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Engine & DrivetrainDiscussions about the engine and drivetrain of your vehicle.
This is a discussion thread titled "Modifications for Improvements in Gas Mileage", within the Engine & Drivetrain forum, part of the Technical & Vehicle Assistance Forums category.
I have been studying and researching the new 2004 Tundra DC 4wd's like crazy. I am trying to catch up with you boys as far as modifications. I did decide on a plan to help my gas mileage on my DC:
- Switch from the paper filter to the K&N Filter (Stock configuration)
- Add the RAPS system
- Change to synthetic oil after a 1,000 miles
I am think more air flow through the truck both in entry and exit. Obviously, I want to add duals when I can swing it but I wanted to work through each modification to see where my gains or loses are just so I can make adjustments as I go. Also, reducing friction may not necessarliy improve gas mileage. It looks like a coin toss on that one. I think I can do better than 14.6 mpg but of course it is 4wd and it does sport 285's. I would be thrilled if I got 16 to 17 mpg but I don't have enough experience to know if I am in left field with this plan or not. OK. Lay it on me.
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Previous Trucks Owned:
1990 Toyota Xtra-Cab 2wd (145,000 miles)
1996 Toyota Tacoma Ext. Cab 4wd (171,000 miles)
2004 Toyota Tundra DC 4wd (Phantom Grey - 48,700 miles and counting)
Toyota truck user for 16 years and counting..........
Also known as Thibodeaux at the Fuge.
Gig'em Ag's (Class of '94)
Modifications on DC to date:
3" Toytec lift, 1.5" Add-A-Leaf, Line X, Eagle Alloys Series 101 16x8 (3.60 B.S.), 285/75/R16's Cooper Discoverer ST's
keep the oem filter for now, unless the true flow setup turns out to be all it's claimed (high flow, cleaner than oem paper). do add the raps kit. duals are a noisy looks mod, try cheap headers from ebay (search around on the site here for examples) instead.
gas mileage varies more with driving style and terrain than mods. back in colorado i was getting 400 miles to a tank on 285/75/16 XT tires, all my driving was easy, flat, cross-country, 50mph stuff. since then ive moved, and going to work alternate between sitting in traffic and short hops on the freeway, so my mileage has dropped to around 14.
I like the duals idea but one of the main reasons of getting rid of my Taco was it didn't have a cat. converter on it. Where I live, they didn't start testing for emissions until last year so inspection wasn't a problem. My point is I like the quietness of my truck now and so do the neighbors. That truck was loud and noisy. But it ran like a top. The best gains I saw with whatever I was doing to the truck was gutting the cat. and cutting a hole in the airbox to increase air flow. Also, replacing it with a K&N air flow filter. All of this used with a flowmaster muffler. It made all the difference in the world. So I am with you on the noisy dual mod. Would aftermarket headers change the frequency of the exhaust to noticeable difference? I can see my neighbors getting pissed off again cuz I hunt ducks four months out of the year. I live about thirty minutes from my duck lease which means I sleep at the house instead the hunting lodge. When I fired that Taco off at 4:00 A.M. on Saturdays and Sundays in 35 degree weather, people no longer liked me. Of course, they never said anything to me cuz I think I scared them. They weren't use to see a bunch of rednecks playing with shotguns on the driveway or breasting out ducks in their neighborhood. It's a good thing I know alot of the local policemen in town. I have had to bribe'em by putting them on the ducks. It's all good though. Ever since I have gotten my new truck, I have noticed the neighbors are more friendly now than ever.
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Previous Trucks Owned:
1990 Toyota Xtra-Cab 2wd (145,000 miles)
1996 Toyota Tacoma Ext. Cab 4wd (171,000 miles)
2004 Toyota Tundra DC 4wd (Phantom Grey - 48,700 miles and counting)
Toyota truck user for 16 years and counting..........
Also known as Thibodeaux at the Fuge.
Gig'em Ag's (Class of '94)
Modifications on DC to date:
3" Toytec lift, 1.5" Add-A-Leaf, Line X, Eagle Alloys Series 101 16x8 (3.60 B.S.), 285/75/R16's Cooper Discoverer ST's
1990 Toyota Xtra-Cab 2wd (145,000 miles)
1996 Toyota Tacoma Ext. Cab 4wd (171,000 miles)
2004 Toyota Tundra DC 4wd (Phantom Grey - 48,700 miles and counting)
Toyota truck user for 16 years and counting..........
Also known as Thibodeaux at the Fuge.
Gig'em Ag's (Class of '94)
Modifications on DC to date:
3" Toytec lift, 1.5" Add-A-Leaf, Line X, Eagle Alloys Series 101 16x8 (3.60 B.S.), 285/75/R16's Cooper Discoverer ST's
If your looking to modify just for mileage increase, there is only one product cost effective enough to justify. RAPS (see link in sig.) I've got about $2000 in modifications with custom dual, headers, UD pulley, RAPS, intake, and unichip...and I've picked up about 1.5 MPG total. Last trip I checked I got 18.9 MPG. I will never pay for the mods in saved gas...but I did this for performance and personal preferance, and better mileage was a side benifit.
The stock filter flows better and filters better than the K&N or similar TRD.
Want better gas mileage than air up the tires and when it comes time to get new ones get all season 245/70-R16 instead of the optional 265/70-R16 tires. Everything else I have tried just cost too much to make it pay for itself.
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stock exhaust
Formerly Modified JBA headers now SSautochrome headers temporarily
TRD LSD
Extang lift off tonneau
Hankook DynaPro AS RH03
stock air filter & box
220 HP @ 4800 RPM
302 TQ @ 3400 RPM Run With Spintech Sportsman XL muffler, stock air filter, and JBA headers
208 HP @ 4800 RPM
285 TQ @ 3400 RPM Run With Spintech Sportsman XL muffler, TRD air filter, and stock manifolds
204 HP @ 4800 RPM
271 TQ @ 3400 RPM Bone stock
Quarter mile 15.526 @ 87.17 mph bone stock in 40-degree weather 2WD SR5 V8.
Quarter mile 15.389 @ 88.66 mph modified in 60-degree weather 2WD SR5 V8.
0-60 IN 6.88 seconds on G-tech
Dyno run results click here
Dyno run 2 results click here
I got 17.48 on my last tank, which is pretty good for me.
I have the K&N panel filter, and I think it helps. I am one of the Naysayers on the board about keeping the stock filter, I have used K&N for years, and never had a bad experience with them.
I am going to do the headers soon. I have a cat back, run synthetic oil, and am going to run synthetic in the diff when I get a chance to replace it.
I do have the 265 series tires, and think that is a huge contributor to the gas mileage, just a lot of rolling resistance.
I do try to keep the cruise on when I am on the interstate, and I try to let the truck get out of first and into second before I give it some throttle, and do try to keep the revs down. The trans will stay in gear for a while without a heavy foot, and I don't think that helps mileage either.
I am not to keen on the UD pulley though. I don't know if going to a solid pulley is a good idea with you should have some sort of rubber or something in there. They don't call it a damper for a reason. I want to wait and see what other people run into there.
Still up in the air about the intake set-up. May do brute force or FIPK, or that true flo thing. Just have to see.
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2002 Tundra SR5, TRD Off-Road with Limited Slip
Dynomax Super Turbo Exhaust, K&N Panel Filter
I'm not aware of any mod that pays for itself in fuel savings. Fuel consumption is a huge issue for the auto makers. If there was a way to satisfactorily save fuel, they'd do it.
Synthetic lubes save a very small amount of fuel, but don't pay for the extra cost of the lubes.
I don't think an aftermarket air filter element is any help. High priced spark plugs are no help. Dual exhaust costs a lot, sounds powerful, and puts out less power than duals with an x-pipe crossover or a properly sized single. If they put out less power, that means more fuel for the same power. Big knobby tires hurt due to more rolling resistance and the large diameter causes the transmission to downshift more often. If I needed tires and was searching for gas mileage, I'd consider a highway tread 245/75-16.
What does work to save fuel:
-drive less
-drive slower
-no jackrabbit starts
-don't carry unneeded junk
-air up your tires
-do tune ups on schedule
-use a fuel system cleaner periodically to keep your injectors and combustion chamber as clean as new.
Ken
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You get what you inspect
Not what you expect.
S&S Long Tube Hi-Torque Headers
TRD/Eaton Limited Slip Differential
Gibson exhaust system
Hellwig Rear Antisway Bar
Sylvania Xenarc H.I.D. X1010 Auxiliary Low Beam Driving Lights
Schaeffer Engine Oil, ATF, Differential Oil
Racor LFS22825 full-flow transmission filter
Towing a 21' Bigfoot trailer using a Hensley Arrow hitch, Jordan brake controller, McKesh mirrors
About the RAPS kit: I can't find it on ebay or the other site, anybody know why?
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MajMike '06 DCab SR5 2wd, Kenwood Excelon X790 w/ JBL GTO627's all around and a Kenwood powered subwoofer mounted on the rear cab wall. WeatherTech custom mats, Jason topper with a BedRug (love it). Next up: TRD limited slip!
About the RAPS kit: I can't find it on ebay or the other site, anybody know why?
I'm unsure if the Ram Air Performance System (RAPS) is still available. But it's certainly worth a try to PM tremo.
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Modifications for Improvements in Gas Mileage
That truck was loud and noisy. But it ran like a top. The best gains I saw with whatever I was doing to the truck was gutting the cat. and cutting a hole in the airbox to increase air flow. Also, replacing it with a K&N air flow filter. All of this used with a flowmaster muffler. It made all the difference in the world. So I am with you on the noisy dual mod. Would aftermarket headers change the frequency of the exhaust to noticeable difference? I can see my neighbors getting pissed off again cuz I hunt ducks four months out of the year. I live about thirty minutes from my duck lease which means I sleep at the house instead the hunting lodge. When I fired that Taco off at 4:00 A.M. on Saturdays and Sundays in 35 degree weather, people no longer liked me. Of course, they never said anything to me cuz I think I scared them. They weren't use to see a bunch of rednecks playing with shotguns on the driveway or breasting out ducks in their neighborhood. 
It's a good thing I know alot of the local policemen in town. I have had to bribe'em by putting them on the ducks. It's all good though. Ever since I have gotten my new truck, I have noticed the neighbors are more friendly now than ever.
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