Tacoma Gas Mileage

I have a '99 Tacoma--automatic, 6 cylinder, extended cab--that get 16
mpg. What I sense from reading other posts here, that's quite low. Any
suggestions on increasing this?

mk

"Big Dummy" <user@nodomain.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1e6f7980c86202d998969d@news.iserv.net...[color=blue]
>I have a '99 Tacoma--automatic, 6 cylinder, extended cab--that get 16
> mpg. What I sense from reading other posts here, that's quite low. Any
> suggestions on increasing this?
>
> mk[/color]

Aside from proper engine maintenance, what pressure do you keep your tires
at? How did you get that 16 mpg number? For what kind of driving?

In article <wwiNf.1490$kg.973@news02.roc.ny>, [email]ancientangler@hotmail.com[/email]
says...[color=blue]
>
> "Big Dummy" <user@nodomain.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.1e6f7980c86202d998969d@news.iserv.net...[color=green]
> >I have a '99 Tacoma--automatic, 6 cylinder, extended cab--that get 16
> > mpg. What I sense from reading other posts here, that's quite low. Any
> > suggestions on increasing this?
> >
> > mk[/color]
>
> Aside from proper engine maintenance, what pressure do you keep your tires
> at? How did you get that 16 mpg number? For what kind of driving?
>[/color]
Thanks for the reply,

Sorry, also forgot to mention 4WD. The 16mpg is almost entirely city
driving--2 mi to work and back. Tires may be a little under pressure,
but not soft. Also, I guess the sandbags in back would affect it also.
But, it seems that it's not much better in the summer, w/o the extra
weight.

mk

You didnt say if you have a Pre-Runner or 4x4 or a standard. I have a 2000
Pre-Runner V-6 auto , ext cab and I get 18 mpg in the city with the
31x10.50 tires. But I drive like an old man. Because i am. I have friends
with the same truck in std. forn with the small tires and they get about
21 around town . I pay a price for the big tires, still love the truck.
Scott

"Big Dummy" <user@nodomain.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1e6f828823350f4e98969e@news.iserv.net...[color=blue]
> In article <wwiNf.1490$kg.973@news02.roc.ny>, [email]ancientangler@hotmail.com[/email]
> says...[color=green]
>>
>> "Big Dummy" <user@nodomain.com> wrote in message
>> news:MPG.1e6f7980c86202d998969d@news.iserv.net...[color=darkred]
>> >I have a '99 Tacoma--automatic, 6 cylinder, extended cab--that get 16
>> > mpg. What I sense from reading other posts here, that's quite low.
>> > Any
>> > suggestions on increasing this?
>> >
>> > mk[/color]
>>
>> Aside from proper engine maintenance, what pressure do you keep your
>> tires
>> at? How did you get that 16 mpg number? For what kind of driving?
>>[/color]
> Thanks for the reply,
>
> Sorry, also forgot to mention 4WD. The 16mpg is almost entirely city
> driving--2 mi to work and back. Tires may be a little under pressure,
> but not soft. Also, I guess the sandbags in back would affect it also.
> But, it seems that it's not much better in the summer, w/o the extra
> weight.
>
> mk[/color]

Others will jump in to debate this, but for many tires, the pressure
recommended by the car maker is not necessarily the optimum in terms of
efficiency (or traction). If you're in the 26-28 range, try 30-32. But, you
mentioned that you're only driving a couple of miles. If my 2002 Tacoma is
any indication, the engine's still in warmup mode for the first few minutes.
I'd guess it's not possible to get an accurate mpg estimate if the vehicle's
only been running for a couple of miles.

In article <d12f4a18cecab9002f7e62a33b807748
@localhost.talkaboutautos.com>, sjemoomaw@nospam says...[color=blue]
> You didnt say if you have a Pre-Runner or 4x4 or a standard. I have a 2000
> Pre-Runner V-6 auto , ext cab and I get 18 mpg in the city with the
> 31x10.50 tires. But I drive like an old man. Because i am. I have friends
> with the same truck in std. forn with the small tires and they get about
> 21 around town . I pay a price for the big tires, still love the truck.
> Scott
>
>[/color]
I actually have never understood what the difference is between a Pre-
Runner and standard. But I didn't mention I have the TRD package.
Yes, I have oversize tires (don't know size off-hand), but for some
reason I thought they would help mileage, not hinder it. For the same
linear distance, the wheels, and thus the engine, would turn less. Oh,
well.

mk

It seems to me that you might be running into an issue with your speedometer
being off. It's calibrated to the factory tire size. In my mind, IF you go
further in one revolution of the tire, then really you are going further
then the speedometer is reading and hence, your mileage is a bit better then
it shows.
[color=blue]
> I actually have never understood what the difference is between a Pre-
> Runner and standard. But I didn't mention I have the TRD package.
> Yes, I have oversize tires (don't know size off-hand), but for some
> reason I thought they would help mileage, not hinder it. For the same
> linear distance, the wheels, and thus the engine, would turn less. Oh,
> well.
>
> mk[/color]



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"Big Dummy" <user@nodomain.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1e6f8f6671951dfb98969f@news.iserv.net...
| In article <d12f4a18cecab9002f7e62a33b807748
| @localhost.talkaboutautos.com>, sjemoomaw@nospam says...
| > You didnt say if you have a Pre-Runner or 4x4 or a standard. I have
a 2000
| > Pre-Runner V-6 auto , ext cab and I get 18 mpg in the city with the
| > 31x10.50 tires. But I drive like an old man. Because i am. I have
friends
| > with the same truck in std. forn with the small tires and they get
about
| > 21 around town . I pay a price for the big tires, still love the
truck.
| > Scott
| >
| >
| I actually have never understood what the difference is between a Pre-
| Runner and standard. But I didn't mention I have the TRD package.
| Yes, I have oversize tires (don't know size off-hand), but for some
| reason I thought they would help mileage, not hinder it. For the same
| linear distance, the wheels, and thus the engine, would turn less.
Oh,
| well.
|
| mk

A Pre-Runner is not a 4 wheel drive. It looks like a 4 wheel drive but
is not one. Pre-Runners are what the 2 wheel drive trucks that "Pre-Run"
the Baja California race course are called. The difference between the
regular 2 wheel drive Tacoma and the Pre-Runner is the Pre-Runner gives
you the looks of a 4 wheel drive- I.E., big tires and higher ground
clearance.

--
Jarhead

I've owned both Pre-Runner and
my newer D-cab 4wd.
Both 6cyl @ 190hp.
My D-cab gets 16.5 highway, 14 city,
or an average 15.2 combined.
And I am not heavy on the accelerator.

I used to own a 1981 Corvette.
Being the 2 have almost the same horsepower
@190-195hp, the only difference is the Corvette
has better aerodynamics, 2 more cylinders and
carburator vs, fuel injection for the truck.
The Corvette got the exact same gas mileages
as the truck.
It's still better than the 8mi. per gallon you'll get
with a 400hp motor.