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Thread: MPG and Previas

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    Van Fan Monster's Avatar
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    MPG and Previas

    Alright, I have been driving my Previa for a couple of weeks now since my truck blew it's motor. Anyways, I filled up 2weeks ago with a full 17 gallons as it was the first time doing a full fill up in it. I have driven almost 175miles basically to and from work only and I have only a 1/4 tank left. WTF?!?! My last van got awesome gas mileage from what I remember and even my truck which I beat on got me 350 miles to a tank driving to and from work. I have done a full tune up(plugs,wires,cap,rotor,fuel filter,oil change,rear diff fluid change,air filter) and it runs beautiful, but the gas mileage is making me cry alittle on the inside since I expected better.

    Any ideas?

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    Administrator timsrv's Avatar
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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Yeah, the Previas aren't known for great gas mileage. If everything is in tip top shape the 2wd models will average about 18mpg. I'm sure other members may have had different results, but this has been my experience. I tow a 4X6 covered trailer with my All Trac and the van is loaded heavy. It is tuned well and runs good but I am only getting around 12 mpg . Tim

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Dang. I was expecting atleast 300 mile range for a tank, but I think there may be an issue or I'm just starting to get old and lose it. Lol. But I could have swore my gas was at the 1/4 mile mark this morning, I got off work and turned my van on and now its just above E I'm starting to be really upset with the Previa, I love driving and really comfortable. But this gas mileage is turning me off, I at the point where I'm about to sell it and go back to an old TV.

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    When my NA (Naturally Aspirated) All-Trac was new I'd consistently get 20 - 22 mpg. Somewhere around 100k miles I started noticing a decline and now (about 180k miles), even when solo & empty I only get around 16 mpg. All 3 of my NA 2wd Previas had higher mileage when I got them, but I kept them tuned well. If I drove like a granny I could get up to 20mpg but with normal driving (I'm a hot rod) only around 18. Based on the declining performance of my All-Trac (with age), I'm guessing the NA 2wd models should get 22-24mpg when things are new & tight. Not sure about the SC (Super Charged) versions as I've never had one. My guess is they are even worse. Tim

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Well, I got 200 miles out of one tank of gas and not to thrilled with it. Got a buddy of mine wanting to buy it right now, but I need to find another Van asap since my truck is not streetable at the moment. Why is it so hard to find a 2WD 5speed Toyota Van?!?! lol, I'll even take an automatic.

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    I swear my gas is disappearing somehow, I came home lastnight after work and it was at half a tank. I get in today to go work on my truck and now I'm below half. WTF is going on with this van?

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Do you have a locking gas cap?

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    One of the first things I buy whenever I buy a new vehicle. Lol, but it is really bothering me about the gas situation on this van.

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Funny thing, I thought my early Van was sucking up gas like a fiend until the other night.
    I was hit with a bout of insomnia and at 3 am drove to the all night gas station and filled it to where the auto shutoff on the pump did it's job.
    Next I drove it about 40 miles west on a smooth country flat desert highway towards Arizona.
    Average speed, between 60 and 65 mph.
    Turned around and drove back (finally getting sleepy) to the same gas station and the same pump. Filled it and let the auto shut off do it's job again.
    Not ONLY is it not getting bad mileage, it's getting GREAT mileage! used the calculator and got almost 28 mpg.
    1988 5 speed two wheel drive Cargo van.
    What I'm figuring, is that the gas gauge is not accurate. it is not consistent either.
    Either way, that is pretty much the easiest way to tell.
    When I was working at a very busy dealership on the DC beltway in 92 and 93, I only ever saw 2 or 3 stick shift Previas.
    I thought they were awesome.
    I hates ME an automatic.

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Nice! I've actually ran the tank dry recently when I passed the 200mile mark on that one tank of gas, gauge works fine, the gas mileage just sucks balls. I'm in the process of purchasing a 85 TV LE with a 5speed, just need to save up for the shipping and it'll be all mine and I can't wait

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Well, I have been driving the heck out of my van mainly too and from work. I filled up my tank last friday and this morning I was happy with it, I had 1/4 wasted and was at 70miles. I drove after work to pick up some things about 20miles one way and another 20 miles or so back home. I am now just above the 1/2 mark and now have 110 miles to the tank. Which is alittle better than when I first filled it up and got just under 100 miles to a 1/2 tank. I'm gonna try my best to try and hit the 300mile mark with this one tank of gas........ I'm determined!!!!



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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    One thing to consider is the gauge is just that, a representation (rough estimate) of what is in the tank.
    It will be affected by things like braking, cornering, up and down hills... that is why they have resistors in line to slow down the readings and hopefully display a more accurate representation of what is supposed to be in there.
    Throw in a little dirt and corrosion and things can get even worse.

    Fuel gauges are far from perfect, but a great improvement over when we used a stick to dip what was remaining in the tank!

    Track your mileage driven vs gallons used.
    That is the only way to really know what your true mileage is.

    BB

  13. #13
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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    I've been using the mileage while seeing how far I can go on one tank of gas, I was just excited to see it over half a tank with 110miles put onto it. I'm at 180miles and just above the 1/4 tank mark. I'm hoping for over 200 miles on a tank of gas, I'll be alittle happier if I can squeeze out 250 on a tank of gas. And just incase, I don't speed or drive ridiculous at all. Just low and slow, I'm not in a hurry to get anywhere. Lol

  14. #14
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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Burntboot is correct. Gauges are there to let you know when you should start thinking of stopping for more gas, but are not accurate at all. One may show 3/4 when there is only 1/2 in the tank, or 1/4 when there is only a gallon left.
    If you keep records of what your odometer reads when you buy gas, and how many gallons you buy at the time, you can get accurate numbers (and even then, subject to the accuracy of your odometer/speedometer, which can be off by a few percent). Add the date and the cost, and you can go nuts with numbers. I'm a little anal and keep track of all this in an Excel spreadsheet. My '91 Alltrac with 275k gets between 14 and 21 mpg depending on whether I'm just bonking around town a couple of miles per trip or on a roadtrip racking up a hundred or more at highway speeds. If I see those numbers change, I'll start looking for something out of whack.
    BTW, my valve cover gasket is still holding oil!

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Yeah, I reset the trip meter everytime I fill up.

    Now, I actually got over 200miles to the tank finally!!! Not quite 250, but I got 212miles to the tank of gas. I'm just not pleased with the Previa gas mileage wise, I'm at a crossroads with what to do with it. I love it cause its comfy and easy to load up parts, but hate it for the gas mileage.

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    Cool Re: MPG and Previas'

    On hot afternoons I get a much lower reading from the gauge - as if the heat here in the tropics makes the dipstick in the tank read a lower level.
    I'm not saying the fuel evaporates away purely, cause next moring it all seems good again

    I think what needs to be said when we are talking about milage, is at what is the ambient temp outside when doing these distances?

    At this time of year my ambient is around 30C (86F?) so I believe more fuel is used.
    Cool days my Van sounds and seems to perform much better.

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    MAX - the difference in gauge readings due to temperature fluctuations, is more likely a bad connection than the fuel level actually changing.
    Cleaning grounds may help but pulling the tank and cleaning the sender (which of course is NLA) will most likely cure that fault.

    As to having more power when it is cooler. Air and fuel are both denser at colder temps so you're actually getting more of both into the combustion chambers at cooler temperatures than on a hot afternoon. The computer will keep the ratio of air to fuel the same but it cannot compensate for different densities.
    So colder temps will actually induce more fuel usage (and hence, more power) not less fuel.
    Just be glad you don't have to deal with "winter gas" as we do up here, designed for easier starts..... but sure doesn't go as far as the summer formulation.
    BB

  18. #18
    Van Fan batook's Avatar
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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    I get decent mileage in my 91 Previas, but I do a lot of freeway driving. In the winter, it's something like 18-20mpg, 17 at worst. In the summer I usually see 20-22. The best I've seen is 24mpg. I have JDM motors in both of my Previas, so they are relatively low mileage engines, but I got similar mileage before when the Automatic AWD was at 300k+ on the original motor and the 5Speed AWD was at 260k before the headgasket blew.

    I have fresh Denso O2 sensors in both, and clean and fully functional EGR systems/throttle bodies, which I found makes a big difference (especially the O2 sensors, before I changed those I would get 15mpg in the winter in the automatic).

    Oh yeah, my driving style is "spirited/aggressive", especially in the 5-speed (usually 10-15 mph over the limit, often going 85).

    In the summer I'll get to 300 miles by the 1/4 tank mark (I always fill up then to keep the fuel pump happy) and in the winter it's usually 250-280 on the trip meter by the 1/4 tank slash.
    Last edited by batook; 01-10-2013 at 10:44 PM.

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Lol, I checked mine yesterday and only got 10.2 mpg (my all-trac towing the trailer) . Only made it 160 miles before the low fuel light came on . Part of it for me is that crappy winter blend gasoline. My son usually gets 30 - 35 mpg with his Corolla but reported he has dropped down to about 25 mpg. We're both using out of the same storage tank, so that seems to be the common link. Both rigs run great but our driving habbits are also spirited/aggressive. When you add the weight of the cargo trailer the Previa is moving about 3,500 lbs (in addition to it's own weight). It really struggles to maintain 75 mph on the freeway & rarely shifts into overdrive (which by the way is about 70% of my driving). Tim

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    Re: MPG and Previas'

    Haha, that's abysmal. My 5-speed Previa is completely stripped inside, (none of the rear seats are installed, no carpet either) so it's pretty low-weight most of the time. Sounds like you need to find a different gas station! Around here, I usually try to go to Shell or Conoco, and I get the 91 octane (highest here).

    I just filled up my 5-Speed AWD tonight, and it had 300 miles on the trip meter at the 1/4 tank slash, and my mpg phone app calculated 21 mpg for this last run, so I'm really happy with that, especially on winter gas.

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