Nissan: I'm getting city milage on the highway?????

1996 King cab PU, 4 Cyl
I'm getting just over 19 mpg.

Bought truck 3 weeks ago. Supposadly new plugs and wires.
Anything I can do to get it closer to the 23-24 mpg highway I should
be getting????

My 97 Camery XLE 6 cyl is getting 23 mpg with mixed driving.

Thought I'd do better with the 4 banger????

Thanks

Steve

Steve,

There are several things you can do to try to improve your gas mileage - not sure if your truck
is carburated or fuel injected. Before you start though, check to see if you can put your
truck's electronic control module/unit, (ECM/ECU), into Diagnostic mode. Check to see if your
truck is kicking out a trouble code that may require attention. I believe your truck is OBD
II..standard that US Government required all vehicles to be compliant with so as to reduce
pollution and improve air quality standards here in the US.

Things to check to see if you can improve your gas mileage:
1). Change your air filter - a clean air filter allows the engine to "breathe" & perform better.
2). Change your fuel filter
3). Clean out the throttle body/carburator & idle adjust valve, (if applicable), by spraying the
throttle body/carburator & idle adjust valve, (if applicable), with a can of carburator cleaner.
Carb cleaner removes any excess carbon which can affect idle.
4). Pour a can of fuel injector cleaner/carburator cleaner in your gas tank to clean out the
carburator jets / fuel injectors - to remove any excess carbon which can affect idle.
5). Check your Engine Coolant Temperature sensor for proper operation - a faulty sensor could
trick your ECU into thinking the engine is cold & cause more fuel to be dumped into the intake
manifold.
6). Check all your vacuum lines for minor leaks. A minor leak can cause idle problems
7). Check the PVC & EGR systems to make sure they are operating properly - if you can, spray it
with carburator cleaner to remove carbon buildup that may be inside.
8). Switch to a "cooler" spark plug
9). Remove the valve cover & check and adjust the valve clearance on your engine.
10). Check & adjust your engine "timing"
11). Check or replace your oxygen sensor on your exhaust manifold.
12). Have your catalytic converter checked to see if it is working properly. A partially melted
cat can cause exhaust airflow restriction which can affect engine performance & gas mileage
13). Check & adjust your tire pressure - you might want to consider switching to a "narrower"
tire width so as to reduce rolling tire resistance.
14). Check your brake & suspension system along with your wheel bearings.....any unnecessary
drag can cause lower gas mileage
15). Reduce the amount of aerodynamic drag on your truck by driving with the windows up & the
tailbed down. If you have any racks attached that you don't need, you might want to take those off.
16). Check your gas cap also. A "leaky" gas cap can allow fuel vapors to evaporate. Not sure if
the state you live in requires bi-annual smog checks like California, but gas caps are checked
in California to make sure they are operating properly & preventing any fuel vapors from
escaping into the atmosphere.

And if you want to really have a good laugh, check the federal government's website on how to
improve fuel mileage:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/
The best & worst truck regarding gas mileage:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bestworstEPAtrucks.htm

You might also want to check the free federal government's website for technical service
bulletins on your vehicle to see if any affect gas mileage:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm

Nissan has their site, but you have to pay to access it:
http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/nissan/TSB/Nissan/Truck_D21_EC.asp?mscssid=

Anyhow, hope the above helps...
ID


steve wrote: