# 13 mpg. It's Gotta' Be Better Than This!!



## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Ok, so I think I figured my gas mileage out and I'm gettin' a lousy 13 mpg ('97 Ka24, standard, 4WD).

In the fall, I changed the plugs and the fuel filter. Plug wires looked great so I left them alone. Didn't change the air filter. Stock tires and I drive like an old woman (try to keep it under 2500 rpm).

What would you folks say might be the best thing I can do to get my mileage up (even to the high teens)?

I know it's winter and mileage usually goes down, but 13 mpg seems a little ridiculous. I might as well have an 8 cylinder with a lot more ponies under the hood if that's the mileage I'm gonna' get.


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## Faja (Aug 31, 2009)

I say trade it in for a Hyundai Accent - 35mpg!!!!


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## homeguard (Jan 20, 2011)

That's about what MPG I get as well, I have the exact same truck. I ride a motorcycle and enjoy bicycling to work when it isn't winter.


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## rockcrusher44 (Oct 7, 2006)

I have the exact same truck and get 24 MPG on the highway when I checked it on a trip today. If I drive 70 or above that drops to 19 to 20 MPG. My truck has 225000 miles on it with stock 15" wheels. Your mileage is not normal.


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

24 mpg?? Ugghh! What I'd give for 24 mpg. A buddy of mine has a 2009 GMC Silverado with gobs of power and a V8. He's getting 21 mpg in town.

I'm hoping my mileage will improve come finer weather in the spring. 

I've got the infamous rattle on start-up (but quickly disappears). Could a timing chain job increase my mileage?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Replacing the chain will only affect mileage if the chain has jumped time.


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## rockcrusher44 (Oct 7, 2006)

I've had three of these trucks so far. Without exception all of them have rattled on start up to some degree or another. That includes one that only had 50,000 miles on it. As long as it still doesn't rattle after the oil pumps up I wouldn't worry too much about it. If your truck had jumped timing I think there would be other signs besides poor gas mileage. These trucks are somewhat under powered and everything you do to them figures into fuel efficiency from your tire size to driving habits. I know it might end up costing some money but you might want to take your truck to a good mechanic you trust and let him check it out


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## AtomCzar (Dec 28, 2010)

My truck uses kms, I think I got the math right. I got 17.64 MPG the first time I checked it. I switched tires recently b/c one of mine blew, and now I have smaller tires. I expect that will hurt my MPG since they are 9% too fast (91km/h when the speedo says 100km/h) I'm planning a tune up and getting bigger rims and tires by spring, hopefully I will see an improvement.


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

I'm running stock size tires, but they are a fairly aggressive snow retread. Gonna' go back to 'summer' tires come spring.

I have let the truck idle quite a bit recently as it's been kinda' cold lately (-14ºC as I type this). Obviously, this doesn't help the mileage.

Looking back, last summer the check engine light came on but went off a few days later (gas cap, or sumthin' to do with high humidity maybe??). I never ran a code to see why the light came on, but might very well be part of the problem.

As far as my timing chain goes, it rattles more on warm start ups then on cold...go figure. 

Finally, other than plugs, oil and filters, what do you folks change when you do a 'thorough' tune up?


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## RobXEV6 (Nov 3, 2009)

Hey, someone else posted a similar thread last week, and I think he had a plugged muffler. I guess the mpg jumped right up when the muffler 'fell off'.



Rob


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Grug said:


> Ok, so I think I figured my gas mileage out and I'm gettin' a lousy 13 mpg ('97 Ka24, standard, 4WD).
> 
> In the fall, I changed the plugs and the fuel filter. Plug wires looked great so I left them alone. Didn't change the air filter. Stock tires and I drive like an old woman (try to keep it under 2500 rpm).
> 
> ...


Here's several things that will affect the MPG:
- Bad O2 sensor.
- Dirty air filter.
- Bad temperature sensor that feeds the ECU.
- One or more leaking fuel injectors.
- Bad thermostat that's stuck open all the time or the wrong temperature thermostat.
- Dirty plugs/bad plug wires/worn dist cap/rotor.


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Hey there, Rogo.

If I had a bad injector, would it show up in my plugs? 'Cause when I changed the plugs last fall they all looked real good; none looked fouled by too much fuel.

Also, if my thermostat was acting up, would there be a lack of interior heat? 'Cause I have great heat in the truck.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

If an injector was leaking bad, it would most likely show up in the plug getting fouled. However, with minor leaks, the plugs will probably look OK. If there are several minor leaking injectors, the engine will probably run OK but the MPG will hurt. 

If the thermostat was letting the engine run on the cool side, then the engine would take longer to warm up from a cold start and during that time the MPG would suffer. Does your temperature gauge reach normal temperature quickly?


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

what gas are you using ??


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Well, I'd have to say that the truck is warming up in a very normal way...not too fast, not too slow (at least not enough to suggest that my thermostat might be dead or dying).

As far as the O2 sensors and ECU sensor; I can't say.

Zane...I'm using the low end gas...I know, I'm cheap. Not sure what the octane rating is.

Ok, what about this. My tailpipe rotted off late last fall so the muffler is pumping exhaust minus the tailpipe. Slight difference in the sound the truck makes, but nothing crazy. Could that have any effect on mileage?


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## DRAM2500 (Feb 2, 2011)

I have 33" Mickey T's on my 87 HB, I put a new Rotor, Cap & plugs on it, ran a bit better, put a Cold Air Intake & 2" straight Exhaust with straight 2' Cherry Bomb Muffler on it and it ran a bit better. I have a new coil & wires coming for it, hope they help some. I put a new inline fuel pump & filter on it cause the in tank pump was pushing no psi hardly and ran like shit. Has no power and I don't know what else to do. My idle rpm goes up & down on it from 1100 to 1500 rpm all the time. I am going to try Sea Foam to clean engine out & see if it helps. I did get a spare V6 engine for it & thinking of rebuilding it.


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## DRAM2500 (Feb 2, 2011)

*I GET 6MPG*

I have 31" Mickey T's on my 87 HB, I put a new Rotor, Cap & plugs on it, ran a bit better, put a Cold Air Intake & 2" straight Exhaust with straight 2' Cherry Bomb Muffler on it and it ran a bit better. I have a new coil & wires coming for it, hope they help some. I put a new inline fuel pump & filter on it cause the in tank pump was pushing no psi hardly and ran like shit. Has no power and I don't know what else to do. I am going to try Sea Foam to clean engine out & see if it helps. I did get a spare V6 engine for it & thinking of rebuilding it.

I maybe should have bought the Toyota with the 22re, it has tons of power!


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

6 mpg? Wowsers, makes my beast's 13 mpg seem like a Hybrid!

My brother had a late 80's Toyota pick-up, 4WD. It had a four cylinder and if I remember right, it was gutless, too.

If it makes you feel any better; my '97 is a little short on power, too. Actually, it's a lot short on power. But it's probably the most reliable rig I've ever driven.

So, if I can get my mpg up into the late teens or even better the low twenties, I'll be satisfied.


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