Decent CJ7 Gas Mileage?

[Fourflys]

Hello,
I'm sure this has been discussed and I did do a search and found a few things, but not really in the vein I'm looking for...

I have around two years until I get my CJ7 (military in Alaska and will buy when I move), so I'm doing a lot of research right now...

I do realize I'm not buying a CJ for economical reasons, but I'd still like to get some decent mpg as this will be my main ride hopefully... I'm looking at probably spending around $10-12k (maybe a little more) on this rig, so I don't think money will be that big of a deal (I hope)...

From what I've read, it seems like something with fuel injection is the way to go... where I get lost is what engine/tranny to look for, either with FI or able to put FI on later...

I plan on doing some trail riding, but nothing crazy... not saying this CJ will be a street queen, but I don't plan on serious crawling either... and I don't have to have major displacement just because (at least a 6 though)... thinking 32s for tires...

Again, sorry if this question is asked asked too often, but...

Thanks,
Chris

 

[rr41mag]

I haven't checked my gas mileage on my CJ7 . My work is 7 miles one way and I can drive to work for a week on that. So you can do the math. I have a six with headers and a fresh rebuilt carb. I'm running 35's

 

[harleydragon]

I prefer carbs simply because I know more about them than fuel injection..However,I have a 91 yj with 4.0 ( which is fuel injected),auto,3.54 gears and 33 inch tires that gets 17 mpg.It has very good acceleration and a heck of a road gear. Both my CJ7 's with 350's will spank it's butt in acceleration or in the mud but not in the gas mileage category..

 

[IOPort51]

If you are using the entire 15 gal of fuel in the tank, not likely, you are getting about 4 1/2 MPG.

On a good day, with a tail wind, if I go down hill most of the time, I ca get about 12.

I haven't checked my gas mileage on my CJ7 . My work is 7 miles one way and I can drive to work for a week on that. So you can do the math. I have a six with headers and a fresh rebuilt carb. I'm running 35's

 

[thescot]

Mileage numbers will vary largely dependent on tires,gearing,weather such as wind factor. Ive owned 7 4.0 powered Jeeps and they all did about 17 to 20. The three CJ's were from 12 up to 18. I do have Howell FI on the 83 Im now running and it runs nice. google "Jeeptech" or jeeptech pages for a full list of motors,trannies,axles,T cases info. Your head will explode from all the info. I think you'll find its hard to locate a perfect CJ as they used way to many combos in different years. The AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l is a great engine, the T cases good, axles workable, trannies........where to start

 

[Fourflys]

Mileage numbers will vary largely dependent on tires,gearing,weather such as wind factor. Ive owned 7 4.0 powered Jeeps and they all did about 17 to 20. The three CJ's were from 12 up to 18. I do have Howell FI on the 83 Im now running and it runs nice. google "Jeeptech" or jeeptech pages for a full list of motors,trannies,axles,T cases info. Your head will explode from all the info. I think you'll find its hard to locate a perfect CJ as they used way to many combos in different years. The AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l is a great engine, the T cases good, axles workable, trannies........where to start

When you say the 4.0, I assume you mean the straight six that the YJ/XJ platforms used? I had a 2001 XJ with the 4.0 and it was a great engine....

 

[harleydragon]

91-up yj's and tj's as cherokees,etc used that engine..yes,straight 6

 

[deadfeat]

81 CJ8 4.0l MPI fom a 93xj. 4:10 gears aw4 auto and 35" tire I get 16 mpg highway

Sent from my Galaxy S3 with Taptalk 2

 

[Petescj]

Ive been calculating mine out in the Laredo and have averaged 16.5 mpg just about every tank. I drive the same route to work everyday so it really doesnt vary much at all. Thats a stock AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l auto with 3.73 gears and 35s. Its also the best mileage Ive ever gotten out of any Cj I owned.

 

[hdgapeach]

Always wondered what kind of fuel mileage I was actually getting in the CJ. I have to go by what the trip odometer tells me. If you can do the math word problem (a challenge!), maybe you can cipher a close mpg figure. I fill the tank at the AMC 150 mile mark on the trip odometer. I average between 8.5 and 9.8 gallons every time I fill 'er up. The trip odometer runs at a variance of 0.3 of a mile less than it should every mile (due to tires, gears, and lack of speed gear upgrade!!). That's if the DOT mile markers are spaced correctly. Anyway, I show seven tenths for every mile driven. Just a SWAG, maybe 11 mpg on a good day.

Hey, if I was concerned about fuel mileage, I dang sure wouldn't be driving a V8 CJ every day!
'76 CJ5 , AMC 304 , 3 speed, 31" tires (this week).

 

[gert]

so many combos are possible, a 5 speed like the T-5 ,NV3550,AX15 attached to the back of a 4.0 would give you a good chance at reliability and fuel mileage

 

[IOPort51]

My old J-10 has a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l w/4.0 head and header, a T-176 4 speed and a 2.73 ratio. it pretty consistently got 21 highway and 17 in town.

 

[jdarg]

These MPGs seem really optimistic to me - sure wish I could hit 17MPG.

I've had two 4.0L Rubicons, one 03, one 06, that both got 14-15MPG highway at best, sometimes less, with the stock 31" tires. I burned through set of 33's on my LJ at one point and MPG actually went down 1-2MPG on average.

My TBI fuel injected chevy 350 in the YJ w/ 34" swampers gets 13-14MPG. It was only 11-12 before I got the tune close.

Top and/or doors off for a tank always seemed to hit me for 1-2MPG too.

If you can't live with <15MPG, or possibly even less, that then I'd suggest maybe looking at an XJ, which seem to consistently get 17MPH as long as they are geared correctly for their tire size. They are way more aerodynamic than a CJ or Wrangler and still have Jeep DNA in them.

 

[tjmons]

If you can't live with <15MPG, or possibly even less, that then I'd suggest maybe looking at an XJ, which seem to consistently get 17MPH as long as they are geared correctly for their tire size. They are way more aerodynamic than a CJ or Wrangler and still have Jeep DNA in them.

The only DNA they have with a CJ is the letters J E E P

 

[dabbrowne]

I looked at the original stock advertisement for the 1975 CJ5 AMC 304 and it lists 11 MPG. I now have a 4 barrel carb and 31's so it 7-9 MPG Yuk.

 

[Petescj]

These MPGs seem really optimistic to me - sure wish I could hit 17MPG.

Well I know how to work the math and Im between 16 and 17 mpg consistently. My fuel gauge doesnt work and Ive got it down to having about 2 gallons left in the tank when I refill. I'll take an odometer pic when I fill and refill and then show how many gallons I used if youd like. Heck I'll do it just for fun.

 

[Old Dog]

The only DNA they have with a CJ is the letters J E E P

Why would you say that, AMC started making them in 84 only one year after your CJ7 was made.
I guess FC's, Sj's, jeepster's and J series trucks are not jeeps either?

 

[Hedgehog]

A Wrangler is a Chrysler product or a pair of Jeans. In 1986 when Chrysler killed and I mean killed the CJ line of Jeeps they made a very big deal about the long line of CJ Jeeps going all the way back to the military Jeeps of WWII was gone, no longer in production. About 6 months later, when Chrysler came out with their look alike version of what they thought a Jeep should be they, Chrysler, were very arrogant about the fact that the then Jeep pick-up, a totally Chrysler product, was related to the Pants, sorry Jeans, oops sorry Jeep like replacement they were now selling.

Tjmons is correct, the name Jeep is the only thing Jeep about the cowboy, oops Wrangler we see today. The Wrangler is not a Jeep...............

 

[Old Dog]

The statement was about the xj not the wrangler. Which AMC made before Chrysler bought them out. I also don't see how you can say the J series pick up is a Chrysler product it was made from 1963 till 87 started even before AMC bought the jeep name.

 

[tjmons]

Why would you say that, AMC started making them in 84 only one year after your CJ7 was made.
I guess FC's, Sj's, jeepster's and J series trucks are not jeeps either?

In 1970 AMC bought Jeep from Kaiser. I was talking about all Jeeps made by Chrysler. Everything before 1986 has a true hertiage that we all understand.