gas mileage?

Question

my 1995 nissan 2.4 pickup is supposed to get 26 mpg highway, it is only getting 18 to 19. it has new plugs and air filter. any ideas?

Answer 1

EPA figures are a calculated average, the calculation has been changed because too many cars were getting worse mpg. But 18/19 does sound low for that truck, try running some fuel system cleaner through and air the tires up to 34 psi.

Answer 2

You don't mention the mileage on the truck... but I would also put a new fuel filter on it. Also check the fuel pressure to make sure its correct. I would put a can of Sea-Foam into the gas tank and let it clean the fuel injectors. I would run a couple of tankfuls of gas through it with Sea-Foam added. You can also add Sea-Foam to the oil in the crankcase to free up sticky valves and lifters--(read the instructions on the can). It's available at auto parts stores.
But what is probably the biggest factor in gas mileage is how you drive the truck......
If you take off fast from a stop or you ride around in a lower gear... that will make mileage drop dramatically.
Try starting out slowly...and don't wind the gears out... "short shifting" will keep the engine RPM's down and use less gas.
Make sure your tires are inflated properly.. running them on the higher side of the pressure range will let them roll easier and create less rolling resistance. Look at the sidewall of the tire to find the maximum recommended pressure and adjust the pressure to a few pounds below that. If the max pressure is 40psi...run them at 35psi. That will save you a little gas.
New Distributor cap and wires will also help if the ones on it now are the originals.
Since it's a pick-up, you might try a topper over the bed or a tonneau cover.... at highways speeds, the open bed of a pick-up acts just like a parachute.... the wind comes over tha cab and gets trapped by the closed tailgate. If you have nothing in the bed, try runninmg with the tailgate down so it doesn't trap the air.

Answer 3

What speed do you cruise at? Pickups have the aerodynamics of a brick. Your optimum cruising speed in a truck will probably be lower than for a car. Also keep your RPMs down as low as you can without having the engine really labor.

Where do you live and what kind of fuel are you using? Is it an ethanol blend in your area?

Do you have a topper?

You don't have any CELs on do you? You might change your fuel filter...if it's 12 years old it's probably due. It could also be your oxygen sensor.

Sea Foam might give you a little improvement, too.

I'd bet on it being your driving habits, though.

Also, the EPA testing method hasn't changed in 30 years, though they have calculated things differently over the years. In most cars it is possible to get better than EPA mileage.

Answer 4

Your Nissan MPG is only a guess, your 18 to 19 is the real MPG. The guess is a scam so you will buy it.

Answer 5

did you use oem style plugs for the truck..if you use the wrong type of plug it can make it harder on fuel...Is the truck getting proper warm up time in the morning if you are in an area that gets colder weather..Did you change the wires,cap and rotor as well?..What gap did you put on the plugs?..We just worked on one today that was having the same problem and we did a compression check on..the vehicle had a slight miss to it..the engine was getting a little tired ...he put the wrong plugs in and they weren't gapped right..

Answer 6

are the tires original the size it calls for. this is usually what alters mileage putting different tires on it other than what it suppose to have on it.

Answer 7

keep her at about 2k rpm. that will bring your gas mileage up.

Answer 8

Car Tech: DRIVER TIPS: Getting Great Gas Mileage

DRIVER TIPS: Getting Great Gas Mileage
by Impreza WRX - 10/17/05 7:48 PM

Hello everyone. The sting of high-priced fuel is getting worse, and now more than ever MPG is becoming an important factor in everyday life. So here's some REAL tips on how to save gas.

TIP 1: Don't Drive Like A Street Racer

Simply put, the harder you put your boot down on the gas, the more fuel your engine will use. Also, the higher your engine is running in RPMs, the more fuel it is consuming per second.

Learn how to pull out in traffic without letting your engine rev up to 5,000 RPM or wherever your redline is. This is very important in multi-carburated, turbocharged, and big-engined cars, because the use of fuel goes up tremendously with a step of the gas.

Also, in diesel engines, the throttle controls the fuel flow directly, so learning to use that tremendous torque curve with a touch of the gas is essential.

TIP 2: A/C OFF Unless You Absolutely Need It

You can argue this all day, but the fact remains. When you switch on your A/C, the Compressor is turned by the engine, and it needs a few foot pounds of torque. This means more drag on the engine, more fuel used, and ultimately, can waste up to 5 miles per gallon, even on an 8 cylinder engine. If the day is cool or warm, you can crack your windows if you have to. If it's cold out, you may be able to use body heat to warm up the interior. If it's freezing out, then you may have no choice but to use the heater. That or wear your winter gear!

TIP 3: Try Not To Put Your Windows Down

While the A/C is worse, when driving at high speeds, putting the windows down can increase aerodynamic drag. This will drop your MPG a bit on the highway. For best results, crack the windows intermittently to freshen the air. Do note that at low speeds, there is not enough drag to warrant sweating your brains and bowels out.

TIP 4: Constant, Steady Speeds

When driving on the highway, maintaining exactly one speed is the best way to save gas. If you speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down, up, down, up, down, etc., you are wasting more fuel on the acceleration than what you saved letting off the gas. You are also getting your passengers car sick. If your car has cruise control, go ahead and use it when traffic is light. It will also save your right foot.

Always be anticipating the actions of the drivers ahead of you. If it looks like they are going to slow down, change lanes if you can. Whatever you do, don't frequently tap the brakes. You waste more gas getting back up to speed. Match speeds with the driver ahead instead. Figure out an average if he/she is yo-yoing speeds.

TIP 5: Inflate Your Tires To The Proper Air Pressure!

When your tires run too low on air, the sidewall bows out and the tread flattens on the contact patch. While this adds grip on sand, fine gravel, mud, and snow, it causes your car to "wallow" more on turns, makes it easier to hydroplane, and in extreme cases can actually cause a tread separation! The flexing of the rubber and threads heats up the tire and provides more rolling resistance, which is bad for tire life and fuel economy. Check your tire pressures regularly and inflate them to the recommended level.

TIP 6: Don't Modify Your Gas Engine With Go-Fast Parts

Most people that do this put a performance chip, upgraded intake, exhaust, bigger injectors, etc. bent on getting more power out of their vehicle. Unfortunately, it also means losing gas mileage. By improving air flow, your gas engine has to improve fuel flow to compensate. Guess what that means? You got it! Less gas mileage.

TIP 7: Suspension Alignment Does More Than You Think

I see many people that have cars that need an alignment. They pull to one side, there's too much toe, maybe the camber is off, etc. but they don't want to spend the money to go get it fixed. Instead, they waste money on tires as they wear out unevenly or too quickly. Also, they may be wasting money on fuel. When there is too much toe, the wheels are pointing inwards or outwards to much. While this is good for cornering if set up right, it is bad for straight-line driving. The tire rubs the tarmac slightly sideways, and will increase your rolling drag and tire wear. While there is normally 0.1 deg. or so of toe, when you have 0.4, 0.5, or maybe a whole degree of toe, you have trouble.

TIP 8: High-Wattage Devices Mean Harder Working Engine

When your engine is running, the electrical system is powered by your car's alternator. With the exception of audio systems that draw power from your car's battery, the more stuff you turn on, the more torque the alternator takes from the engine. If you have a high-watt alternator, it can go up a lot when you have everything turned up. The trick here is not to be running a laptop computer on the cigarette lighter with a loud radio on at night when the high beams are on and the Sat Nav is telling you where to go and the kids are watching a movie on the DVD system.
Can also wear out your battery.

Tip 9: Try Coasting.

Whenever you're coming to a stop sign or red light , rather than accelerating , than slamming on your brakes at the last minute like a jack-rabbit. Try coasting & gradually slowing down a block away to save gas. (also saves your brakes.)
* Drive safely. Aggressive driving wastes gas fast. Hard braking or jackrabbit takeoffs can waste gas and curb mileage by as much as 33 percent at highway speeds, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

* Slow down. The faster you drive, the more gas you waste and the more money you lose at the pump. Each mile per hour you drive over 60 is like paying an extra 10 cents per gallon,per the DOE.

* Keep it covered. Your gas cap, that is. About 17 percent of cars have missing or damaged gas caps, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.
Also in the summer time, buy gas in the early am , when gas is heavier & dense rather than when it's hot which makes gas thinner.

* Replace your air filter. A clogged air filter chokes off the air and causes too much gas to be burned for the amount of air. This wastes gas and causes your engine to lose power. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

* Shed the pounds. Using a loaded roof rack or trunk increases fuel consumption & can increase aerodynamic drag. Remove all unnecessary weight.

* Treat your engine right. Using a synthetic engine treatment, like XenTx Extreme Engine Treatment, is a great way to get better gas mileage. XenTx in your vehicle will reduce friction. Lower friction means your engine can produce more power with less effort. It has also shown to increase horsepower and torque and extend the life of your oil changes. For more information, go to www.XenTx.com.

* Replace spark plugs. Spark plugs fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles, resulting in a lot of heat and electrical and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug can cause misfiring, which wastes fuel. ( also get a tune-up every year)

* Use the right grade of gasoline. Check your vehicle owner's manual to find out whether your car will run fine on regular grade. Regular grade fuel costs 10 percent less than premium grade.



That's all for now. Just a bit more advice. Aside from the A/C, you have to do everything on the list together to gain fuel mileage. Just getting the alignment done or just inflating your tires correctly won't help.