How can I improve the fuel economy on my Jeep JK Wrangler?

[Marion Carter]

Out of curiosity, what things can be done to a JK Jeep to make it more fuel economic? Aside from different tires as I have decent all season tires on it already. Any bolt on engine modifications that will make this more economic without messing with power?

 

[Tom Scherb]

Smaller tires that are not mud tires. Add a throttle body management system on it and weight is your enemy. Shave weight on your rig where you can.

 

[Setton]

You could also look at the gearing and how you interact with the gas pedal.

 

[smritte]

Heh.
Two vehicles you never buy while thinking of fuel milage, Jeep Wrangler and Toyota truck.
My Cruiser is rated at 13mpg (when it was new) I was ranging 12ish. Modified the drivetrain, tune, and now I get 15mpg. My new Tacoma runs around 16 with a moderately stock build. A tune is suppose to gain me around 1mpg more. My Wrangler got about 10 but it was heavily moded and tuned. My wrangler had mostly aluminum armor.

Most "cold air intakes" will cost you HP. I've played with those on a dyno for years, Sometimes you can change exhaust but done wrong will again cost you power which means milage. Some tunes will help but those mostly rework shift patterns and could "possibly" get the engine to work more efficiently. The issue with the tune though is if Fiat kept the encryption in the PCM that Chrysler had, your most likely wasting money.

I have never tried to tune one of the JK's. My TJ required a piggy back (inline computer) It helped the shift points but that was it. Most of my gains were redesigning the fuel, intake and exhaust systems. All of my work there was while I had access to a dyno.