Chip For The Gx

[dbw]

Is anyone aware of an aftermarket chip to increase fuel economy :cries: for the GX?

[trebien]

Is anyone aware of an aftermarket chip to increase fuel economy :cries: for the GX?

There is one out there I know of....

But they cost about $25K and are permanently embedded in a Prius.

[The G Man]

Is anyone aware of an aftermarket chip to increase fuel economy :cries: for the GX?

If you are worry about fuel economy, why on earth would you buy a GX. You should have done your homework before you buy a car. The only way a chip can improve economy is to shift to higher gears sooner, this will decrease the engine's performance. Almost all the chips out there on the market does the opposite, it tried to increase the engine's performance.

[dbw]

If you are worry about fuel economy, why on earth would you buy a GX. You should have done your homework before you buy a car. The only way a chip can improve economy is to shift to higher gears sooner, this will decrease the engine's performance. Almost all the chips out there on the market does the opposite, it tried to increase the engine's performance.

I bought the GX to tow a camper - needed the capacity - based on doing my homework. Since then, the price of fuel has escalated. Chips can do a great deal more than alter the shift points - you should have done your homework - and that's why I asked the question. Sorry if I offended you.

[The G Man]

I bought the GX to tow a camper - needed the capacity - based on doing my homework. Since then, the price of fuel has escalated. Chips can do a great deal more than alter the shift points - you should have done your homework - and that's why I asked the question. Sorry if I offended you.

Let me re-phrase that, how on earth are you going to save gas by towing a camper around? By changing a chip? I know that a chip can do more than just change shift points. It can also change air to fuel mixture and firing points, but lets get real here, if a chip get you from 10 MPG to 12 MPG while you are towing without sacrificing performance, Lexus would have put that chip in there from the factory. Lets look at what you are trying to move here. The GX itself is almost 5000 pounds and add your camper on top of that, you are talking about around 10000 pounds. Realistically, how many miles per gallon do you think you can improve by? If you want to save gas, dump the GX and the camper and go buy a Prius.

[dbw]

Let me re-phrase that, how on earth are you going to save gas by towing a camper around? By changing a chip? I know that a chip can do more than just change shift points. It can also change air to fuel mixture and firing points, but lets get real here, if a chip get you from 10 MPG to 12 MPG while you are towing without sacrificing performance, Lexus would have put that chip in there from the factory. Lets look at what you are trying to move here. The GX itself is almost 5000 pounds and add your camper on top of that, you are talking about around 10000 pounds. Realistically, how many miles per gallon do you think you can improve by? If you want to save gas, dump the GX and the camper and go buy a Prius.

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I bought the GX to tow a camper, but don't tow it all or even most of the time, so am willing to sacrifice performance when not pulling the camper in order to gain fuel economy. I'm aware that I could dump the GX and camper and get a Prius, but my question wasn't how to change vehicles to gain fuel economy, but about the possiblity of altering the GX to acheive that end. Once again, I must apologize for not stating clearly enough that I wanted to keep the GX and the camper, and just wanted to improve mileage when not towing.

[mercedes]

I'd have to agree with the previous poster: SUVs and fuel economy is somewhat of an oxymoron, especially when you get up to 5000 lb vehicles, which apparently you need to be able to tow your camper. Alternative solution? Rent a Ford Expedition from Enterprise during those few days in a year that you need to tow your camper.

As far as gas price goes, why did people think that in this country, and with China and India have huge oil needs to support their industrial growth, the price of gas would be stuck at $1.50/gallon for ever?!

[Reggie]

The topic of fuel economy is relative.

My previous vehicle was a 7 liter Chevrolet Suburban. I used it to both commute to work, and to tow a two-horse trailer twice a week. The Suburban got 10.5 mpg during my commute. It also got 10.5 mpg towing the horses. I had the Suburban equipped to seat 11 people, with an optional center front seat and a rear-facing two person fourth row seat. That allowed me to both tow, and to take my office staff of 11 women out to lunch every Friday.

About two years ago, preparing for retirement, I decided to downsize. My wife had just purchased a Lexue, and was pleased with it, so she arranged for me to drive a GX470. It looked like it would tow the horse trailer, and since I was near retirement, I didn't need the seats for 12.

My commute is now 35 miles to the barn where my horses are stabled. It is mostly interstate highway. Setting cruise control on 75 mph I get 20.1 mpg. On a 65 mph setting I get 25.1 mpg. Towing the trailer I get 16.5 mpg.

On the down side, trailer towing with the Chevy was comfortable and quiet. Adding the trailer and the horses didn't change anything except my view in the rear view mirror.

Towing with the Lexus is an uncomfortable adventure. Constant gear changes, downshifting two gears to climb interstate hills, vibration when going over 55 mph.

If I had it to do over again, I'd keep the Suburban to tow the trailer twice a week, and pull my garage queen 1986 BMW 528e out of mothballs to do the drive to the barn the other 5 days each week.

[The G Man]

I think dbw needs to talk to you reggie, since it is pretty much impossible for the GX to get 25 mpg. The EPA rated the GX for 19 mpg in the highway and thats under perfect conditions.

[SANdealer]

I think dbw needs to talk to you reggie, since it is pretty much impossible for the GX to get 25 mpg. The EPA rated the GX for 19 mpg in the highway and thats under perfect conditions.

I went from a 4Runner (v8) toa BMW X5 in part because it was a smaller engine and got EPA 21 MPG HWY. On the 4Runner, EPA was 19, just like the GX, however, I frequently got 21.5 MPG Avg on the HWY.

I have since dumped the X5 because the BEST i ever got on that was 15.1 MPG Avg (and a host of other reasons). I now have a GX that i'm very happy with.

Even though they are the same engine, I thought the GX would get worse mileage than the 4Runner due to it's size and height. But's it's all deceptive and they seem to get the same exact mpg. +20mpg on the hwy for a v8 isn't all that shabby.

I towed with my 4Runner and got the same results as towing anything else described here. that's life with towing and a v8 gas engine.

[monarch]

Towing with the Lexus is an uncomfortable adventure. Constant gear changes, downshifting two gears to climb interstate hills, vibration when going over 55 mph.

All Toyota / Lexus owners manuals advise to lock the automatic transmission out of overdrive when towing. Locking out the overdrive when towing will prevent alot of gear shifting, reduce the vibration, reduce transmission fluid temperatures and improve fuel economy.

[flukechance]

To get back to the original topic, JetChip is usually everyone's first choice. I'm sure they don't make one for the Lexus, and probably don't for the 4Runner either. First off, I would never put a chip in the GX. This is such a complicated and advanced vehicle, you could really make things worse. And while I've got your attention, I'd like to say what a terrible product the JetChip is and they are a horrible company who do not stand behind their products and care nothing about you the consumer. JetChip screwed me and enjoyed it.

[gxed]

small tweaks can be made to the car, sure. For example leaning out the mixture can result in improved mileage - this is commonly done on turbo cars but with added boost - but IMO the GX left no room on the table tuning wise to improve power or mileage.

You can tune it yourself with an SAFC but thats not something you plug in and go, requires a lot of time to master. Best saved for Evos and STI's though, not GX's.

Replace the filter more often, change the oil as per recommendation and keep the tires inflated as per manual = the best bet for optimizing the mileage.

[rklages]

Get a Diesel!