Improve gas mileage?

I have a 2002 Nissan Xterra, 2wd, V6 automatic (not the super charged version). Love the truck, and plan to keep it for as long as it runs good. Currently just under 75,000 miles on it, and it still drives like new.

My only beef with it is that it gets at best 17 mpg.

I drive 80 miles to work and back 5 days a week. So the cost of gas adds up fast. Normally I would drive my CBR600RR to work (45 mpg), but the dress code at work has gotten tighter, and the heat of the day is starting to get hard for me on the bike here in Phoenix.

Is there anything one can do to effectively improve gas mileage on a truck like mine?

I already drive it like an old man because of the cost of gas. I don't even see the tach needle get above 3,000 unless I'm trying to do 80 mph on the freeway.

I do the basics like frequent oil changes, good tires at proper pressure, baby the gas pedal. I'm probably due for an air filter, I'll change that this weekend.

I don't know what else I can do really.

Would changing the air intake system to an aftermarket type help?

ben

Does anyone test drive cars anymore? Yes the xterra gets crappy gas mileage... it will only get worse becasue 17 isnt that bad. Just looking through some of the posts below yours....

http://www.xterraownersclub.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=70;t=001033
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=70;t=000947
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=70;t=000917
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=70;t=000745

For more hits, use the handy dandy search function with your query....

easiest way, sell it and buy a honda crv. WHat kind of milage were you expecting out of a 4000lb suv?

Woa, you guys are real nice. I've owned it since new. Just hoping there might be something I can do to improve the mileage, even if just a bit. Figured someone here would know the answer.

I guess I'll just wait for them to answer my post.

ben

2004 X, 17,000 miles and I get 10 city, 12 highway.

What are you doing special to get 17?

I previously had the 2002 and got a whopping 14.

Hey, don't take offense. You just stepped on one of the newbie land mines. Many of us have been on this board for years and thus know there are MANY threads addressing gas mileage and ways to improve it. You just have to search the proper forum to find all the info you'll ever need.

But new people come on the board about every 5 minutes griping about gas mileage and asking how to improve it. Ok, that's a slight exaggeration but you get the point. It's become kind of a running inside joke and that's why a previous poster made the 'broken record' reference.

You're right about some people here being less polite than others, and I'll be the first to admit that I have my moments. In any case, welcome to XOC and again, don't take offense, just let us cranky XOC vets have our fun.

And btw...people have mellowed around here big time. The way noobs used to be treated led a member named 05_X to create what has to be the funniest thing I've ever seen on this board:


As for improving your mileage, about all you can do is lighten your load as much as possible (my gear basket lives in the attic), don't be a leadfoot, anticipate lights and coast when possible, and so on. People have spent lots of time, effort, and $$ on intake kits, exhaust kits, you name it, and nobody can document anything more than a tiny increase, if that.

Sadly, 7 years of Xterra ownership - a 2000 and now an '02 - has led to one conclusion: it gets what it gets and I'm not going to worry about it.

What's truly annoying is that with new engine technology, the 2007 Suburban has an EPA estimate of 15/21.

Great post. You have renewed my faith in this forum. Honestly, I asked the same question on a forum not dedicated at all to Xterras and got a lot more responses, and no flaming.

I'll try removing the gear basket, although I hate how they look without them, LOL. Sounds like I'm doing everything else that can be done.

I do try to anticipate traffic and lights. I coast whenever I can, and don't race to the next stop knowing it will more than certainly not get me there faster.

ben

Not sure, except for the stuff all ready mentioned.

Just did 278.1 miles on 16.25 gallons of 87 octane. That equals 17.11 mpg. That even includes taking my dirt bike to ride in the desert on Sunday, which was a 90 mile trip carrying a load.

So I guess I'm doing better than the average owner. Maybe that is why some are hating on me for posting. LOL

ben

Ben-

I would suggest making sure your tires are properly inflated. I keep mine at 35 psi.
Second, if you haven't done it already, you should change to all synthetic fluids (front & rear diffs, oil,). That *may* get you 1-2 mpg increase.

I also have a freeing flowing cat-back Magnaflow exhaust system and an open air element to free up some HP.

Stone

Don't think I've seen it mentioned before, but what about aftermarket rims. I'm guessing the stock units are on the heavy side. Of course, just like any other high dollar mod, how much to you really save after spending all of that money to begin with? Spend $300 to save $100.

ben

lighter wheels means decreased rolling resistance which is a good thing for mpg improvement.

As stated earlier, 17 is awesome. I would love that figure. Enjoy the X for a few more years. I know I love mine and the second one.It's like the big Q..."Would you hit that?....FNA right I'd hit that!"

It's all about 'hittabilty'

First, welcome to XOC! You should check out the Arizona Xterra Club when you get a chance.

Second, I find it funny that the poster who flamed you has less posts than you - the noob calling the noob a noob. WTF?

Anyway, as already stated, keeping the vehicle in top condition (tires aired up, fluid and filters clean, etc.) and going easy on the gas pedal are the most economical things you can do to improve gas mileage. There is no magic part that will give you a substatial MPG increase.

FYI, I got 16-17 in my '01 2WD. The '06 XOR 4x4 gets 14-15. These figures exclude off-roading and towing which will cause a significant drop in MPG. That being said, I love my X and wouldn't trade it for any other vehicle.

I have an '07 2WD (auto) with a roof rack and a load warrior... I average about 18.3mpg.

Jack

Hey, as soon as I saw you were getting 17mpg, I was wondering how you managed that! Mine is an Off Road and I know it carries more weight, than a 4x2, but if I'm really lucky I get 13mpg, and when I'm just driving back in forth in town 11mpg,ouch! I love the X in spite of that, but wonder where they came up with that bs in the specs about 16-21mpg! Yeah, right! Sorry about the flaming! There is a really nice search area on this site, for stuff everybody else has discussed at length. When you are somewhat new, or don't spend too much time here, you may not be aware of it. lj

Well Armour...maybe taking off the spare would lighten your load a little and like the other posts...go all synthetics and change the exhaust to dual and let it breathe better and also a cold air kit won't hurt either. I have an '02 S/C 5 speed and did my exhaust and cold air and went from 270 miles per tank to 330 on a trip to massachusetts, I know it was all highway mileage but hey mileage is mileage.

This is the kind of info I'm looking for. I was thinking the same thing for mods, but just didn't want to throw money at it without some proof that it would help.

Which would you do first, the exhaust or the intake? And where is the best place to get something like this online?

Not sure if I can afford to do either right now, but I'll see what I can do.

ben

abrcr3, regarding the extra 60 miles that you got on a tank:

1. Are you saying that you used the same exact number of gallons of gas?
2. Are you comparing similar trips to Massachusetts (i.e. roads driven, driving style, load carried, etc)?

As I said in my earlier post, I've read threads on various engine mods for 7 years now and any improvement is minimal at best. Why waste your time and money?

If you decide to do engine mods, it would be great for you to track what you spend and the time it takes, measure the results, and let us know what the ROI is. Who knows, maybe I'm totally wrong and it's all more than worth it.

I didn't mean to imply that I was going to do the mods. Just researching at this point.

It would seem as though I've pretty much done everything you can do without spending more money than you could save over a length of time.

I'm trying to drive slower on this tank of gas, doing my best to keep the tach below 2,000 rpm, especially from stops.

I'll probably do this for another tank of gas, then remove the roof basket thingy, and measure again on another tank.

ben

I have the K&N FIPK... I got around 17 after installing it with my S/C, and when I first bought it, I regularly stomped on the skinny peddle so I could hear the S/C working . So I would say.... Cold air intake, synthetics, Then maybe exaust. Although, I didn't plan on wheeling mine when I first bought it and threw the cone filter in.... then I went through a creek and soaked it..... sooo just something to think about

I get 17-18 mpg on mine...........

a "free one" is tire pressure, bump it up a bit. It will wear the center of the tires faster and a little harsher ride but it could gain you some (<1 mpg though)

Man, I dont know what you guys are doing! I understand if you have offroad stuff like huge tires and skid plates, getting like 12 mpg, but I have an 01 V6 2WD and get 20mpg routinely combined city and highway (about 50/50). My worst tank since Ive owned it was 18 mpg, when I was flooring it often and going 80mph plus (I didnt have to pay for that tank 8) ) My best tank was 22.3mpg doing mostly highway and grandma driving.

My tips: a.) Dont go 80 mph on the interstates. (More air resistance and higher RPM equals worse gas mileage)
b.) Keep it under 2500 rpms while accelerating (if you have the same engine as me). Its slightly slower accel than average, but I deal with it just fine.
c.) I open the windows for air when on city roads...on 2 lane highways or anything between 50 and 60 mph or so I roll mine about halfway and the passenger cracked (less air resistance). For interstates or when its REALLY hot (90+), I turn the A/C the "2" notch of 4 for about 30 secs until Im cool (I point all of the vents at me when its only me in the car) then turn it off. Repeat as necessary (about every 2-4 mins for me)

Hope this helps

I'm going to replace the fuel filter, which is the still the stock unit with almost 75,000 miles on the odo, and I'm going to change the air filter since it is due.

Got the parts from XterraParts.com

16546-00001 Nissan Air Filter - 2000 to 2004 Xterra V6 and SuperCharged 1 $8.74

16400-00001 Fuel Filter - 2000-2004 Xterra V6/SC 1 $12.08

So maybe someone else doesn't have to search all over the place and through threads with dead links to pictures, here is a link to a webpage with illustrated instructions on how to change the fuel filter .

ben

Oh yeah, since people have been asking what I do to get 17-18 mpg...

Something I just thought of that might be good info to share is that I use Shell Rotella T oil in my Xterra. You can pick it up cheap from Walmart or most auto parts stores -- about $9 to $15 a gallon.

I use this oil in all of my vehicles, including a 2003 CBR600RR and my 2004 CRF450R with great results. You can also change it more frequently than normal if that is your routine because it is so much less expensive.

ben

sigh...

OK, I have a '01 4wd, 2" BL/3" SL, Full armor and bumpers, winch, OBA, 33's, etc...

I average 20 mpg overall pretty consistantly.

I got rid of all the foo foo roof plastic, keep the tires a bit hard, went to full sysnthetics for everythng, even wheel bearing grease, and drive more like a running back running for daylight than an old lady...except that the speed stays constant, and not overly fast.

Speeding up uses way more gas than maintaining a constant speed....I time the traffic and the gaps, etc...and try to stay as steady as possible...

Wind resistance on an X is significant over about 40-50 mph...and adds up FAST faster than that...and is the primary reason for poor mpg in X's.

If I go 45 mpg at a steady pace....25 mpg is achievable, but it takes too long to get anywhere...so I go faster than that...say the 50's most of the time, maybe 60. (Hence the 20 mpg average...)

If I go into hilly terrain...my mpg plummets proportionally, it takes gas to get up hills.

If traffic permits...I can get some of the hilly area mpg back by losing speed on the uphills, and geting it back on the downhills...especially if I think the local constabularies are disinterested, etc.

So - If you live where its hilly, or there's thick stop and go traffic, or you go over 55 mph/gun it/weave in/out of traffic...your mpg is going to suck.

The first gen X's were only EPA rated for about 16 mph...so 17 is a pretty average # as far as I can tell, nothing wrong with it...and some here would kill for it (So be careful...)

A side bar - A HUGE number of people get larger tires, and, forget that their speedometer is off...and drive the speed the speedometer tells them...

IE: The speedometer is telling you you're going 60 mph...but you're really going 67 mph...against A LOT more wind resistance....

AND

Your Odometer is telling you you got 280 miles on that tank of gas...but you REALLY went 314 miles.

So, on 33's instead of 29's... you think you drove 280 miles at 60 mph....but you really went 314 miles at 67 mph...

You drove faster, and went more miles than you thought, both of which make your perceived mpg go down. (If people forget to correct for that...they report dismal mpg #'s...)

In Phoenix, there is heavy stop and go traffic on the freeways (highways for you east coasters), 110+ degrees ambient temperatures, and 75 MPH speed limits outside of the city where going 80 MPH just means you are staying up with traffic. So, I am happy with 15 mpg.

Ted - I just noticed your sig line says 2 AAL, does that mean you had TWO SETS of AAL's, or that you have a 2-Pack AAL?

TJ, I had a spring shop add two full-size leaves on each side. Now, I am only limited by the weight rating of the axle.

Just did another tank of gas. Put 16.6 gallons in the take with 317 miles on the trip odo. That is 19 mpg.

The one thing did different from the last tank where I got 17 mpg was kept it under 2,000 rpm when accelerating from stops, and also never drove faster than 65 mph steady. There were a couple of times that I had accelerate fast from a stop just to merge with traffic or to get over to my exit on the freeway.

All of this was done with windows up and AC on.

Next I'm going to change the fuel filter and air filter and calculate on a new tank of gas. Then I'm going to remove the plastic ramp and basket from the roof.

I'll keep you posted.

ben

AZ-Ted...I go the same route every year to Massachusetts..alot of hiway miles...and yes the amount of gas is roughly the same, I try to keep a steady 70mph on the interstates but occasionally get it up to 80 breifly to do some passing. Also I use the a/c intermittently to keep the family cool. As for acceleration..I overdrive the crap out of it to "milk" the most mpg I can get.

Also AZTED...I upped the tire pressure from 36psi to 40 psi for less rolling resistance and that makes a huge difference,even with my father-in-laws EXPLODER he managed better mpg with the added psi in the tires.

Sorry for seeming I abandoned this thread.

Last thing I changed was removing the air ramp and basket, along with the cross bars on the roof rack. I ran a full tank of gas through the X same as my normal routine and saw no improvement in gas mileage. Got 18 mpg on that tank.

This is still doing the keep it below 65 mph, under 2,000 rpms while accelerating. Remember, best I've seen so far is 19 mpg doing this.

I went ahead and left it all off for now. This weekend I changed the air filter and fuel filter. Running a tank through it this week and will report back on my mpg.

ben

Sorry for seeming I abandoned this thread.

Last thing I changed was removing the air ramp and basket, along with the cross bars on the roof rack. I ran a full tank of gas through the X same as my normal routine and saw no improvement in gas mileage. Got 18 mpg on that tank.

This is still doing the keep it below 65 mph, under 2,000 rpms while accelerating. Remember, best I've seen so far is 19 mpg doing this.

I went ahead and left it all off for now. This weekend I changed the air filter and fuel filter. Running a tank through it this week and will report back on my mpg.

ben

07 se fully loaded here. 18.5 in the city and a best of 22.5 on a trip back from Kentucky lake to Rolling Meadows, Ill.

Mobil 1 and a K and N are it for mods.

Joe

The best thing is to SLOWWWW DOWWWWNNNNN.

El Paso TX to.....Fort Gordon GA.....1500 plus miles....

El Paso TX to Midland TX = Legal Speed of 80mpg, drove 80mph and got 14.3mpg....

Rest of trip drove 70mph and averaged 18.4.

Take it for what its worth.

Tim

I can get 23-24 on the highway by drafting trucks, usually 20-35 feet away, and driving between 55 and 65 mph. As an aerospace engineer, I can attest to the fact that drag force is proportion to the square of velocity. So reducing the velocity that the car sees by 1/3 will reduce the drag by much more.

Any questions let me know!

The wife has been driving the X lately, so no new figures on gas mileage. Sorry guys.

Happy to report my CBR still gets 40 mpg. And gas prices are the lowest they've been in a long time here in Phoenix. I heard them say on the news today that we are the cheapest in the nation right now.

ben

This is the truth written above,

I bought a scanguage for shits and giggles and its fun to watch your instant MPG change based on load, speed etc. On the scanguage the difference between 55mph and 70mph is about 3.5 mpg or 16.5 - 20mpg. After calibrating the scanguage over a few tanks its usually spot on or 0.1 gallons off each time I fill up. Get up to about 75-80 mph and your dipping below 14-15 mpg. This is with 33's, shrock, winch, yakima rack, BL etc so a stock X should be close or better if not its all about the driver sorry....

edit to add the Xterra is a pig around town, city driving only I can get under 14mpg

I've gotten 25 mpg a couple of times, but if I push it to 80 on the highway it drops to around 20. Also, yup, its a pig in town. Something about moving a 5000 lb brick from a dead stop. And I'm running the stock long trail t/a's, switching to at's at the next tire change. And its a stock 06, mt, 4wd.

I just bought mine a few weeks ago and have about 2,700 miles on it - I've been getting about 20mpg on my last few fill ups. So far not as bad as I thought it would be. I've been trying to ease up on the skinny peddle and that has helped.

Dave

Just did a trip to Stoneman Lake in Arizona. Pulled a small 5' x 8' flat trailer with a dirt bike and camping gear for a family of 5 for 4 days.

Trip up and part way down did 160 miles of mountain highways and some Forrest Service fire roads. Got 13 mpg. Not bad considering I was working the X pretty hard on some of the hills.

ben

so my other car is a toyota prius and it's definatley taught me alot about squeezing fuel economy from any car, hybrid or not.

i got my xterra a few weeks ago, and the first week I went through a tank of gas in a matter 4 days... as an experiment, the next week I took it easy, 'pulse and glided' it more and I'm still about half-tank full.

the X has a pretty serious engine but I'm convinced you could pull 27+ mpg if you're careful about it. On the other hand, don't get carried away! have fun out there...

also, you don't want to tailgate but getting behind big trunks saves MAD milage because they're the ones cutting all the air - you're just riding in their draft (kind of like how ducks fly).

Anyway, for what it's worth, it's a good trick.

this car is not kind to speeders, though.