Hypermiling a 2001 Toyota Camry (Generation 4)

[LostSouthernStar]

Hello everyone,

It has been quite some time since my last post on hereand I'm glad to be back for now.

My question is simple but complex at the same time...

How do I properly hypermile my 2001 Toyota Camry 4 cylinder???

Some important facts to aid others in providing accurate information...

-Automatic transmission with Overdrive
-18.5 gallon fuel tank
-Cruise control
-Generic air filter
-Castrol GTX 5w-30 oil every 4,000 miles
-A/C during 100 degree summers

A few things I am curious about for my particular Toyota...

1.) Does my Camry have DFCO?

2.) What is the most efficient speed on the highway?

3.) Coast in neutral or drive for better fuel economy?

I've already checked out the 100 hypermiling tips as well as numerous other sites, but I'm curious from those who own and/or hypermile Toyota Camrys or have experience with Toyotas in general...

I own an UltraGauge EM, have for several months but never installed and calibrated it. The calibration is holding me back, as the nearby highway with mile markers is a bit scary and has slight rolling hills and curves here and there.

If someone could provide me with tips and advice specifically for my vehicle that may not work so well for others, then that would be welcomed as well.
My first goal is to reach an average of 40 MPG...but I'm patient and willing to take baby steps. I don't want to become burnt out on this, I want to receive better mileage then I am now.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you everyone

[Daox]

I'm quite sure the Camry has DFCO. How/when it engages is a mystery because you have instrumentation but YOU'RE NOT USING IT! The ultragauge will show you when DFCO kicks in by showing your mileage sky rocket up since you aren't using any fuel. Get that thing installed even if it isn't calibrated its still incredibly useful. It doesn't need to be exact to really help out. For instance, say you use it uncalibrated and get 50 mpg on your way to work. The next day you get 45 mpg, well at least you know your second day was less efficient and you can probably guess why (hit more red lights, had to slam on brakes, etc). Calibration can come later.

Most efficient highway speed 99% of the time is: slower is better, once in top gear. Take a look at some of the speed vs mpg charts for different cars for proof.

Coasting in neutral will always be better than coasting in gear. In gear should engage DFCO which means your car is using your momentum to spin your engine around which is going to slow you down faster. If you don't have to stop, put it into neutral. If you do have to stop and know so ahead of time, DFCO is an okay way to save a little fuel.

[user removed]

My method is to coast in neutral whenever its is possible without interrupting the flow of traffic. Inflate your tires to max sidewall pressure (posted on the tires sidewall). Keep your speed below 60 MPH if practical. Use drafting if you can do it safely, especially at any speed over 55 MPH. Use regular gas, Toyotas are designed to use regular and any higher octane is a waste of money. I buy the cheapest fuel I can find, and here the price difference can be 25 cents a gallon. Your best mileage will be pulse and coast on rural roads with low traffic volume. If you have hills use them in your pulse and coast.
If you are forced to slow down of stop, use neutral if you can time the light to be on when you reach it. If you need to slow more quickly then use drive to engage DFCO. Avoid the brakes at all cost, except a collision.

regards
Mech

[MetroMPG]

Your ability to hit 40 mpg depends a lot on your typical driving environment.

Do you mostly drive highway or city?

If it's mostly highway, you can hit 40 by choosing secondary routes and keeping your speed moderate. Best highway fuel economy happens when the highest gear engages with the torque converter locked - typically around 40-45 mph. Refer to the speed vs. MPG link that Daox posted.

Welcome to the forum!

[MetroMPG]

FYI: here's what others are accomplishing with their 4-cylinder Camrys: EcoModder Fleet list - EcoModder.com

Nobody's breaking 40, but there are a few in the mid-upper 30's.

[Fat Charlie]

Don't calibrate it the way they want you to. Take it with you to the gas station and fill up, then install and configure the UG and zero out your trip odometer. Use that tankful to get used to having the UG, but don't take its mpg readings as fact. At your next fill up, calibrate it to your trip odometer and pump receipt. Your car's odometer is more accurate than the DOT crew that pounded signs in once, and hundreds of miles are a more accurate calibration sample than just one.

While your first tankful isn't going to have "real" mpg numbers, the trend will be perfect- it doesn't matter if it says you're in the 20s or the 40s, it's telling you what's good and what's bad. So just slap it in and let it start helping you out.

[LostSouthernStar]

Thank you everyone for your most helpful insight, I really appreciate it and it's great to be here!


My commute is 13 miles one way. I live in the country but my work on the outskirts of the city so it's not downtown.

Here is how my route plays out...


I pull out of my drive way and head down my rural road for 1 mile until I reach the loop expressway and come to a stop sign.

I take the expressway for 1 and a half miles until I reach the main highway, I come to a stop sign then drive under the overpass and come to a second stop sign. I turn left and drive several hundred feet until I enter the access ramp to the highway.

The speed limit is 70 but I drive 55 in the right lane. There are only 2 "rolling hills" on the highway route...one is an incline once I drive over the river and the second is another overpass.

The highway route is about 9 miles total. I take the exit ramp and come to a stop light. I turn left and come to a second stop light...then I travel a few more feet until I reach my third stop light, turn right and come to a stop sign...then I drive a few more feet into my workplace's parking lot and I've reached my destination.



So here's a summary...

-4 stop signs
-3 stop signs
-2 rolling hills
-40 MPH rural road
-55 MPH expressway
-70 MPH highway
-40 MPH city street
-I keep cruise control on the entire highway route.



QUESTION: Will shifting from N to D wear out my transmission...if not then at least my gear shifter???

[LostSouthernStar]

One thing I am confused on from studying these mileage charts and reading tips about speed...



It shows that most of the vehicles receive the best fuel economy between 25 to 45 MPH compared to highway speeds...yet I've read that the best way to receive the best mileage is the lowest speed in the highest gear on your vehicle.


So, naturally...we all know top gear is not around the 25-45 range...at least not for me. My Camry kicks into overdrive around 50 MPH and near 1800 RPMs...



So, which is true or am I just a novice that's missing something here??? Lol

[broski499]

Hey Man, I have a 1999 camry with all the same specs, automatic tran, 18.5 gas tank, 4 banger, one thing you do not want to use in cruise control, my best trip average mpg from bakersfield to OC was 36 mpg. I found that if I stick the speed right at around 60 or 62 I get 40 to 42 mpg. This is very consistant with my ultragauge. I calibrated it the way someone above recomended, fill up the tank, zero everything in the ultraguage, zero a trip on your odometer, then the next time you fill up you enter how far you went, and it will adjust your mpg based on this.

I cost if I know I will be able to gain speed and be able to use it by either starting up a hill or if I'm going into a long flat, otherwise you are better off just staying in drive,

Empty your car out as much as you can

with strictly just around town driving I can barely get 23 to 24, I live in so cal so its a little hilly and it just kills my mpg.

highway is where the camry really does a great job, espeically with that 18.5 gallon gas tank you can go really really far with one take an hypermilling skills

I installed a volo FS3 chip but have not seen any great gains or really any gains at all, save your money

I also installed some fuel fins, also known as vortex generators, they are just silly, all my friends call them my cars hair, they don't do much as I have not seen really any gains.

one thing I did buy that helped some was some lucas fuel cleaner, amazon has some in a gallon container, my car has trouble starting sometimes and holding an idle and this really helped.

I taped the front of my grill for a while but do to living with parents they thought it was rediculous and stupid, so I took it off, not really sure what kind of gains if any I had. It was a partial grill block. my car still has glue residue on it so I don't recommend it

hope this helps, excited to see how you do, thats a solid commute you should be able to average I think around 30 to 35 mpg if you try

[LostSouthernStar]

Thank you very much



So our cars perform better at 60 versus 50-55???



I have a very, very difficult time maintaining a constant speed with my Camry due to its sensitive accelerator, that's why I've used cruise control...


I've been averaging 30-32 mpg or around 420-450 miles per tankful with 1/4 remaining.


I've taken out my spare tire since I have AAA Premiere roadside service and my max sidewall air pressure is 44 PSi but I keep it at 38 PSi...I don't know if these tires would blow out since the tread is halfway through the tire's life cycle.


The summers here in Texas are brutal 90-100+ degrees, so I have to use the A/C though it kills my acceleration and fuel economy by a few MPGs.



Would switching to synthetic oil, a K&N air filter and changing my fuel filter result in better fuel economy???



Thank you again!

Originally Posted by broski499

Hey Man, I have a 1999 camry with all the same specs, automatic tran, 18.5 gas tank, 4 banger, one thing you do not want to use in cruise control, my best trip average mpg from bakersfield to OC was 36 mpg. I found that if I stick the speed right at around 60 or 62 I get 40 to 42 mpg. This is very consistant with my ultragauge. I calibrated it the way someone above recomended, fill up the tank, zero everything in the ultraguage, zero a trip on your odometer, then the next time you fill up you enter how far you went, and it will adjust your mpg based on this.

I cost if I know I will be able to gain speed and be able to use it by either starting up a hill or if I'm going into a long flat, otherwise you are better off just staying in drive,

Empty your car out as much as you can

with strictly just around town driving I can barely get 23 to 24, I live in so cal so its a little hilly and it just kills my mpg.

highway is where the camry really does a great job, espeically with that 18.5 gallon gas tank you can go really really far with one take an hypermilling skills

I installed a volo FS3 chip but have not seen any great gains or really any gains at all, save your money

I also installed some fuel fins, also known as vortex generators, they are just silly, all my friends call them my cars hair, they don't do much as I have not seen really any gains.

one thing I did buy that helped some was some lucas fuel cleaner, amazon has some in a gallon container, my car has trouble starting sometimes and holding an idle and this really helped.

I taped the front of my grill for a while but do to living with parents they thought it was rediculous and stupid, so I took it off, not really sure what kind of gains if any I had. It was a partial grill block. my car still has glue residue on it so I don't recommend it

hope this helps, excited to see how you do, thats a solid commute you should be able to average I think around 30 to 35 mpg if you try