

    FrenchToasty The Desert rat, 6 lug enthusiast

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    Sounds like a big responsibility, I knew you’d have it handled
     
  22. Nov 11, 2021 at 8:36 AM
    #22
    Nowhereman

    Nowhereman New Member

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    Rough Country shocks, ReTrax cover, Summo springs, black out badging, bed extender, "some other things I can't mention"
    It might but, not as much as six way powered mudflaps..
     
  23. Nov 11, 2021 at 1:11 PM
    #23
    Punk1974

    Punk1974 former 2000 owner looking for a fg tunny project

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    I’ve tried those with synthetic fluid, but not sure if I gained much mpg to be worth it.
     
  24. Nov 11, 2021 at 1:20 PM
    #24
    Sirfive

    Sirfive Master Procrastinator

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    I built a fastback cap for an early 90’s toyota out of thin wood paneling and 1x4 bracing. That got a couple mpg, but the bellypan made out of the same stuff did more good and was easier.

    ‘91 toyota p/u with an auto/22re got 30mpg from memphis (bahalia,ms) to houston (pasadena) it got about 20-21 regular.

    that truck also had the 14” steelies on tall skinny tires, no side mirrors, and tape over some of the seams. And it was black. I had also tweaked the air flow meter to give a little more resistance to the spring with a piece of fishing line, had the IAT sensor in fresh air, and a muffler from a gm bortec 6.0.
    Hypermiling around memphis i got 38mpg for a couple tanks, but the auto kept me out of the 40 club.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2021
  25. Nov 11, 2021 at 1:57 PM
    #25
    CTundraForMe

    CTundraForMe New Member

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    Aside from what's listed above, I suggest doing some comparisons in MPG for low grade gas vs mid grade gas. YMMV, literally, but you won't know if you don't try it.
     
  26. Nov 11, 2021 at 3:09 PM
    #26
    Sirfive

    Sirfive Master Procrastinator

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    the trick is getting gas from a gas station thats refilled every day. I carry a small bottle of lucas fuel treatment + octane booster if i’m stretching fuel stops on the bike. With ethanol it loses some of its potency, and my bikes are air cooled.

    delivery trucks usually have some tanks of high-test, and tanks of swill. Mid grade is kinda floor sweepings. But fresh gas is mo’betta.
     
  27. Nov 12, 2021 at 7:07 AM
    #27
    Nowhereman

    Nowhereman New Member

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    Rough Country shocks, ReTrax cover, Summo springs, black out badging, bed extender, "some other things I can't mention"
    Yeah but did you try the "Black ones" hmm?
     
  28. Nov 12, 2021 at 7:37 AM
    #28
    Punk1974

    Punk1974 former 2000 owner looking for a fg tunny project

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    Yeah. The package said black was the faster color. Maybe I’ll try the solar powered version next time.
     
  29. Nov 12, 2021 at 1:22 PM
    #29
    assassin10000

    assassin10000 New Member

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    Depends on driving conditions as well. The 2 things that actually saw a measurable difference (calculated by hand AND on the torque app doing testing on the freeway) for me was a tonneau cover at higher speeds (45/55+) and re-gearing (city mpg).


    I'm not sure if a canopy/shell has the same effect as the tonneau or not.


    The best mileage I saw was a longer trip at a steady 55-60mph on some 2 lane roads at 19.1mpg when I went to pickup the cover. So half the drive was with the cover on and the other wasn't.
     
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  30. Nov 12, 2021 at 1:35 PM
    #30
    Half Assed

    Half Assed me ne frego

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    Put more air in the tires and drive slower on the highway (70mph or less).

    Then find some other thing you waste money on, like cable TV or a $7 coffee every weekday morning, and get rid of that instead to save money.
     
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