27 Mpg???

[Martinjmpr]

Okay, so here's the story:

I went elk hunting this past weekend up northwest of Meeker, CO (gorgeous country, btw!) Didn't get anything but had a great time with my brother and his friend and some of my girlfriend's family.

Anyway, we stopped for gas and lunch on the way back in Glenwood Springs. I filled the tank at the Bradley station (i.e. cheapest gas available.) Since we weren't in a terrible hurry and it was a nice day, I just set the cruise control at about 65 for most of the trip. Glenwood Springs is right around 6000' above sea level, and there are two passes between Glenwood and Denver, Vail Pass (10,600') and the Eisenhower Tunnel (11,000') so it's about equal parts up and down.

I got back on Tuesday night, drove to work Wednesday and today and decided to fill the tank since gas is going up.

I always measure my MPG when I fill up, and I always do it the same way: Since I set my tripmeter to zero after each fill up, I just look at total miles and divide by total gallons. Well, it was 208 and some change, and 7.67 gallons. It came out to 27.19 MPG! :Wow1:

Has anyone else had results like this? This is on an '04 Taco, V-6, 5 speed 4x4 with a cab-high shell, carrying two people and probably 200-400lbs of gear. Still using the stock 265/70R 16 BFG Rugged Trail TA tires with 53k on the clock (I'll need new tires soon, btw.)

Now, I don't believe I really got 27.19mpg. I think what may have happened is that the gas station I went to has a more "sensitive" auto-shutoff than some of the other ones I use. If so, then I should get a lower than usual MPG rating with the next tank. I'll average the two to get my "actual" MPG.

However, it is unquestionable that I drove over 200 miles and my tank was still well over half full, so even if the MPG was "only" 25, that's not bad for a V-6 4x4!

As I said, what I'd really like is to "reality check" this with other Taco drivers to see if this is really possible. If it is, I'm stoked! :wings: My Subaru got 28-29 in the real world on a couple of occasions, so if I can hit 24-25 in a bigger and much more capable vehicle, I'll be thrilled. Now if only the tank was a gallon or two bigger...

 

[LAW]

its possible.. ive got 30 MPG in mine one trip, drove 225 miles on half a tank....
fully loaded D-Cab N/A V6 4X4 bumpers and all...

i thought my gasgauge was broken


now on long trips i average 20-24mpg with the supercharger and all the fuel mods...

 

[Clark White]

now on long trips i average 20-24mpg with the supercharger and all the fuel mods...

What sort of fuel mods do you have?

 

[LAW]

What sort of fuel mods do you have?

urd 7th, afr calibrator,


and a light foot

 

[Willman]

My beast gets between 15-18 mpg on a good day......

27 mpg would be a dream come true!

Live it up!

Bumpers, winch, extra fuel & water, babys stuff and the wifes kitchen sink.......I'm still happy with 15 mpg pulling the trailer!

 

[Rexsname]

I got 19.96 mpg from Moab UT to Kayenta AZ and 20.56 mpg from Kayenta to Prescott. My best ever tankful was 23.3. I hesitate to call BS on 27mpg but I'm having a real hard time beliveing it.

REX

 

[XJxplorer]

Don't mean to hi jack but if the V6 can get upwards of 27 MPG, what do you guys think the 4cyl is capable of? The reason I ask is because I am in the market for a truck but very unsure of which to get with gas prices going up and all...

 

[Grim Reaper]

Don't mean to hi jack but if the V6 can get upwards of 27 MPG, what do you guys think the 4cyl is capable of? The reason I ask is because I am in the market for a truck but very unsure of which to get with gas prices going up and all...

It is all about the torque band. A 4 cylinder running at 50% to move the load verses a 6 cylinder running a 30% to move the load. If the gearing is right there is no reason you cant' get as good or better MPG out of the v6.

When I was in my hot rod years I helped a buddy build a hopped up 350 for his camaro. It was mean and consistently pull low 13's in the quarter. It got 18-19mpg on the hwy. That was better then the bone stock engine that passed emissions no problems that we pulled out. The new engine passed smog as well (once a year for 2 days when the cats were on it) and was at least doubled the power.

MPG is basically 4 things:
Aerodynamic drag
weight
gearing.
rolling resistance.

Anything you do to effect those will change your mileage.

Lift is a negative. Wide tires is a negative.

The biggest thing you could do to improve you hwy MPG is slow down. I can about garantee 2 mpg increase at 65 over 75.

 

[bigreen505]

It could be wind, there are some some bizarre wind currents that you get through there occasionally -- all you need is enough to take some pressure off the front of the vehicle. Could be to pump in Glenwood put in more gas than your pump at home. Lots of possibilities. Either way, enjoy it, but don't expect it.

 

[98roamer]

Not knowing the area, are you coming down out of the mountains?

 

[snowbrock]

I had a similar experience on a road trip in Colorado this summer. My 06 double cab v6 tacoma got 400 miles on several tanks while driving the roads around Beaver Creek, Vail, Aspen, Boulder, and Rocky mountain NP. I theorized that it may have had something to do with the altitude (9000+). Usually I am lucky to get better than 300 miles to a tank, around 22 mpg.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Not knowing the area, are you coming down out of the mountains?

Well, Glenwood is around 6,000'. By the time you get to Vail Pass (about 70 miles) you're up to 10,500. From Vail pass to Copper Mountain (maybe 10 miles) it drops about 1,000-1500 feet to around 9,100 or so. Then at Silverthorne (about 20 miles past Vail Pass) it starts climbing again to 11,000' to the Eisenhower tunnel. From the Tunnel it's all downhill to Denver (5280') about 60 miles. So it's about equal parts up and down.

 

[nickw]

Well, Glenwood is around 6,000'. By the time you get to Vail Pass (about 70 miles) you're up to 10,500. From Vail pass to Copper Mountain (maybe 10 miles) it drops about 1,000-1500 feet to around 9,100 or so. Then at Silverthorne (about 20 miles past Vail Pass) it starts climbing again to 11,000' to the Eisenhower tunnel. From the Tunnel it's all downhill to Denver (5280') about 60 miles. So it's about equal parts up and down.

Best I ever got in my V6 was 22 mpg, totally flat stretch of I5, 100 kph the whole way on cruise. Also with no load, pretty ideal conditions if I may say so myself.

I have always thought that if you driving a mix of up and down, equal elevation change, you might get much better MPG. Going up you obviously decrease mileage, but when coming down I think you can get crazy mpg readings, more than making up for the decrease in climbing efficiency.

I dont know if this defies any laws of physics, i.e., you cant get more than you put in, but I think it may be possible.

Put her into Alabama overdrive on the downhill and keep the engine is the sweet spot on the uphills.

Although with all that being said, I think you have to have long uphills, not short twisty mountain driving requiring constant accelerations around curves.

 

[mountainpete]

When I first got my Tacoma I did a highway trip from Calgary to Kamloops. The truck was bone stock and I did just under 30 MPG. It was to the point where I was sure the gas gauge was broken.

Never happened again... With all the extras, I am usually around 17 ish...

 

[Maddmatt]

Based on my experiences driving that same stretch both directions many many times, I think its entirely possible that you got unusually good mileage coming home. The actual figure might be amplified by the second pump shutting you off quicker, but I've always had better mileage coming back from the mountains than going to them.

Even though the elevation gains nearly equalize themselves from Glenwood to Denver, the east bound trip has two short but steep climbs (three if you count Floyd Hill) with two long, coasting downhills. That 60 miles from the tunnel to town is bonus time, especially when you holding it at 65mph.

-Matt