Quote:
Originally Posted by FunkD
I heard of this community from another forum. my current mpg is 15mpg and i just can't afford that. So i'm looking around for some simple mods, and getting of those MPG things to install. (scangauge)
Thanks
FD
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FunkD, I used to have a 97 with the 3.3l V6 with the 5sp and 4wd. I regularly got 17.5 mpg in the city and 24+ mpg on the highway.
People that know me will tell you, I did not use hypermiling techniques when I was driving it.
Here are few suggestions
1. Run you tires at the max cold pressures in the summer and higher in the winter (I ran 45 cold all winter long).
2. Do not use a mud and snow type tire, If you must use a snow tire, use a Snow only tire (like a Blizzak's from Michelin). In the spring change back to a general highway type tire.
3. Keep the EGR cleaned out, buy a K&N or BMC air filter and keep it clean as well.
4. Change all the lubricants to synthetic's, picking the multi-weight 75-90 gear for the differentials and transfer case, and a syncromax for the transmission (assuming its a manual).
5. Change your spark plugs and buy the twisted wire core wires (I got mine from MSD).
6. Make sure your rear drum brakes are not set to drag all the time and then be gentle when backing up. For some reason the rear drums like to adjust themselves up tight all the time. Also make sure the prop valve linkage is properly adjusted (mine wasn't).
7. For winter I'd put in a plate to block about 30-35% of the radiator. It won't help with drag, but it will help with keeping the engine temp at the best temperatures.
8. Make sure that you knock the ac compressor off once the defroster gets the windows clean in the mornings.
9. Make sure that you put back that front under tray, its not a good skid plate, but it does help with under vehicle air flow. I extended mine to close off the bottoms of the front fenders.
10. Fill in the back side of the bumper so its not acting like a drag scoop.
I used laminated poster board then sealed it with spray poly varnish, but coroplast or even some aluminum roof flashing would work. Also make a fairing for the hanging spare.
11. I had the factory mudflaps and did not want to deal with rock pits, so I left them on but I did add a bunch more aluminum flashing underneath to fill gaps between the body and the exhaust heat shields as well as gaps to the gas tank and more. It was by no means smooth or flat, but there were almost no square edges in the breeze.
12. Pull the very restricted snorkel out of the bottom of the airbox and use a piece of cold air flex duct to maximize the factory opening from inside the front fender.
13. Use 200mph tape to seal the plastic wheelwell liners to the inner fender surfaces.
14. Make sure the door weather stripping is good shape, if not replace it with the new rubber flap style stuff from the later re-trim of the pathfinder. That won't help the smoothness of the door and hood seams, but it will fill the gaps which will help.
15. Make sure if you have the factory sunroof that it sits flush with the front roofline. Mine did not.
16. Get exhaust manifold's painted with a good ceramic laced high temp header paint. That will keep the heat in the exhausts and keep the catalytic converters working at best efficiency. They will warm up faster which will get the computer off the startup cycle faster.
As for driving techniques, only a couple of suggestions.
1. Accelerate briskly, but know when more throttle pressure won't make a difference.
2. Learn to dip the clutch, I still remember seeing how fast the throttle closed fuel cutoff dropped out.