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Fri Jun 13, 2003 11:04 pm

Hi; can you tell me the size of my '74 super's gas tank?
Also, what sort of fuel mileage can I expect to get in this car; it is all stock 1600dp. thanks.

Sat Jun 14, 2003 12:49 am

10.9 gallons, and i would assume about 25mpg? someone want to confirm that?

Brad

Sat Jun 14, 2003 9:08 am

I took a long ride few hours in my 78 convert and got 25 mpg

Sun Jun 15, 2003 10:38 pm

The superbug tank is 42 litres - 11.2 US gals.
The standard bug tank is 40 litres - 10.6 US gals.

25mpg (US) is about right for a stock 1600 superbug - 280-290 miles per tank full.

Rob
Rob and Dave's aircooled VW pages
Repairs and maintenance for the home mechanic
http://www.geocities.com/aussiebug1970/

Mon Jun 16, 2003 8:29 am

Litchfield and back, 220 miles, 25 mpg. But don't let the needle get too close to the "R" zone on the gauge. When I go around a sharp curve at speed I suffer from fuel starvation and it takes a few seconds for the fuel to flow again.

Mon Jun 16, 2003 8:50 am

I am running a stock 74 SB, and I have seen up to 30 MPG on long all-freeway trips.

Mon Jun 16, 2003 7:46 pm

Matthew,

30mpg (US gals) is very good for a 74 superbug - you must have it tuned well. You can get this economy easily enough with the 1970 or earlier bugs with the smaller 30 series carb and lighter body, but 30+ is very good for a superbug.

79 Supervert,

You should be able to get every last drop of of the VW tank, so I wonder if the guage is in fact over-reading a little (saying you have a little left when it's virtually dry) or the pick-up is not quite at the bottom of the tank (the later superbugs have a side-entry pick up which bends down to the tank floor). In any case, the fuel bowl contains a small cup full of fuel, which should run the car for about 1/2 mile before it sputters. I often drive my car (68 standard) until the needle is touching the left (really empty) end of the R zone, and find I still have about 2 litres in the tank when I fill it up.

Rob
Rob and Dave's aircooled VW pages
Repairs and maintenance for the home mechanic
http://www.geocities.com/aussiebug1970/

Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:36 am

I don't have a fuel bowl if you are referring to a carb component as I have FI. If instead you are referring to a fuel bowl in the gas tank then I don't know: maybe I have a replacement fuel tank as it looks awfully new for a 24 year old car and perhaps it doesn't have the bowl. When I fill the tank the fuel reaches almost to the filler cap but the gauge is just shy of the last line. So it seems the gauge is inaccurate at both ends. To be safe I have to fill up when it drops below the 1/4 mark.

Tue Jun 17, 2003 10:42 am

Thanks for the info guys. My bug was getting 18mpg. But the timing was too retarded. Could this be the cause of poor mpg?? Now I think the mpg will be on par with the timing set correctly.
thanks.

Tue Jun 17, 2003 10:52 am

Thanks Rob,
It is a new engine(only about 1,000 on it), and I am striving to drive it in a mellow fashion. I am also allowing lots of warm-up time, watching the tire pressure. It has 185/65 \r15's on it, which I am sure increases he rolling resistance, They are what it came with from the P.O., but I like having rubber on the ground.

I will eventually add a Fuel Economy section to my web site, and start publishing a graph or something...

Matt

Wed Jun 18, 2003 8:36 pm

79 Supervert - I was referring to the carby fuel bowl, so you are right - that doesn't apply to the FI cars (but it DOES to the stock 74 mentioned in the original post - FI started in 75).

It does sound like you have an inaccurate sender or guage, which seems unusual -They are usually VERY accurate.

Rob
Rob and Dave's aircooled VW pages
Repairs and maintenance for the home mechanic
http://www.geocities.com/aussiebug1970/