Gas mileage improvement after new motor break-in?

[Ed_Flecko]

"In the old days", I know new car/truck gas mileage often improved (a little bit) after the motor break in period.

I just bought a new Toyota Tacoma, 4WD, 4 door long bed (woohoo!) with the 3.5L V6 motor. I have about 200 miles now on the truck, and according to the truck itself, I'm getting about 19+ MPG around town. I have not yet taken a road trip, so I don't know what my highway mileage will yet be.

Do you think my gas mileage will improve slightly, or do you think that "it is what it is"? "These days", do vehicles typically see a mileage improvement after any break in period or not anymore?

Thank you,

Ed

 

[Convert]

2013 tacoma 4x4 4.0 lt.

In town 17-18
Hwy 19 -22.
Cruise control @ 65 mph.

TOMB

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by Ed_Flecko
"In the old days", I know new car/truck gas mileage often improved (a little bit) after the motor break in period.

I just bought a new Toyota Tacoma, 4WD, 4 door long bed (woohoo!) with the 3.5L V6 motor. I have about 200 miles now on the truck, and according to the truck itself, I'm getting about 19+ MPG around town. I have not yet taken a road trip, so I don't know what my highway mileage will yet be.

Do you think my gas mileage will improve slightly, or do you think that "it is what it is"? "These days", do vehicles typically see a mileage improvement after any break in period or not anymore?

Thank you,

Ed

Insignificant is how I've read into it, the past 4-5 decades. What we gain after 3K or-so, is nothing that'll buy you more than a medium regular coffee at 7-11..... about a $1.59

 

[Ed_Flecko]

Originally Posted by Convert
2013 tacoma 4x4 4.0 lt.

In town 17-18
Hwy 19 -22.
Cruise control @ 65 mph.

TOMB



Is the truck basically stock? Mine is completely stock, i.e., wheels, tires, etc.

Ed

 

[PPWarrior]

my Versa went from 32 before the break-in period to 42 MPG.

If I drive like a maniac (which I do) I get 38.8 MPG.

 

[PimTac]

I went from around 28.5 to 29 to 31.5 in about 5000 miles.

The engine is not the only part of the vehicle breaking in.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

My old Nissan Hardbody 4x4 got about 19 combined. And it was a 4 cylinder with a 5 speed manual trans.

The only Taco I owned that got "good" mileage (above 25) was a short bed, 5 speed manual 2wd base W/T

I know I owned two of 'em.

The rest of 'em might average 1 or 2 mpg above full size V8 IDK.

I loved my early 80's Chevy S10 short bed std cab V6 4 speed manual. The heads were not closed up yet and the rochester FFB Vara-Jet carb had a big mouth when open.

 

[Hall]

You'll probably see a 0 to 1.5 MPG improvement. I'm leaning towards the 0 too.

 

[fdcg27]

I think you'll see some improvement in fuel economy over the coming miles, but the Taco will never be a fuel economy champ.
Maybe your nineteen and change will improve to twenty and change?
This would be a solid 5%+ improvement.
What sort of fuel economy were you looking for when you bought it?
Your observed fuel use is in line with what EPA found in their emissions tests.

 

[mez]

Go to fuelly.com and find your truck. This is the best place to see average gas mileage

 

[Ed_Flecko]

Originally Posted by fdcg27
I think you'll see some improvement in fuel economy over the coming miles, but the Taco will never be a fuel economy champ.
Maybe your nineteen and change will improve to twenty and change?
This would be a solid 5%+ improvement.
What sort of fuel economy were you looking for when you bought it?
Your observed fuel use is in line with what EPA found in their emissions tests.


If I can get the EPA rated 18 city and 22 highway, I'd be fine with that. Anything more is a bonus and I think I'll get a little better than those numbers. Heck, I've got about 250ish miles now and my city driving is already just better than 19, so that's good! If I get 22, 23 or even 24 on the highway...that would be great, but maybe slightly unrealistic.

Interestingly enough, I think my new truck will get about the same or slightly better than my old, 2004 2WD Tacoma with the 2.4L motor...and I now have the V6!

Ed

 

[Revving2Redline]

My grandma had a 93 W-Body Pontiac that always got awful mileage. At 2005 it had 19,000 miles only and still felt stiff. Took it to my buddy in Wichita and he pulled the dipstick and took his zippo lighter to it. Had high fuel contamination from drive thru runs and short trips. We drained oil and used 10w30 GM refill and filled up at QT on fuel. Highway drove everyday and it got up to 30 mpg on highway. Quality fuel and getting a car up to temperature helps.

 

[Convert]

Ed_Flecko

Truck is stock. Has 5 speed auto trans.
Has stock Bridgestone 265/65/17 with 66k miles. Will replace before winter.
Use Pennzoil Platinum 5-30 Synthetic
Changed front diff,rear diff,transfer case to Mobil 1 75/90 syn.

I drive like a 73 year old grandfather, WHAT/WAIT, I am one!
TOMB

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted by PimTac
... The engine is not the only part of the vehicle breaking in.
True. You may get more improvement due to tire break-in than you will due to engine break-in.

My Mazda yielded disappointing mileage until it had about 6000 miles, then much better.

 

[AZjeff]

That 19+ mpg your seeing on the dash is probably 2 mpg optimistic. Our RAV calculates 2 mpg high always and the people at work with Toyotas see about the same thing.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I keep good gas mileage records on all my vehicles. Bought a new Tacoma 4.0L V6 4x4 with the 5-speed auto. Was running conventional 5W-30 Mobil Clean 5000 oil from 1000 to 5K miles of break-in and saw an average mileage of 17 MPG in combined city/highway driving (mainly my same job commute). Changed oil to Mobil 1 full synthetic 5W-30, and by 10K miles on the truck the average mileage was 18 MPG. Around 20K miles it settled in at 20 MPG with the same job commute driving. Not a big increase, but I could definitely see the fuel mileage go up over time.

 

[demarpaint]

Any new vehicle I ever bought I found mpg always improved after the engine was broken in.

 

[circuitsmith]

The mileage on my previous 2006 Toyota Matrix gradually increased over 15K miles.
Not a big change, but noticeable.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by circuitsmith
The mileage on my previous 2006 Toyota Matrix gradually increased over 15K miles.
Not a big change, but noticeable.

I must be blessed then. I haven't noticed much change from day-1 to Last Day, when the vehicle was permanently retired.
If a subtle change occurs (like mine), I read that as meaning things like engine clearances have changed minimally.

If those of you that are experiencing noticeable changes, I read-that as meaning your engine & non-engine parts associated with the engine intake and exhaust were too big or over-clogged to begin with. That's not good. Break-in's are supposed to minimal these days. All these parts are digitally (HD) processed now. Micrometer sales in stores (meant for auto machine shops) are now at an all-time low........ and should be.

Somebody is looking over us (from above) when we pick out new vehicles.
Thank You Upstairs.

 

[Silverado12]

I've seen a slight improvement on some of my cars, but it's minimal. The only mini truck that gets significantly better mileage than a fullsize is a 2WD with a four cylinder. I got 30 mpg once on a trip with my 2008 Chevy Colorado 4 cyl. automatic on a trip once. Most of the time it got 25-26 on a trip. My fullsize with the 4.3 V-6 (2012 Chevy Silverado W/T) does 18 in town and 21-22 on the highway. I needed the capability and room of the fullsize so I traded the Colorado.