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Best mods for gas mileage ?

31K views 72 replies 24 participants last post by  Pelican_Flyer  
#1 ·
I see all of you getting 18+ mpg .. even with the lightest gas foot I can give it . I’m only getting 16.4mpg . Truck is all stock except a tonneau cover and a k n Air filter . Any other mods you guys have that will make a significant difference ? I have the 2012 4.0 king cab . 4x4 . Thansks
 
#5 ·
Doing all your errands in one trip (instead of making several individual trips) helps.

Until the engine is completely warmed up, fuel economy suffers. So, the less time it spends warming up (and the fewer times it does it), the better your fuel economy will be.

Planning your errands for non-peak hours also helps quite a bit. The less time you spend waiting behind other vehicles at red lights in rush hour traffic, the better.
 
#6 ·
How are you calculating your mileage? Don’t trust the computer if you are going by that.
 
#8 ·
Fill up truck. Write down mileage.
Next fill up , record gallons to fill.
Subtract old mileage from new mileage.
Divide difference by gallons taken.
 
#9 ·
Or use the trip odo. I reset mine every time I tank up.

I also reset my MPG with every tank. I find mine to be very accurate.

Mods do not gain MPG. Everyone wishes they did so that they can justify adding power mods to their truck. In fact I would ditch that K&N filter. Intake an exhaust gain more power by allowing you to burn more gas.

OK not totally true, I would consider these 2 things replacements rather than mods: Switch all oils to synthetic. Both diff, engine, t-case. Get smoother rolling and lighter weight tires. Michelin green X are good MPG gainers.

THere was a mention about linking trips. Cold engines get single digit mpgs. So if all of your trips are 5 miles or less, you won't ever get great mpg.

And really from my experience the type of roads (speed,levelness, and # of stops) contribute the most to the type of MPG. With summer gas and my camper shell off I can get close to 20 mpg. If I only did my commute (which has the most ideal road conditions, 45-55 mph, downhill start when engine is cold, 20 miles each way, level, 5 stop lights) I definitely can get over 20 mpg.
 
#15 ·
At 70K I think it is totally worth it. The most of it's life comment doesn't really apply at your mileage and age. Though I do agree with cars leaking when switched to Syn at an old age.

60K is when I typically switch out all of the factory fluids anyways, so you are right on track for a swap IMO.
 
#12 ·
Do what you please, but I wouldn’t recommend switching anything to synthetic in a vehicle that has had conventional for most if not all of its life. I’ve seen it done before multiple times, in person, and heard stories. Most of the time it caused leaks like you wouldn’t believe. A friend of mine has a Subaru, and switched to royal purple, which is more then just synthetic, which could have been part of his problem. however, many people consider it a supposedly great product. If you could see a seal on his engine, it was leaking. Switched back to conventional, and to this day it still leaks. Not horrible, but it definitely leaks.
 
#13 ·
Too add to what some others have said... make sure your tire pressures are good. In the summers I'll run a couple PSI higher. Nothing crazy. Then its just things like coast down hills, anticipate stops to let off the gas ahead of time.

In the summer I average 18mpg commuting, winter is less due to higher traffic and what I assume is winter blend gas. On the highway I can get 21-22mpg. I don't think much will get this truck over its EPA rating, but little tricks and tweaks to driving should let you hit the numbers they quote.

At 70k it may also be time for front/rear diff, trans, and transfer case fluid. In previous cars I've had just changing diff and trans fluid made a difference in MPG. I could actually feel less drag.
 
#14 ·
Not an exact science:

The price of nearly any mod will buy a LOT of gas. So, consider how truly important an extra MPG is worth. My overly simple rule-of-thumb is that one additional MPG will save one gallon/tank. So, at ~$3/gallon - therefore ~$3/tank - it will take 33 fill-ups to recoup $100.

OTOH, are the mods that COST MPGs. So, losing one MPG will basically cost $100 for every 33 fill-ups.

Exercising a light right foot is FREE. :)
 
#23 ·
If that's the case, then there's nothing wrong.

My commute is 1.3 miles one way (2 if I stop at Starbucks). I have the luxury of being able to go home for lunch since I live close, so another 1.3 miles there. Then another 1.3 back to the office, and 1.3 home. During those weeks where I just use the Frontier for the above (and use a different vehicle for other trips/errands during the week) I get around 16.5-16.7 MPG.

And no I'm not riding my bike to work, LOL ::grin::
 
#27 ·
I know you're just making a joke, but every time I read a line like that it frustrates me a little because it lets the manfs off the hook for offering a range of trucks, some of which are much more fuel efficient than others. Why won't one of them innovate and push themselves outside the comfort zone and offer a compact model that's lighter and smaller and more manageable than what's on the market, for people who need a truck with lesser specs than the current mid/full sizes? What's wrong with a truck for a home owner?

I always hear "people vote with their dollars, so we make what they buy." What happens when you can't buy what you want? How do they get the signal that I had to settle and I'd rather buy something different but it wasn't on the lot?
 
#31 ·
I was steadily getting 13-14mpg when I was driving my fronty everyday to work. 1.5 miles each way. I recently bought a second car as a daily, and only drive the truck on the weekends, I average between 16-18. It’s amazing how short trips really kill your mileage! So get a Honda as a daily and your MPG will improve! Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#36 ·
My fill up yesterday 277.6 / 15.023 = 18.47 MPG. The trip computer said exactly 18mpg. I find when the trip computer is off it usually reads low for me. Of course I'm not towing or anything. I assume towing makes the TC really inaccurate.

Now that schools in the area have let out traffic has gotten slightly better. That combined with quicker warmup times means I should be averaging 18mpg. This is far from all highway, more like backroads and stop n' go. The thing is all highway I only get 3mpg better. I think highway the Frontier MPG is super limited by aerodynamics and gearing. I bet a more highway oriented tire may help too.
 
#38 · (Edited)
Starbucks XX Expresso with cream.
Old friend introduced me to it at the
Buy it on Amazon.
Before that,7-11 coffee.
Never sweated the mileage on the Frontier.
 
#40 ·
Went and got some gas today only used 156 miles but I was out of town at a cheap (er) station then what I pay. Put in 7.25 gallons for 21.6 MPG. MPG meter showed 21.1 for that tank. I reset everything and drive home.

On the way home engine already warm. Light tourist traffic speed between 35 and 45 mph. Rolling hills. Kept is in as high of gear as I could. No stops. About 30 miles. MPG meter shows 26 MPG.

It really depends on road conditions. Maybe the 6K elevation helps some.
 
#41 ·
I have an '06 King Cab. 90K still have not replaced the brakes. I get great gas mileage. I use premium. That lets the ignition advance forward to get more power without pinging. I also use and recommend using scangauge.com unit. Plugs into the OBD connector under the dash. It tells you anything and everything about what is going on in the engine. I have used mine for years.
Depending on your truck miles, you might want to clean your mass airflow sensor and your throttle body. There is a special spray for each of them made by CRC. Makes a BIG difference in the running of the engine. Questions, ? I am an OLD time auto mechanic. Jerry.
 
#43 ·
YES, Always use full synthetic oils. Don't forget to change the power steering fluid. That seems to be forgotten. Use a turkey baster or similar to suck it out of dip stick bottle. Add new fluid and run engine to circulate the new fluid. Then do the process again. Keep doing this till it is nice and clean.. Maybe 3 times max. I use Lucas power steering fluid. Jerry.
 
#52 ·
Heres another "tip". On back roads with inclines/declines... turn overdrive off (if auto). The trans doesn't need to keep shifting into 5th then back out. You can modulate the throttle much better if the truck stays in a gear with some power vs giving it more and more gas until it shifts anyway.
 
#53 · (Edited)
I turn my OD off even when I'm in the city with local streets at 45mph or less …. it definitely saves the transmission from constantly hunting up and down out of OD. I only use OD if I'm hittin' the highway. :)

(I am SOOOO glad that Nissan made it easy to turn on/off with a simple button on the floor gearshift lever !!)
 
#55 ·
Changed my brake pads the other day along with doing a flush and now I am noticing that my gas mileage has gone from around 16ish to around 18ish MPG. The only other thing I did was replace my upper control arms with SPC arms, and that should not have any effect on gas mileage I wouldn't think.

The brake kit I got came with the paperclip looking tension springs that slip into the notches on the back of the pads and help them release from the roto. Well I noticed the kit came with four spring clips, whereas the stock brakes on mine only have the spring clips on the bottom (two total for the front). I am wondering if having the tension springs on the top and bottom of the brake pads helps them move off the rotor and improves gas mileage.

Here is a link for an image: https://www.bing.com/images/search?...q=nissan+frontier+front+brake+pad+clip&simid=608042495348637883&selectedIndex=2
 
#56 · (Edited)
Hey I Am Not Lost,

What was your ODO sitting at when you changed your brakes. I'm at about 46K and wondering when I'll have to change mine... They sound like they are starting to go but when I looked last time it was on the lift for an oil change they looked ok, not great but ok.

I've found that keeping a controlled right foot (<2K RPM) is about the best way to save MPG's.

Keep my tires at 35PSI in the summer and 32 in the winter.

I use the Fuelly app to log my fill ups and stay around 16.5MPG.
 
#57 ·
I am at 90K and still on my original brakes. I do a lot of town driving too. Most all city driving. I drive smart. I see the light is red I get off the gas and let the truck slow down trying to avoid stopping. I get passed by others not stopping till they are at the light. I cruise up to them as they wait and then off to the next light. LOL. That's how I make them last. But pull a wheel and look at the pad thickness. If it's the same thickness as the metal part, then it's time. IF you do your own brakes be sure to open the bleed screw when you push the piston back in. Do NOT push old fluid back to master cyl. Jerry..