Better mileage...better performance?
- Thread starter MTGunner
- Start date
Theoretician
Adventurer
Efficiency is something that the engineers would have increased if it were economical to do so, and performance is just energy output where the energy comes from the gasoline. More performance without increased efficiency means more gas required. You could probably wring out better efficiency for specific tasks, like tuning the exhaust and I take for a more specific engine speed at the sacrifice of efficiency at different speeds, but in a general sense you're not going to get very far for your trouble.
wreckdiver1321
Overlander
The VG33E will never be great on gas. I had one in my first Frontier and I never saw great things. If you want to improve it slightly, you can remove the baffles and silencers from the intake, put high-flow cats on it, headers, and a bigger, more free-flowing exhaust. That would help. But I really doubt you'd see huge gains honestly. in a first gen Xterra, more than 17 mpg is extremely unlikely.
Performance...mileage....
Understand and will have to accept mileage as is. It will need a new exhaust that I will install. I really do like this rig and don't want build another Xterra as this one has lots of upgrades. Have done the timing belt, water pump, belt tensioner and maintenance requirements as needed. Has not been used as a crawler only normal off road use in and all over Montana. I run it easy and don't push it hard on highway. Has approx. 160,000 plus miles and want it to last some time. Gonna just take care of it and treat it well. Planning future trips to north country and want reliability. Thanks for the sage advice all. MTG
Understand and will have to accept mileage as is. It will need a new exhaust that I will install. I really do like this rig and don't want build another Xterra as this one has lots of upgrades. Have done the timing belt, water pump, belt tensioner and maintenance requirements as needed. Has not been used as a crawler only normal off road use in and all over Montana. I run it easy and don't push it hard on highway. Has approx. 160,000 plus miles and want it to last some time. Gonna just take care of it and treat it well. Planning future trips to north country and want reliability. Thanks for the sage advice all. MTG
wreckdiver1321
Overlander
Whereabouts are you in Montana? I see it says NW MT. I live down in Billings but my parents live up in Seeley Lake.
justbecause
perpetually lost
when I was younger I put "cold air intakes" on everything I owned.... a fool and his money....
Recently I had a cat become totally clogged and a replacement would have put me back almost 400 bucks. I did a delete and have experienced no difference in power, or fuel economy, and thankfully its not any louder. The clogged cat was causing backfiring and was confusing the computer which was causing the vehicle to stall and rev high, depending on her mood that day.
Recently I had a cat become totally clogged and a replacement would have put me back almost 400 bucks. I did a delete and have experienced no difference in power, or fuel economy, and thankfully its not any louder. The clogged cat was causing backfiring and was confusing the computer which was causing the vehicle to stall and rev high, depending on her mood that day.
Nd4SpdSe
Adventurer, eh?
I'm running catless (using CEL eliminators) and Doug Thorley headers with a 2.5" exhaust. Intake is a Volant. If you want better mileage too, tires and weight. I found out late last few with my mods, I'm 500lbs over the GVWR with my and my tools in the truck. It's then I realised that it's easy to overlook on how easy weight is to add to the truck. I didn't notice really any difference with the intake (since it was done last and mostly to accommodate a snorkel), but the exhaust helped with power, but the headers made a HUGE difference, and I have friends as well noticed a significant improvement using headers to replace the crappy cracking manifolds.
Also make sure you have no codes. Stuff like 02 sensors (even replacing them from age with no codes makes a good difference), IAT sensor (replaced that sensor 2 years ago since it was throwing a code and made a huge different in bringing back the fuel economy that I had recently lost), coolant sensors and even the knock sensor (which doesn't throw a CEL) while arguably makes no difference in the N/A trucks, is still a critical sensor toi the ECM and should affect fuel efficiency
Also make sure you have no codes. Stuff like 02 sensors (even replacing them from age with no codes makes a good difference), IAT sensor (replaced that sensor 2 years ago since it was throwing a code and made a huge different in bringing back the fuel economy that I had recently lost), coolant sensors and even the knock sensor (which doesn't throw a CEL) while arguably makes no difference in the N/A trucks, is still a critical sensor toi the ECM and should affect fuel efficiency
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wreckdiver1321
Overlander
^ that is good advice.
I have found weight to be less of a factor on my Frontier than aerodynamics, but then I have the more powerful VQ40, so it's got a bit more grunt.
I'm lucky. I get a solid 18mpg on the highway with my setup.
I have found weight to be less of a factor on my Frontier than aerodynamics, but then I have the more powerful VQ40, so it's got a bit more grunt.
I'm lucky. I get a solid 18mpg on the highway with my setup.
Tire weight can easily drop a few MPG. A decent air filter & a more open muffler might give you a slight improvement but it isn't a cheap way to do it. A fuel system service could give back a mile or 2 per gallon but if you live in the Rockies, that crappie gas is going to negate most of your efforts