playing the mpg game

So with gas prices putting a gouge in my piggy bank, I've been looking for ways to get more out of what I got. SO, here lately I've really started paying close attention to my driving habits. A couple of things that I have started doing is shifting into "N" to "coast" down any and every hill that I can maintain or even increase speed on, even if it means speeding a little, and shifting into N and coasting upto stop signs/lights. I am a little surprised that my Toyota will coast down a hill faster in N than it will while still in D, and then I shift back into D just as I see that I am back at or loosing my posted speed limit.
With my 07 sport SR5 4x4 DBcab, my last tank I got 23.15 mpg, done by calculating at fill up. I beleive that the tank that I am now on is going to be at least that good, maybe a smidge better.

Anyone else playing the "mpg" game?

repost.

check out this link provided below...

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=61&nojs=1#goto_forumsearch

into the blank, type "mpg" or "mileage" or "fuel economy" or "fuel mileage" and you should get many things to read through.

there is also a "fuel economy" section that can be found here at the link provided below that will have much of the information you are looking for.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=185

enjoy!

I'm no mechanic, but I don't think our trucks/automatics in general are made to be put into neutral to coast. You may want to reconsider this/do some research to be sure its not hurting your truck.

I'm not to sure but I have heard some stuff about it being illegal to trun off the car while in motion and/or not have the car in gear.

i do this all the time but i have a 6speed so its not really a big deal for me.

I'm no mechanic, but I don't think our trucks/automatics in general are made to be put into neutral to coast. You may want to reconsider this/do some research to be sure its not hurting your truck.

I think i heard someone saying a while back that transmission fluid does not circulate when you coast in neutral in an automatic so it may potentially be harmful.

I've always heard that if your vehicle can be dinghy towed coasting an automatic in neutral isn't harmful.

But the Tacoma manual says "not designed to be dinghy towed".

I wouldn't risk it with that automatic, but with a stick I do it all the time.

Transmission fluid will not circulate when tranny is in neutral--> overheated fluid--> broken tranny. Plus slamming an automatic into gear at 1500 RPMs is not really a good idea.

The owner's manual, it states that automatics should not be dinghy towed. It's ok for manual trannys. Also, in automatics when coasting, fuel consumption goes to 0, verified by my Scanguage. When you shift into N, the engine RPMs are at more than idle speed, which means you're always using fuel.

MDTRD is right i believe. and if you think about when you shift to nuetral the truck is not using the momentum to keep the engine turning, but if you leave it in gear it should use the momentum to keep fuel consumption close to 0.

I figure the automatic transmission can take whatever I throw at it. Our trannys come from Japan which is known to make the best transmissions in the world. When my motor blew the tranny was just fine. I love the sound of my exhaust and the automatic transmission on dirt. I just keep it floored and it decides what to do, I can concentrate on steering.

I figure the automatic transmission can take whatever I throw at it. Our trannys come from Japan which is known to make the best transmissions in the world. ...

I think it's safe to say that a lot of factors play into how robust a transmission is -but geographical location of manufacture ain't one of them.
(Just check out the Honda Odyssey of 1999-2005. At least 3 tranny redesigns + a retrofit for cooling gears in the 3rd one.)

You could just as well say that transmissions from Earth are known to be the best in the universe. I think that the best food in the world is in South Louisiana -but if you had tasted what my new bride cooked for me when we were first married in 1981- you'd realize that geographic generalizations don't hold up.

More important, if you misuse it, all bets are off.

transmissions from Earth are known to be the best in the universe.

Man, you crack me up!!! ;)


I think that the best food in the world is in South Louisiana -but if you had tasted what my new bride cooked for me when we were first married in 1981- you'd realize that geographic generalizations don't hold up.

Have you watched the Blue Collar Comedy Tour recently????? :lol:

The owner's manual, it states that automatics should not be dinghy towed. It's ok for manual trannys. Also, in automatics when coasting, fuel consumption goes to 0, verified by my Scanguage. When you shift into N, the engine RPMs are at more than idle speed, which means you're always using fuel.


When you shift into neutral idle speed DOES NOT Change, not sure where you got that from, idle speed is the same in park or neutral. When its IN gear the engine has a mild load on it and consequently idles a bit lower. That is not the same as idle speed, thats the IN GEAR idle. And you are DEFINETELY NOT using more fuel when you shift into neutral, actually it allows the car to coast somewhat faster than in gear, since the engine drag is not SLOWING the car. Your scan gauge may NOT BE READING a true MPG, BECAUSE it wont work when you shift an automatic to neutral, but neutral is without doubt using LESS fuel.....maybe a small amount less but less nonetheless.

MDTRD is right i believe. and if you think about when you shift to nuetral the truck is not using the momentum to keep the engine turning, but if you leave it in gear it should use the momentum to keep fuel consumption close to 0.


WRONG........EVERY car made coasts faster in neutral, you are not using the engine compression and drag when in neutral, its impossible for it to NOT coast faster. WHAT MOMENTUM are you referring to?? Its the weight of the vehicle rolling down a hill that makes it coast faster, minus any drag from air, tire rolling resistance, and any drive train drag, and engine compression. The engine is IDLING whether you have it in gear or neutral, so COMMON SENSE tells you that if you coast faster in neutral you are going FURTHER on the SAME amount of gas.....!!

Good grief, it's not like I'm coasting for miles on end, such as being towed!! And there is no "slam" when shifting from N back into D. Can't even feel it shift back into D. AND, my rpm gauge shows less rpms when coasting in N compared to "coasting" while in D.

Actually kevin, it is probably "possible" to not coast faster in N compared to D, the faster the vehicle is going, the more rolling resistance there is, so at some speed, there will be no gain in coasting in N., and obviously there is a need for enough decline in the road to over compensate for the rolling resistance that a vehicle has.

Obvious that I'm livin' on the edge according to some of you guys. But kind of like drinking milk that is past the expiration date, I like living on the edge!!

here's a experiment for you guys to try, find a peice of road and at a certain speed begin coasting in D and see how far your truck makes it before it stops, and then do the same thing in N. I'll bet that your vehicle will make it further while coasting in N, because your engine will slow your vehicle down quicker while in D, do to some engine breaking effect.

WRONG........EVERY car made coasts faster in neutral, you are not using the engine compression and drag when in neutral, its impossible for it to NOT coast faster. WHAT MOMENTUM are you referring to?? Its the weight of the vehicle rolling down a hill that makes it coast faster, minus any drag from air, tire rolling resistance, and any drive train drag, and engine compression. The engine is IDLING whether you have it in gear or neutral, so COMMON SENSE tells you that if you coast faster in neutral you are going FURTHER on the SAME amount of gas.....!!
Ok I guess I was wrong, probably because i dont fully understand all this stuff, but you seem to. But i do have a question about this theory, if your coasting down a hill with momentum or just moving forward for that matter you still have momentum. So if you put it in nuetral, the engine is on its own, in theory free from the wheels so nothing is keeping it going. But if its in drive, the momentum keeps the crankshaft turning. So if this is right, wouldnt that keep fuel consumption lower if the momentum helps the crankshaft than in nuetral?? If any of this is wrong id like to know because im still learning all this stuff.

And either way, whether theres no bump when you put it into drive at 1500 rpms, it cant be good for the transmission, it may not be bad, but it seems like doing that several times each drive could have a negative effect over time.

The crank shaft doesn't keep the engine running, that's what gas, air, spark plugs, and compression do. In your way of thinkin', what keeps the engine running when in P?
What is harder on the transmission is when someone races from stop light to stop light!

doing neutral drops while in motion will take its toll, plain and simple. you may not feel it right now, but if you keep doing that, youll find out soon enough. automatic transmissions are not built for that. hence the name "automatic." youre supposed to let it do everything for you and leave it alone. if you want full control, look into getting a car with a manual transmission.

just because it hasnt broke down on you yet doesnt mean it never will.

There is some engine braking because of the torque converter. The engine is running meaning the trans oil pump is turning and fluid circulating.

Personally would not do it because it is inconvenient and may cause more wear on the trans clutches and brakes.

But try running a couple of tanks of gas and determine if there is a difference in measurable MPG.

Good grief, it's not like I'm coasting for miles on end, such as being towed!! And there is no "slam" when shifting from N back into D. Can't even feel it shift back into D. AND, my rpm gauge shows less rpms when coasting in N compared to "coasting" while in D.

Actually kevin, it is probably "possible" to not coast faster in N compared to D, the faster the vehicle is going, the more rolling resistance there is, so at some speed, there will be no gain in coasting in N., and obviously there is a need for enough decline in the road to over compensate for the rolling resistance that a vehicle has.

Obvious that I'm livin' on the edge according to some of you guys. But kind of like drinking milk that is past the expiration date, I like living on the edge!!

here's a experiment for you guys to try, find a peice of road and at a certain speed begin coasting in D and see how far your truck makes it before it stops, and then do the same thing in N. I'll bet that your vehicle will make it further while coasting in N, because your engine will slow your vehicle down quicker while in D, do to some engine breaking effect.


EVERY vehicle coasts further in neutral..>I did experiments in college in my Technical physics class, regarding coast down measurements. Its air drag, frontal area, tire rolling resistance due to tread and weight on tire, and drive train total drag...Thats what slows the vehicle down. Having it in gear makes quite a bit more drag, as the engine compression is slowing the vehicle also..it depends a LOT on gearing etc.....imagine being in SECOND gear....you gets lots of engine braking...same with vehicle with numerically high axle ratios.

EVERY vehicle coasts further in neutral..>I did experiments in college in my Technical physics class, regarding coast down measurements. Its air drag, frontal area, tire rolling resistance due to tread and weight on tire, and drive train total drag...Thats what slows the vehicle down. Having it in gear makes quite a bit more drag, as the engine compression is slowing the vehicle also..it depends a LOT on gearing etc.....imagine being in SECOND gear....you gets lots of engine braking...same with vehicle with numerically high axle ratios.

It depends on what the fuel system is doing. If as I suspect the '93 doesn't have fuel cutoff while engine braking it is still providing fuel to maintain idle and continuing to add some power and therefore may not slow down as fast, especially if the idle is high.