97 4x4 3.4L Extra Cab Tacoma Project
 

Goals: 32+mpg (100% over epa) year round average. Maintain towing/hauling capability.

History:

1st owner had it and put 117,000 miles on it before it through a rod after he overheated it. It sat in his garage from 2002-2011, when he sold it to the 2nd owner, who happened to be a Toyota dealership mechanic. He purchased the truck and immediately had the frame inspected to see if he could get in on the 1st gen frame rot recall. The inspection came back as a really great solid frame so he decided to put a rebuilt engine in it. He also did the timing kit with a water pump, along with a new starter and alternator and a new suspension system. He also redid the rustproofing. He had paid $6,000 for it and put another $2,500 into it doing most of the work himself. He drove it for 18,000 miles mostly from Florida to Michigan and back on road trips before selling it to a friend of his for $7,000, when he bought a new one. His friend already had a Ranger when he had bought the Tacoma off him and decided he preferred the ranger because of gas mileage. So he list's the Tacoma for $5,000... after only a year and putting like 3,000 miles on the thing. I offered him $4,000 as a hopeless lowball offer and he came back at $4,200 and I came to pick it up the next day Needless to say I feel that given the current state of the truck and all the work that was done it's probably worth almost double what I paid for it. I love it so far, and feel very blessed to be owning such a quality piece of equipment. :cheers:

Current Mods:

- UltraGauge
- 55PSI Tires
- Front Grill Block
- Removed Wipers (have them in the cab for rain)
- Folded Side Mirrors
- Flush Fiberglass Cap
- Synthetic Motor Oil (0w30 Mobile1 High Mileage)
- Differential Fluid: Amsoil Severe Gear Synthetic Extreme Pressure Gear Lube 75W-90
- Removed Spare Tire (70lbs)
- Full Coroplast Under Panels
- Radiator Clutch Fan Delete
- Side Skirts
- Rear Wheel Skirts

Planned Mods:

- Smooth Wheel Covers
- Kill Switch
- Synthetic Differential and Transmission Fluid
- 2000 W circulating heater
- Tranny, Differential heaters
- Led Lights
- Alternator Switch
- Electric Radiator Fan

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui...&sz=w1168-h519
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui...&sz=w1168-h519
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui...&sz=w1168-h519

Basline Tank:

2014-03-05
272.8 mi
13.653 gal (US)
19.98 mpg (US)
11.77 L/100 km

2014-03-31
326.8 mi
525.93 km
13.258 gal (US)
($50.91 total for this fill)
24.65 mpg (US)
9.54 L/100 km


Last 130 miles was with the new topper. Grill mods and front belly pan for whole tank.

http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/w...psa255501b.jpg

2014-04-04 377.5 mi
607.53 km
14.368 gal (US)
($52.44 total for this fill)
26.27 mpg (US)
8.95 L/100 km

Mostly highway. The topper is proving to be a valuable efficiency mod. I paid $150 for it so the Return on investment for the milage increase looks to be about 13,000 miles ->http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...1-a-28590.html

2014-05-17
329.7 mi
530.6 km
12.083 gal (US)
$3.69/Gal ($44.59 total for this fill)
27.29 mpg (US)
8.62 L/100 km

2014-05-24
411.9 mi
662.89 km
14.762 gal (US)
$4.59 ($67.76 total for this fill)
27.9 mpg (US)

Added mid section under belly panel for the last quarter of this tank and it took me up about 1mpg on the Ultragauge.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/emgarage-...d2ecbd6553.jpg

I put taller skinnier tires on (245/75/16's instead of 31x10.5/15) with lighter 2010 Tacoma rims and each wheel was 16lbs lighter! 64 pounds of rotational mass is sure to make a nice difference :)
http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/w...psfb27dcd1.jpg

I haven't seen tyres narrower than 185 in trucks at this size for a long time. How does it perform off-road with them?

That was a mistake. They're 245/75/16 :)

I had a 97 ext cab, 4wd, v6, automatic, with trd super charger. Got between 19 and 16. Torque converter didnt lock up til 50 mph, so thinking of wiring it up to a button to lock it earlier. Traded it for more than I purchased it for an insight. :thumbup:

Yeah I love manuals for many reasons, not the least of which is superior gas mileage. I need to wire up a kill switch soon, and I'm looking into an alternator cut off switch and a deep cycle battery.