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Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:37 pm

I get anywhere from 21-26mpg. I'm somewhat in tune, but my timing is advanced a bit and I have a pretty heavy foot. It's not city driving, but it mostly is back roads where hills and curves and stop signs are pretty frequent, ... so I'm happy with what I got.

A lot of people say they get more than what I get - is that mostly city (I assume)? Any mods done to increase MPG? Shift points?

Just wondering.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:50 pm

Actually that gas mileage range sounds about right to me. Maybe a little low, but that could be your "lead foot". The people insisting you should be getting better gas mileage, are they VW owners? There's a common misconception that Beetles get great gas mileage, but that's not necessarily the case. They got great gas mileage compared to the full-size American cars of their day, but nowhere near the mileage newer compact cars get.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:51 pm

DonnieDarko wrote: A lot of people say they get more than what I get - is that mostly city (I assume)?

When I was driving it (currently rebuilding engine) my 1972 Super got about 29 mpg, but it was running too lean (intake leaks) and running too far advanced. I seem to remember reading somewhere that for a carbureted 1600, you should expect about 25 mpg.

So sounds about right, particularly if you're not driving on highways and you have a heavy foot.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:40 pm

I have a DP 1600 in a 68 vert, and I get 25 (almost every time I refill) with mostly city driving and just a little highway.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:55 pm

I get 23 almost no matter what with a German OO9 and 40mm Kadrons and I'm not that gentle on the gas. I'm hoping that once I get the throttle bodies ported for vacuum that it will be a little over 25. I'm also running a tad rich I think.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:52 pm

Im running a 70 single port 30/31 carb with a SVDA distributor and I have pulled 31+ or - on a good highway run but usually get around 26. Way better than my Suburban :D

Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:09 pm

Mid 20s is pretty reasonable Donnie.

Here's a post from a while back talking about driving style.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3076678&highlight=#3076678

Max

Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:56 pm

'74 sedan with DP 1600 (or maybe it's a 1641 or 1776, I can't trust the PO's claims), 34pict3 carb, SVDA: 28-30, mostly highway.

'74 convertible with DP 1600, completely stock 34pict3 carb, SVDA: average ~26, mostly around town.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:36 pm

22-28, on a stock, '68 1500 with 80,000 miles... I'm a freak about mileage, and since my gas gauge needs some attention, I use the odometer, which makes doing a mileage check pretty easy when I fill up.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:20 pm

I just did some work for a VW guy here in the desert.

I have my choice of the following engines. This is for a daily driver/Baja (Class 11?).

I am all about gas mileage. Power comes second, so...

Single port 1600
Dual port 1600
or Single Port 1300.

The guy said he would run a 1300 in his baja if he had to. He would have no problem with it, and they made roughly the same amount of power. He also said with the right driving I could squeeze 38 MPG with the right tires, which is great, for a capable offroad vehicle. I am not planning on flying off of dunes or going through the desert at 80 MPH. So, I get my engine on Wednesday maybe.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:30 pm

I get 20 city 25 highway with IDF 40's and a godforesaken 009. I got 30 mpg in my 2005 Montana SV6, with my wife, my daughter and a van full of crap (highway, of course). They've come a long way!

Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:40 pm

1600, dual kads, 1 3/8 header, stock 165sr15 rear tires. i get 30-32 on highway, and almost 27 in the city.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:31 pm

I drive my 72 super 120 miles a day doing 65 and get 30 mpg.Its a dual port 1600 with a weber 32/36 and a full msd setup.

Tue Oct 20, 2009 5:35 am

tundrawolf wrote: He also said with the right driving I could squeeze 38 MPG with the right tires,

Not gonna happen. The best mileage average I ever got was with my stock 1200cc 40hp in my '63 Beetle. 32mpg, mostly backroads, some freeway. My stone-stock '74 standard averaged 28mpg, mostly freeway, some backroads, some city.

Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:09 am

Well, the 1300SP will get a bit more milage, but it all depends on the vehicle, gearing and tire size and all that. I'm with Yellowbeard though, 38MPG is not very likely. Now, a 1300SP does have some built-in restrictions, the small displacemet for one, plus smaller valves on the heads (which also make for a smooth power curve at lower RPMs, and that can be handy in some kinds of offroading)

FYI, I compiled this data chart below, from various VW manuals, brochurees, etc.. and it lists the stock horsepower and fuel economy ratings across the years 61+up on US-model Bugs

Note that gas milage per DIN70030 standards was quite a different test than EPA later would do. The DIN test was driving on a level road, at 3/4 of maximum speed, with a 50% weight payload, and then measure actual fuel consumption per mile, add in 10% more fuel, then compute the milage)

Also, keep in mind that the later EPA ratings on this chart were done back when the speed limit was 55. And that EPA ratings these days are much less generous (more real-world) than they used to be, and they've applied that retroactively to their older ratings by reducing most them a couple of MPG.

Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:59 am

ok guys, size of motor and all that aside, i just came off a six month pepsi challenge with gas... the two parties involved were 7-11 gas as well as shell gas... i was using shell gas for about two months when the wife got on to me for wasting the extra 13 cents a gallon... so here it is with 711 gas the bug sucked. mind you i did a full tune at the beginning of each cycle, with the 711 about two months in i had to change my points and adjust the valves and the bug just ran shitty i ended up filling up once a week, definite decreas in power and whip... with shell overall everything was good, no tune needed nothing, the full tank even lasted a week and a half... so i hate to say guys but go ahead and spend that extra 13 cents it's worth it... pretty soon i will put a presentation on here giving exact numbers, but i can definitely say quality of the gas will give you better mileage

Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:16 am

joshuas wrote: ok guys, size of motor and all that aside, i just came off a six month pepsi challenge with gas... the two parties involved were 7-11 gas as well as shell gas... i was using shell gas for about two months when the wife got on to me for wasting the extra 13 cents a gallon... so here it is with 711 gas the bug sucked. mind you i did a full tune at the beginning of each cycle, with the 711 about two months in i had to change my points and adjust the valves and the bug just ran shitty i ended up filling up once a week, definite decreas in power and whip... with shell overall everything was good, no tune needed nothing, the full tank even lasted a week and a half... so i hate to say guys but go ahead and spend that extra 13 cents it's worth it... pretty soon i will put a presentation on here giving exact numbers, but i can definitely say quality of the gas will give you better mileage

I'm a firm believer in that, too. Nothing but Shell in all our cars. And, around here, it's about the same price as the off-brands.

Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:46 am

Bierboy wrote: joshuas wrote: ok guys, size of motor and all that aside, i just came off a six month pepsi challenge with gas... the two parties involved were 7-11 gas as well as shell gas... i was using shell gas for about two months when the wife got on to me for wasting the extra 13 cents a gallon... so here it is with 711 gas the bug sucked. mind you i did a full tune at the beginning of each cycle, with the 711 about two months in i had to change my points and adjust the valves and the bug just ran shitty i ended up filling up once a week, definite decreas in power and whip... with shell overall everything was good, no tune needed nothing, the full tank even lasted a week and a half... so i hate to say guys but go ahead and spend that extra 13 cents it's worth it... pretty soon i will put a presentation on here giving exact numbers, but i can definitely say quality of the gas will give you better mileage

I'm a firm believer in that, too. Nothing but Shell in all our cars. And, around here, it's about the same price as the off-brands.

I third that, but not necessarily Shell. Just anything that's not an off-brand. Why you'd want to save ten cents to buy crappy gas from Walmart or Costco is beyond me :roll:

Also, my grandparents buy the store brand gas and have had to take in their BRAND NEW cars more than twice a year to get the fuel injectors cleaned. They won't listen though, and it's pretty depressing to see my Grandpa fill up his 48 Plymouth with it :cry:

Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:51 am

Zach Thomas wrote: ...I third that, but not necessarily Shell. Just anything that's not an off-brand. Why you'd want to save ten cents to buy crappy gas from Walmart or Costco is beyond me :roll:

Also, my grandparents buy the store brand gas and have had to take in their BRAND NEW cars more than twice a year to get the fuel injectors cleaned. They won't listen though, and it's pretty depressing to see my Grandpa fill up his 48 Plymouth with it :cry:
Agreed...doesn't necessarily have to be Shell. That's just what I've used now for the past 15 years or so

Tue Oct 20, 2009 11:20 am

I prefer BP personally.

Anyways, I have been reading "small wonder" and in it, it states that some people achieve as low as 21mpg (67' publishing date) and some get as high as 45. but for fairness sake, they made the mpg rating an average. It will differ from car to car, you can not say what someone can and cannot do. I have made 37-39 with a 1641 and dual 34ICT. going 55mph on straight no hills highway. but have also made 15mpg on a bug that I just bought and was stock except for an 009. various states of tune, driving habits, engine, and just the car will drastically change results.