Small Pickup MPG

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Another observation, seems to me the small 4 banger truck crowd reports two sets of numbers, teens or mid-high 20s, never in the middle. I have a theory this is related to poor maintenance a lot of these vehicles see. On the GM 2200, they basically all need a timing chain, badly, by 150k, 8 plug Fords eat plugs and o2 sensors. How many 15+ year old beater trucks have tight suspension and brakes without dragging issues? How many of these trucks that sometimes sit months at a time have the tire pressures checked routinely?

Mine was purchased new, driven 68k miles. So..... that theory is already shot.

'97 F150, 4x4, 4.6L .... 13 - 14 around town, 12 - 13 towing a CRX on a tow dolly ...

I would have loved to have found a mid-sized 4x4 with the larger engine ( 4.6 or larger) instead of this monster ... mainly for the ease of driving and parking ... otherwise I got about what I expected

wbjones wrote: '97 F150, 4x4, 4.6L .... 13 - 14 around town, 12 - 13 towing a CRX on a tow dolly ... I would have loved to have found a mid-sized 4x4 with the larger engine ( 4.6 or larger) instead of this monster ... mainly for the ease of driving and parking ... otherwise I got about what I expected

Thats why I have a 4 banger truck as a dd and a 302 rig for hauling, snow, and pointlessly fording flooded roads.

FranktheTank wrote: My Z71 5.7 93 gets 17 hwy only. 11mpg from my house to work... It has 33's but its a reg cab short bed! My mom has an ext cab long bed z71 97 5.7 she says does 15/16 My neighbors ext cab long bed Z71 is a 2000. The 5.3 liter in it does 20+ consistently. But she drives easy.

The efficiency between the old gen I SBC's and the LS-x style Vortec's are unbelievable. It's not the truck itself, either, as GM used the same 4.3L V6 in the OBS (88-98) as the NBS(99-06) and the mileage between them was identical. But the mileage difference between the V8's is huge.

For instance, Dad's '03 Silvy is a 5.3, 4L60E with 3.42 rear end in an ext cab short bed. Sitting at 180k miles on the odo, they just took it to NM from central Indiana for a 3 day road trip and averaged 19.9 round trip. They drove a day and a half into 30mph head winds. and were seeing consistent high 17's, low 18's. Return trip without any wind they were seeing low 20's.

The truck he had before was a 1990 Ext cab long bed, 5.7L TBI 700R4, 3.42 rear end. They took it to Memphis and back and got 17 round trip. I think the best tank he ever got was 18.x, compared to a best tank in the 03 at 22.x.

N Sperlo wrote:

wbjones wrote: '97 F150, 4x4, 4.6L .... 13 - 14 around town, 12 - 13 towing a CRX on a tow dolly ... I would have loved to have found a mid-sized 4x4 with the larger engine ( 4.6 or larger) instead of this monster ... mainly for the ease of driving and parking ... otherwise I got about what I expected

Thats why I have a 4 banger truck as a dd and a 302 rig for hauling, snow, and pointlessly fording flooded roads.

I've an Integra for dd ... probably an even higher MPG car for dd come next yr ...

Minitruck works great for me. I use the truck bed a lot, but I don't tow anything more than the occasional yard load that the truck handles just fine. Most of my driving is in town where the 4cyl is much more efficient than a full-size truck (50% or so according to the EPA). I haul bikes, a kart, an atv, camping gear, car parts and love having the utility of the truck bed. I've carried a lot in our hatchback Mazda3 too (including the go kart), but it's so much easier with a truck bed.

Unacceptable! You must concede that the bigger the truck the better...Always. That's why every pickup truck sold should be a 1-ton, diesel, crew cab, long bed, and with a dually rear axle since they are far more capable than those pesky little 1/2-tons while only compromising a bit of fuel economy and ease of parking.

In reply to Driven5:

Arr, Arr, Arr!!!

EvanR wrote: Since you weren't very specific... In the early '80s, Toyota, Datsun/Nissan, Ford Ranger, Chevy LUV/Isuzu P'up, and Chevy S-10 all offered Diesel engines. As an example, the 1984 Isuzu Pickup 2WD Diesel was EPA rated at 29city/35highway. Actually, that's the "modern" EPA rating. The window sticker said 34/38. Now, good luck finding one :)

I've been thinking I ought to look in to putting a Mercedes diesel into a solid axle toyota 4x4 (I have the 4x4). Not sure I want to open that pandora's box, though.

ClemSparks wrote:

EvanR wrote: Since you weren't very specific... In the early '80s, Toyota, Datsun/Nissan, Ford Ranger, Chevy LUV/Isuzu P'up, and Chevy S-10 all offered Diesel engines. As an example, the 1984 Isuzu Pickup 2WD Diesel was EPA rated at 29city/35highway. Actually, that's the "modern" EPA rating. The window sticker said 34/38. Now, good luck finding one :)

I've been thinking I ought to look in to putting a Mercedes diesel into a solid axle toyota 4x4 (I have the 4x4). Not sure I want to open that pandora's box, though.

berkeley that. Get the engine. I'm on my way.

Buy a late 90s protege. Cut the top and trunk off. Plexiglass behind the front seats. Bedliner the rear. Air shocks. You've got the Hell Camino Japan never built.... All the gas mileage and hauling capabilities you need. I hauled 300lbs of blasting media and a big block Ford engine in my Protege'.

FranktheTank wrote: Buy a late 90s protege. Cut the top and trunk off. Plexiglass behind the front seats. Bedliner the rear. Air shocks. You've got the Hell Camino Japan never built.... All the gas mileage and hauling capabilities you need. I hauled 300lbs of blasting media and a big block Ford engine in my Protege'.

I see absolutely no flaw in this plan.

ta-dah

ClemSparks wrote:

EvanR wrote: Since you weren't very specific... In the early '80s, Toyota, Datsun/Nissan, Ford Ranger, Chevy LUV/Isuzu P'up, and Chevy S-10 all offered Diesel engines. As an example, the 1984 Isuzu Pickup 2WD Diesel was EPA rated at 29city/35highway. Actually, that's the "modern" EPA rating. The window sticker said 34/38. Now, good luck finding one :)

I've been thinking I ought to look in to putting a Mercedes diesel into a solid axle toyota 4x4 (I have the 4x4). Not sure I want to open that pandora's box, though.

Someone on the superturbodiesel forum (Mercedes Benz diesel forums) was putting one in Ranger.

tuna55 wrote:

FranktheTank wrote: Buy a late 90s protege. Cut the top and trunk off. Plexiglass behind the front seats. Bedliner the rear. Air shocks. You've got the Hell Camino Japan never built.... All the gas mileage and hauling capabilities you need. I hauled 300lbs of blasting media and a big block Ford engine in my Protege'.

I see absolutely no flaw in this plan.

It is a viable (and fun) option, but I should have the Ranger back on the road today and it needs gas. I'll see what the Lima in a regular cab, short be can do by Monday.... Then again I'll be testing out the stage 3 clutch.... Oh well. Needs time to break it in.

I'd reliably get 27 mpg cruising on Hwy/interstate trips @ 3k rpm (close to 80 mph) in my '98 Tacoma Extended cab with 225/50-16 Extreme performance tires (like Hankook R-S3's...)