YEA it was the same for me to improve it you need to get a CAI, Exhaust, and would go with a gryphon with custom tunes from Bill. this will help a whole lot. im not sure exactly how much because i dont have the custom tunes but im geting 3 mpg better than i did with just the exhaust and CAI
I too have (one of the original) 2001 KR 4x4's - since the day I got it used (in Houston) it has never been below 16 mpg and has been as high as 20.4 mpg on long freeway trip with cruise set at 68mph. Not sure why yours is getting such bad mileage but a tune up might be in order.
Gas mileage depends on a lot of factors. While 12 MPG is a bit on the low side, it depends on which engine you have, what state of tune the truck is in, how many miles are on the engine, and how heavy your right foot is to name a few.
My `02 KR SuperCab (83K miles) with a 5.4L has seen a low of 11.0 MPG and a high of 18.7 MPG. Lifetime average is 14.3 MPG There are only two modifications to my truck, a K&N drop in filter and a DiabloSport Predator tuner.
I would start with a major tune up. All new plugs, wires, fluids, filters, 02 sensors, MAF sensor cleaned, etc etc etc etc. Make it all nice and new and see where your at. My guess is the truck isn't in tip top shape. Like I said, its a start and you can go from there. A custom tune would be a great addition, along with custom exhaust. I don't see any gains with a CAI except maybe less expensive over the long run on paper filters.
There are a number of things you can add to your truck that may show some incremental gains to your MPG.
A free flowing cold air intake along with a low resistance exhaust will allow more air in and out of the engine. This may gain you a small improvement in MPG, for a steep price. It will take a long while to pay off the hardware investment in the savings derived from gas purchases.
Swapping out the mechanical fan with an electric fan could also give you another mpg or 2. But, again, how long will that expenditure take to pay for itself in gas savings?
If you really want to save money, you have to look very seriously at your driving habits. My truck has the 5.4l with 3.73 gears and it is 4 wheel drive. I am getting a consistent 15.8 to 16.0 mpg. When my wife takes the truck for ONE DAY the mpg drops by at least .2 to .6 mpg. Thats after less than one hundred miles of driving!
I have narrowed it down to one basic principal. Don't use the pedals unless you absolutely have to! We live in an area with a lot of hills. When I am going down a hill I only use the brake pedal if I have to avoid hitting the car in front of me or there's a sharp curve, etc. I use the momentum gained from the downhill coast to try to get up the next hill without touching the gas. Never, ever, ever, accelerate while going uphill. Coast downhills without touching the gas peddle as much as possible. When driving on level roads, use just enough gas peddle to maintain a constant speed. If you have to accelerate, do it slowly.
When you are coming to a stop sign or red light, take your foot off the gas as far back from that stop as possible and coast to the stop. When you start froward again from a stop, do it slowly. Do not tromp on the gas peddle.
Follow some of these ideas and see what it does to your mpg. Best of all, these things require zero dollars invested. You get to save gas and money for free.
If the guy behind you beeps because you are accelerating to slowly, introduce him to the bird.
(thanks Chris)
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