Should we trade our Taco for a Tundra?

[Tom&Shelly]

We found a great way to improve our gas situation with the Tundra: We took this out!



Haven't had to fill it since!

We replaced the 26 gallon tank with a 46 gallon tank. Hopefully we can go 600 miles if we have to. Shelly says we get about 13 miles/gallon towing (a lot better being towed, but that's a different story. Probably would have been better to have not taken out the 26 gallon tank until we got to the place that put in the 46 gallon tank!)

Of course, when we do fill up we have to take out a mortgage on the house. Speaking of which, anyone wanna buy a 26 gallon gas tank?

Tom

[RJ Howell]

We found a great way to improve our gas situation with the Tundra: We took this out!


Haven't had to fill it since!

We replaced the 26 gallon tank with a 46 gallon tank. Hopefully we can go 600 miles if we have to. Shelly says we get about 13 miles/gallon towing (a lot better being towed, but that's a different story. Probably would have been better to have not taken out the 26 gallon tank until we got to the place that put in the 46 gallon tank!)

Of course, when we do fill up we have to take out a mortgage on the house. Speaking of which, anyone wanna buy a 26 gallon gas tank?

Tom

Nice add! If you travel into Baja, you may wish to refill before coming back! LOL That is if you live in California. Extended tank is great! Didn't know you had the space for it. Good to know!

I hit up Toyota before buying my next, then learned 1/2 ton is it.. With their teasing of the 'Zilla" off-road rig and suspension changes to handle I was hopeful that they might indeed bring up a 3/4 ton (or beyond) rig..
If they do it tomorrow, while in mist of my build, well... I'll be pissed. Do love my Taco! Yet travel in my full-size.

Safe travels! On lots of gas!!!

[bdosborn]

We replaced the 26 gallon tank with a 46 gallon tank. Hopefully we can go 600 miles if we have to.

Around here they shut off the pump at around $100. You'd never be able to fill it all the way up.
Bruce

[Tom&Shelly]

We replaced the 26 gallon tank with a 46 gallon tank. Hopefully we can go 600 miles if we have to.

Around here they shut off the pump at around $100. You'd never be able to fill it all the way up.
Bruce

Quite true! Shelly paid $135 a few weeks ago. Is that Colorado wide? We'll have to bring two credit cards; or just wait until we get to Nebraska. Suddenly checking to see how much state tax is on gas is relevant!

Incidentally, this tank sort of messes up the truck's computed miles left on the tank, and the gas gauge stays on full and empty most of the time. To get the most out of it we'll need a notebook and one of those old fashioned circular flight computers.

Tom

[bdosborn]

Is that Colorado wide? We'll have to bring two credit cards; or just wait until we get to Nebraska. Suddenly checking to see how much state tax is on gas is relevant!

To be honest, I'm now in the habit of filling up when I get to half a tank so I haven't pushed the limit for awhile.... It's only a problem with the Transit and the Dodge Ram, they both have 30 gallon tanks.
Bruce

[lfhoward]

I have a Scangauge II on my Jeep, which calculates MPG and displays a whole range of sensors on the dash, including transmission temperature. It lets you put in your tank size and displays miles remaining based on that. It would work great for your application.



Old photo though. The odometer just turned over 208,000.

[Tom&Shelly]

I have a Scangauge II on my Jeep, which calculates MPG and displays a whole range of sensors on the dash, including transmission temperature. It lets you put in your tank size and displays miles remaining based on that. It would work great for your application.



Old photo though. The odometer just turned over 208,000.

Hope you checked your tires too!

We have a Scangauge II, and didn't realize it does that. But how does it determine gas usage? Their web site is absolutely mum on the subject, and our gas gauge no longer reads accurately, so any information from the truck's computer will be wrong. I read one blog that says they compute gas use by taking air use and using a 14.7:1 ratio.

Of course, we'll still have to remember to record fill ups, just like we would keeping a log.

Tom

[lfhoward]

Here is a little illustrated tutorial!

Press the red button to go to the main menu. Select More.


Select Setup.


Scroll through the options to set your vehicle’s parameters.


The right tank size and engine size are important for mpg and miles remaining calculations.


Press the red button to get back to the main menu.


Next time you fill your tank, press the red button and select More. Then select Fillup.


Here it tells you how much gas it thinks you put in since the last fillup. If doing it for the first time, you can just Select Done to reset it. The second time you fill up, come here and match the amount of gas it thinks you used to the amount you actually used, displayed on the pump. The percentage below will change accordingly, as this is calibrating the Scangauge to your engine.


With the above completed, you will now have access to Miles Remaining!
Press the red button to get to the main menu and select Trip.


Next select Trips.


Scroll using the bottom 2 buttons until it reads Tank To Empty. Scroll using the top 2 buttons until it reads XXX Miles. It will remember your settings so it will open to the same page next time without scrolling.


Note, this will only work if you tell the scangauge that you had a Fillup every time you fill your tank.

[Tom&Shelly]

Thank you! We'll try it out.

So I'm still puzzled about what it is reading, exactly, to figure out how much gasoline is consumed. Is it reading it from the float in the tank (which the Tundra computer now reads incorrectly)? Or is it using the size of the engine and reading the amount of air some how? Or something else?

But, I don't necessarily have to understand it, if it works. We will try it and see!

Tom

[Onajourney]

I have a 2D JK with the 2000lb max tow weight. My trailer came in at 1700lbs so I thought I was good to go. WRONG. It is too much for the 2D with 35s. So one week before to leave on a one week trip planned months ago, I scrambled to find a deal on 4D JK. I did and it is a huge difference especially going from a 3.8 to a newer 3.6 that has considerable more HP, go figure. I also really need to add brakes to the trailer which will not be easy or cheap. Only regret of the build was not installing brakes. Just got back from the week long trip which was great other than the trailer coming off the hitch at 60mph because I forgot to install the hitch lock pin. Slight damage to the tongue box but consider that extremely lucky. 2D JK is online for sale which is a real disappointment. I spent a ton of time and money building it and loved driving it on and off road.

[tony.latham]

So I'm still puzzled about what it is reading, exactly, to figure out how much gasoline is consumed.

I had a Scan Guage in my lat Tacoma. It gets its data from the computer––which is somehow monitoring the fuel consumption.

Tony

[lfhoward]

I have a 2D JK with the 2000lb max tow weight. My trailer came in at 1700lbs so I thought I was good to go. WRONG. It is too much for the 2D with 35s. So one week before to leave on a one week trip planned months ago, I scrambled to find a deal on 4D JK. I did and it is a huge difference especially going from a 3.8 to a newer 3.6 that has considerable more HP, go figure. I also really need to add brakes to the trailer which will not be easy or cheap. Only regret of the build was not installing brakes. Just got back from the week long trip which was great other than the trailer coming off the hitch at 60mph because I forgot to install the hitch lock pin. Slight damage to the tongue box but consider that extremely lucky. 2D JK is online for sale which is a real disappointment. I spent a ton of time and money building it and loved driving it on and off road.

Would it be reasonable to swap suspension and wheels between the two JK’s, and sell the short one relatively stock?

[Onajourney]

[/quote]
Would it be reasonable to swap suspension and wheels between the two JK’s, and sell the short one relatively stock?[/quote]

That's not a small job without a lift and pretty expensive to have done at a shop. I also am going from a 2007 to 2016 which way nicer, more comfortable handling, and way more reliable. The older JKs are constantly needing something fixed.

[twisted lines]

I remember commonly seeing 8 MPG displayed in my 5.7 Tundra

[Tom&Shelly]

Have I mentioned lately how disappointed we are with Carmax? We finally gave up on them ordering the correct running boards to replace the ones that mysteriously disappeared from our new Tundra between them posting the pictures and our test drive. We ordered our own and got them to reimburse us. We also installed it ourselves.



Today we took the truck back (pre-arranged appointment from several weeks ago) to have them fix the rear bumper and the back seat latch. They had ordered the wrong bumper, and the tech couldn't seem to get the seat to work, so he has to order a new seat bottom, and install that. So that was a mostly wasted trip (1 hour each way, twice.) And, Shelly reminds me, they didn't call us, we finally called them to ask about the status. At least the head mechanic filled our tank for us. Topped off our 46 gallon tank, so that's something.

Now about the business office: A few weeks ago they almost let our registration slip. A day before the temp tag expired, we went in (to not get the running boards installed) and asked them where the paperwork, that they were supposed to have mailed, was. The gal found it and seemed so proud to have brought it up to us. I asked if they'd planned to mail it, or what? "Well, eventually we would have," she said. Couldn't seem to understand why we were upset with that.

So today, when we brought the receipt for the running boards in to be reimbursed, the folks asked if they could mail us the check. "No, Shelly said, we'll wait for it." I added that we would wait right there at the window so they wouldn't be distracted by other customers. So we shortly had our reimbursement in cash, since their check printer evidently wasn't working. Not really satisfying for 4 hours of driving!

Tom