MPG Pt.1

[zieg85]

The Taurus/Sable line up of 2000-2006 where excellent cars.  The only issue was a fan motor because of a bad housing that was covered under.  Bought my last 2 company cars, drove every mile, for $5K.  Not bad for a 2 year old car in this day.

[Stewart G Griffin]

This might be slightly off topic, but then again maybe not:

The cavalier got 33.01 mpg for the second tank;  408 miles, 12.359 gallons, $48.56

i would like to further point out that this was with Throttle body fuel injection, not port injection.  You would think port injection would be more precise, but i'll cheerfully take what i got for now.

Also, the car is approximately 1500 lbs. lighter than the truck.  It is also much narrower and has a much smaller frontal area than the truck.

2) i don't like the styling of any taurus/sable although the current ones are getting better.  i feel that detroit has forgotten that styling sells cars, not mpg.

[Bitzer!]

I've just clocked up 61k work miles in 15 months so the engine is nice and loose. I'm getting between 55 & 59 mpg at 70-80mph. 2.2Diesel  oh its a Honda Accord!!

[Lt.Del]

That's pretty good Mate.  You sure you are converting those Kilometers and litres correctly?  That's pretty good mpg Bitzer.

[Bitzer!]

deffo mpg and mph Sir    i get roughly 750 miles to a tank! its amazin how much more economical a vehicle is when you drop the speed even by 5mph. i tried a few months back and done 180 odd miles at 65mph and returned 67mpg. Unfortunately 65mph on our motorways/freeways leaves you in and around the artic's (er semi's? tractor&trailer!) and its not pleasant!!!

[eventhorizon66]

As far as daily grind commuting I try to keep it limited to 65 tops and usually cruise around 60 (55 if traffic is slow and scattered).  I actually enjoy it alot more than I did cruising at 70+; fewer tailgaters, less frequently caught in a dense cluster of traffic, less engine hum, less windnoise, less stress .  I save all the juvenile delinquent stuff for those occasions when I'm all alone on my favorite backroads.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Continued:   OH NO!

 11.92 mpg with the "new" 305.

214.4 miles traveled,  17.972 gallons to fill up (click off) = 11.92 mpg  $48.51 at chevron

This is big-block mpg with 6 cylinder power;  How did i manage that?

i think the choke was not adjusted right(and may still not be) until about 100 miles into this last tankfull.

UPDATED SPECS:

Stock 305 from a 78 malibu with rochester 2GC carb

TH-350C  not sure if the converter is locking up, but either way the engine is still running about the same rpms at highway speeds

2.56 rear gear

tires are all mismatched 235/75R 15's from junkyard/pepboys.

i still keep it at or below 65mph and no aerodynamic changes have been made yet.

i will report back later, hopefully with some improved news later.

[zieg85]

Bummer Stewart.  My carb needs rebuilt but I did a 250 mile round trip Saturday delivering a garden tractor pulling my 14 ft. steel floor car trailer and averaged 12.1 with my 454 4 speed 3.21 gear doing just under 70 mph 150 of those miles.

[78 Chevyrado]

I just filled up both tanks for $105.  I get around 13-15MPG regularly.  Depends on where I get gas.  Shell sucks, bp sucks, quicktrip is good come of the time, texaco seems to have the best gas, the most often, around here anyway.  shell and bp price gouge, so unless im near a bp or shell i dont drive around looking for a better gas price.

This reminds me of a trip to the lincoln dealer when I was a kid.  I went with my uncle  and we looked around at the big lincolns. well a salesman came over and my uncle asked what kind of gas mileage it got since it used premium fuel only, and the salesman turned up his nose, laughed slightly and said, sir if you have to ask that question, you cannot afford this car.  and then he walked back inside.  

[Stewart G Griffin]

i forgot to add that i think most of the gas around here including and especially exxon (my favorite) is E10.

While i feel E10/15 M10/15 etc. is a great idea long term, this is not doing any wonders for mpg and very probably hurts it.

There is a website which i'll try to find that is a database of gas stations that sell only 100% gasoline.

[Jims86tpisub]

Somebody said forget the Synthetic. I use Amsoil Signature series, and I get 20 MPG from my suburban, TPI, of course. But we switched to the Amsoil in my wifes RAV4, and gained 4MPG.

[C-Moore502]

I'm sure no one on here is going to like to hear this but if you want better fuel economy get a truck with the 6.2 diesel in it. I have a 1984 K20 with the SM465 and 4.10 gears and it gets about 20-21 in town. Its slower than anything I have ever driven tough. 

[Stewart G Griffin]

i love the 6.2 and i think it's one of the best engines ever produced by GM, but i'm not real familiar with getting them to run and for that matter diesels in general.   This is why i've chosen to stick with gas for now.

i do know it will bolt right in place of a smallblock---same mounts and same bellhousing pattern.   So, it would be easy to physically get it in there.   But as far as the fuel pump and injector system etc. i'm lost.

[Jims86tpisub]

I'm sure no one on here is going to like to hear this but if you want better fuel economy get a truck with the 6.2 diesel in it. I have a 1984 K20 with the SM465 and 4.10 gears and it gets about 20-21 in town. Its slower than anything I have ever driven tough. 

Very true......Slower than Cold molasses running downhill, but, built for fuel economy.

[Bitzer!]

I've just clocked up 61k work miles in 15 months so the engine is nice and loose. I'm getting between 55 & 59 mpg at 70-80mph. 2.2Diesel  oh its a Honda Accord!!

Just had to send the Honda back  It got to 3 years old and work said the contract was up! 135k on the old girl and still getting 55+mpg

Sadled with a Toyota Avensis Estate - its horrible and struggle to get 50mpg. It's done 8500miles in 6weeks!!